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Reflection on the year-

As a 9^th grade student, this portfolio says much about myself and expresses how my growth comes along as the time passes by. Throughout the year, there has been miraculous growth in the way that my pieces are written as well as their presentation. Coming into the 9^th grade, it was difficult to even write a couple sentences that were well structured and were without the word “I” or used dead words such as “good” and “bad”.

When seeing my later pieces compared from the ones previously in the year, readers will be able to tell that my vocabulary has flourished to a great extent. It seems that the quality of my pieces have gotten greater and the challenges have followed. Knowing that in the beginning of the school year, in myself there was a scarce amount of hope when it came to my writing. As the months went on there is much strength that has been developed on my part.

Some strength that has been developed is my usage of vocabulary and the fact that it has become easier to form well-written paragraphs. Although, with these strengths have come many weaknesses. Struggling with not only time management and procrastination, but making sure that all the key elements for all the assignments is touched when it comes to analysis.

Stating analysis is certainly a skill that is important to be able to gain, and surely it is one thing that should be worked on in order for myself to be successful in my writing. In making this portfolio a main struggle was my “Macbeth” piece, since there were many dead words presented in my piece. As well as the fact that dead words were used I stumbled upon finding that there could have been more explanation throughout my writing.

Practicing my writing solved the issues that have been encountered and as the time went on it was easier to flow with what was incorrect because it took time to be accustomed to. For those reasons when looking back at the work from earlier in the year, there was such a change in the way things would have been said. For those reason my most proud piece was my “Me Magazine” because it reminded myself that as a person I will never loose sight of who I really am. 

By Tyanna Pleasant

Two years ago on a lovely, bright, fun filled Saturday (Magic 3) in the summertime, my beautiful family and I decided to pay Sesame Place a visit. Unfortunately, while in the car I was very upset because from the name of the park, I can already tell that I was not gong to have any fun or any type of excitement or thrill there. I really did not want to be there, sitting in the small KIA Spectrum with my aunt, cousin, brother, sister, and my mom. My aunt said that the park is going to be really exiting and I was going to enjoy myself, but the more she talked about it the more I didn’t want to be there. We enjoyed ourselves and shared memories with each other in the car and while we walked around the park until, my eyes got stuck on an attraction that goes by the name of Nets ‘n’ Climbs. It stared back and gave me that you cannot stand a chance against me look so, in my opinion it challenged me to a duel (personification); since were at Sesame Place, I had the thought that nothing there was on my level of challenging. Therefore, I accepted the challenge, of course. The challenge was to climb from the beginning of the net to the end, which sounded like something easy, quick, and fun (magic 3) to do. I was very confident in myself. You should have saw me I showed off, strutted up those tall, long, spiral stairs (Magic 3) to the top where the nets began. When I reached the top of the stairs, I was surprised, so surprised that I could not even speak to describe what was going on inside my head. I was even more surprised (rep 4 effect) that I could barely feel my legs while they shivered in my pants moving fast like a running car’s motor. (simile) I was extremely surprised that I could feel my heart beating inside of my rib cage. The net was three stories high with about 200 feet of suspended net tunnels; it looked life threatening. As soon as I saw the monstrous (adjective) net, I backed down. Nope not me, I was not going to do it, I was not going to climb that net, nope not me, and I defiantly did not want to look at it even longer. So I dashed all the way back down the tall, long, spiral (magic 3) stairs back to the bottom where it all started. Unfortunately, my sister who stood at the bottom of the attraction in her shorts and tank top was burning up from the heat from standing in the sun, was watching me the entire time.  She ran up to me as soon as she saw me at the bottom of the stairs fast like a desperate cheetah running after its dinner (simile) she laughed at me non-stop making it hard for her self to catch her breath and talk. After laughing, she finally asked me ”What happened. (Dialogue)” I said “My dear sister, never judge a book by its cover” She said” Why what happened? You are okay right?” I said, “Yea I’m alright. Just do not judge anything or someone by its appearance until you actually try it or meet that person well enough so you can judge them or its performance. Judge them or it by their personality and not their looks please because looks are deceiving. That’s coming from the experience I just had.” (Dialogue).

While I walked away with my sister, I felt like the Nets ‘n’ Climbs had eyes, and they were staring me down (Personification) like an owl hunting for a mouse in the night. (Simile) I was willing to beat something that I knew nothing about which turned out to be something I did not expected it to be like. That day I also learned to never judge a book by its cover. Just because we are at Sesame Place, which is based on the show Sesame Street, which is a children’s show on PBS kids, does not mean that it is a place where older children cannot go to enjoy themselves, but older kids shouldn’t underestimate the capability of certain attractions and rides there. Unfortunately, that day I was convinced never to try an attraction that looks way too scary, way too challenging, or way to high of the ground (Repetition for effect).

Thesis Statement: 

Analysis:

            In Act 1, Scene 7, Lady Macbeth tried to convince Macbeth to kill King Duncan tonight, and he is talking to himself alone on how to do it, but is still unsure if he wants to. Macbeth is talking to himself again, “If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly. If th’ assassination could trammel up the consequence, and catch with his surcease success, that but this blow might be the be-all and the end-all – here, but this here upon this bank and shoal of time, we’d jump the life to come.”(Act 1, Scene 7, lines 1-7) This reveals that he is strategizing how he is going to kill Duncan. Also, he is having regrets because he wants to be loyal instead of a traitor just like the previous Thane of Cawdor was. He is talking aside because he doesn’t want anyone else hearing the plot he has to kill King Duncan.

            In Act 2, Scene 1, King Duncan is asleep, the guards are drunk, and Macbeth is going to kill Duncan. Then, Macbeth is hallucinating and sees a dagger, but can’t grab it. He leaves it alone, pulls out his dagger and then goes to kill Duncan. Macbeth says, “Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind.” This reveals that Macbeth is scared, but he wants to kill Duncan so he can become king and have more power.

            In Act 2, scene 2 of Macbeth,  Macbeth just killed King Duncan, and now he is hearing voices saying that he won’t sleep again because he killed an innocent person while they were sleeping. After Macbeth did the deed, he wasn’t thinking straight and was scared. Macbeth says, “Methought I heard a voice cry “Sleep no more!” Macbeth does murder sleep” – the innocent sleep.” This reveals that Macbeth is feeling guilty that he killed someone while they were sleeping. Macbeth is also conscious that he did something wrong, and is punishing himself mentally.

            In Act 3, scene 2 in Macbeth, Macbeth knows that Banquo has a suspicion towards him for the death of King Duncan. So Macbeth is going to hire murderers to kill Banquo. While Macbeth is talking to the murderers he says, “I’ll call upon you straight. Abide within. It is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, if it find heaven, must find it out tonight.” (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 140-143) This reveals that Macbeth would go to the extent of killing his best friends to get power. Also, it reveals that Macbeth will somehow get what he wants when he wants it. This is different than killing Duncan because now he doesn’t want the blood of his own friend on his hands so he gets murderers to eliminate Banquo. This way he can eliminate another possible threat trying to take away his power as king.

            In Act 3, scene 4 in Macbeth, Lady Macbeth asked Macbeth if he was a man. He answered that he was a confident one that even horrifies the devil. Macbeth says,” Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that which might appall the devil.”(Act 3, Scene 4, Lines 60-61) This reveals that Macbeth knows that he is a courageous and scary person. It also means that he controls how he acts, he wasn’t controlled by something else. Macbeth changed on purpose so he wouldn’t feel the guilt when he murders someone.

            In act 4, scene 1 in Macbeth, Macbeth was just visited by the 3 apparitions, the witches’ masters. The first apparition said to fear Macduff. After his encounter with the apparitions Lennox told him that Macduff has fled to England. Now Macbeth is hiring murderers again to murder Macduff’s wife, kids, and everyone else in his castle. Macbeth says,” The castle of Macduff I will surprise, seize upon Fife, give to th’ edge o’ th’ sword his wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls that trace him in his line.”(Act 4, Scene 1, Lines 172-174) This reveals that Macbeth is now killing people in an impulse without thinking because he believes the witches and he wants to make sure he covers all the bases. It even reveals that Macbeth is even more bloodthirsty.

             In act 4, scene 3 in Macbeth, Malcolm is ready to kill Macbeth once and for all with an army backing him up. Malcolm says,” Come, we go to the king. Our power is ready; our lack is nothing but our leave. Macbeth is ripe for shaking, and the pow’rs above.” (Act 4, Scene 3, Lines 236 – 238) This reveals that Malcolm has had enough of Macbeth murdering everybody. Also, Malcolm wants Macbeth to taste his own medicine.

            In act 5, scene 1 in Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is sleepwalking and couldn’t believe how Macbeth could be so evil and bloodthirsty because of all the people he killed. Lady Macbeth says, “Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?” (Act 5, Scene 1, Lines 37-40). This reveals that Lady Macbeth regrets making Macbeth kill Duncan in the first place because it is somewhat her fault that all these innocent people are being killed.

            In act 5, scene 8 in Macbeth, Macbeth is in the middle of a fight with Macduff. Macbeth would rather fight ‘til the end than surrender to Malcolm, and watch him become king. Macbeth says, “I will not yield to kiss the ground before young Malcolm’s feet.”(Act 5, Scene 8, Lines 27-30) This reveals that Macbeth doesn’t want to die, but knows that he will because he noticed that everything happened just like the 3 apparitions said he would die, Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane, fighting someone that wasn’t born from a woman, and to beware Macduff.

