Blog #8 May 5, 2015 (Last Blog)

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

So I was looking through my drawers where I left my books.  I read all of them except this one book.  Its a trilogy but I only have the third book.  I picked it up at the dentist when I got my right 2 teeth pulled out.  I didn't want to read it until I get the the first 2.  It's something about warrior mice.  It looks a little interesting but probably not my type.  Then I stumbled into a small book I read over the summer.  It was the first book I got after getting my first 2 left teeth out.  Geez, I loved the book.  I told myself I should read the third trilogy book but I desperately wanted to blog about the little book.  I remember I read it for only one day.  Pretty much the whole day because I still had to do chores, take a nap from all the pain and all that.  I was proud to read it all of it in just I think around 2 hours.  It's called Geography Club.  

At first I thought it was going to talk about the world so I told myself, WHY NOT?  When I got home I started to read it and I found out what kind of book it was.  I believe I turned read as in blushing.  It was about a fictional character Russel who is gay.  My religion is Christian and we're well you know anti-gay.  We don't believe that is right but we don't treat them like trash.  This is mostly my family who we just say, it's just not right.  I'm against Gay but I hate to see them being treated like trash.  I could help but laugh I told myself "I picked a book about a gay person!"  I smiled but read on.  Around the 17th page I didn't want to stop.  I also found the reason why it's called "Geography Club".  This is my second time reading this book but like I said, I desperately wanted to blog about this.  So here it goes.  ONCE AGAIN!!!

Summary:

This story story starts of a little sexual and weird.  Russell Middlebrook explains that he is not on territory lines.  There he is desperately trying not to blow his cover while seeing his naked peers change in the locker room.  He says they all came out of the shower room (awkward).  Also his eyes can't keep away from genitals.  He then says the only reason why he is in territory lines is because he is gay.  He then says he maybe has this crush at the popular jock named Kevin Land.  Russel turns down the crush because he knows Kevin had sex with some girls and is straight.  To his surprise he found a username in a gay chat room called GayTeen (to simple...wow.)  They meet in the high school and finds out it was Kevin.  They both discuss very little about how they tried to hide their secret.  Funny thing is even though Russel is gay he stills make a little fun of Kevin for being gay.  The next day Russel tells his friend Min (The Asian egghead of Goodkind High School) about Kevin being gay.  He then confessed to her that he was gay which is how he met GayTeen (Kevin).  Min then confesses to Russel she is bisexual dating the soccer player named Terese.

Again Again:

While reading the book there Kevin, Russell, Min, Terese,  and Ike (some kid Terese decided to bring along with) and they meet in a pizzeria.  As they sit they talk a lot about general stuff but once their pizza comes in, they're quiet.  Then Russell breaks the silence by saying "So here we are".  I got to say it was a little awkward but Russell had this little get to together.  They then discuss about being gay and family.  Kevin Land says that it's hard to be gay and popular because there's to much pressure.  Ike says it's harder to keep it away from his parent's and family because something worse can happen.  Terese, Min, Kevin and Russell all agree to what Ike had said.  They stay there until dusk (after school to dusk 6 I believe) and they leave.  Ike suggest they won't feel long if they sit next to each other during lunch.  They agree and leave in their separate ways except Min and Russell.  The next day during school they meet in lunch but to their surprise they seem to be feeling off with each other (again).  Russell explains how he can't believe this is the same group of people from the pizzeria.  He remembers how they were first quiet after getting their pizza and then become open to each other.  They all are near the table some Kevin isn't sitting on it.  Russell once again says "So...here we are"(All this is rephrased evidence).  I told my self why does he keep saying this?  Until it felt like a slap to my face, BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON!  That common is same sexuality that people don't accept.  I believe Russell is only saying this because 1.) he must feel awkward with the same people like him 2.) Not use to saying problems about his sexuality 3.) He only knows Min best and the rest are sort of strangers (Kevin is pretty much Russell crush).  Also I think that "Here we are again" is also saying that he doesn't want the others to leave him or show his expression that he also feel a little uncomfortable.

