This was my 3^rd Benchmark, a comparison between a character from The Odyssey and any other character. I chose Odysseus and Everett from O’ Brother Where Art Thou’ and got a 96.

English Q3 Benchmark

By: Nicholas Murray

Orange Stream

Odysseus vs. Everett  

Journeys can be long and difficult under certain circumstances and can sometimes seem impossible. But if you have the right team to back you up things might became much easier. Odysseus and Everett both faced odds and at some points, things seemed impossible to do. Odysseus and Everett had very different help throughout there long journey. Even though Everett’s life and Odysseus’s life are similar, Odysseus had more help in the end and overall had an easier journey.

       While Odysseus was gone for 20 years and Everett was only gone for one year but did not have as much determination as Odysseus. For him to have still been searching for his home to his family, even with the possibility of not being wanted or not being recognized. For example, Odysseus didn’t want any thing to stop him or slow him down while heading home. So that the sirens would not make him stray from his path, he told them to restrain him. “First, she warns, we must steer clear of the sirens, their enchanting song, their meadow starred with flowers. I alone was to hear their voices, so she said, but you must bind me with tight chafing ropes so I cannot move a muscle, bound to the spot, erect at the mast-block, lashed by ropes to the mast. And if I plead, commanding you to set me free, then lash me faster, rope, pressing rope.” (The Odyssey Book 12, Page 276, Lines 172-179). In this quote Odysseus tells his men to tie him up so that the he will not be tempted by the sirens, taken off his path and be killed.  When Everett met those beautiful women he was easily seduced and forgot all about his mission, which gave them the chance to drug him. Because of this mistake he lost one of his friend.

       Gods helped out Odysseus while Everett had little help and was being chased. Odysseus had Athena to watch his back throughout his whole journey, which proved helpful to him. “Father, son of Cronus, our high and mighty king, surely he goes down to the death he earned in full! Let them all die so, all who do such things. But my heart breaks for Odysseus…” (The Odyssey Book 1, Page 79, Lines 54-57). She also helped out when the battle with the suitors came, “At his command, concentrating their shots, all six hurled as one but Athena sent the whole salvo wide of the mark (The Odyssey Book 22, Page 447, lines 267-269) … Again the suitors hurled their whetted shafts but Athena sent the better part of the salvo wide (The Odyssey Book 22, Page 447, Lines 285-286).” In both quotes Athena was showing sympathy for Odysseus and because of this she helped him. Everett had no one important looking after him until the very end of his journey, which wasn’t very helpful to him during his actual journey. After he prayed for help for him and his. His prayers caused the higher power to send a flood to stop him from being hung. Unlike Odysseus he does not believe in this higher power and it may never help him again.

Odysseus was missed by his family and was helped by his son to kill the suitors; Everett’s family turned his back on him, which left him with even less help. Odysseus’ son was by his side when he prepared for battle, “He paused with a warning nod, and at that sign Prince Telemachus, son of the king Odysseus, girding his sharp sword on, clamping hand to spear, took his stand by a chair that flanked his father--- his bronze spearpoint glinting now like fire…” (The Odyssey Book 21, Page 438, lines 480-484). Everett had no family member that would lift a finger to help him. His wife kept saying he didn’t know him and that a train hit him. His daughters had also turned their backs on him because of his wife. In the end his wife was still cruel to him. Unlike Odysseus, after Everett, wife finally addressed him as her husband, she still makes his life difficult, and she also makes it seem as though his journey is still going on.

Both Odysseus and Everett had a difficult journey, but in the end Odysseus had better luck than Everett due to the support of his family and his determination of getting home after so long. It is true that Odysseus had it tough in the beginning and lost all his friends. But, near the end of his journey he had so many powerful people helping him he could not fail. Everett had to brave it out with only two friends for nearly all his journey. Odysseus had an easier time when it came to finding his home after being gone for twenty years.