Conclusion:

            Macbeth should be thought as a loyal person, but people in his life influenced him for the bad now he stayed like that. These quotes supported the thesis because from the first quotes to the tenth, it is obvious that his personality has changed. The first quote says that he is wondering if fate will have him king without him not doing anything, but then in the second quote Lady Macbeth convinces him that he has to kill Duncan to be king. The quotes after the second show how his character doesn’t change back, but only gets worse and becomes bloodthirsty and greedy. Macbeth killed innocent people just to stay in power. Then, Macbeth killed Macduff’s wife and children because he was bloodthirsty. Shakespeare’s message about life could be that people would go to extreme measures to get what they want even if it means losing the important things in life.

“The First Time I Was Called A Hero”

            I’ve always dreamt of being a hero for a girl just like in movies. (Opener) What happened last summer was similar to that. It all happened in the suburbs of Allentown, Pennsylvania, where most of my cousins lived. I am the oldest in my generation, so I play with little kids when I visit them. Their names are Nick, Samir, Reshat, and Adrian and they are all boys.

            We all were at Samir’s house playing video games on his Xbox 360. It was really exciting because we were playing around and having fun since we didn’t see each other for weeks. 1:00 in the afternoon came, and we started getting bored. None of us had an idea of what game to play next. We turned it off and just went outside. I noticed my aunt walking into her house. It had been a while since I saw her. Zooming across the grass and my cousins following me, I conversed with her and caught up with new things happening in our lives. We then continued what we were doing. Adrian saw the soccer goals in his humungous backyard and he came up with the idea to play one on four, me on my own team to keep it fair. Reshat was about to get his soccer ball, and that’s when it all started.

            Everyone stopped moving and I just heard “LOOK!” (Dialogue)I looked in their direction to see a huge, tall, black, and husky Pit bull going at about forty miles per hour! It crossed the road and then aggravated Reshat. Possessively he asked “Why is it peeing on my tree?!?” (Dialogue) My uncle saw the dog too and called all of us to get inside. He went inside, too. Samir listened, but not Nick, Reshat, and Adrian. Reshat encouraged Nick and Adrian to chase the dog for no reason. I still find it confusing how my aunt was still there and she was yelling at the three kids to come back and leave the dog alone. Her voice was weak as she was. I noticed that they didn’t listen, and then I yelled so they would hear. At this point, I think they don’t care about what anyone tells them to do. The dog went in the backyard, and out of my sight. My cousins went in that direction racing across the dark green grass. I had no intention of chasing them; I think they were in the middle of a sugar rush … I’m not sure. As I witnessed them trying to chase the dog they got out of my sight. Seconds later, I saw the dog just appear out of thin air chasing them back trying to attack the four boys. My cousins racing their hearts out even more. I blanked out, and had no clue what to do. I could only hear the screaming and my aunt shouting for help. HELP!! HELP!! RUFF RUFF GRRRRR AAAAHHHH!!!! HELP!! HELP!! (Rep for Effect, Dialogue) So many things happened at the same time so soon.

            Reshat and Nick managed to get inside, but Adrian is cornered in-between the two air conditioners mounted to the side of Reshat’s house. Desperately he cried, “ROBERTO HELP ME!” (Dialogue). I had to do something! At that point I risked my life to possibly save his. Never in my life have I ever seen that look of vigilance on anyone’s face until this very moment. Somehow a little voice in my head told me to keep the dog in one place and calm it down temporarily. I held the dog back by its body right above its back legs, just enough to calm the vicious animal from clawing. I told Adrian to run away, but that didn’t do anything. It just made the situation worse. The dog turned its body and took a quick claw at my face then chased after Adrian like he was ball that his owner threw to play “fetch” with. (Simile) He got so scared, and trembled on the grass with fear and surrender. The dog became even more vicious. He started attempting to bite, and I still heard my aunt in the background trying to get help. It finally hit me; the dog had a collar on so I grabbed the dog by its collar. It was perfect. I was able to keep him in one place until my uncle came outside seconds later. He told me to slowly let it go. I started walking in the middle of the street to catch attention and started asking whose dog this was. It all happened so fast. Dogs are not always affectionate as they show up on TV to be and can be very defensive and violent. Also, they shouldn’t be messed with. (Realization) As I asked all the nearby neighbors in sight, I kept hearing the same answer, “Sorry that’s not my dog.” “I don’t know whose dog that is”. (Dialogue) At that point I felt hopeless. I thought if I let the dog go, it would attack me too. Luckily, a neighbor who is a dog owner offered me a leash to tie to the collar on the dog’s neck. My uncle ran towards me and helped tie the vicious beast to a tree nearby.

The neighbors called 911 and it was finally over! I heard Adrian was badly scratched on his face and body. As my whole family came outside, they noticed the situation and finally got the cops and the ambulance to come. The cops were writing out their report while the ambulance truck took Adrian away. Turns out he had several scratches on his face and body and they took him to the ER to make sure he didn’t have any infections or diseases. I had to be there for the police report to make up one of my biggest lies ever to the cops to make it look like it was the dog’s fault when it was clearly my cousin’s for chasing the dog in the first place. They actually bought it because I never lied that good in my whole life. The cops were able to get the owners, but I don’t understand how they didn’t get in any trouble from the damage the dog did to Adrian and not keeping the dog supervised letting it run free. I went inside my other uncle’s house to get the horrible dog smell away and wash my face. I didn’t know what to tell him so I gathered my emotions and told him about what happened in the calmest way I could. He immediately got up and bolted to Nick. (Nick is his son and he wanted to talk to him) Suddenly, my whole family came outside. My family is unusually large in quantity by the way so it was a huge crowd. They all kept asking, “What happened?!?” (Dialogue) It got annoying after awhile because I kept on repeating the story and answering their questions. This changed the whole day for me and everybody else. Out of all of the family members, my aunt was the most thankful because she knew if I wasn’t there, she couldn’t have done anything.  The rest of the day was too long. I also reeked of the dog’s smell that I couldn’t get rid of no matter how hard I tried. I took a shower and changed my clothes but I still smelled that distinct odor. I’m glad Adrian is okay though, he only had minor scratches and the dog didn’t have rabies. This experience was extremely adrenaline pumping and terrifying, but I still wouldn’t mind doing it again. As long as I’m saving a girl. (Closer)

This quarter, our benchmark is to compare the portrayals of Cyclopes on the Internet vs. how they were described in the book The Odyssey. In Greek mythology, Cyclopes are one-eyed giants. Cyclopes are interpreted and portrayed in so many different ways. You can sight the different ways they are portrayed by searching for images , or reading The Odyssey interpretations of Cyclopes. Although the portrayals of The Cyclops in The Odyssey, and in artwork are similar in appearance, the emotions conveyed in each version are different, which leads to different interpretations of this mythical creature.

In The Odyssey, the Cyclops described itself as fearless and extraordinarily strong. The Cyclops was saying that it is not afraid of the gods’ powers, and that the Cyclopes have more force than Zeus. “ ‘Stranger’, he grumbled back from his brutal heart, ‘you must be a fool, stranger, or come from nowhere, telling me to fear the gods or avoid their wrath! We Cyclops never blink at Zeus or Zeus’ shield of storm and thunder or any blessed god – we’ve got more force by far”. (Book 9, Lines 306-311). The Cyclopes in The Odyssey all use humungous clubs, or as Odysseus described it as huge as his ship. “ Here was the plan that struck my mind as best… the Cyclops’ great club: there it lay by the pens, olivewood, full of sap. He’d lopped it over to brandish once it dried. Looking it over, we judged it big enough to be the mast of a pitch-black ship with her twenty oars, a freighter broad in the beam that plows through miles of sea – so long, so thick it bulked before our eyes.” (Book 9, Lines 356-362) Judging by how massive the Cyclops’ club is, its body is even more monstrous. Also the Cyclopes’ have one eye, it is mentioned in the title of Book 9, “In The One-Eyed Giant’s Cave”. Lastly, in the Odyssey, the Cyclops was always mad when it was talking to Odysseus.

In artwork, the three Cyclopes downloaded from the Internet all are huge, strong, and imposing. In the second interpretation, the Cyclops is holding a large wooden club. In each artwork, each Cyclops has only one eye. Additionally, the emotion in each of their face is either calm and serene or happy. In the second and third artworks, the Cyclopes are interpreted as monsters, while in the first artwork, the Cyclops is portrayed as a man. The artworks are at the end of this document.

In both the artwork and the book, the way the Cyclops was portrayed and interpreted were both similar and different. They were different by their emotions given off, and are similar by their appearance. For example, they are all huge and strong, and all have one eye.  Also, by the similarity with them having a club. Although, they are different by their emotions because in the artworks they appear as calm, serene, and happy. Whereas in the book the emotions the Cyclopes give off to Odysseus are anger and hatred. These examples show that the interpretations are more similar than different.  The only way they are different is by their emotion, the Cyclops in The Odyssey is angry while the Cyclopes in artwork are neutral. What if Cyclopes were actually very different than what people portray them as if they really existed?

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Bibliography:

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This work of art I just finished reading is called The House of The Scorpion, written by Nancy Farmer. Nancy Farmer has written 6 other novels, and several picture books and short stories. For this book in particular, Nancy won 12 awards. They include "National Book Award", the "Newbery Honor" and the "Michael L. Printz Award For Excellence In Young Adult Literature".