P.S. - This story has some sexual content...but I think we can handle it.  As long as you love the book.  I am also challenging myself to rephrased evidence instead of direct evidence.

Watashi no burogu o yonde itadaki, arigatōgozaimasu (Japanese)

(Thank you for reading my blog)

Blog #7 5/3/ 15

Summary:

Robin finds out it was never a hallucination about a boat.  She does complained not being a Coast Guard (which most hallucinations do, make a Coast Guard) and instead being the NOAA.  She finally collapsed in the sand and the researches rescue her bringing her inside their boat.  She wakes up half way dirty and tubes injected in her, IV's.  She is greeted with a man along with many other NOAA crew members.  She then meets her roommate, Kristen.  Kristen is a nice woman towards Robie and comforts her and informs Robie about when they're coming to Midway and when Robie remembered being stranded in the ocean and island.  They tell her they're only a 24 hours away from Midway.  As she prepares to go back home, Brian ask her if she want's to keep anything that was left in the torn raft.  She hesitant but finds something SO unexpected that even I screamed, I will have to leave her.  Whoops but I can't just tell you what happened in the end.  Besides I am a little confused myself.  THE FEELS

Overall opinion

Well, my 6th blog I already posted my theory of the theme.  So I want to give an overall opinion on this book.  Chris from 5th period lit class told me THE RAFT was a good book.  I decided to take his opinion and read the first few pages.  I have to say I am very content for trusting Chris's opinion on the book.  It was amazing, it was like Gary Paulsen's writing only this had a little more FEELS into it (once again I'M IN A GLASS CASE FULL OF EMOTION).  I remember this one part where Robie was out in the raft with Max sleeping, and she said that back at home you didn't need to hope or wait for water to come.  It was always there.  You had electricity, water, food, people that are there for you (Paraphrased evidence).  That really shows how Max and her are struggling to survive after a fatal plane crash.  If you think about it, she's right.  There's kids who are just SO  greedy if they lost a phone and get a new one in just so little hours.  Yet, they never really look at what they have surrounding them.  They have a lot of sources for them to provide on, there's so many people who don't have sources like us American's do.  I have to say reading about her struggles was like a big shout out to actual lives like in North Korea, Pakistan maybe a country facing war.  Not only realizing and/or maybe making a connecting to real lives in the world.  The book was full of surprises.  "Just as I was ready to bring the board down, her head fell my way, both of her eyes looking up at mine.  There was no surprise in her gaze.  Like she expected me to be there.  To help her.  As she looked at me, I swear she was crying.  'I'm Sorry...'   Then I cried out as I brought the board down as hard as I could."  This piece of evidence is where the surprising happens.  Tada!  I can't tell you who is 'her' but I will tell you it was a very emotional death.  This was surprising me because I didn't think Robie had the courage to do this.  She was waiting for her death to come and there it was.  Heck, days later another death occurred to human causes.  The little guy died by after 'her'.  Then the are the notebook entries about Max's life.  While Max is sleeping and waking up in unexpected times, Robie takes the chance to read his past life.  There was so many things I didn't know about Max.  Max became my favorite character but after hearing about his life and the incident I just wanted to die, or at least be in a pool of tears.  Overall, the book was FANTASTIC!  There was so much about this book that made me love it.  I would think others would love it.  Especially the ending.  Ending is where I'm tied and curious to what caused that.  Max sounds like an AWESOME man.

Blog #6 4/24/15

Summary

Near the end of the book Robie and Max face a lot more.  The sun was beating on their dry, dehydrating bodies and Robie keeps herself cool by wetting herself in the ocean.  She looked over as Max seeing he was sleeping as always because he hit himself in the head after saving Robie two times already.  She pushes him off the raft in order for him to get cool.  Next morning she finds him gone.  2 days passed and he comes back surprising Robie.  They face dehydration and hunger once again.  Robie finds an Island called Lisianski and both her and Max get there with a few cuts and bruises from the coral reef.  As Max, once again sleeps while Robie does the work, Robie experiences seeing a mother seal having a huge gap on her stomach from a  tiger shark, meeting the baby seal she later named Starbuck, and trying to face against the tiger shark.  Basically the tiger shark just keeps circling waiting for his/her prey.  Baby seal later dies from our causes (dang it).  She finds a suit which really turned out to be a dead, eaten body with a beacon.  Max pushes her to get the beacon after she is nearly paralyzed from the view she saw.  That's when she screams the truth about Max.  Probably 2 days later a boat arrives which is to be believed Robie's hallucination.

