Wednesday, May 29, 2019
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Monday, May 27, 2019
Sunday, May 26, 2019
Saturday, May 25, 2019
Monday, May 20, 2019
[KC]: How to post your reflection video to the blog!
Seniors, below are some YouTube videos that provide instruction on how to upload videos. The first video explains how to upload it to YouTube; the second from YouTube to Blogger (the class blog).
Follow these instructions exactly!
When you do upload your video, please make sure to title your post as follows:
Also! Title your blog post in that same way!
*** IMPORTANT: Your video cannot be listed as "private" otherwise the embed will not play on this public format. ***
Here are the instructional videos:
Follow these instructions exactly!
When you do upload your video, please make sure to title your post as follows:
Student first and last name (video title)
Also! Title your blog post in that same way!
Example:
Justin Turner (Swing for the Fence)
*** IMPORTANT: Your video cannot be listed as "private" otherwise the embed will not play on this public format. ***
Here are the instructional videos:
Saturday, February 2, 2019
Cellar of Horror Gary Heidnik 2nd Quarter SSR Blog
The character I chose was Josefina Rivera who happens to be a real person who did incredible things in real life. My book is about a psychotic man who kidnapped, raped and held young women captive against their will in hopes of getting them pregnant. One of his seven victims Josefina Rivera to me would be the hero of this story. She risked her life several times to save the other girls from suffering abuse by persuading Hiednik not to or take their place instead. Gary Hiednik's goal was to create a baby factory which is why he tried so tirelessly to get the girls pregnant. Josefina, however, prevented him from ever reaching his goal. She gained the trust of Heidnik slowly but surely, she always offered to take someone's place, she took care of the other girls for Gary and occasionally cooked meals. Eventually, she gained enough trust from Heidnik to go visit her family and return back to captivity in a cold basement. She immediately ran to the police and Heidnik was sentenced to death. Without her bravery, the lives of these women could've potentially ended tragically.\
In an odd way, I can connect to Josefina because she had to play the long game and be patient to escape and I feel I've had to play the long game and be patient to reach my goals. My situation isn't anywhere close to being as harsh or extreme but I feel like I had to be patient as well. My freshman year I wasn't good enough to be on a relay so I worked hard and waited for the position to open up and eventually my 11th-grade year I was put on it.
Friday, February 1, 2019
1984, SSR 2nd Quarter Blog Post
During the second quarter, I read George Orwell's novel, 1984. The novel is set in a totalitarian state known as the Oceania. The head of the totalitarian is known as The Party, they absolute control over everything, including people's lives and their minds. the protagonist of the novel is Winston Smith, who has a job at the Record Department store in the Ministry of Truth city. His work is revolved around making record of events that take place in The Party, such as doctoring photographs and writing newspapers to meet with The Party's demands. From the very start of the novel, it becomes obvious that Winston is a curious person, he is curious to why The Party is going through all the pain to ensure that history is rewritten just to favor it. He is the only character to sense that something must be wrong somewhere and as result he feels an intense disliking for his employers. Luckily, since he comes across these documents from ancient times, he is able to see how previous powers ruled. He then gains knowledge of how democratic institutions were laid out, that enabled people to select the leaders of their choice and the rights along with freedom. He then makes it his number one priority to avenge the past fallen leaders, which makes him rebellious. He begins to owe to the fact that he was aware of the regimes goal to destroy humanity completely. He keeps a diary, and writes all of his thoughts and hatred against The Party, where he constantly scribbles the words "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER". Keeping a diary or any other literary device is forbidden by The Party.
I feel like that I connect with Winston because sometimes I feel as if I am trapped in a endless cycle of going to school, work, and then home everyday. That's what he feels like in his own world, except his circumstances are far worse than mine. I am almost out of my trapped bubble because soon I will be getting ready to leave for college, but Winston will be trapped in his forever because The Party just has total control over everything, making it almost impossible to attempt rebelling.
I feel like that I connect with Winston because sometimes I feel as if I am trapped in a endless cycle of going to school, work, and then home everyday. That's what he feels like in his own world, except his circumstances are far worse than mine. I am almost out of my trapped bubble because soon I will be getting ready to leave for college, but Winston will be trapped in his forever because The Party just has total control over everything, making it almost impossible to attempt rebelling.
The Jeffrey Dahmer Story An American Nightmare
Disclaimer: I won't being going into detail about this book because it is about an actual murderer and might be too intense for some to read this blog post.
For the second quarter I had chose a true story of an actual murderer Jeffrey Dahmer His crimes were set in the 70's leading into the early 90's. This book didn't have many characters unless you count the five minute victims that lived inside the book. Even though I don't like Jeffrey Dahmer or what he had done his backstory is actually interesting. He came from a home that showed him nothing but neglect along with a mother who was unstable mentally. Dahmer's parents eventually divorced while he was in high school because of his mother being unstable but both of his parents wanting custody over Jeffrey's younger brother but not him. This lead him down a very dark path in my opinion and you get to see through certain chapters how Jeffrey as a person actually lost any sense of morality. Everyone in his life had left him and it left some damaging effects on Jeffrey. He did confess to the police that all of his victims were going to leave him and all he wanted was for them to stay. This actually brings up the well controversial question, are people born evil or are they made? In the beginning it shows that Dahmer had some issues but nothing a doctor couldn't assist with but through it all in the very beginning, before he had committed any crimes the novel did show his as someone who wanted to be loved and appreciated but had no luck. As time goes on the novel does thoroughly show how he was hooked on the idea of love until it manifested into something toxic. I personally couldn't relate to someone like him but maybe if someone where neglected at home they could connect on that very small scale. The book was entirely focused around him the whole time and it was a bit intense at times but it gave a good insight into who he is before and after everything he did.
For the second quarter I had chose a true story of an actual murderer Jeffrey Dahmer His crimes were set in the 70's leading into the early 90's. This book didn't have many characters unless you count the five minute victims that lived inside the book. Even though I don't like Jeffrey Dahmer or what he had done his backstory is actually interesting. He came from a home that showed him nothing but neglect along with a mother who was unstable mentally. Dahmer's parents eventually divorced while he was in high school because of his mother being unstable but both of his parents wanting custody over Jeffrey's younger brother but not him. This lead him down a very dark path in my opinion and you get to see through certain chapters how Jeffrey as a person actually lost any sense of morality. Everyone in his life had left him and it left some damaging effects on Jeffrey. He did confess to the police that all of his victims were going to leave him and all he wanted was for them to stay. This actually brings up the well controversial question, are people born evil or are they made? In the beginning it shows that Dahmer had some issues but nothing a doctor couldn't assist with but through it all in the very beginning, before he had committed any crimes the novel did show his as someone who wanted to be loved and appreciated but had no luck. As time goes on the novel does thoroughly show how he was hooked on the idea of love until it manifested into something toxic. I personally couldn't relate to someone like him but maybe if someone where neglected at home they could connect on that very small scale. The book was entirely focused around him the whole time and it was a bit intense at times but it gave a good insight into who he is before and after everything he did.