            The main characters in the book are Matt, El Patrón, Maria, Celia, Tam Lin, The 3 Keepers, and the Lost Boys. Matt is a clone that has El Patrón’s DNA. El Patrón is the original Matteo Alacrán, and also a powerful drug lord. Maria is the younger daughter of Senator Mendoza. Celia is the chief cook and Matt’s caregiver. Tam Lin is a bodyguard for both El Patrón and Matt. The three keepers are named Raúl, Carlos, and Jorge, they take in Lost Boys and put them to work. The lost boys’ names are Chacho, Fidelito, Ton-Ton, and Flaco, their parents were arrested for crossing the border while they were left behind and took in by the Keepers.

In this story, Matt was born by El Patrón’s DNA being put into the womb of a cow and the cow giving birth to it. Celia has raised him as her own until one day when a couple kids enticed him to come and play outside. The door was locked so he broke the window and got out, only to find out that he cut his foot on shards of glass from the window. Moments later, he is in a big house with maids treating him. Everybody knows who he is and then calls him a monster because he is a clone. Rosa, a housekeeper, then let him sleep. The next day, he was put in a shed with hay all over the floor and fed daily, basically jailed.

After a long time, Celia found him and got him out. El Patrón came and met his clone for the first time. El Patrón punished Rosa by turning her into an eejit, a robot with a chip planted in their brain that only allows the robot to do 1 simple task. El Patrón leaves because he can’t stay in that house. To assure that Matt isn’t going to be harmed, El Patrón lets Matt choose one of his bodyguards, and he picks Tam Lin. Tam Lin watches him and teaches him to ride a horse after school with his own eejit as a teacher. As the story goes on, Matt hears bad things about El Patrón, but doesn’t believe it. It was until he found out that there were other clones of El Patrón and he used their body parts to keep El Patrón alive and live the lives that his brothers and sisters never had. Matt’s only option is to escape, but he knew it wouldn’t lead to freedom.

When the day for Matt to die came, the whole story turned by what Celia has done to Matt and sabotaged El Patrón’s plan. El Patrón dies and Tam Lin helps Matt escape by telling him what to do and where to go. Tam Lin even gave him a chest with books, water, and note. As Matt is escaping, the Border Patrol catches him so he explains to them a story, then they take him to the keepers. It is like an orphanage without getting to be adopted, where keepers look after the “orphans” as they feed them and give them work to do. Matt is friends with the other lost boys. There isn’t any hope for any of them because they can’t escape. This changes when Jorge, one of the keepers, starts to beat Ton-Ton, and the rest of the boys join and fight back against Jorge.

This results to Chacho and Matt being dumped in a hole of dead bodies. Chacho got hurt from the bones crushing him. They finally escape by climbing out of the whole. Then Ton-Ton and Fidelito came to them with the shrimp harvester and escaping with it. After a long ride to San Luis, the boys run into Guapo and Consuela. They offered to drive them to the hospital using the hovercar. At the hospital, the sisters then were treating him. As, Matt and Fidelito were walking to see Chacho, they noticed Ton-Ton mouthing “run” because the Keepers were there trying to take Chacho. The keepers saw Fidelito and Matt and they started gripping them up to bring them back to the plankton factory. Everyone was fighting back until Doña Esperanza came and cleared the whole fight up by getting Ton-Ton to tell the whole story why everyone was fighting.

The keepers were arrested because she knew they were trafficking drugs and used that against them. After all this, Doña Esperanza discusses with Matt about what he should do when he will be the new reigning drug lord. Matt is now back to Opium, where he now has to complete the mission Esperanza gave him.

            The type of conflict in this book is person vs society because the antagonists were all against Matt and the orphans for different reasons. One reason is because they escaped from the orphanage, and the second is because Matt was a clone that escaped his death that was supposed to die and give organs to El Patrón.

            My opinion towards this book is very positive and I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. This book kept me entertained and has a great plot. This book doesn’t have any weaknesses in my opinion because it was such a great story to read and I could almost feel like I was there watching everything in 3^rd person POV. Also, there is nothing in this book that I would change.

            Would I recommend this book to other people? Yes, most definitely I would recommend it. As, I stated in the previous paragraph, it is a great plot and it will keep the reader anxious to find out what happens next.

These are 4 journal entries that I wrote. Mrs. Dunn gave us a question to answer each day and these are the ones I enjoyed writing about the most.

To me, fitting is somewhat important. This is because life isn’t fun without friends. I don’t do much to fit in because the kind of friends I have, all have different personalities and we get along like we’re family even though we only knew each other for a couple of months.

            I have never done anything as a part of a crowd and felt bad about it after. This is because I never get the chance to do stuff like that. The people I hang out with don’t attempt to or do anything in life they would regret. Although, if I did have a chance to participate in such activities, I would’ve thought twice about it to know what I was getting into.

            If I were to have a fresh start in one part of my life, I would start high school over again. I chose this specific option because I don’t want people to look at me as just that quiet guy. I would’ve done everything right. With a fresh start, I would take my high school experience and stay on top of work to relax and socialize without thinking a project is due the next day and I didn’t start it yet. Socially, in that period I could’ve made more friends, knew more people in the school, and actually “have” fun in high school just like everyone says it is.

            So winter break just ended and I’m back in school. Just imagine the joy on my face coming back to school when I just spent half of my break doing schoolwork. Yes, the break felt really short. I didn’t get to do all the things I wanted to, but at least I got most of my work done.

            Beside all the cons of my break, there were many pros to it, too. For Christmas, I got a drum set that I wanted since I was a little kid, some clothes, money, and a warm and cozy Snuggie! The rest of the break I spent at my cousin’s house sleeping over. New Years was WAY better though! The whole family got together and had a party. For the first time in a long time, I actually had fun at a family party!

            What makes someone a good storyteller is by no matter what the story is, the person can make the story realistic. Personally, I like when someone makes a story funny when its not meant to be funny. A good storyteller can bring the story to life just enough to visualize what the scene would look like to be experiencing it instead of just hearing about it.

Now, with a good storyteller, you need a good story. A good story is when there is meaning to the story. By meaning, I mean to tell a moral, to use to make a joke out of, to tell a good past time, etc. 

       Chucha took care of a high middle class family who had to hide from a governmental agency called the SIM. She kept her family motivated to get away from this way of living. She spoke to people leaving hints about the future in a way that her family had to unravel the meaning of what she said. “You will fly free like the butterflies Anita.” (Chapter 3) Chucha is telling Anita that she will escape the treatment of the SIM soon. Anita, the little girl in the story, asked Chucha to promise not to tell anyone about the blood in her sister Lucinda’s bed from her menstrual cycle. Chucha kept her promise and covered up the evidence; She washed the sheets and had all of the blood out of them. Likewise, Eurycleia took care of a wealthy and royal family who was waiting for a family member to return home. She stayed loyal to Odysseus while he went out to sea. Eurycleia promised Odysseus that she would not tell anybody in the house that Odysseus was dressed as the old beggar. “Child… What nonsense you let slip through your teeth! You know me- I am stubborn, never give an inch. I’ll keep still as a solid rock or iron...” (Book 19, lines 555-558). Eurycleia and Chucha families look up to them and trust them with all of their secrets, and they know what is best for their family. They are also adept wise and lived along time so they are very knowledgeable. Both Eurycleia and Chucha are also treated with more respect and courtesy than the other servants are and maids in the house.

       Chucha has her way of speaking in riddles or in a puzzling way where in order to understand her, people will have to unravel what she is saying. When she speaks, most of the time Her family had to really listen to what she is saying in order to understand the point she is trying to get out. Most of the things she says are about what will happen in the future. She knows what to do in every situation, and she helps her family whenever someone gets hurt. She knows exactly how to heal them and how to keep them calm and she has helped every one in Anita’s family generation. Chucha is also very superstitious, she sleeps in a coffin and everything she owns is purple, she has to dye everything purple, and there will never be a time or day where she will not wear purple. “’Wow!’ He says glancing around at Chucha’s purple towel hanging from a peg, her purple mosquito net strung between two nails, her purple dresses draped over a chair. ‘Does everything she wear have to be purple?’ I nod ‘Even her panties and stuff have to be dyed…” (Chapter 3, pg. 34-35) She believes that this will keep any bad spirits away from her and her family. I hope that Chucha will be able to keep the SIM away from her family also.

Eurycleia has been apart of Telemachus’s family for a long time. Eurycleia is the only the nurse in the house; she also is one of the women that were loyal to Odysseus. She is very wise and can tell Telemachus everything he wants to know about his father. She helped care for Odysseus since he was a boy, she knows about all of his scars and how he got them. Eurycleia could identify Odysseus just from one of his scars. “That scar as the old nurse cradled his leg and her hands passed down she felt it, knew it… Joy and torment gripped her heart at once, tears rushed to her eyes- voice choked in her throat… ‘Yes, yes you are Odysseus-oh dear boy I couldn’t know you before till I touched the body of my king’” (Book 19, Lines 528-538)

Chucha and Eurycleia are greatly admired by the people they live with, although Chucha has her way of speaking unclearly sometimes, and leaves her family thinking for a longtime about what she has said. They are very kind ladies who took care of the same family for at least 2 generations. They are treated better than any of the other maids or servants in their homes because of this, they are very trustworthy, honest, and loyal to their care takers. They are very similar but they also have many differences. Chucha took care of a high middle class family who was hiding from the government; and Eurycleia took care of a royal family who mourned for a family member to return home.