Theme

I haven't finished the book only sixteen pages left, but I thought since I only have that little pages left why not just write the theme.  So as I explained in a quick summary about everything else I read in the short book.  As I read I did notice something many people don't think about.  We you see the most obvious is that Robie is stuck in the middle of the ocean trying to survive, with some dude he just met.  No big deal! You got a guy whose older than you and is a copilot, trained to fly a plane and was taught how to survive in situations like these.  Not the case here ladies and gentlemen!  Seriously...not kidding.  You see you're adult copilot is sleeping a lot from a head injury after saving you twice or in this case saving fifteen year old Robie.  As Robie struggles to keep both her and Max's life she said that she had water, electricity and parents she can provide on (rephrased evidence).  Now being on ocean she can't have that only way was to survive.  This piece of evidence shows that people who live in urban areas are lucky to have resources like this.  There are many people who doesn't have this and have to live a very struggling, complicating life.  To me this books stands out how people like us who are use to living in sources that are already there will make it a WHOLE  lot harder for us to survive. I think the theme might be "Be grateful for what you have because it won't always stay that way".  There's many things that could happen leaving you lose one thing to another.

NOTE - Even though Max was sleeping and hearing the hard truth about Max, I still managed to somehow make him my favorite character.  I don't know he seem cool I guess.

Blog #5 April 17, 2015

Summary

I have started reading the book The Raft about a girl who is stuck in the ocean.  So a girl named Robie who lives in Midway was visiting her aunt AJ in Honolulu, Hawaii.  AJ then gets a call from her boss to fly to Los Angeles for a week of work, she tells Robie she has to go home because no one will be there to keep an eye on her.  Robie rejects and tells her she can take care of herself and knows where to go since she's been visiting Honolulu when she was 8 years old.  She is fifteen by the way.  After AJ is gone she buys herself food in fast food places.  Then when it gets a little darker she goes out for McDonalds.  She explains she was frighten since she never went out in the dark streets and was always with some adult.  As she buys her food a man grabs her and pulls on her hair.  She keeps repeating "I'm not Lucy".  As another man finally saves her, she takes the chance to run and cry in AJ's apartment.  The next day she goes to the airport to fly home, she meets her usually pilot named Larry.  He flies a G-1, she also finds out a new copilot who's name is Max.  As the flight starts she starts to feels the turbulence go stronger each passing minute.  Taking a glance outside she sees one of the G-1's engine failing.  Panic starts to rise inside of her once Max gives her a raft and life jacket. She jumps off after being slapped from Max to get her grip and listen.  Once again she was saved from Max from almost drowning.  Day comes and she sees Max unconscious on the raft, unknown on what to do she finds a ditty bag with Max but decides not to read anything if it's Max's privacy.

Conflict:

As I read the book I was starting to love the minute the man starts to pull her hair and 'mistake' her as Lucy.  Maybe he did maybe he didn't mistake her.  She then plans to return to Midway where she lives.  Only a problem occurs.  Now that she is in the plane, one of the engines fail because of the storm.  Max who is the copilot starts to prepare her for when she jumps out.  In page 29 Max says, " 'We lost an engine and the hydraulics are acting up.  We can't get out of the storm, so Larry is going to ditch the plane while he can still control it.' He nodded at the flotation device in my lap.  'Put that on.' "  This piece of evidence is just what max says instead of telling Robie something positive. In page 55 Robie says, "I shook his shoulder a little.  His eyes stayed closed and he didn't budge."  This piece of evidence shows another conflict.  Robie being only fifteen years old and Max around his twenties, Max is injured around his head and is most likely unconscious.  He being the adult can't help Robie survive, Robie being clueless on how to survive and scared to death to lose Max is a problem.  She finds a ditty bag in Max's is arms and a survival bag from the raft.  The survival bag isn't much help it's only for the raft and the Ditty bag contains nothing but a book on how to survive (which Robie stops reading after saying it was pointless) and a book of paperwork of people's weight and bag weight (which is highly important in case an engine is at lost and not to much weight is depended on one working engine) and sees that her name isn't in it.  She starts to worry as she says that she remembers that she never stepped on a scale, she does say she weighs 155 and her bags were 85 pounds which in total was 200 pounds to much for the one working engine.  The G-1 only allows 3,800 pounds.  She also questions whether Max might've forgotten her, or didn't put her on purpose.  After all it was Max's job to put her on the manifest. (rephrased evidence) This is a problem because without knowing a person's weight and luggage a problem could occur to the flight and one of the systems could fail, which can lead to many other upcoming problems.