Thursday, January 31, 2019
The Faut In Our Stars
My favorite characher in this surprizing turn of events book is Hazel Grace. She is 16 years old and is my favorite because she has this light of life in her even tho she is struggling herself from a type of cancer she has. Hazel meets a man who has quite the humor when he is also a cancer friend of hers His name is Agustus Waters who is just a year older than hazel. Hazel lives in the moments that she can, she is surprising, adventours, and a risk taker. The one time Agustus asked her to come over and watch a movie, she found herslef amazed at whod this man was and what else is up his sleeve. Hazel has the strive to live as a teenager before her time is up but parents make it an issue. I believe Hazels character helps the story because while I was reading, I found myslef wondering what is she going to do next. She has a goal to meet her bestfriend who lives in Hampsterdamn but with her health conditions, ths trip may only be a dream. But with this new, adventours man in her life, they made the trip possiblewith exceptions from both doctors. As the story goes on, she comes across troubles with Agustus and that makes Hazels character grow more mature about herself and situations she is in. Hazel grows ovetime into a more develped person and was able to live and do the impossible knowing her time is limited. Augusts Waters came into her life and changed it in every good way possible.
Lion — A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley
My favorite character from the book I read the second quarter was the protagonist and author of the book: Saroo Brierley. At the age of five, he got lost on a train in India and was later adopted by an Australian family. He went on to grow up with the family he had been adopted by, changing his entire life forever. The book is about Saroo embarking on a journey back to his hometown in India to find his family again. This story is real, so the progression in Saroo is evident, though I'd rather refer to him as a person as opposed to a character in a novel. You can see that he is very persistent and will go to any length to learn more about his past and find any information that could possibly lead him back to his mother. But what I admire most about Saroo Brierley is that he never forgot about his origins. His goal in the book was always to find his way back home, even though sometimes he had a lot of doubt in his mind, he never stopped looking. The book was actually turned into a movie which I haven't seen yet, but it has fairly good reviews, so I recommend both reading the book and watching the movie.
The book acknowledged the importance of modern-day tools such as the Internet to help Saroo find his family. A lot of people criticize the Internet for obvious reasons, but clearly, it can be used as a tool. There was a particular segment of the book that I could really relate to where Saroo uses Google Earth to try and localize the house that he used to live in. I could connect with this part because I can remember myself looking for my house in El Salvador. I know the sensation of "That's the one!" or "This is outdated!"
The book acknowledged the importance of modern-day tools such as the Internet to help Saroo find his family. A lot of people criticize the Internet for obvious reasons, but clearly, it can be used as a tool. There was a particular segment of the book that I could really relate to where Saroo uses Google Earth to try and localize the house that he used to live in. I could connect with this part because I can remember myself looking for my house in El Salvador. I know the sensation of "That's the one!" or "This is outdated!"
The Man in the High Castle
In The Man in the High Castle, the author, Philip K. Dick, creates a parallel universe where Germany and Japan won WWII. As a result of the Axis' victory over the Allies, the United States is split. Everything west of the Rockies is under Japanese rule and everything to the east is under German rule.
Juliana Frink lives in the neutral buffer of the Rockies. Despite gaining the attention of everyone she meets and being popular with those she lives near, she is unhappy. Juliana never knows if she can trust other people and frequently reflects on her past decisions, wondering if they were the right ones to make. Her hesitance and inner conflict is heavily emphasized when she begins a relationship with Joe Cinnadella -- an Italian truck driver from the east. She never knows the man's true intentions, yet she continues her relationship with him cautiously. Juliana also relies on the fortune telling I Ching for answers for each situation she finds herself in.
Though these qualities seem like they'd block Juliana from finding some type of inner peace, she proves this isn't the case by the end of the novel. Joe introduces her to a book written by Hawthorne Abendsen that describes the world if the Allies had won. Juliana gets really interested in the book as it depicts what she believes to be a better world. It's one of the first times she confidently forms an opinion on something. After wanting to have a conversation with the author and learning that Germany has formed a plan to assassinate Abendsen, Juliana travels to the author's home. Out of nowhere, she has the revelation that Abendsen used the I Ching as direction while writing his book, and the author confesses to doing so. It is revealed that the book was written to uncover the "inner truth"that Germany and Japan were actually the ones to lose the war.
The Man in the High Castle ends with a lot of loose ends, but based on experiences other characters had while finding "inner truth," I think Juliana has been living in a different universe and figures that out during her visit with Abendsen. For suddenly learning this, she takes this new information well. She doesn't start to question everything. She peacefully accepts it. This is a dramatic change from how she had acted throughout the book. Juliana was constantly in the middle of every situation. She could never find an absolute answer or decide something with pure confidence. She lived in a neutral zone, further illustrating this characteristic of hers. I think that because she was never fully committed to an idea and was never sure of the world around her, learning that she has been living in a false reality was easy for her to accept; in fact, it seemed to fulfill her. It didn't force her to give up any certainty of hers because she had none to begin with. I found that interesting. This isn't the case with most characters. Philip K. Dick managed to explain that being lost or conflicted isn't always a bad thing.
Juliana Frink lives in the neutral buffer of the Rockies. Despite gaining the attention of everyone she meets and being popular with those she lives near, she is unhappy. Juliana never knows if she can trust other people and frequently reflects on her past decisions, wondering if they were the right ones to make. Her hesitance and inner conflict is heavily emphasized when she begins a relationship with Joe Cinnadella -- an Italian truck driver from the east. She never knows the man's true intentions, yet she continues her relationship with him cautiously. Juliana also relies on the fortune telling I Ching for answers for each situation she finds herself in.
Though these qualities seem like they'd block Juliana from finding some type of inner peace, she proves this isn't the case by the end of the novel. Joe introduces her to a book written by Hawthorne Abendsen that describes the world if the Allies had won. Juliana gets really interested in the book as it depicts what she believes to be a better world. It's one of the first times she confidently forms an opinion on something. After wanting to have a conversation with the author and learning that Germany has formed a plan to assassinate Abendsen, Juliana travels to the author's home. Out of nowhere, she has the revelation that Abendsen used the I Ching as direction while writing his book, and the author confesses to doing so. It is revealed that the book was written to uncover the "inner truth"that Germany and Japan were actually the ones to lose the war.
The Man in the High Castle ends with a lot of loose ends, but based on experiences other characters had while finding "inner truth," I think Juliana has been living in a different universe and figures that out during her visit with Abendsen. For suddenly learning this, she takes this new information well. She doesn't start to question everything. She peacefully accepts it. This is a dramatic change from how she had acted throughout the book. Juliana was constantly in the middle of every situation. She could never find an absolute answer or decide something with pure confidence. She lived in a neutral zone, further illustrating this characteristic of hers. I think that because she was never fully committed to an idea and was never sure of the world around her, learning that she has been living in a false reality was easy for her to accept; in fact, it seemed to fulfill her. It didn't force her to give up any certainty of hers because she had none to begin with. I found that interesting. This isn't the case with most characters. Philip K. Dick managed to explain that being lost or conflicted isn't always a bad thing.