Journals

How important is it to fit in? -

It is not even important to try and fit in with everyone. If you can’t fit in, then you were not meant to be there. It’s kind of like a puzzle, if the piece doesn’t fit, don’t force it in, it’ll just break or mess everything else up down the road. Basically, it’s not worth killing yourself over fitting in, soon all the pieces will fall into place.

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

For me, a good story is one that leaves you unfulfilled and hungry for more at the end. I have never liked stories that have a completely happy ending with nearly all the problems resolved. BORING. I like conflicts and I love it when the ending is sad with so many questions unanswered. For me, it makes the story be interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book. A book should not give the reader everything they want, and it should make them wait.

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

In these days, the N word is not a big thing, plus it is in a book that is centered on the time of slavery. There is no reason anyone should have gotten mad because of that word just because of its context. In addition, so many people have used the N word and being called the N word is a good thing. Just because someone who is not black says it doesn’t make it racist. It is just hypocritical to be offended especially if you are one of those people.   

What is a “hero”? How would you define it?

A hero isn’t afraid to give his life; a hero will save you just in time. This can be interpreted in several ways. A hero isn’t afraid to give his life, for example. Their “life” might not be as extreme; it could be their social life, their possessions or their freedom. So a hero is not afraid to give up something dear to them in order to protect someone. A hero will save you just in time; can also go another way. It can mean that the hero will race to help you out no matter what. It can also mean that they wont let stop something before it gets out of hand, like a rumor. The hero will also take the blame for an ill deed, in order to not get anyone else involved. That is what I think a hero is.

http://trexy.wikispaces.com/BM+4+Portfolio

Reflection. This is a reflection on all of my English work this year.

What do you feel your portfolio says about you as a 9^th grade English student? What are we as viewers supposed to “get”/understand about you when we see your work?

What my portfolio says about me is that I have come along way as a writer. All of my writings are never perfect so I have to keep working harder and harder to make them better and better. That’s what I want my viewers to understand. My work is not perfect but I am working toward it.

What do you consider to be your strengths in English? What are your weaknesses? What would you still want to work on?

One of my strengths in English is journaling. I love to journal, I have such a good time doing it and getting all of my feelings out and expressing myself. One of my weaknesses is that I’m shy. I don’t like to get up in front of the class. Like for example, when we presented our Me Magazines. I rushed through it so I could get off the stage and I wasn’t up there long, nor had anything else to say. That is one thing I would like to work on. Talking in front of people and getting used to it. Another thing I would like to still work on would be adding literary devices to all of my paper. I get creative in the beginning and then as the paper goes on I start to lack on the creativeness.

What were your experiences in making this portfolio. What issues did you encounter? How did you resolve them? What was it like going back through all of your work?

Making this portfolio I thought was really interesting and fun. One issue that I encounter was finding one of my benchmarks. I didn’t remember what I had labeled it. I resolved it by typing in everything I could possible think of. Another problem I had encountered was fixing my 2^nd quarter benchmark. I wasn’t sure how to edit it exactly at first, until I had asked Ms.Dunn. The last problem I had encounter was with the first benchmark, I had forgotten a lot about Macbeth, so when I was editing it was difficult. I fixed it by re-reading the whole paper and it started to come back to me. It was kind of weird going back to my old work. I seen how much I grew as a writer which was very interesting.

What is the piece you are most proud of, and why?

The piece I am most proud of is my 2^nd quarter benchmark- Best Friends? I am most proud of this because I really took my time in writing it and put my heart in it. I had such an easy time remembering everything that happened because it had a huge effect on my life. Writing it made me realize how strong I was when this was going on.

Macbeth Character Analysis. This was the first paper that I have ever completed in Ms.Dunn's english class. At first I was nervous because I wasn't sure how I was going to get it all done and what exactly I was going to do. But after Ms.Dunn went over it and told us that we had to choose our favorite character, and show their changes. I had got started I was working very well and had fun doing it!