Before we were Free

By Julia Alvarez

The book “Before we were Free” by Julia Alvarez won the Pura Belpré award for its writing and the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award in 2004. This book also won the ALA Notable children’s books and ALA best book for young adults in 2003. Julia Alvarez published this novel in 2002.

       “Before we were Free” is about a 12-year-old girl named Anita Torre who lives in the Dominican Republic in 1960. Her family moved to The United States to escape the harsh treatment in the Dominican Republic. Her grandparents went first and they found a house in New York and lived there legally. The rest of her family left, therefore, it was just Anita, her mamá, her papá, Lucinda and her family’s maid Chucha (Chucha is like another family member, she has token care of basically all of her family, she even took care of Anita’s mamá). Soon or later things started getting even worse for Anita and her family that was still in the Dominican Republic. Secret Police called the SIM kept 24 hour watch on their house, their family, they were watching their every move. They searched every house looking for a man named Carlos Garcia and his family. The SIM rudely check people’s homes all the time; they walk in and destroy everything in their way, throwing things around. They will not stop until they find what they are looking for so they keep coming back to each house.

At the end of the story, Anita has to move out of her house because the SIM was after her family. They moved into the Mancini’s house for a few months, they had to be really carful and sneaky there. At the Mancini’s house, they had to hide in their bedroom closet, which was the safest place for Anita and her mother. Meanwhile her papi and her tio tony were fighting for their freedom. A month and a few weeks later, Anita and her mother moved to New York with her grandparents, where they were safe. Everybody in Anita’s family who moved from the Dominican Republic was there. While there, Mr. Washington who moved to Washington, came to visit them in New York and delivered the news that Anita’s father and uncle was dead. Since El Jefe were killed, his son was killing everybody in his way, He tied up everybody who was involved with trying to set people free to a tree and shot them until they were dead. Then he left the Dominican Republic. Now Anita is safe living in New York with her family members that escaped to the United States.

       My favorite character in the story is Chucha. This is her Anita’s clairvoyant nanny from Haiti. She is my favorite character because she is very wise; she is very different from the other characters in the story. She is a very spiritual lady. She wore purple all the time to protect her from the evil spirits; she also sleeps in a coffin, which I found very interesting. She is a fortuneteller, most of the fortunes she tell that are about the future, she use little riddles.

       My favorite character in the story is Chucha. The reason is, the whole family looked up to her, Chucha she took care of as they grew up. I have lots of younger children that look up to me. I used to help at a recreation center and help the staff watch the children and help the children with their needs. Chucha helped the family raise each other and they looked up to her because she was old and wise. They came to her for just about everything from advice to physical changes in their lives. I believe that readers should take from the book that there were harsh times in this world for some people and there still is some harsh moments. Some people didn’t have to go through what Anita had to go through at 12 years old and maybe people even younger than that and they should appreciate the fact that they are free and they don’t have to hide from the government. People should also appreciate that they live in their own houses and not a neighbors closet with a limited amount of things to do.

I could not relate to any of the characters in the story, but I can feel how they were feeling. The person that I really felt the most was Anita. The story was in her perspective and I knew every thought during the whole story. I have felt the way Anita felt when Oscar, her love, moved to the United States. Her heart dropped when she found out and she did not even get a chance to say goodbye to him. I had an experience like that when a person that I like moved to Georgia, it was unexpected and I did not know so I did not get a chance to say goodbye.

I did like the book. It was very interesting and had me wanting to read increasingly. I did not want to stop reading it, which is how interesting it was to me. Reading about something that other people experienced that I know I could not live like that, especially at her age is just amazing. I also would want to know how they handled being in that situation and what they thought about it. Some strengths of this book are, They keep the reader engaged, it explains almost every aspect of her life in the Dominican Republic in 1960, it has sympathy, and it has lots of dialogue so you can get a clue as to what the other characters’ personalities are. I if could change something in this book, it would be the way they explain the background of the story which, they do not. If they did explain the background then they should make it more obvious because I had no clue as to why were they fighting for their freedom, and the restrictions they had because they were not free and who were the SIM because I had no clue what they were either.

       I would recommend this book to other people. This book was very interesting, especially for someone who likes to hear or read about racist or unjust events that happened in the 20^th century. “Before we were Free” was told in a young girl’s point of view, so that is what makes it even more interesting. Some people may what to know how it was to live there as a child. So yes, I would most defiantly recommend this book to other people.

​Throughout our year as ninth graders in Ms.Dunn English class, we have wrote Journals. Our Journals are about many different things and our opinions on them. We could either do a free write and just write what comes to mind or how we were feeling, or we could answer the journal prompt that was written on the board for us to answer. Our Journals would also relate to a story that we are reading as a class. Below are my top four Journals that I really enjoyed writing.

 How important is it to fit in?

Fitting in is somewhat important to me; the reason why is because if you do not fit in, then you may be the person that get picked on or always by yourself. You might be excluded out of the fun activities everyone else is doing and become desolate. It really depends on the type of crowd you are trying to fit in. If the crowd is insolent, barren, and choose to be doing the wrong things such as vandalism, smoking, selling or doing drugs, drinking under age, or something you know your parents would rebuke then most likely you would not want to be apart of a group of people like that. If it is a conscientious and shrewd crowd such as study group, a girl/boy scout club, music group, or something positive, then you may want to be apart of that crowd they could help you in your future. I have done some things with a crowd that I later felt horrible. When I was in school and my friends were talking about jumping this girl, they did not like because she has a smart mouth and she is conceited. I knew who the girl was, and where she lived at which was right down the street from me. I showed them where the girl lived, and they egged her house. I felt horrible about it because I knew they did not like her but I still showed the group of girls where she lived. I could have prevented it from happening, but I unfortunately did not.

A time when someone exceeded my expectations is when my sister Dabreyah told me she was going to get some clothes for my birthday. I only expected her to be cheap and only buy me a shirt. Therefore, when my birthday came, and I looked at her gift box it had a whole outfit plus a small stuffed animal. I really did not think she would or had the ability to do this; she is a big grouch most of the time. She exceeded my expectations by buying me more than what I expected. I felt delighted, loved, and I felt like out of everything she did for me, this was one of the best things.

         I have exceeded someone else’s expectations. A time when I exceeded someone else’s expectations is when I was in 8^th grade, last year; I had to do a history project on Somalia. My teacher, Mr. Thomas, expected my call to just make a neat and organized poster board. I really needed this 100 % on this project because I had a high C in his class. Therefore, what I did was add a little extra to my project. I did the neat and organized poster board with a dance to a Somalia song from Somalia. I worked hard trying to perfect every move to the dance. I did so great with this project, that he gave me the 100% I wanted with extra 10% extra credit, that is when I knew I exceeded his expectations.

In the beginning of the play, Macbeth is a brave and loyal thane; but as the play progresses he becomes an evil tyrant.

            In act 1, scene 2, page 4, a captain enters the room to tell the king the latest news about the war. He said that they had just one a great battle, and that Macbeth killed a rebel leader. He also said that the thane of Cawdor was a traitor, so the king ordered his execution. The captain said, “For brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name…” (Act 1, scene 2, page 4, line 16). What he means is that Macbeth deserves to be called brave. He’s saying that Macbeth is very courageous, and is a hero. At this early part of the play he is described as very valiant. Others in the play also admire him for his bravery and courageousness.

            In act 1, scene 5, page 15, the king is talking to Banquo about Macbeth, during a gathering of all the thanes. The king says to Banquo “… he is full so valiant…” (Act 1, scene 5, page 15, line 54). He is saying that Macbeth is extremely valiant, and when he says full he means he is full of only good, nothing bad. He is talking about how much he values Macbeth, and how fine a thane he is. At this point King Duncan trusts Macbeth with because of how well he has proved himself to the King. He is being called loyal at an early stage in the play. Macbeth knows that he is valued which makes the decision to kill the king much more difficult.

            In act 1, scene 7, page 21, Macbeth is in his first soliloquy, talking about whether or not he should kill King Duncan, and he is very conflicted. He says “First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed…” (Act 1, scene 7, page 21, lines 13-14). What he means is that he shouldn’t kill the king because he is his kinsman and his subject, which means he shouldn’t kill him. He is trying to come up with reasons for and against killing Duncan. At this early point of the play he is already deciding whether or not to kill King Duncan, which shows how quickly the thought of having power is already corrupting him. He is extremely conflicted with himself, and is having lots of problems.

            In act 3, scene 2, page 47, Macbeth is talking to Lady Macbeth about how they are not going to get caught. He says “…full of scorpions is my mind…” (Act 3, scene 2, page 47, line 37). What he is saying is that his mind is full of conflict. This means his mind is changing. This change signifies his change to an evil tyrant. As the play goes on, his change becomes more apparent.

            In act 4, scene 1, page 63, the witches are making a potion when Macbeth appears and they give him 3 prophecies. The second witch says “…something wicked this way comes.” (Act 4, scene 1, page 63, line 66). The witch is saying that something wicked is coming. This means that the witch sees Macbeth as something wicked. The first time Macbeth came they just said Macbeth was coming, but the second time they said he was wicked, which shows how he has changed in the eyes of the witches. Eventually this change becomes more apparent, when he shows that Killing Duncan was hard for him, but the rest was easier.