The Dead and the Gone
For the second quarter, I decided to read The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer because I read the first book in the Life As We Knew It series a few years ago. However, one does not need to read the first book because it is not a continuation of that story line; instead, it revolves around the same event but with different characters.
After an asteroid hits the moon and throws it out of its orbit pushing it closer to Earth, many disasters begin to strike New York and the rest of the world. Citizens are faced with volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and due to food shortages, they struggle with famine and many diseases. The main character, Alex, is forced to take care of his younger sisters Briana and Julie because the rest of his family is presumed to be dead since his father was visiting family in Puerto Rico, his mother was stuck in the subways and could no longer be found, and his older brother was in a different state because he is in the Marines.
My favorite character was definitely Alex because he was the most relatable. In the beginning of the book, Alex did not have the best connection to his sisters, too busy focusing on his education because he believed that getting into a good college was the only way to get himself out of poverty. Like Alex, I think a lot of minorities, such as myself, can relate to this idea of trying to better your life through education. However, his dream was washed away when the disaster struck. There were many times in the book where Alex contemplated his decisions to take care of his sisters and wanted to give up and run away, but his determination didn't let him. I was able to relate to this because I have struggled with wanting to give up when times get tough, but in the end, I don't. He definitely provides a good example for the argument that families generally have a member's best interests in mind. Given the opportunity, Alex sent Briana away to a convent where she would have food and be taken care of. Even though he was heartbroken knowing that he had just split up his remaining family, he knew it would be best for her. Also, Alex often questioned his religion throughout the book, and like him, I have also done this when hard times occur. Eventually, after all the hardships that Alex and his sisters overcome, they strengthen their family bond. Overall, being able to see Alex overcome his inner turmoils is what makes him a dynamic character, and it keeps the reader interested to see his future actions.
A Separate Peace
The novel I read throughout the second quarter was A Separate Peace, by John Knowles. It is a tale of two best friends, Gene and Finny, going to high school in the New England area during WW2. Their sole focus is to hold on to their ignorance regarding the war engulfing the rest of world and enjoy what is left of their freedom before being enlisted to serve.
Finny is my favorite character and is undoubtedly the most unique character in the novel. In almost every way imaginable, he seems like the perfect person. What makes him unique is the fact that none of his personal qualities affect him mentally. He is consistently a good-natured character who has never seen or thought of anyone in a hostile manner. Finny seeks enjoyment out of the little things in life, and this works to make him even more likable.
However his biggest flaw is his social unawareness. In other words, he has an unwavering belief that others share his positive outlook on life. Ultimately, doubt about Finny's character by close friends combined with Finny's own ignorance lead to him being severely injured. Being the best athlete in the school, all he could do was hope for the future, but everything else that Finny held close to his heart was also slowly being stripped from him due to a terrible chain of events. The continuous tragedies that plague Finny make him a character that is extremely difficult to empathize with, but having sympathy for Finny is inevitable as the plot unfolds and captivates the reader.
Let the Circle Be Unbroken
The book I've read for the 2nd quarter was "Let the Circle Be Unbroken" by Mildred D. Taylor which is by far an interesting book in my opinion. It talks about an African American girl named Cassie Logan who narrates the whole story of her family and friends. Her family owns land which was passed down to by the grandparents who owned it. The issue that comes along with this novel is that a man named Mr. Granger, a wealthy white man threatens the family that he will take their land away from them. Now, during this time period, racial tensions are obviously strong due to Caucasians thinking they are superior to African Americans. I can't really spoil too much about the book but if you're curious about if they kept their land or not I recommend you read this book. It really makes you think about how bad it feels just being discriminated because of the color of your skin.
Every Day
Every Day by David Levithan found the protagonist, known as A, in a different body every 24 hours. A is a 16 year old that wakes up in a random 16 year old body in a different place each day. Although there is not a reason why, he never wakes up extremely distant from the body he left last. This lucky coincidence makes it quite easy to meet his love interest Rhiannon.
The reason A is my favorite character is because he believes in love and has a set of ethics he is committed to. Waking up in a different body each day never having to feel the affects of the night before is a recipe for a chaotic life. Yet from even the start of the book A makes it clear he is just a guest in the body and does what is typically best for the individual he is inhabiting. Early in the book he falls in love with Rhiannon and although he knows she has a boyfriend, he literally discovered first hand, why he is no good for her. A continues to pursue Rhiannon and ultimately she falls for him but she thinks there is no future for them due to the lack of dependability due to A's living arrangement.
Near the end of the book A learns from another possessive spirit that he can stay in a body for more than 24 hours. Although this would allow for A and Rhiannon to be together, A remembers his ethics and refuses to steal somebodies life. In the end A wakes up in a body whose personality is much like his own and sets up the couple. A then swears to move far away so that Rhiannon can have a healthy relationship. A loved Rhiannon enough to sacrifice his own happiness to give her a chance normal life filled with love. The idea of sacrificing for a loved one is beautiful and most 16 year olds don't have the emotional ability to just voluntarily sacrifice an opportunity to better their life.
The reason A is my favorite character is because he believes in love and has a set of ethics he is committed to. Waking up in a different body each day never having to feel the affects of the night before is a recipe for a chaotic life. Yet from even the start of the book A makes it clear he is just a guest in the body and does what is typically best for the individual he is inhabiting. Early in the book he falls in love with Rhiannon and although he knows she has a boyfriend, he literally discovered first hand, why he is no good for her. A continues to pursue Rhiannon and ultimately she falls for him but she thinks there is no future for them due to the lack of dependability due to A's living arrangement.
Near the end of the book A learns from another possessive spirit that he can stay in a body for more than 24 hours. Although this would allow for A and Rhiannon to be together, A remembers his ethics and refuses to steal somebodies life. In the end A wakes up in a body whose personality is much like his own and sets up the couple. A then swears to move far away so that Rhiannon can have a healthy relationship. A loved Rhiannon enough to sacrifice his own happiness to give her a chance normal life filled with love. The idea of sacrificing for a loved one is beautiful and most 16 year olds don't have the emotional ability to just voluntarily sacrifice an opportunity to better their life.