Drue Boccuti

    10/28/10

Thesis and 10 quotes

Thesis statement- Young Lady Macbeth didn’t care who she hurt, but old Lady Macbeth became a whole different person.

In Act 1 scene 5 Lady Macbeth has just gotten news that Macbeth and the King are coming to visit her. And she wants to kill Duncan, so Macbeth can work his way up to king. (Act 1 scene 5)“Make thick my blood; stop uh the access and passage to remorse.”

What she’s doing here is asking the spirits to make her not feel guilty so that she can help Macbeth kill Duncan because Macbeth feels too nice. Here is when she’s being cold hearted.

Act 1 scene 7, Macbeth just let Lady Macbeth know he doesn’t want to kill Duncan anymore, because it hit him that Duncan has been kind hearted to him and there close friends. But Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to hear it.(Act 1 scene 7.) “And pity, like a naked new born babe, striding the blast, or heavens cherubin horsed” She refers to a new born baby, that if she had promised Macbeth she would have killed it for him she would have and its not right he promised her and now he’s going to chicken out. She’s forcing him to kill Duncan, and making him feel lousy that he let her down.

In Act 1 scene 1 Macbeth keeps asking him self if he really wants to do this and is thinking what if it goes wrong? And trying to show her all the ways this can go wrong. Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to hear it. (Act 1 scene 1.)“But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we will not fail.” Basically she’s telling him that if he listens to her and does it right he wont fail. She’s only worrying about her and her husband but not the King or his family.

Still in Act 1 scene 7 Macbeth wants to put an end to this. He’s just nervous and is good friends with Duncan.(Act1 scene 7.)“We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions form all sorts of people, which would be worn now in their newest gloss, not cast aside so soon.” He doesn’t want to kill him and he’s finally getting respect from him. And he thinks its wrong. But she doesn’t care.

Act 2 scene 2 Macbeth has killed Duncan , and can’t stop thinking about it. He is very guilty. (Act 2 scene 2.)“A little water clears us of this deed.” Lady Macbeth is sick of hearing him. She told him when you wash your hands and the blood is gone, were free of the killing. It’s over. She clearly has no problem with no ever thinking of this again. All she’s thinking is that there one stop closer to becoming king and queen.

Act 3 scene 4 Macbeth killed Banquo and now he’s seeing his ghost and is freaking out. Lady Macbeth thinks he’s crazy.(Act 3 scene 4.)“O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear.” She doesn’t believe him and thinks its just because he’s guilty. She just wants him to stop being a baby because it will all be worth it to her when they are king and queen.

Act 5 scene 1. Now the tables have turned and Lady Macbeth is going crazy. And Macbeth just wants to rule and he doesn’t care who has to die for that to happen. Now Lady Macbeth is being watched by a woman.(Act 5 scene 1.)“It is on accustomed action with her to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her to continue in the quarter of an hour.” The lady starts to notice how she’s washing her hands all the time and talking about blood but there’s never anything on her hands to any one else but her. 

Act 5 scene 1. Now the women and a doctor are now watching her. They are both questioning all that she’s doing and what she’s saying.(Act 5 scene 1.)“Here’s to the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this hand.” What this means, is all the times she washes her hands and puts sweet smelling stuff on them it will still smell like blood and she will still see the blood out of her guilt.

Act 5 scene 2.  Lady Macbeth been so guilty that she just admitted to killing Banquo and King Duncan, that she actually admits it. (Act 5 scene 2.)“Banquo’s buried. He cannot come out of his grave.” Because of what Macbeth and she did, he will never be alive again. (Act 5 scene 2) “ Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?” This is an explanation that she had killed Duncan because she mentioned that he had a lot of blood. She knew this, because she helped kill him.