            In act 4, scene 1, page 68, he witches finished telling Macbeth the prophecies, and Macbeth finds out Macduff fled to England. He says “The castle of Macduff I will surprise…” (Act 4, scene 1, page 68, line 173). He is saying that he will attack Macduff’s castle. This means that Macbeth is going to kill Macduff’s family, and servants. This shows how he is less loyal and brave and more evil. Others also see he has changed, and see how evil he is.

            In act 4, scene 3, pages 76 – 77, Macduff is talking with Malcolm about how Macbeth took over. Macduff says to Malcolm “Fit to govern? No, not to live!” (Act 4, scene 3, pages 76 – 77, lines 104-105). He is saying that Macbeth isn’t fit govern or live. This means that Macduff sees Macbeth for what he actually is. This shows how Macbeth has become an evil tyrant. Others start to see him in the same way also.

            In act 5, scene 2, page 86, the Thanes and some soldiers are leaving Macbeth because they are joining Malcolm and Macduff. Angus says “…like a giant’s robe upon a dwarfish thief.” (Act 5, scene 2, page 86, lines 21-22). He is saying that Macbeth is a thief, who stole something from someone greater than him. This means that people have found Macbeth out. What he says also shows that Macbeth is an evil tyrant. Macbeth also shows this in the way he acts.

            In act 5, scene 3, page 87, Macbeth is frustrated with all his responsibilities, when a servant walks in. Macbeth says to the servant “The devil damn thee black thou cream-faced loon! Where got’st thou that goose look?” (Act 5, scene 3, page 87, lines 11-12). He is calling the servant a cream-faced loon, and asking why he looks like a goose. This means that a servant walks in ad Macbeth immediately insults him. This shows how Macbeth has become an evil tyrant. Macbeth is also extremely harsh.

            In act 5, scene 5, page 92, Macbeth has just learned that lady Macbeth has died, and a messenger walks saying that the trees are moving, fulfilling one of Macbeth’s prophecies. He says “If thou speak’st false, upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive till famine cling thee.” (Act 5, scene 5, page 92, lines 38-40). He is saying that if the messenger is wrong we will tie him to tree until he dies of hunger. This means that Macbeth will punish someone extraordinarily harshly for something incredibly small. This demonstrates that Macbeth has completed his transformation into an evil tyrant.

            All these quotes show how Macbeth changed throughout the play. He changed from a brave, loyal thane who honored the king and did great deeds in battle, to an evil tyrant, who threatened and abused people. The message Shakespeare could be trying to give us is that all of us have something inside us that will go to any length to get what it wants, no matter how respectable or wicked we truly are. Macbeth shows us this because Macbeth is an honest and loyal thane, who is shown that he could be king. This temptation made him kill many people, just because he wanted to be king.

Journals

In English we kept a journal and everyday when we came in we wrote in it and shared. Here are some of the topics we wrote about.

Why write?

 People should write because it’s good to put your feelings and thoughts d     own on paper if you normally don’t talk about it. Also it gives you the freedom to write about anything you want, Stretch your imagination. It is an amazing talent if you love writing then do it all the time.

A time when I exceeded expectations (someone else’s or my own)....

A time when I exceeded expectations is when my family and friends didn’t think I would sign up for running and be good at it because I am a very lazy person but now I have bin running for 2 years and I most I ever ran was 13 miles and I hope to run a marathon and my friends didn’t think I could do it but I did.

 What makes a good story? What kinds of stories do you like?

I like fiction, fantasy and mystery stories because they are very creative. What makes a good story is when it is descriptive and flows it’s not all over the place. Also when they are not to long but not to short. Sometimes people do not want to read a book because its to long so it being right in the middle would would make a reader more interested in the book but that’s not always the case.

Response to reading/hearing/saying the “n” word...

When I see the “n” word in stories it makes me not want to read the book. I think the word is wrong and should not be used at all. Also the little kid said it and didn’t no what it meant so maybe he might start using it and it don’t turn out good. Some people say it all the time and it doesn’t matter to them because they way its used now like as a friend to friend saying it makes it okay. No using it at all is not okay doesn’t matter what the situation is.

If you really knew me...

If you really knew me you would know that I am not shy at all, I am always talking to someone no matter who or where it is. I always try my best to keep a smile on my face even if I am not happy. If you really knew me you would know that I have bin through so much with family and school. If you really knew me you would know I am the pickiest eater ever!

A time when you wish you could drop a part of your identity...

A time when I wanted to drop a part of my identity was in school and with my friends would make fun of my nose because its big. I was called a couple of different names and it hurt but then I started to get used to it and just laugh along.

For the Macbeth creative we had to take the Q1 benchmark and make a different creative piece that shows the characters change.

I have always been amazed by my travels, seeing things like the Eiffel Tower and the Pantheon. I however, had no idea that something natural could be more spectacular than anything man made. For the past 4 years I went to the Schuychill environmental center to go to summer camp. Every week we would go on a camping trip somewhere in the US. We went to places like the Pine Barrens, Assateague, and Allaire state park[SA1] . These trips were fun, but the places that really stood out to me were the White Mountains and North Carolina.

In North Carolina our camp learned how people got food before they domesticated animals and made farms. I learned how to whittle knives out of wood, I went fishing and I learned about edible plants that you could find in the wild[SA2] . What really stood out to me on this trip was a night hike we went on. We were in a national park so there was hardly any light pollution, and the stars were bright and numerous. A little bit into the hike we saw a spider web[SA3] . When most people think of spider webs, they think of it as creepy and want to destroy it. What they don’t think about are the countless hours the spider put into making this web. First, it makes several lines of web between two objects and then slowly spirals its way in. This spider web I saw was spanned across the entire trail and was perfect in every detail. If you looked closely (which isn’t an easy thing to do considering it was pitch black out) you could see that every little section of the web was tiny, the perfect trap for insects. No one beside the spider could have made anything so perfectly. Compared to something as simple as a spider web, all of man’s achievements are nothing. The Pantheon? Nothing; The Louvre? Nothing;. The Arc de Triomphe? Nothing.[SA4]  I find natural things to be more incredible than something artificial. Nothing made by a person could ever be as intricate as a living creature. We couldn’t make anything as big as a mountain, or as powerful as star. [SA5] Anything we can do is nothing compared to the scale to which nature can do it. Seeing the spider web also made me sad, because sometime in the next few days, someone will come along and destroy it. It wouldn’t really matter whether it was on purpose or by accident. That seemed to me as a perfect metaphor as to what mankind is doing to Earth. We take some natural and unspoiled area and ruin it by either polluting it or building something on it. After marveling at the web for a few minutes we decided to head back to camp. Along the way I looked up, and the stars, coupled with the darkness and the trees gave me a sense of how incredible our world is.[SA6]  We’re the perfect distance from the sun, and an incredibly unlikely series of events occurred to make life possible on the planet. What I felt at that moment is impossible to describe. It made me think and I realized that the world cannot be changed by an individual. We still obliviously cut down forests and build ugly suburbs; we still burn millions of tons of coal a year, and we still don’t change.[SA7] 

            The other trip that stood out to me was when I went up to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The highlight of that trip was going to be summiting Mt. Washington. The first few days of the trip the other campers and I went rock climbing near Mt. Washington. After a short hike, we got to the rock wall. Rock climbing was a lot of fun, and in my opinion, a lot more fun than watching TV, or playing video games. The next day we started the hike. We had packed the day before with clothes, sheets, and other things we might need on the two day hike[SA8] , and set out early in the morning. At first the hike was steep and rocky, and I thought, “There’s no way I can do this.” But as I got going I got used to it. About three hours into the hike we were about to leave the forest and start actually going up the mountain. When we got above the tree line we turned around and I saw the most incredible view of my life, an extensive forest beneath us and the rest of the White Mountains in the distance. As I kept going up the steep and rocky trail, I kept turning around and each time the view was better than before. After a few more hours of this, we got to the ridge between two mountains, Mt. Washington, and Mt. Monroe. Even though we all wanted to summit that day, we knew it would be late soon, so we followed the original plan and went to the “Lake of the Clouds” hut to spend the night. After an hour’s hike we got to the hut and it was late in the afternoon. We got there tired and happy and found ourselves to be the only kids there. All the people there were experienced hikers and were amazed to see us. That night there was a meteor shower and there wasn’t any light pollution, or even clouds for that matter. Fifteen other people and I just lay down on top of the rocks and watched, not caring for how freezing cold it was, even though it was summer. The next day when we were hiking up the final trail, we were really excited to be almost there. Finally reaching the top, however, was different from what I had expected. First, there was the huge sense of achievement that comes with summiting a mountain, which to me was more gratifying than any thing else that had ever happened to me. But the summit itself was disappointing. It was basically a big parking lot with some buildings. It doesn’t matter where the space is, because human nature makes us build there. Whether it’s the top of a mountain or in a canyon. Nature is most influential when it comes to advancing in technology. The robotic eye is being made to recognize things the same way as the human brain does. Batteries are being revolutionized by a design that nature created. Almost all of our research is devoted to understanding nature. If we keep destroying the areas untouched by humans, we won’t have anything to learn from. Rare plants would be lost that could have been the cure for cancer, or a new way to get fuel. I wasn’t sure what I was hoping for at the summit, but a parking lot wasn’t it. I felt that views like we could see from the summit should be earned, and you shouldn’t be allowed to just drive up. But it didn’t matter, because I was still happy to be there. The way down was as incredible as the way up, but not quite as difficult. When we finally reached the bottom I looked at what I had just done and thought, “There’s no way I just did that.” All in all, it was one of the best experiences of my life.