-Baron Barajas
The Trials of Apollo: The Dark Prophecy
Water for Elephants
The book Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen, is told through two perspectives. The book is told in the perspective of the protagonist Jacob Jankowski; however, the book flashes back and forth from young Jacob and old Jacob. My favorite character is old Jacob Jankowski. He is stuck living in a nursing home and he is extremely bitter about it. In his 90s, he cannot really do much but he still knows how to make people laugh. Old Jacob fights for respect and is kind of crabby. Although some people might find it annoying, I see older Jacob as someone who doesn't want to give up yet. Across the nursing home where old Jacob lives, there was a circus set up. One of the other elder men in the nursing home bragged to the women that he used to work in the circus; he bragged that he used to carry water for the elephants. Old Jacob, who actually did work in the circus, called out the other elder man and fought that you cannot carry that much water for elephants because it is too heavy. Jacob wasn't afraid to prove someone wrong and he kept fighting for the truth. You also often find him reminiscing on his younger years. I relate to old Jacob because I too find myself feeling nostalgic and dreaming about things in the past.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
A book that I've read for the second quarter is The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. This book is about the life-long journey of a young Dominican boy finding his father, and most of all, seeking love. The only thing that complicates this is the fuku, a curse that has been in Oscar's family for generations. My favorite character in this book is Oscar Wao. He goes from being this sweet, introverted, and over weight nerd to a straight savage. He is my favorite character because of all the risks he's taken throughout the whole book. He's literally risked everything on multiple occasions, including his life, all for love. Oscar is the protagonist in this story, so he did help make the book what it is. In the end, Oscar returns to Santo Domingo to go back to Ybon, the woman he heartily believes to be the love of his life. Everyone warned him not to go back to her, but he didn't listen. What makes this even more intense is that he knew that if he went back he'd be killed, but that didn't phase him at all. He's a prime example of how love can make you sacrifice anything, including yourself. Oscar is mainly my favorite character because I sympathize for him. All in all, I loved Oscar's character from beginning to end.
Always and forever, Lara Jean
One of my second quarter books were, Always and forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han. One of the main characters is Lara Jean, a teenage girl that is finishing up high school but can't decide if she wants to go far away to college and leave her boyfriend and family behind or stay close to home and miss out on great opportunities. The book is also, told in her perspective so we, the readers know what she is thinking. Lara Jean was my favorite character in this book because there is some similarities that we have and I feel connected in that way. Such as, she has a boyfriend that is going to a different college than her and she's wondering if she should go to the same school as him to keep things from changing. That's how I felt also, with me going to a different college and wondering if it will still work out with my boyfriend. Lara Jean also, didn't like change at all and I'm the same way, I dread changes. Also, there's the obvious reason why I can connect with her and that's because she is in the same grade as I am in right now.
Throughout, this book Lara Jean has changed but for the better. In the beginning of this book she was shy and didn't have that many friends besides her bestfriend, Chris and her boyfriend, Peter. After her and peter got together she started to be more social and gain more friendships. It's cool to see a character from the first to the third book evolve like that. I highly recommend this book to someone who is into young adult romance novels.
Alyssa Banker
Throughout, this book Lara Jean has changed but for the better. In the beginning of this book she was shy and didn't have that many friends besides her bestfriend, Chris and her boyfriend, Peter. After her and peter got together she started to be more social and gain more friendships. It's cool to see a character from the first to the third book evolve like that. I highly recommend this book to someone who is into young adult romance novels.
Alyssa Banker
13 Reasons Why
The book that I read during the second quarter was 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher. This novel is about a girl named Hannah Baker, who commits suicide and makes tapes about the reasons for why she committed suicide. I know majority of the class knows about it so I'm going to keep it short. My favorite character is Clay Jensen, Clay is definitely a dynamic character and I feel like his love for Hannah is the reason for this. Clay's actions make things more interesting, other characters were in denial and said Hannah was lying but eventually that changed and I would say if it wasn't for Clay then that wouldn't have happened. After hearing the tapes Clay tried to do everything in his power to get revenge for Hannah because that's what he thought she wanted. Eventually he realized she was just trying to tell her story.
The Host
Many times I’ve read science fiction novels about foreign creatures who have taken over a new planet, and that new planet typically tends to be Earth. However, I’ve never read a book quite like this one. My favorite character is Melanie Stryder, who to some may be the antagonist of The Host. In this novel, an alien species has over run Earth and inhabited the humans that live there. Melanie Stryder is a human who manages to be one of the last people taken over by the alien species. Before Wanderer was placed inside of her body, Melanie was on the run from the aliens.
The reason why I appreciate Melanie’s placement in the novel is because she is probably the most relatable character. All of the other characters, besides the people that Melanie cares about, are aliens who have justified their actions by stating that human nature is horrible and they deserved to be taken over. This made me not like any of the aliens right from the beginning. The Host is in the perspective of Wanderer, one of those aliens. Although she is the protagonist, it is easier to side with Melanie on many situations. Her character portrays much of human nature, the good and the bad. She cares for other characters, such as her love interest Jared and her little brother Jaimie. She continues to fight for her life and for those she loves even after she is captured and her body is inhabited by Wanderer. I feel like that’s one of things that makes her most relatable. Regardless of the situation she’s in, she still continues to fight for her freedom and her life. (unlike what we’re seeing through Hamlet’s character development in his soliloquies, but that’s A WHOLE other story) She is a strong character who knows what she is wants and won’t stop until she gets it.
The most surprising thing about Melanie is that she’s not even a person in the novel; she is simply the remnants of what Melanie used to be. Melanie does not have a body to do her own bidding. Meaning, all the reader gets are Melanie’s thoughts, experiences, emotions, and interactions with Wanderer to develop her character. This makes Melanie very inticing to learn more about. In the beginning of the story, Melanie is basically an enemy to the narorrator, which makes her seem like the bad guy. But as her character progresses, the reader can see that Melanie’s intentions are basically good. The reader even gets to see Melanie and Wanderer become friends. To me, the two characters have an almost sisterly relationship. They fight a lot, they both want their own space, but when it comes down to it, it’s impossible for them to hate each other.
I’m not entirely sure if we are supposed to give a lot of spoilers to the novel, so I will refrain from ruining this book for anyone who wants to read it. But if you are interested in the science fiction genre and my character synopsis was somewhat interesting, you would probably enjoy this book.
The reason why I appreciate Melanie’s placement in the novel is because she is probably the most relatable character. All of the other characters, besides the people that Melanie cares about, are aliens who have justified their actions by stating that human nature is horrible and they deserved to be taken over. This made me not like any of the aliens right from the beginning. The Host is in the perspective of Wanderer, one of those aliens. Although she is the protagonist, it is easier to side with Melanie on many situations. Her character portrays much of human nature, the good and the bad. She cares for other characters, such as her love interest Jared and her little brother Jaimie. She continues to fight for her life and for those she loves even after she is captured and her body is inhabited by Wanderer. I feel like that’s one of things that makes her most relatable. Regardless of the situation she’s in, she still continues to fight for her freedom and her life. (unlike what we’re seeing through Hamlet’s character development in his soliloquies, but that’s A WHOLE other story) She is a strong character who knows what she is wants and won’t stop until she gets it.