Native Americans Culture analysis April 15, 2015

The whites believed the Native Americans aren't living the white culture, only because they have a different culture to theirs and were being changed. Indian children were sent off to boarding school where they were taught how to live in the modern white culture. Ota Kte was an example of this conflict. He was forced to change from Native American to White and Native Americans were also pushed off of their land. In page 12 is states that, " By 1879, settlers and the U.S. Army had forced most tribes off their lands, and 'white man' diseases had devastated the native population. American's 250,000 remaining Native American's living on reservation, barely surviving on food and cast-off clothes provided by the U.S. government." This piece of evidence showed how one way Native Americans were kept off land was because of white disaster. If the whites didn't come, the Native American's still would've been living on the land without worrying about all the diseases. This conflicted the Native Americans to keep surviving, and pushed aside.  

Another piece of evidence in page 13 was that, "Pratt believed that the children needed to completely abandon their 'Indian-ness' in order to succeed in America. 'Kill the Indian, save the man,' was Pratt saying." This piece of evidence shows that the the whites did not accept another culture in order to be equal to them. They were willing to change the culture of the children so they can have it their way. In page 14 it states that, " 'We have solved the Indian problem!' wrote one government agent after visiting Carlisle. 'These children are thriving.' But where they? What was it really like for these children-some only 4 or 5 years old-to be sent so far away from their ways of life? In fact, many children became profoundly homesick or rebelled against the strict discipline. Two girls tried to set their dormitory on fire. Others tried to run away." This piece of evidence shows how the Native Americans weren't accepting any of the lessons the Whites were giving to them. They felt like they were being pushed aside only because another culture didn't accept theirs.

In the article Life on the Rez Shanice Britton's essay's purpose was to show how different yet quite similar her life is to city teenagers or others. One thing she want's her readers to know is that living as a Native American ca be both hard but not different at all. Like she explains where she wears jeans and normal clothing like we would in the city of towns. In page 15 it states, "When people find out I am Native American, they have all these ideas about what that means-that I live in a teepee and wear moccasins and a headdress. But those are misconceptions......We live in houses with electricity and running water. I take showers, watch Finding Carter on MTV, and wear jeans, just like any other teen. There are paved roads and a grocery store, a gas station, and restaurants." This piece of evidence shows how the Native Americans aren't that different from how we live. In page 17 it states, ...the Native population is only .07 percent. So a lot of students here don't understand my culture. Some people think that all Native Americans have the same culture, but I explain that each tribe has its own traditions....But teaching my classmates about that stuff doesn't bother me-I'm happy to answer their questions. And it's interesting to learn about their culture too." This piece of evidence shows how other people believe the misconceptions of someone else is culture.

Blog #4 4/12/15

Summary:

I have now finished my book.  Now fulling knowing that Ed has to help his friends he starts to think what exactly they need help.  Though he knew his friends a very long time he isn't fully aware of their situations.  The first he has to solve is Ritchie's who he is honest towards him.  "Ritchie-you're an absolute disgrace to yourself."  The exact words from Ed.  After he then deals with Marv, only to find out a big secret that Marv is hiding.  At first he thought Marv had all that money and wasn't going to spend it, but Marv was keeping that money for a certain someone to apologies.  His last mission for the Hearts was Audrey, his crush.  Ed only finds out Audrey a bit more quicker than the two and dances with her in a romantic way.  She is dating Simon or what Ed called 'the boyfriend' but she doesn't love him.  So all he gives her is real love and she is grateful for that.  After finally successfully completing those mission he gets the LAST card.  This was goes to 26 Shipping street, his street.  As much as I want to tell you about Marv's secret and who really is behind Ed's mission and what this all means, I can't.  It was pretty surprising.  