Act 5 scene 2.The doctor finally found out what was wrong with Lady Macbeth because she just admitted to him that she killed him. (Act 5 scene 2) “Foul whisp’rings are aboard. Unnatural deeds. Do breed unnatural troubles. Infected mines, to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets. More needs she the divine than the physician. God, God forgive us all. Look after her; Remove from her the means of all annoyance, and still keep eyes upon her. So good night. My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight. I think, but dare not speak.” He prayed to God, so that he will forgive Lady Macbeth, for all the bad things she had done or helped Macbeth do.  Such as helping the murder. She then died.

In conclusion, based on all the passage examples it is very clear that Lady MacBeth has had a drastic change between the first couple paragraphs and the last paragraph. By wanting to help Macbeth be king, even if it required killing people. But now it has came back to haunt her and she feels very awful. She has such a hard time sleeping. Shakespeare’s message to us could be not to be greedy, and just take everything life gives you. Because in the beginning they had each other, and at the end yes he was king but he didn’t have a wife. 

The second benchmark I completed for Ms.Dunn was the Memoir Vignette. This was one of my favorite benchmarks. What we had to do was tell about a important life chaining snapshot in our life.

                                Drue Boccuti

Orange Stream

Best Friends?

I really look up to Demi Lovato. Yes you can say she’s my role model. When I seen her in Camp Rock she had this really cute hair cut with front bangs, I really liked the way they looked on her so I talked my self into it and got them cut. Little did I know that changing my look would make two of my so called “best friends” furious with me.

Then next weekend I went down the shore and I showed my friends. Well they made a very big deal that one girl Madison had side bangs. They swore that Demi Lovato had nothing to do with my hair decision and that I copied off of Madison. That very next week, I became a victim of cyber bullying.  I innocently was sitting on my computer only to find out that my two best friends, Katie and Madison were having a brutal bashing session about me and my new hair cut and how I thought that I was so special because I got these bangs.  I thought these girls were my friends. I found out the truth about them. Madison would go along with Katie just so Katie would like her. Everyone would, like she was something special. She had this kind of power over them and she got almost all of my friends mad at me for getting my haircut. I was really upset so I tried talking to Madison about it and she just made me feel worse. The fact that she was making me feel horrible about myself was making her feel pretty. This episode happened in September and continued through the whole winter. However my mom kept telling me “I know it’s killing you inside but just ignore them. The more that you ignore them the more it’ll get them knowing its not bothering you.”

“I know but it’s easier said then done.” I said with tears in my eyes.(Dialogue.) It was killing me inside, the months went on and I deleted them off my MySpace and avoided contact with these two people I considered very close to me. Then when I was finally over it one day in February Katie text me and says she wants to talk to me so when she finally did call I decided to talk the call and see what she had to say. It was shocking to hear her apologizing to me and blaming Madison for the whole thing.  Just like that she turned right against Madison. So I forgave her but kept it in mind how quickly she turned on Madison and when I got back to the shore in April we were friends again. It wasn’t a good while until I became friends with Madison again but it happened. As the summer went on Katie and I grew a little bit apart and from what I can see now I believe that maybe she didn’t like me for no reason at all and just has a grudge she holds upon me. I came to this conclusion because one night during the summer she invited everyone to the boardwalk but me so I am in my house minding my own business and she has one of her friends call me up from her sister’s phone and start with me out of the clear blue sky. 

“Hello?” I was nervous.

“This is Haley don’t ever call Briana ever again, ok?” Her voice was like scratching someone’s nails down a chalkboard. (Simile)

“Okay? But why are you calling me and starting something?” I wasn’t about to let her step on me. (Hyperbole)

“Who do you think you are?” (Dialogue) She could not answer the question I asked, and she knew she wasn’t making any sense and also that I was right. Not that any of the fighting made any sense anyway.  So I just hung up on her.