The most surprising thing about Melanie is that she’s not even a person in the novel; she is simply the remnants of what Melanie used to be. Melanie does not have a body to do her own bidding. Meaning, all the reader gets are Melanie’s thoughts, experiences, emotions, and interactions with Wanderer to develop her character. This makes Melanie very inticing to learn more about. In the beginning of the story, Melanie is basically an enemy to the narorrator, which makes her seem like the bad guy. But as her character progresses, the reader can see that Melanie’s intentions are basically good. The reader even gets to see Melanie and Wanderer become friends. To me, the two characters have an almost sisterly relationship. They fight a lot, they both want their own space, but when it comes down to it, it’s impossible for them to hate each other.
I’m not entirely sure if we are supposed to give a lot of spoilers to the novel, so I will refrain from ruining this book for anyone who wants to read it. But if you are interested in the science fiction genre and my character synopsis was somewhat interesting, you would probably enjoy this book.
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
For my second quarter SSR book I decided to read Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking which is a nonfiction book that explores the way people ultimately think and what brings people to make the decisions they do. In this book there isn't really any main character other than the author himself, Malcom Gladwell who talks to the reader directly sharing real life stories that help prove a point about the way we think and human intuition. Malcom Gladwell is a highly intellectual person that effectively explains the ideas of "thin slicing", or the idea of "the locked door". He explains to the reader about "the locked door" theory which is basically the theory that explains why most of us humans cannot explain the way our subconscious works. Gladwell is someone who is interested in the way humans think and why we think the way we do, our subconscious and intuitive way of thinking which makes me connect with him. The different theories and ideas he throws at the reader will really change the way you perceive the decisions you make in your daily life.
Where The Heart Is - Billie Letts
Where The Heart Is
For my second quarter book I read, my favorite character was Novalee Nation. In the beginning of the book she is a very naive and innocent young girl who is still finder her way. Novalee lets herself be controlled by her aggressive boyfriend up until he ditches her at a Walmart while she's pregnant. Even though she was devastated she found it in herself to move forward. She becomes a very strong teenage girl in order to support her coming baby.
I really liked how she was able to grow throughout the book and not give up hope. She was very clever throughout the process and found ways to survive. Novalee was also very kind which I could relate to because I don't like being mean to people and I'm very open to making new friends just like she was. Even though the world threw so many obstacles her way, she never changed her kindness and kept seeing the world as best as she could.
If I love you, Am I trapped forever?
In this book by M.E. Kerr the main character is named alan and he's seen as a popular kid in school. One day a new guy comes to school and everyone falls in love with him. Alan gets jealous of the new kid and a lot of times in the book the author tries to make Alan a character you wouldn't like but I couldn't help but see him as my favorite character. He had divorced parents and his father randomly tries to come back into his life, which isn't easy for a kid. Alan is a kid that has been through hard times so the way his character is, he is that way for a reason. Alan later finds himself crushing on the new guys mom which he hates himself for because he doesn't want anything to do with him. Deep down I think Alan hated the new kid because he was jealous of the perfect life he seemed to have. Overall I would recommend the book because it's interesting to see Alan's character change throughout the story.
It's Kind Of A Funny Story
The book I read for the second quarter was called It’s Kind Of A Funny Story written by Ned Vizzini. The character I would like to focus on in this novel is the protagonist and narrator named Craig Gilner. At the beginning of this novel it is very apparent that Craig is under a lot of pressure to succeed in life. It says he attends a preparatory high school that pushes students and seemed to push Craig a little too far. Two words that I would use to describe Craig would be intelligent and observant. Based on the school he attends it is obvious that he is an intelligent person and he often mentions how talking sometimes is difficult for him so he tends to watch and analyze people instead. I could really connect with character because he snapped under the pressure of succeeding in school and I sometimes feel that it is common among me and my friends to feel as if we are going exhausted and ready to collapse under the pressure. Another reason why I really connected with him as a character is because he realizes that he is going through a rough time and instead of just complaining and not doing anything he decides to take action and improve his situation. Throughout the novel he goes through a drastic change in character because he ends up improving his life and learning new lessons along the way. The story would be drastically different without him in it because he is the main character and all of the major plot points throughout the story involve him. Overall he was a very interesting character to read about and really brought the story to life.
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
In the book, The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, my favorite character happens to be the main's character half-brother, Seven. Seven is the son of Maverick and Iesha, but spends most of his time with his father side of the family because of his strain relationship with his mother. His mother, Iesha, chases after her drug dealing boyfriend, which puts Seven and his sisters at risk. I feel like this is what made Seven a unique character. His background influenced his character, which was not only relatable, but it was genuine. Seven was always overprotective of his family, and when his sisters were at risk of getting hurt by his mother's boyfriend, he would step in. Even the times when he knew he would get hurt, he did it anyway in order to take away the pain from his sisters and mother. The situations that he would put himself for others is what made his character stand out.
In addition, throughout the story, Seven progressed as a character. This can be seen due to him wanting to stay away from his mother In the beginning of the character because of embarrassment, but later on progressed to realizing that his biological mother actually loved him. Also, in the book, he started to learn the concept of acceptance. He accepted that his half-sister, Starr, could take care of his self, and how he should go to college and pursue his career. To add on, Seven is a character that is straightforward, funny, and matured. These characteristics lead him to stand out from the rest of the characters. He is someone that I can relate too, because I also put family first, and fought for others despite the consequences. Also, the fact that he is an older brother and is overprotective of his younger siblings and family is similar to how I am with my family. Overall, I recommend reading this book to everyone because it was an enjoyable read. It was also an easy read because you always want to find out how a chapter ends.
Violet Evergarden
In the light novel, Violet Evergarden, by Kana Akatsuki, takes place around the 19th century and one of the characters I find unique would be the main protagonist, Violet, who at first was presented as a very young soldier with the lack of human emotions. She first appeared writing a letter to her commanding officer, Gilbert, on a hospital bed in a nearby village after she was drastically injured during a the final battle of a war, which more details will come later in the story. Few moments later, she was visited by Gilbert's friend, Claudia, who was tasked by Gilbert to take care of Violet for the time being and takes her to his postal company to let her work there. While Violet was exploring her job choices in the postal company, she had an interest in the, "Auto Memory Doll" Service, which consists of ghostwriters typewriting their customers feelings into words on paper. She had an interest of the job, but not only to learn more human emotions, but also learn the meaning of, "I Love You", last spoken from Gilbert during the end of the war. As the story progresses, Violet has been learning about her customers emotions through their own stories and have empathy towards them, while developing her own emotions as well. Not only did she learned more emotions, but she learned about Gilbert's relationship between her. Not only as her commanding officer, but as a true friend, taking care of her and being alongside with her for those 4 years of war.