Theme:

As I read the book through I couldn't but try to find the theme.  You see there was this one night where I stayed up till 5 reading over 100 pages and fighting my sleep.  I know it's bad to do that but the book was really inspiring.  Funny thing is my dad found me sleeping with the lights on and the book near me, it's not a surprise since I really love to read and sleep with books near me.  As I was reading this book, it was just fantastic, some parts I just wanted to cry, scream, and/or feel sympathy towards a character.  It's funny when you're trying to find the theme and the book is called I am the messenger.  Like it's already throwing you the theme towards your face or mostly likely punching you.  Believe me, don't get fooled by the title it does tell the ending now that I think about it.  As I keep in mind the title (I am the messenger) even though the ending is a huge twist there are many parts that jump at me.  Let's keep mind while reading the book he is delivering messages to others or so but they really are heart catching.  Like I wrote before, Ed lives a pretty dull life.  He's a tax driver, lives in a house with a sewer smelling dog that was from his father, father passed away, his siblings are living a nice life especially his younger brother, Tommy, has a crush on his friend who doesn't love him the way he expects and his mother hates him.  One quote that I do remember and I think it sums up everything in the book is what Daryl or Keith said (sorry Ed didn't know there name just yet.  I believe it was Daryl).   "These are things we have to suffer for the greater good of mankind"  He is suffering from having to be assigned to kill a man to being punched with heart breaking words from him mother.  Like I said he is suffering but is willing to help others.  An example would be a girl named Angelina, an 8 year old who has an abusive father with a mother who is being raped by him.  As he waits outside fighting on whether to approach the abusive husband or not, the little girl comes out to see the sky.  After seeing Ed she only asks "In a whisper she asks, 'Who are you?' 'I'm, Ed' I whisper back.  'I'm, Angelina,' She says.  "Are you here to save us?' I can see a tiny spark of hope awaken in her eyes (78)"  This nearly make me feel like jelly like, Ed.  This shows how someone else is suffering and Ed takes it in to suffer and make it better for them.  No, I can't say what happened it's better for you (if you haven't read it) to find out on your own.  

As the story continues there are many things that people are suffering but maybe around three or five people are suffering the most.  I don't want to tell everything but I think that everything I pick for my topic will help support it.  Keeping in mind to that quote, Ed asks his mother why she hates him.  To give you a little bit of background info.  Ever since Ed's father died his mother started to disrespect and not show love towards Ed. 'Course, Ed had to face the truth.  His mother doesn't love him because she never loved the 'man with the broken promises'.  "Her expression swells as I look at her.  I speak, saying the words hard. 'Ma?' I ask. 'What?' 'Why do you hate me so much?'  And now she looks at me, this woman, as I make sure my eyes don't give me away. Flatly, simply, she answers.  'Because, Ed-you remind me of him"  Him? It registers. Him-my father.  She goes inside and the door slams.  I've had to take a man up to the Cathedral and attempt to kill him.  I've had hit men eat pies in my kitchen and lay me out.  I've been jumped by a group of teenage thugs.  This however, feels like my darkest hour.  Standing. Hurting.  On my mother's front porch.  The Sky opens, now crumbling apart."  This is most likely the heart breaking part out of all of the text in the book.  As Ed thinks about what he had to deal with and yet he admits that facing these words is probably the worst out of all.  I could think this would fit finely with the quote.  He delivered the messages that not only the person he faced understood but it also helped shaped his life.  Dealing with these words is harsh and full with depression but it helped him see what's his mother's struggled towards him, and he suffered for the greater good.  He at least got an answer instead of having to question everyday, which in my words is the greater good.  