I wasn’t going to let them make me upset but they did make me very angry. My mom was there to hear the whole thing. I didn’t want to get the parents involved and I begged my mom to stay out of it. But she couldn’t so she got Katie’s parents involved and they were furious. They came over and apologized for their daughter’s friends’ behavior so I accepted their apology. “This isn’t the first time we’ve had problems with Haley.”(Dialogue). Then her dad went on to say- “Were not to crazy about her either.”(Dialogue) I just looked at my mom when they both said this. All that was running through my head- Why would you invite her down here if you weren’t crazy about her? But I was done bothering with them for good so I just decided to say ok. This was the second time that an innocent fight broke out and I was not going through this every summer. I wanted to enjoy my summer so I ended that friendship as quick as a cheetah runs.(Simile) Madison however fell out of the picture because she got extremely disgusted with the Katie drama that she doesn’t even come to the shore as much anymore. It is really sad that one girl could start so much trouble and Madison let her win and doesn’t come back that much. Everyone always told me she was jealous, but I don’t see any reason for her to be jealous of me. One time even my friend’s mom had said- “Drue, she’s so jealous of you.” (Dialogue) She had came out and said it plan and simple. I really couldn’t find anything for her to be jealous about, but I just agreed to disagree. I don’t know what goes through girls’ heads now of days and why they create such fights over some things that do not matter. I was taught to treat people like you would like to be treated. I for the most part am nice to everyone and I would never even think to be mad at someone for getting a haircut. 

This past summer I wasn’t as excited as I have been in the past because I figured here we go again. What kind of lies is Katie going to make up about me and who will be mad at me now. To my surprise this summer turned out to be one of the best summers I ever had. As they say what goes around comes around and if I didn’t see it with my own eyes I would’ve never believed it. Katie came down the shore and all the people who she got to turn against me weren’t there, she was all alone. Just like a dog whose owner goes away and leave them there. (Simile) Her own sister was even tired of all the drama and remained my friend and hung out with me all summer. Katie was alone and had no one to bully around or to hang around with because everyone was just so sick of the drama that everyone stayed away and found her out. She started to bring down Haley and I thought it was going to be a problem as if another war was going to start over. Luckily it didn’t. At one point Haley even admitted to my one friend that she was jealous of me. So there it was. The truth had come out. 

All things happen for a reason right? I found out who my true friends really were who stuck by me and they are my friends Alexis, Luc & Damian. No one could take them away from me not even Katie. During this summer I also made some new friends and that drove Katie crazy because I know she was dying to hang out with them but no one really bothered with her. Even after all that she put me through, I still kind of felt bad. I know the feeling of being put down and having really hurtful things said about you. I still see Katie and Madison, however I am friends with Madison but not like it use to be. We used to be stuck together like glue but not anymore. (Simile)  I don’t have time for Katie’s nonsense and to make sure that nothing will happen again we came to a solution that we will be civil. She is still up to her old tricks she bullies another girl that I know Erin. You would think that Katie had learned her lesson. Erin is smart and just like I did she doesn’t let her know she is bothered by it. I do feel bad because Kate is even worse this time because Erin is usually picked on. I don’t have anything against her and will always stand by her because I know how it feels and how one friend makes a difference. She knows what happened between me and Katie and the best advice I give her is to just stick to what she is doing and don’t let Katie know she is bothering her because one day I hope for Katie’s sake she’ll grow up. This was a lesson well learned. I learned not to put my trust in to people because they can be very jealous for no reason at all and there is nothing you can do about it. I don’t understand how or rather why they can be so hateful or jealous of you. Girls become animals when they want you to feel horrible inside and make themselves feel important. (Hyperbole) Why can’t everyone just try and be nice to each other? We would have such a better time down the shore. If you have one friend who sticks by you then that is the only friend you ever need. In my case I had three of them who stuck by me through all this nonsense.

The third benchmark that was given to us was compare and contrast pieces involving the Odyssey. What I compared and contrasted was two pieces of art work along with a poem about the sirens.