The reason I find Violet interesting is because of her amazing transformation throughout the story. To learning about her origin story of being an orphan with no education of the world and living in the military to now having a purpose in life of being a ghostwriter, alongside with her new companions that she met along her journey. Violet is the type of character to be straight forward with anything and is determined to seek out knowledge to any task she interests in, as seen in the novel. I admire any protagonist who had been troubled in their life to making the best of themselves later on in their story. Violet can be liked by so many people, not only they could relate to her, but liking her because of her development, throughout the story, of becoming who she really wants to be with a new purpose in life.
The reason I find Violet interesting is because of her amazing transformation throughout the story. To learning about her origin story of being an orphan with no education of the world and living in the military to now having a purpose in life of being a ghostwriter, alongside with her new companions that she met along her journey. Violet is the type of character to be straight forward with anything and is determined to seek out knowledge to any task she interests in, as seen in the novel. I admire any protagonist who had been troubled in their life to making the best of themselves later on in their story. Violet can be liked by so many people, not only they could relate to her, but liking her because of her development, throughout the story, of becoming who she really wants to be with a new purpose in life.
The DUFF
The book that I read during the 2nd quarter was The DUFF by Kody Keplinger, which describes the situations that young females experience throughout their growing years of high school, self-esteem issues and the perspectives others have about their peers. The novel starts off with the main character, Bianca being told by her next-door neighbor Wesley that there is a person typically in friend groups with girls that is a DUFF: the designated ugly fat friend. After Bianca is told that, she further realizes that the title has permeated through the school and she has held that status for a long time. While trying to prove others wrong, she asks Wesley to help her reinvent herself and to further prove those around her wrong. By her changing everything in which she usually feels comfortable doing, she is suddenly brought out of her comfort zone and further experiences new things. By the end of the novel, she finds an even balance and in return ends up finding herself in the process.
Although most of the characters within the novel were not my favorites, I believe that the version of Bianca in the novel would be my favorite character simply because she evolves throughout the book. She eventually answers her own questions about self-doubt. This is especially apparent in the novel when the author paints Bianca to have more problems going on in her life, thus showing her use of sarcasm as a strategy to deflect her own insecurities. Based on her new independence and self-awareness, she begins a crucial process in the novel that the only opinion that matters is her own regarding herself. Overall, I am pleased that I gave this novel a chance, and it further proves the belief that the production of movies from novels can be damaging to the author's original intention and theme.
Although most of the characters within the novel were not my favorites, I believe that the version of Bianca in the novel would be my favorite character simply because she evolves throughout the book. She eventually answers her own questions about self-doubt. This is especially apparent in the novel when the author paints Bianca to have more problems going on in her life, thus showing her use of sarcasm as a strategy to deflect her own insecurities. Based on her new independence and self-awareness, she begins a crucial process in the novel that the only opinion that matters is her own regarding herself. Overall, I am pleased that I gave this novel a chance, and it further proves the belief that the production of movies from novels can be damaging to the author's original intention and theme.
I Am Malala
The second quarter book I chose to read is I Am Malala. Reading this book has filled me with much knowledge of what its like to live in a country where women aren't given the same rights to education as men. This book has many characters but the one I am most focused and interested in is the main character which is Malala. Malala reminds me of me in some ways but not just me but every girl who is grateful for the opportunity to learn and retain knowledge from the education we are provided. Throughout the book, I realized that everyone who is given the opportunity to a free education should not take it for granted, simply because we may often forget that there are people out there who are not given the same rights to education as we are. In Malalas home country of Pakistan, women are banned from getting any education other than to become teachers or doctors. However, Malala was already campaigning with her father in her country about the right for women to gain a free education. With that being said a tribe that existed in Pakistan known as the Taliban were completely against women and education other than for them to become teachers and doctors. One day as Malala was on her way home from school her school bus was stopped and two members from the Taliban entered the bus asking for Malala who was eventually was shot and wounded. She and her friend were shot and taken to the hospital where they were being treated. Malala is a brave, and strong character mentally and physically who still continues till this day to spread the news and create change for women who lack education.
Me before you
hi so the book I read is called “me before you”. i’m writing this blog from my phone at my grandma’s house and it’s a super small screen so i’m sorry for the grammatical errors, Also there is a spoiler in this blog so if you are interested in reading me before you, don’t read this. So I read a book titled “Me before you” written by Jojo Moyes. This novel takes place in modern times in the united kingdom, following the life of, working 26 year old, Louisa Clark. She comes from a low class family and has to work a lot in order to support them. Her income accounts for more than half of their funds, so they depend on her salary a lot. One day, the bakery she worked at for eight years shuts down, unexpectedly, leaving her unemployed. She is desperately scrambling for a job and finds a job as a caretaker for young, successful, Will Traynor. He is a disabled quadriplegic because of a motor cycle accident that occurred two years prior. He was once a very active man who loved dangerous stunts aand lived for the thrill of sports such as sky diving, cliff diving, and many more thrilling activities. After his accident his fiancé left him and he became depressed. Lou soon starts her job as a caretaker for Will and obviously the job has it’s challenges. He is unwilling to receive help and bitter because he knows he needs it. He feels he’s not really alive anymore because he can’t do anything that makes him feel alive. He contemplates being euthanized because of how miserable his life is and made a deal with his mother to wait six more months. She hires Lou in an attempt to get him to rethink the euthanasia. They spend six months together, going on trips and doing fun things that they can do. She begs him to stay but he knows he can’t because this isn’t the life he was supposed to live and in the end he gets euthanized.
Eleanor & Park
For the second quarter, I decided to read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell. The young adult fiction and romance novel consists of two very different people falling in love with each other, despite the unpopular opinions of others including their families. The book repeatedly switches off by being told from Eleanor’s perspective followed by Park’s, which is something I enjoyed because I felt that I was able to thoroughly comprehend their thoughts and emotions between one another to establish a better connection.
Eleanor is my favorite character because she is unique in her own ways and does not let others affect her. Moving to a different city, Eleanor is in a new environment where she lives with her mom, siblings, and alcoholic stepdad. Since she is new at her school, she does not have many friends and immediately gets bullied by one of the popular girls named Tina who constantly teases her for several factors including her hair, body, and clothes. Eleanor stands out since she has bright red hair, a curvy body, and dresses in an unusual manner. Nevertheless, she meets a boy named Park who ends up falling for her and appreciates her for who she is. Through Park, Eleanor is able to gain confidence and be herself regardless of the numerous comments she would receive both at school and home. Throughout the novel, I was able to see her character development from her emotions since she was able to step out of her comfort zone in several ways. Overall, I respect Eleanor’s character for dealing with everything that she did as she was finally able to find happiness and remove herself from the terror she was used to until the end of the novel when a plot twist occurs. However, she continues to respect herself and carries a positive attitude even at times that seem impossible, for she does not change who she is simply to please others and is altogether my favorite character for doing so.