            My strengths in English are my vocabulary for one. I love to read, and I have always read at higher reading levels than normal for my age. I have acquired a great vocabulary and this always comes in handy in My English classes. Another thing about me is that I am very descriptive and honest in my writing, and I want to do something with journalism when I get older so I think that writing in general is a skill I have.

            This portfolio was hard for me to make because I was out of school for most of the first and second quarter this school year with mono. The only problems I encountered were having to rewrite large parts of my papers that I’d been able to shorten before, and editing a lot of half written journal entries.

             I think the work that I am most proud of is the work that I did towards the end of this year because that is the work I tried the hardest on. My book reflection on “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” is one of those pieces, and I loved that book as well.

The third Benchmark was for the book The Odyssey, we had to write an essay comparing a character from the Odyssey with a character from another author or movie.

Jessica Maiorano

Penelope & Bella Comparison Essay

3^rd Quarter English Benchmark

March 11, 2011

Most people understand or know the feeling of being depressed or abandoned by someone they love. Two girls, Bella and Penelope know that feeling very well. You can get lonely staying away from someone you are really attached to. Bella from the movie twilight is in love with a vampire named Edward. This made things difficult for her. Penelope from the Odyssey is in love with her husband who has been gone for 20 years. What should these girls do? Even though Bella and Penelope’s reuniting with their men was different, their paths were very similar.

Bella and Penelope were both left by their men but the way they got back together was very different. When Odysseus comes back to Ithaca he is not himself.  Odysseus stays disguised as a beggar until the battle between him and the suitors is over. He reveals himself to Penelope but she doesn’t believe him.  Odysseus discusses this with his son Telemachus. “Now because I am filthy wear such grimy rags She spurns me – your mother still can’t bring herself to believe I am her husband” (Page 459, book 23, line 130-133) this shows that Penelope is independent and wants proof herself. Mean while Bella is jumping off a cliff because Edward Is gone thinking it will bring him back. Then she goes after him when he was going to expose himself. That shows that Bella is dependent on Edward. Contrasting, Penelope handled the situation better then Bella.

Being abandoned by your husband or boyfriend for a long period of time hurts.

Penelope and Bella both felt the same when they were. Bella went into zombie mode for months while Edward was gone. She didn’t want to go out with her friends anymore, cried. Penelope kept going back to her room and crying. They both were not themselves. Having this feeling will make anyone’s life different or difficult no matter what the situation is just like Bella and Penelope.

Both characters were depressed about the situation and found a way to stall. Penelope drops hint to the suitors and saying she misses her husband but went along with everything that was happening. This quote from the book shows that she was just going along with everything  “Dangling promises, dropping hints to each – but all the while someone else is mind."(Book 2, lines 99-100) The quote from the Odyssey says that she is now feeling alone even though she says that she is going to marry one of the suitors. Also she weaves a web to stall also. Bella hung out with Jake when Edward wasn’t there but tried to find way to get to him, which was her way of dropping hints. They both have someone that wants to replace their loves. Bella has Jake like the same as Penelope she has the suitors that want her. Whether or not they want to be with them they are trying to take them from their men.

All and all they have walked similar paths. Even though the paths are the same the ending can be totally different. Penelope is independent and mischievous while Odysseus is away for twenty years.  Her idea of weaving a web kept her from answering to the proposals that were being constantly thrown at her. Waiting for her husband, not doing anything to get him. Penelope gets her love back in the end. For Bella however, seeks Edward out in her hallucinations of him as a way to cope with the Cullens’ departure.  She does reckless things to be with Edward in her hallucinations like cliff diving.  Doing that eventually reunites her to Edward.  These characters from to different books all of the four characters are trying to get their love.

Name: Eirene

Symbol:

·      Olive branch

·      Peace sign

·      Birds

·      Clouds

·      Flowers

Relative of:

·      Zeus (daughter)

·      Themis (daughter)

·      Eunomia (sister)

·      Dike (sister)

Enemy of:

·      Polemos (god of war)

Where she is from:

·      Greek myths

·      Roman myths

·      Latin myths

Other names:

·      Eirhnh (Greek)

·      Pax (Latin)

Described as:

·      Heavenly qualities of calm, quiet, and still.

·      She is usually thought of as a young maiden wit an infant child name plutos, the god of wealth, and an olive-branch in one hand with a torch in the other.

·      Burning a pile of arms, or carrying corn-ears in her hand or upon her head.

EPITHETS:

·      Shy Eirene

·      Quiet Eirene

·      Blooming Peace

Myth:

I think this myth exist because the ancient Greek people had to have a meaning for wanting peace, justice, and order. I think that they were thinking about what is it; what is the importance of it, and why do people want it. Once they thought of the meaning of Peace, they probably wanted other myths to link up to peace, so they also thought of justice and order. On the other hand, they maybe just wanted three goddesses to link up to each other to define a good way of living. Eirene is also the hora of Spring.

I believe that they made the the Hora of Spring because, when I think of Spring, I think of justice, graceful, peaceful, and things blooming. In the statue of Eirene holding plutos (wealth) and a olive branch in one hand, and a torch in the other hand, that is what I think of. Plutos reminds me of the blooming because he is a baby and he is growing every day. The torch reminds me of justice because usually you hold up a torch when you have gained justice of when you have achieved something great. The olive branch reminds me of peace and grace because the olive tree is a symbol of peace, and peace makes me think of grace so I believe that they are connected.

Eirene and her symbol

Bibliography:

http://www.theoi.com/Ouranios/HoraEirene.htmlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eirene_(Greek_goddess)

http://www.loggia.com/myth/eirene.html

http://www.maicar.com/GML/Eirene1.html

Everett Odysseus compare contrast

            In the Odyssey, Odysseus, the Greek hero, has a 10 year journey home where he undergoes many trials and challenges. In the movie O brother where art thou, Everett, the main character, has to go through similar challenges to Odysseus. Despite Odysseus being a hero, Everett had characteristics that in some ways made him more heroic than Odysseus.

            Both Odysseus and Everett had very similar stories in their journey home. This is because the movie O brother where art thou was based off of the Odyssey. Both Everett and Odysseus faced many of the same problems, such as the Sirens, and the Cyclops Polyphemus. For example, Odysseus had over 100 suitors courting his wife because they thought he was dead. Everett also had a suitor, but there was only one. Another example of this was changing the Sirens, who were women who would lure sailors to them by singing. The movie changed them to women who sang and seduced Everett and his men and took in Pete, one of the crew, for the bail. A third example was the Cyclops Polyphemus. He was changed into a large bible salesman with an eye patch, who robbed Everett and his men. While Everett and Odysseus had similar things happen to them, they didn’t always act the same way, or get the same end result because, even though they were similar in many ways, they were different people. Odysseus would sometimes look for only the fighting way through, whereas Everett might seek to trick someone, or escape the problem altogether.

Odysseus was mainly known for being two things, clever, and a hero, but he was also very prideful and vain. During the Trojan War, he fought with the Greeks for 10 years. At the end of the 10^th year, he had the idea for the Trojan horse. The idea was to build a massive wooden horse, and have the best Greek warriors go inside it. They would act like it was a gift saying that they surrendered. Then the Trojans would take it inside the castle, and when it was night, the Greeks would leave the horse and attack Troy from the inside. It worked and that was how the Greeks defeated Troy. Another example of Odysseus being clever was when he was captured by the Cyclops. He got him drunk, and when the Cyclops fell asleep, he stabbed him in the eye. The next day, because the Cyclops was blind, Odysseus and his men were able to escape underneath sheep as the sheep left to go out into the field. But Odysseus can also be vain and prideful. For example, when he escaped from the Cyclops, he yelled out “Cyclops, if any man on the face of the earth should ask you who blinded you, shamed you so – say Odysseus, raider of cities, he gouged out your eye, Laertes’ son who makes his home in Ithaca!” (Book 9, lines 558 – 562), so the Cyclops would know who blinded him, and he would get credit for it. But the Cyclops throws a boulder at the ship, because he heard where it was from Odysseus’s voice, and then knowing his name, was able to curse Odysseus, and ask Poseidon to make Odysseus’s journey home as difficult as possible.

            Everett, like Odysseus was also vain. When they were escaping from a burning barn, he wanted to make a detour so he could get his hair gel. This would have gotten him killed, but his crew convinced him not to. This shows that even though he could be stubborn, he could also be convinced to do something. He also liked to show that he was smart by using big words in every sentence. He was also somewhat humble, because he could admit a mistake, and at one point in the film, asked his crew for forgiveness, whereas Odysseus never did.

            Everett and Odysseus had many similarities. For example, they both were “smart” and were known for it. They were also both vain, and always tried to make themselves look better whenever possible, whatever the cost. They also had many differences. Odysseus was much more of a “fighting” person, and always wanted to solve problems with a sword. An example of this was when he tried to fight Scylla, who was immortal. “But now I cleared my mind of Circe’s orders – cramping my style, urging me not to arm at all.” (Book 12, lines 45 – 46), he went up on deck with his some of his crew, and lost his 6 best men. Other than that, he almost always “won” his fights, like when he went past the sirens he chose to listen to them while his crew tied him to the mast, and put wax in their ears. “They bound me hand and foot in the tight ship – erect at the mast block” (Book 12, lines 194-195). Everett, on the other hand, would usually be on the losing side of fights. When he met the Sirens, Pete was captured. When he met the Cyclops, he was robbed. Everett was also much more humble than Odysseus. Odysseus may have shown some remorse occasionally, but he never actually apologized for anything he did wrong. When Everett told Pete and Delmar that he had lied about the treasure, he apologized, showing that he could be humble.