Drue Boccuti

Orange Stream

      Same but Different

Ulysses Captator: The Appropriation of Myth in Roman Satire” By Dr. Bryce Walker. “Ulysses and Sirens” By John William Waterhouse, and the “Siren Song” By Margaret Atwood. Although they make look different, they all share a lot of similarities. In the Odyssey Homer describes the Sirens as hideous along with John William Waterhouse, Dr. Bryce Walker made the sirens appear gorgeous to show just how powerful their voices are.

The point in comparing these three very different works of art is because there are a couple things that they all have in common. For example, they all take place in the sea. “They swung aboard at once, they sat to the oars in ranks and rhythm churned the water white with stroke on stroke.”(Homer, The Odyssey book-12 line-158-159) This is important because in the poem it says–“It forces men to leap overboard.” When the pieces show us that they all take place near or in water, it makes it very easy to create a picture when we are reading this part in The Odyssey. Another common thing that these pieces share is, anyone looking at the paintings or reading the poem can definitely tell that the Sirens are deadly and not things that you want to interact with. The poem comes right out and says it. “The song nobody knows because anyone who has heard it is dead, and the others can’t remember.” The picture by Waterhouse displays some skulls next to the Sirens and Dr. Walker has made them look like vultures that are getting ready to attack. The poem actually includes both of the descriptions that the pictures display.  Margaret says –“Even though they see beach skulls.” Also, “Will you get me out of this bird suit?” There is a lot more then meets the eye with all three pieces of works. This is also a very important feature.

Margaret Atwood along with Williams had made these girls look awful. He also and made them fly. Dr. Walker took a different path has made them look beautiful and naked so that you would see that Odysseus, along with the other men were attracted physically other than just vocally “So they sent their ravishing voices out across the air and the heart inside me throbbed to listen longer.”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 12 line 208-209) What they do, and just how mean they really are. The reason that Dr. Walker did this was because he wanted to prove that the girl’s voices are strong enough to make the men go with them. But the poem -“Siren Song” and the painting by Waterhouse “Ulysses and Sirens” just tells you that the Siren’s are really dangerous and you need to plan out to stay away.

One more difference between the pictures and the poem is Odysseus’ reaction. The picture that John Williams Waterhouse had created “Ulysses and Sirens” he decided to go with Odysseus tied up just like in the book had described. “I alone was to hear their voices, so she said, but you must bind me with tight chafing ropes so I cannot move a muscle,”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 12 line 174-176) While Dr. Bryce Walker had made him look so strong that it looks like he was attracted so strongly that he broke off the pole. He is now fighting threw his men to get to the Sirens. While in the poem, it is just directed to what happens to all the men. The position of Odysseus is important because it gives you the meaning that no matter who you are, or where you’re at on the boat you’re going to be attracted to these voices. 

Even though these photos and poems may look very different, which they are, like all the examples that were given. But in some ways they have things in common and show the main point. For instance, they all show how powerful the Sirens voices are and how strong they are. Just like Homer had mentioned, “The high, thrilling sound of the Sirens will transfix him, lolling there in their meadow, round them heaps of corpses rotting away, rags of skin shriveling on their bones…”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 12 line 50-52) 

One creative piece that we did this year was the Macbeth creative project. We had to take the 10 quotes from the book and make a creative way to show them. It could have been anything you wanted. I decided to make a keynote.

Independent Reading Project was a paper that we had to write and basically give a review of a book that we had just completed reading. Tell what its about, the main characters, the problem if there is one.

Drue Boccuti

Book Review-

The book I read is called The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton. The movie, was based on the book. The movie was made in 1983, but the book was written in 1965. The book is also a best seller.

Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis, is the main character of the book. He and his best friends are called Greasers, they’re the poor kids in their neighborhood and are always in some kind of trouble with the rich kids who are called Socs. One night Ponyboy, Johnny, and Two-bit walk home with these two girls Cherry and Marcia, who are Socs. Their boyfriends are very drunk and they catch up and see the Greasers with their girlfriends.  The Socs are not crazy about it at all, there is almost a huge fight until Cherry (Bobs’ girlfriend) stops it and decides it would be easier to get in the car with the boys.  Later that night when Ponyboy comes home it’s really late and his oldest brother Darry was very worried, his other brother Sodapop tries to standup for Ponyboy but Darry pushes Ponyboy and he gets so upset and he leaves and runs into the park with Johnny. 