Me Before You
I decided to read Me Before You as my second quarter SSR book. It starts off with a young, hard-working girl -- Louisa -- that struggles to provide for her family. Her work shuts down and she is left jobless, so she takes on a job as a caretaker for a handicapped man named Will. When she first begins working there, Will is rude, inconsiderate, and pushes her away. She considers abandoning this job, but she persists and tries to help Will. She wants to, in a way, connect with him to make both his and her life more bearable, and she actually succeeds. After this, a problem arises: Will decides that he wants to die and plans out an "ethical" killing by a doctor. Louisa refuses to accept this and tries in every way possible to show him that life has meaning.
I was able to connect with Louisa in that she doesn't give up. She tries so hard to keep this man alive and keep him from killing himself. Also, she initially planned on quitting the job but kept it to make money for her family even though she was unhappy with it. This determination she has is admirable. It kept her family afloat and sprout a new relationship. Louisa learned that, because of her determination, she was able to succeed and accomplish exactly what she wanted. If I was in Louisa's position, I would've done the same thing, and I was actually surprised when I came up with some of the same ideas she did. She is easily my favorite character in the book simply because of this.
Lone survivor
My second quarter book was Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. This book was about four U.S Navy SEALs that had to go to the border mountains of Pakistan. They had too kill the leader of al Qaeda. One out of the four SEALs stood out the most to me which was Michael Murphy. He was the Lieutenante. He was a great leader, he overcame challenges, obsticals, dangers from the enemies and was an overall good guy and friend. He knew what to do when something went south and was able to keep his mind steady. He was awarded an award that wasnt given since the vietnam war which was the U.S Military's highest decoration, the medal of honor for his bravery and actions in the war against Afghanistan. He risked his life to save his team but only 1 made it out of the four. As he called the base to give his location so that they would find them, he was getting shot at while calling the base. He saved his teamates life because they were getting ambushed and he drew fire on himself. Even though he wasnt the main guy in this story he stood out the most for his actions.
Sharp Objects
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn was jam-packed full of highly flawed and disturbing characters, and my favorite one was debatably the most messed up of them all: Amma Crellin. Amma is the main character’s, Camille, 13-year-old half-sister with an incredible mean streak. She’s the prettiest girl in school, but she’s also the cruelest, ruling the school by blackmailing and bullying her peers. She’s also surprisingly fearless considering the events that have the rest of the small town cowering in fear: two of Wind Gap’s young girls have turned up brutally murdered for no apparent reason; however, Amma continues to parade around the town wearing roller skates and crop tops with her posse like nothing has happened. At home, though, she plays the perfect daughter while her clueless parents give her all the attention she craves.
So it’s clear that Amma is a sociopath who will do anything for some attention, but it doesn’t get real until the very end of the book: the big PLOT TWIST. It only confirms that she’s clinically insane and completely twisted, to put it lightly. This plot twist is the main reason why Amma is my favorite character, but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything for anyone reading this who wants to watch the series on HBO or read the book. (But be warned -- the story is majorly disturbing on a lot of levels!) So although I certainly can’t relate to Amma, I definitely find her to be the most interesting character in the novel.
So it’s clear that Amma is a sociopath who will do anything for some attention, but it doesn’t get real until the very end of the book: the big PLOT TWIST. It only confirms that she’s clinically insane and completely twisted, to put it lightly. This plot twist is the main reason why Amma is my favorite character, but I wouldn’t want to spoil anything for anyone reading this who wants to watch the series on HBO or read the book. (But be warned -- the story is majorly disturbing on a lot of levels!) So although I certainly can’t relate to Amma, I definitely find her to be the most interesting character in the novel.
The Fill-In Boyfriend
A book I chose to indulge myself in last quarter was a romantic fiction novel, written by Kasie West, titled The Fill-In Boyfriend. The book is about a high school teen who is broken up with her college boyfriend on her prom night, but must find a replacement immediately in order to fulfill her story that she has a boyfriend in college. After being able to find a boy quickly, she tries to make her now ex-boyfriend jealous by getting into a relationship with him. Throughout the novel, none of the characters really grabbed my attention, but if I had to chose one that I could connect with the most, I would say it was the antagonists' younger sister, Bec. Bec is the younger sister of Hayden, who is the fill-in boyfriend to the main character Gia Montgomery. Hayden agrees to be Gia's "boyfriend", but the reason being is he is trying to make his ex-girlfriend jealous.Throughout the novel we see Hayden's younger sister, Bec, being sassy, funny, rude, and forcefully honest with Gia, who is in her history class, and is now "dating" her older brother. I would say that Bec is not fully a dynamic character, but she is not a static character either; the reason being that she loathes Gia in the beginning, but ends up not hating her completely. Bec definitely helped the story by adding real life emotions. Since Bec wasn't a main character, I didn't see much major development in her, but I read that she was the one who influenced her brother and fake girlfriend to go to Hayden's ex-girlfriends party, where Hayden and Gia would eventually become closer and somewhat ignite a flame in their relationship. I somewhat connected with Bec because she is a young high school student with an older brother, like myself. She is protective over her older brother in his relationship because she doesn't want him to get hurt again. It's funny that that was the case with the story because something super similar just happened to me where I was being a super overprotective with my own brother. Overall, I enjoyed the novel and the characters in it and would recommend it to anyone who wants a romantic somewhat cheesy love story. f Ounny, rude, blunt, sassy, and honestfunny, rude, blunt, sassy, and honestBI
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
every day
My second quarter book is every day David Levithan. The book is a love story about A (the main character), a teen who wakes up every morning in a different body, living a different life. In other words, we can infer that A is a soul that merely transfers or borrows a new body every single day. The story is told from the first person point of view, which is A's point of view. Some character traits that A manifests are honesty, loving, caring, happiness, adventurous, defiant, procrastinator, and many more.
In the beginning, A was static only because of some damage he had done as a little kid; however, once the story progressed, he becomes more dynamic. In fact, it added to the story because he fell in love and began to be careless of the rules he has bestowed onto himself to protect the people he inhabits for the day. A's development throughout the novel was no cake walk; he messed up around the middle because of a girl he really liked. I feel like I connect with A because he puts people he loves first then puts his responsibilities last. Some interesting interactions A got were from some people who found out about him.
In the beginning, A was static only because of some damage he had done as a little kid; however, once the story progressed, he becomes more dynamic. In fact, it added to the story because he fell in love and began to be careless of the rules he has bestowed onto himself to protect the people he inhabits for the day. A's development throughout the novel was no cake walk; he messed up around the middle because of a girl he really liked. I feel like I connect with A because he puts people he loves first then puts his responsibilities last. Some interesting interactions A got were from some people who found out about him.
The Hate You Give
My second quarter book is The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas, I assume many people's favorite character would be Starr, but my favorite who stood out was Khalil's grandmother, Ms. Rosalie. She was introduced in a conversation between Starr and Khalil before he was killed. After Khalil's death Starr visits Ms. Rosalie and we learn more about her connection to Starr.