            While Odysseus may have been a hero, Everett, the protagonist in the film O brother where art thou, was in some ways more heroic than Odysseus. Though Odysseus and Everett were proud people, Everett could be humble, and admit his mistakes. Though Odysseus and Everett were both vain, Everett could be convinced that there were things more important than himself. Though Odysseus and Everett were both the leaders in their respective groups, Everett cared more about his men, whereas Odysseus would recklessly answer to any challenge, no matter the harm to his men. In all, any humility and being humble could make someone greater than any hero who was proud and self-centered.

Some things that I feel are my weaknesses in English are my spelling, I can’t spell to save my life. When writing, I could type for hours if it’s an interesting top I’m writing about, but when it comes down to revising it I find many errors in my writing. Especially when using the right form of the word, such as their, they’re and their also than and then. These are just a few things I need to work on so when I enter 10^th grade I’ll be on point with my word context.

I’m proud of myself looking back on my work throughout the year. I feel accomplished with all the hard work I put into my portfolio. A few things I struggled on are finishing assignments last minute and just completing my work the day it’s due. It’s usually because other assignments from other classes I’d be forced on more because they would be due first. Juggling task from other classes is a major thing I need to work on for the new school year.  Another thing I had a hard time with was gathering information or coming up with information to write about in the papers for my portfolio. It very hard because after all ideas and details I’d put it the paper, I’d see that it wasn’t enough to fit the requirements of whatever the assigned pages were.

My piece I am most proud of is my vignette, in that assignment I felt as though I got to express myself because our stories we writing had to be about something that happened to you or your family. Such as a special event, vacation or even your family itself. In that piece I talk about how it was living in my household and compared my family to a family portrait, wishing that would be my everyday life, my family being as happy as in a family portrait.

Victoria Odom

Macbeth Benchmark

Thesis: Lady Macbeth stands her ground as a strong woman who is willing to do anything to get what she wants, but in the end her guilty conscience gets the best of her, leaving her with the wrong act of suicide.

In Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth discovers a letter from Macbeth that he we will soon be promoted as the Thane Of Cawdor and later reign as King.   Since Duncan is still King, and is staying the night at Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth confronts Macbeth on a plan to killing Duncan in his sleep.  She states in Act 1 Scene 5 Lines 64-65, “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t”.  What she means is be a gentle person show no fear, emotion, or signs of murder.  Although she is excited that the King is coming to stay, she hides that eagerness of her husband Macbeth becoming King.  In the quote she is talking to Macbeth and telling him to do this also, she wants there to be no suspicion of them being the murders behind this death, hoping for this to be a perfect kill.

In Act 1 Scene 7, Macbeth is having seconds thoughts on killing Duncan and is a bit scared of the outcome.  He is still wondering on whether or not to go through with the plan, but Lady Macbeth questions him and makes him want to change his mind. She says in Act 1 Scene 7 Lines 39-41, “Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor as thou art in desire?”.  What she is asking him is, is he afraid to act the way he desires.  She questions him on if he is afraid to do want he feels he needs to do, but she uses seduction to convince him to stick to the plan. 

In the beginning of Act 2 Scene 2 Macbeth is on his way to killing Duncan while Lady Macbeth awaits for the conclusion of it being done.  Within this Act and Scene, Lines 10-12 Lady Macbeth says “Th’ attempt, and not the deed, confounds us. Hark! I laid their daggers ready – he could not miss ’em”.  What this means is Lady Macbeth is anxious and can’t wait for the murder to be done with. She is waiting and waiting and wants to know what’s taking Macbeth so long but, when she final hears the good news she is filled with relief.  This indicates that Lady Macbeth is willing to do anything to get what she wants and stop at nothing to make sure that happens. 

In the middle of Act 2 Scene 2 Macbeth is going crazy and starts to feels guilty about killing Duncan.  He starts to regret it and wish it never happened but, Lady Macbeth says in Line 37 “These deeds must not be thought. After these ways; so, it will make us mad.” She tells Macbeth that thinking that way is wrong and if he continues on this path he’ll go insane.  Lady Macbeth is now starting to take command and shows that she now has power.

In Act 3 Scene 2 Lady Macbeth starts to get worried and feels regret of what has been done, although she was the one telling Macbeth to man up and feel no guilt.

Macbeth starts to keep to himself and tells Lady Macbeth that he’s been thinking a lot and having nightmares about the night of the murder. Lady Macbeth states in Lines 12-13 “Things without all remedy should be without regard. What’s done is done.” What she means is what is done can’t be fixed so stop giving it a second thoughts.  She wants Macbeth to stay focused with his role as King and stay on path with his power in command.

In Act 3 Scene 4 Macbeth is at the banquet dinner with all the other Lords.  Before the dinner he sends out murders to go and kill Banquo but, during the dinner Macbeth starts to have illusions and see ghosts of Banquo. This makes him seem as if he’s crazy and talk out loud let the ghost is really there.  Lady Macbeth watches as this happens and talks to the Lords and tries to play it off.  As she shows the Lords out the door she says to Macbeth “You lack the reason of all sleep”, Line 142, she starts to give up and lose that willingful power.  She’s telling Macbeth to go to bed because she knows he is tired, she also feels tired too. Tired of the lies and worries, and so she starts to die off and lose that empowering control.

In the beginning of Act 5 Scene 1 the doctor and gentlewoman are in the hall, and are talking about Lady Macbeth and her continuous sleepwalking.  The gentlewoman says in Lines 28-29 “It is an accustomed action with her, to seem thus washing her hands”.  What she means is that she’s been seeing Lady Macbeth do this a lot lately for many minutes at a time. What she doesn’t know is that what Lady Macbeth is doing, is replaying that moment in time where she was washing the blood from her hands from the murder of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth has let all this go to her head and this guilt she is holding in making her go insane and feeling she has done wrong.

In the middle Act 5 Scene 1 the doctor and gentlewoman are still discussing Lady Macbeth and her sleepwalking.  They observe the things she says and does, and soon they find out that her and Macbeth were the masked murders behind this killing of Duncan.  As Lady Macbeth is walking she says in Lines 50-51 “Here’s the smell of blood still.  All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hands”. What she means is in her mind the smell of blood still lies on her hands, and nothing no perfume or cleaning can make it go away. Again she feels this guilt inside of her and its eating her alive. 

At the end of Act 5 Scene 1 the doctor and gentlewoman are still listening and watching Lady Macbeth sleepwalk and soon are on their way to bed.  Before they go off, the doctor says to the gentlewoman in Lines 58-60 “I have known those which have walked in their sleep who have died holily in their beds”. What he means is he doesn’t know vary much of this disease but those he’s known who have done it weren’t guilty of anything.  Although, Lady Macbeth is spilling the beans about the murder in her sleep these truthful words warn the doctor and gentlewoman about what Lady Macbeth might do next.

In Act 5 Scene 8 the battle is on for the taking of thrown, now that everybody knows that Macbeth is the murder behind Duncan’s death.  Before the battle beginning news is brought to Macbeth that Lady Macbeth is dead but, really shows no emotion of this terrible news. Macduff enters the castle and slays Macbeth leaving him with nothing.  At the end of the battle Malcolm states in Lines 70-71 “Of this dead butcher and his friend like queen who, as ‘tis thought, by self and violent hands took off her life”. This indicates Lady Macbeth took her own life because of all the guilt tearing her apart.

In conclusion, Lady Macbeth has definitely changed throughout the play.  At first she was excited and happy her husband was becoming King.  She was also hoping to be satisfied with the murder of Duncan and felt that she had some say and power in the decisions made.  As time moved on she started to feel guilty and less and less powerful while her husband was king.  Then she started sleepwalking and having nightmares about the day of the murder. Finally the day or a few hours before the big battle Lady Macbeth took her own life because she good no longer take the guilty conscience in her head.

Red Stream

Victoria Odom

Family Portrait

            Families aren’t always what they look like in family photos. (opener) I guess, “I’m blessed to even have a family”(dialogue) as my mom would say, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like that. I remember the first time my family and I went to take our first family photo. My mom was looking in the car mirror trying to get her hair the way she wanted it, my dad still inside trying to figure out what to wear, and my little brother crying for a reason of which I don’t remember, we all were excited to get our picture taken. (magic 3) As my dad entered the car, a few minutes later we pulled off and were set out for reaching our destination. 

Arriving at the photo shop within 30 minutes, we all hopped out the car, as my mom unstrapped my brother from his car seat.  (magic 3)  While we entered the building, I discovered that we weren’t the only family getting our picture taken today. Minute after minute after minute (rep 4 effect) went by, and finally it was our turn under the camera light. The cameraman, whose name was so hard to pronounce I couldn’t remember it, told us to sit, positioned us all in an appropriate angle, and told us to smile. I smiled wide and proudly as if I was a superhero in a comic book, that had just saved the day. (simile)With all the positioning just right the camera man kindly said “ 1…2…3…smile”. (dialogue) He took a few photos so when it came time to selecting the best ones we had a variety of them to choose from. My family and I left the photo shop with great excitement, so when the pictures were delivered to my house and the photos were hung on the wall, we had some sort of happy memory to look back on in the near future.