 The theme must be  "These are things we have to suffer for the greater good of mankind"  I would say this means that there are many things we have to deal with in order to shape society, mankind, especially yourself.  From reading this story Ed suffered but helped shaped his own life and the others.  Now he lives a better life than before with his three best friends who their lives are beginning to shape better as well.  I think this book is most likely talking about living a life, not like party hard but what's around you.  This book helped me see that there are people suffering

Side Note -

  I nearly cried once Ed found out Marv's secret for saving the $500 or $5,000.  I wanted to scream like a fangirl after what Ed did to make Marv feel grateful towards his friend.  I couldn't help but feel like tearing after the BEAUTIFUL moment.  This book is what I would recommend to others, especially people who believe there life is low and believe they don't "deserve" to live.  It's a good lesson and inspiring.  There are others to support you!

(It's enough to make a grown man cry)

Blog #3 4.3.2015

Summary

So far in the book Ed leaves the whole crush on Audrey alone and focuses on his job.  He had to kill a man who kept abusing his wife and daughter but he didn't.  He later finds out that the man is living somewhere else hopefully not abusing anyone else in there, the wife and the daughter are now living happily though Ed is a little concerned that they're a living a little more poor than they were with the abusive man.  Ed keeps going with this job and given book titles.  He finds out that the book titles represent a street name and number.  He advertises about a church that doesn't even have people that worship there and makes it successful.  He buys an ice-cream for a woman who is a single mom.  He gets an address to an Italian restaurant and finds out he has to deliver a message for his mother (ma).  Though that one doesn't go well and is more depressing.  He also welcomes the Tatupu family who just moved in and don't feel welcomes since no body acknowledges them (another one of his mission).  He then get his last card, hearts.  This one was one he was afraid of.  The last three people was what he thought was hard and afraid of what the messages are going to be.  Ritchie, Marv and Audrey.

Contrast and Contradictions

While I was reading the book Ed had another ace card and an address was an old theatre.  He goes in and meets a man named Bernie.  Bernie drags Ed to the next movie telling him he was going to miss the rest of his movie.  Ed decides to introduce himself to his surprise Bernie already knew.  In page 250 it says, "'My name's Ed Kennedy,' and hold out my hand.  He stops and shakes it, looking into my face 'Yes, I know who you are.'  Momentarily, he forgets about the reel and looks me directly in the eye with total friendliness.  'I was told you were coming.'  This piece of evidence shows that Ed was brought to this place for something else than a message.  The person who is behind this is probably following Ed and wanting to show him something.  Ed finally finishes his movie and Bernie comes in telling him if he wants to see another.  Ed says he wants to save a movie called Cool Hand Luke for a girl...Audrey.  I was surprised since Ed never really does anything to go out with Audrey.  Not only that, she is in the relationship with Simon, or the Boyfriend what Ed likes to call him.  In page21it says,  "Like I said, I love Audrey something terrible.  Audrey, who's had plenty of sex with plenty of people but never with me.  She's always said she likes me too much to do it with me, and, personally, I've never tried to get her naked and new and all shivery in front of me.  I'm too afraid."  This piece of evidence shows how Audrey looks at Ed as just a friend.  Also it shows he's to afraid to even make a move on her which then he later makes a move.

In page 252 it says,  "He gives me a catalog the size of an encyclopedia to look through and suggest a movie, but I don't need it.  'No thanks' I explain to him. 'I know what I want.'  'Really? Already?'  I nod 'Cool Hand Luke.' He rubs his hands together again and grins.  'Lovely choice.  A great film.  Paul Newman's outstanding, and George Kennedy, your namesake-unforgettable.  Seven-thirty tomorrow?'  'Beautiful.'  'Great, I'll see you and your girl tomorrow then.  What her name, this girl of yours?'  'Audrey.'  'Ah. lovely'  I'm about to to leave..."  This piece of evidence shows how he finally had courage to ask Audrey into just watching a movie.  Also he picked a movie she loves and watches a bunch of times.  I'm guessing he wanted to 'hang' out with her and make her see what he's been doing with the aces.