Starr's mother needed for someone to take care of her baby so she could attend her college classes or she would have to drop out. Ms. Rosalie, with no hesitation, took care of her like she was her own daughter and said to not dare worry about paying her.
She is my favorite because sometimes you need a friend to love you and have your back no matter what, to not question everything, and not judge you when you struggle and make mistakes. We learn that Ms. Rosalie was that friend who supports you and is your biggest cheerleader when you are grinding to be the best you you can be. She is my favorite because to me all you need is support in a friend and she doesn't just talk about it, she acts upon it.
Starr's mother needed for someone to take care of her baby so she could attend her college classes or she would have to drop out. Ms. Rosalie, with no hesitation, took care of her like she was her own daughter and said to not dare worry about paying her.
She is my favorite because sometimes you need a friend to love you and have your back no matter what, to not question everything, and not judge you when you struggle and make mistakes. We learn that Ms. Rosalie was that friend who supports you and is your biggest cheerleader when you are grinding to be the best you you can be. She is my favorite because to me all you need is support in a friend and she doesn't just talk about it, she acts upon it.
Still Missing
For the second quarter, I decided to read Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. The main character, Annie O' Sullivan, is a 32 year old realtor. Her father and sister had died in a car accident, so all she has left is her mother and boyfriend whom she constantly argues with. One day, she goes to an open house in hopes of making a sale. As she begins to leave the house, a van pulls up, and she is forced into the trunk of the car. The novel switches from the past to the present as it discusses her journey with her psychopathic abductee.
My favorite character was the main character, Annie. Since the story was told from her point of view, it was really interesting to get to see her thought process. I really liked to see her mindset when she was thinking of how to escape, how to trick her kidnapper, or how to adapt to her new environment. I can't necessarily really relate to her character considering I've never been through such an experience, but I do think I would act in the same ways she did. I often feel like in books or movies, they make the main character ignorant which can be frustrating because it seems unrealistic. However, in this novel, she acts pretty logically. Although it seems dark, I actually have thought about what I would do in such a situation, and it'd be fairy similar to how Annie takes action.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is filled of cliffhangers, suspense, and plot twists. It also helps bring awareness to such issues and inform people on how to react in this type of situation.
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Dog On It
One of my second quarter SSR books was Dog On It by Spencer Quinn. It is about a private investigator and his sidekick Chet. Chet, a dog, is the main character and the story is seen through his perspective. So, as a reader we have a heightened sense of smell and get easily distracted, which is very common throughout the book. This character is the main reason Bernie, the human, is a private investigator. Chet uses his senses in this book specifically to locate a missing persons case. The main clue, drugs under a table, would not have been found without Chet's senses. Chet continuously found these clues which led to the continued development of the case and the story. I didn't have any connection with the character, especially because I am not to fond of dogs, however getting this new perspective was kind of fun. There were moments when Bernie, the human, would do some action and Chet would be confused. For example, they were at a stakeout for a customer who suspected her husband of cheating and Chet said, "Humans look so guilty without clothes on, case closed: so different from me, for example, or any of my buddies, even Iggy. We just don't need them, end of story. Shoes, for example- what would I do with shoes? A coat and tie? Please". However, sometimes this would be confusing to follow, but you have to remember you are viewing it from the dog's perspective. I would highly recommend this book whether you like dongs or not. It is a super fun read and very enjoyable.
Tyler Stibal
Tyler Stibal
Monday, January 28, 2019
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
During the second quarter I read Emily M. Danforth's novel, The Miseducation of Cameron Post. The novel follows the main character, Cameron Post, a teenage girl in a small evangelist town in Montana during the 1990's. The book opens up with the news of Cameron's parents dying in a car accident. Cameron is shocked yet relieved by her parent's death because she no longer has to stress about her parents finding out she's a lesbian.
This coming of age novel discusses many issues that everyday teens face such as yearning for acceptance, overcoming your fist love/heartbreak, and betrayal. Don't worry, the book isn't all sad, it has plenty of humor due to Cameron's witty first person of view.
Cameron has secret relationships with girls. The secrets begin to add up once she learns she can hide the heavy secret of being in the closet; this makes her realize that she is good at lying to keep her safe.
To distract herself from her feelings, she turns to doing rebellious acts. But the truth comes out and her lies hurt the ones closest to her when Cameron is betrayed by her (secret) girlfriend and outed to the entire town. Cameron is sent away to a conversion camp which uses Christian beliefs and manipulation to hopefully make LGBTQ teens into heterosexual evangelists.
Cameron has secret relationships with girls. The secrets begin to add up once she learns she can hide the heavy secret of being in the closet; this makes her realize that she is good at lying to keep her safe.
To distract herself from her feelings, she turns to doing rebellious acts. But the truth comes out and her lies hurt the ones closest to her when Cameron is betrayed by her (secret) girlfriend and outed to the entire town. Cameron is sent away to a conversion camp which uses Christian beliefs and manipulation to hopefully make LGBTQ teens into heterosexual evangelists.
I can relate to Cameron's character on so many levels. Some of the situations that she was in, I was in too at some point in my life. I was so thankful to have read this book but wish I would have read it sooner to know that I was not alone. Thankfully, I had love and support and was not turned away by my family and friends. But I do know what it is like to have one big secret trigger years of anxiety, secrets, and rebellious acts. It was tough to feel comfortable as a Catholic, but now that I am older, knowing what I know now, and at peace with myself, I no longer struggle with self-acceptance. I am glad to know that books and movies like this one such as "Love, Simon" and "Boy Erased" are becoming acknowledged and spreading awareness on the struggles that LGBTQ teenagers face.
Julia Enzmann
Wednesday, January 23, 2019
[KC]: SSR Quarter 2 Blog Post
Hello peeps,
Here's your Quarter 2 SSR assignment (I know, it's just a tad bit late):
Step 1: Create a new POST in which you reflect on your favorite character from one of the SSR books that you read during the 2nd Quarter. Title your post with your BOOK TITLE.
- Feel free to use these questions to help guide you, but don't feel tied to simply answering them: What type of traits did this character have? Was the character dynamic or static? Did that hurt or help the story? How was the development of this character across the novel? Why did you connect with this character? Were there any cool interactions between this character and any of the others?
Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)
Here's your Quarter 2 SSR assignment (I know, it's just a tad bit late):
Step 1: Create a new POST in which you reflect on your favorite character from one of the SSR books that you read during the 2nd Quarter. Title your post with your BOOK TITLE.
- Feel free to use these questions to help guide you, but don't feel tied to simply answering them: What type of traits did this character have? Was the character dynamic or static? Did that hurt or help the story? How was the development of this character across the novel? Why did you connect with this character? Were there any cool interactions between this character and any of the others?
Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)
POST Due: Thursday 1/31/19 by 11:36 pm
COMMENTS Due: Friday 2/1/19 by 11:18 pm
CONVERSE! EXPLORE! BLOG AUTHENTICALLY!
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