            By the time the weekend was over I was so ready to go back to school, at that age you think school is cool and learning was something you’d be interested in the rest of your life. Back then I had already gotten tired of people pronouncing my last name as if it was “O your dumb”. (dialogue) Coming home from elementary school that day I heard strange voices I wasn’t expecting to hear after a good day of learning. “Its your fault its all your fault” (dialogue) words that never seemed to make sense to me at such a young age, were all part of a puzzle I’ve always been hoping to but together.  The voice came from upstairs, I walked into the kitchen as if I didn’t know what was going on, although I could still hear the arguing. Being young then, it was hard to understand why my parents were always mad at each other one minute then loving and caring the next. I guessed that’s what real love was all about, and you just had to except the similarities and differences of each others’ open-minded company, and if you didn’t like it then leaving was the only other option.

I always thought my parents would end up in divorce, with my brother and I juggling from place to place to go to one parent to the next.  Especially since on our last family vacation, filled with great joy and amusement, my dad didn’t join us. Before we left for the vacation I ask my dad “Why aren’t you coming with us?” (dialogue)he responded ask your mother, and indeed I did. As I walked to my parents’ room to find my mom still packing her things. She seemed pissed but I still intended to ask her “Mom”(dialogue) as every average American girl called their mother, “Do you know why dad isn’t coming on vacation with us?”, “He’s mad at me I guess” (dialogue) replying with an irritated voice. She started mumbling under her breath, I got tired of listening to my mom’s complaining similar to what I heard on a daily basis, so I left and waited with my brother down stairs in the living room. Over all the vacation was great with splashes, laughter, food and fun but I wish we could of spent it as a whole family.

If I was to really think hard about it seems to me that they fight over about the any and everything, especially when it comes down to money, bills, and sometimes even me and my brother. That’s what hurts the most, sometimes I think we’re the cause of the problem, between my brothers reckless behavior and my so called nasty attitudes, it’s easy to believe that’s why they argue, but harder to imagine.(magic 3)

The arguing is mind blowing, it’s hard to study or even complete homework with all that noise. It’s not always the arguing though, I would say sometimes its not that at all, I’d say its mainly the yelling, screaming, and complaining at me. (magic 3) This gives me major headache, along with the fact my brother’s room is literally right next to mine. He’s always gaming, and talking on the phone, he talks on the phone more then a female does. Although there’d be nothing for a 7^th grade middle schooler to talk about, he indeed spends hours in conversation. The vent from his room is connected directly next to mine, so it’s as if he’s in the same room as me. I’ll tell him to “Shut up”(dialogue), that just results to me yelling “Shut the hell up!”(dialogue) but still that butthead continues to disrespect my elderly authority.

My life isn’t what I want it to be but it does have its happy sides, like good family outings. It’s always fun then, spending time together, having a good laugh, and just chilling. (magic 3) Quality time together seems to be the best time I enjoy with my family, even if they’re a pain, but overall it’s better then not having a family at all.  My parents are still together, for now anyway, but sometimes I wish living in a house with them was a great happy feeling as you see in a family portrait. 

Victoria Odom

Red Stream

3-11-10

Penny And Penelope Comparison

Could you stand being a single mother raising your children alone, while your husband is away on a journey? Well Penelope and Penny could. The book The Odyssey and the movie O, Brother Where Art Thou are being compared and contrasted based on the characters Penelope and Penny, the wives of the main characters, Odysseus of The Odyssey Penelope’s husband, and Everett of O Brother Where Art Thou Penny’s husband. Although Penelope and Penny were both left pregnant and alone their stories of struggle and husbands’ journeys home are different.

Penny and Penelope both remain confident throughout their stories. Penny divorces her husband Everett, after he has to leave and go to jail. With a need to support herself and her family, she seeks out to find a new husband, who has better qualities than Everett, one who she says has to be “bone-a-fide”. Penny knows what’s best, so she finds herself “a suitor” who is up to her standards and is formally engaged to her fiancé, Vernon T. Waldrip. Penelope is left with a baby boy to take care of while her husband Odysseus is away for 20 years trying to find his way home after the Trojan War. Penelope has her house invaded by a group of 100 plus suitors, with one who she has to marry. She still feels for her husband and doesn’t want to marry any of these suitors. She wants him to come home but has a feeling he is dead. According to Penelope the suitors are nothing but a bunch of greedy pigs, and she wants out of her home. One day she has enough of the suitors and says” And you, if you have any shame in your own hearts, you must leave my palace! See to your feasting elsewhere; devour your own possessions, house to house by turns. But if you decide the fare is better, richer here, destroying one man’s goods and going scot-free, all right then, carve away” (Book 2 lines 156-160). The both of these ladies know what they want and if it’s best they’ll strive to get it.

Penelope and Penny are the reasons why their husbands want to come home.

While Everett is away serving his jail time, Penny sends him a letter that tells him she is getting married to her fiancé Waldrip. So Everett lies to his companions who is he is chained to telling them that they are escaping to find treasure. He is dedicated to returning home and getting his wife back. Penny stubbles upon Everett in a store and he realizes that she has been telling her daughters that he is dead because he was hit by a train. Penelope, on the other hand can’t communicate with Odysseus because there is no way she can. Odysseus is coming home from the war but along the way faces many great challenges occurring by sea and islands. Penelope has no idea he is alive and when he comes home Penelope doesn’t know it is Odysseus because he is disguised as a beggar. The only people who she can talk to,  are the suitors who she wants nothing to do with.  “These men drive me mad, hedging me round, right and left, plotting their lethal plots, and no one takes my side”. (Book 18 Lines 261-262) Penelope has no contact with Odysseus but Penny has contact with Everett. This shows that Penny as a chance to talk to Everett and work things out in there relationship. Penelope has no way of talking to Odysseus and explain how she feelings about him but, she can’t all she can do is worry and hope he makes it home safely.

Penelope and Penny both want their husbands’ back but at different times. Penelope remained faithful to Odysseus for 20 years and didn’t want to marry anybody else, but when he returned home things were a little different. He came home in disguise, as a beggar, but Penelope doesn’t know that it’s him. “… my husband in their ships, Odysseus if he could return to tend my life the renown I had would only grow in glory.”.  (Book 18 Lines 284-286) When the competition arrives Odysseus proves himself worthy because he is the only one who successfully completes the challenge. He tries to tell Penelope that it is really him, her husband and not just an old man. So Penelope tests Odysseus to see if it’s really him. She tells the maids to move the marriage bed and once Odysseus sees this he quickly fills with anger because that bed was made special, made from a firmly planted tree trunk. Penelope immediately knows, it’s Odysseus after she sees his reaction. Penny found herself a new man, “a suitor” who met her standards and could help support her family. She forgot about Everett as if he was really dead and told her children that a train had hit him. Once Everett proves himself to Penny and shows that he is “bone-a-fined” she plans to remarry him but only if he finds the wedding ring he gave to her when they first were married. Both women Penelope and Penny take their husbands back but with a catch.

These stories of Penelope and Penny are different but in some situations they are alike. They both were single mothers who took both parent rolls while their husbands were away. Penelope was loyal to Odysseus but, Penny on the other hand could care less about Everett.  Their husbands wanted them back so Penelope and Penny were the reasons why the wanted to come home. When their husbands arrived Penny and Penelope took them back but both at different times in their stories. Over all, both women remained confident throughout their stories and got their husbands back with an amazing story for them to hear about Odysseus’s and Everett’s journey.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Book Review

By: Victoria Odom

To Kill A Mockingbird is a novel written by Harper Lee. The book was first published in 1960 and in 1961 won the Pulitzer Prize. It was lately made into modern day movie, which some people like to call a great classic. In the story, the setting takes place in the deep south of Maycomb, Alabama during the time of the Great Depression.

In the book the main characters are Scout, Jem, Atticus, Tom, Bob and Mayella. The book is told through Scout’s eyes and as you read you’ll discover, as a young girl, Scout is learning a lot about what really goes on living in the deep South. Scout’s father, Atticus, is a lawyer and is appointed to represent Tom Robinson, a black man, in a rape case. Although everyone knew that Tom wouldn’t stand a chance on trial, the sheriff knew with Atticus as his lawyer that at least Tom last longer.  Tom Robinson was accused of rapping a young white girl, Mayella but, truth is Tom is innocent. Her father Bob has been beating and raping her for as long as she can remember. Growing up this is what Scout is a witness to this racist unfair trial, and later discovers what racism actually is.

Although I have not really experienced any of the things the characters have, I have experienced of racism in my daily life. When I walk into a store usually owned by a different race they follow me around as if I was going to steal something. We as black people have come a long way from all the wrongly accused acts, I feel that peace has gotten better since that time period.

Over all I really enjoyed the book, it was very interesting to read and I have read it many times before. In my opinion, this is one of the greatest books ever written. It combines the act of racial discrimination with the everyday life of a young girl. If Harper Lee ever continues from this book I would love to read the next book. I think she is a great author and when she writes she really bring in the reader’s attention. There’s nothing I disliked about this book.

Yes I would recommend this book to others because of its truth relations in history. It inspired me to read more books just like it. It shows that some people are caring and kind the stick up for others. As Atticus did with Tom in court, all though everyone knew they didn’t stand a chance on trial. I wish this book was longer because I think 376 pages wasn’t enough, it will have you thinking what happens next even after you’re done reading the book.