Johnny and Pony are just sitting at the park minding their own business when a car full of drunken Socs pulls up. Since they couldn’t fight the greasers around the girls now is their perfect opportunity.  The Socs are drowning Ponyboy in a fountain and the other is kicking Johnny.  Bob leaves Johnny to go help drown Ponyboy, Johnny gets out a knife and he stabs Bob.  Everyone else is scared so they run off, and Ponyboy is knocked out. Since Johnny had just committed murder he waits for Ponyboy to wake up and then they go to their friend Dally.  Dally is the one in the bunch who is always in trouble so he knows where to go and how to hide. He tells them to take a train to this desolate church in another part of town where no one will be looking for them. My favorite character is Ponyboy. I like that Ponyboy hates fighting even though all of his friends seem to enjoy it.  He seems to appreciate life and what surrounds him even though his life is bad.  There are a couple conflicts in the book, but the main one is person vs. person. For instance Johnny has to face all the Socs, because he killed one of their best friends. What people should take away from this book is that you shouldn’t start fights with people who are different then you.  Its just like bullying because people are different than someone else they like to tease or hurt it is pointless and sometimes it comes back to you.

If I would have to say that I could relate to any character in the book, I would say I relate to Ponyboy. I would relate to Ponyboy because I also hate fighting. In my shore house there is always fighting going on and I try to stay out of it just like he does but somehow I always get included. I always feel like Johnny felt. Guilty. Now don’t get me wrong I have never killed someone or even hurt anyone on purpose. However, I always feel bad about everything. If I was really mean to someone who didn’t deserve it I will try to make it right immediately. 

I loved this book. It is actually now my favorite book. One strength of the book is that it’s so real. The way they talk, the way they live all their lives and act. For example, Darry has to raise Ponyboy and Sodapop because their parents had died. They are always fighting just like normal teenagers. I honestly can’t think of any weakness of the book. I like it that much. If I could change one thing in this book, I would make it so that Johnny didn’t die. It is sort of ironic that he killed someone and even though he did such a gallant thing by going into a burning church to save little kids, he dies from it.  

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. It’s a great story about friends who really do love each other. It teaches some good life lessons and it has some funny parts also.

Journal was something that we did very often in class. We would walk in class and there would be a topic to write about on the board. I enjoyed journaling.

Journal entries-

How important is it to fit in? 12-1-11 (1)

Fitting in, is somewhat important to me. Because I’m very self consciences and extremely sensitive. If I was getting made of and no friend to stand by my side I don’t know what I would do. No matter what its always a good thing to have at least one friend that’s always with you so you can tell all your feelings to and the comfort you. I’ve never done something that I felt bad about doing just so that I can fit in. Like I said, I’m very sensitive and I also take other peoples feelings into consideration. If one of my friends was making fun of someone else I would stop them from it and make them apologize. I think fitting in at this age is so important because kids are cruel and you don’t want to be picked on or left out. Also, just so you can have someone to laugh with. I think as I get older fitting in won’t be so important. I’ll have my true friends by my side and that’s all I will need.

What are people’s expectations of you? What are your own?

 (2)

The expectations that are put on me are high ones. My family expects me to do great things with my life. In school and out of it. They aren’t always strict which is nice. I’m very proud of these expectations because I try to exceed them and make my family proud and it feels good. Its also nice that they believe in me and think that I am capable of doing these things and more! My own expectations are the same. I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it, so I try very hard to do well in everything I do. Also, to stay out of any kinds of trouble and surround myself with good people.

If you really knew me.  (3)

If you really knew me you would know that I love to dance. I’ve been in dance classes ever since I was 2 years old. I used to take tap, hip-hop and ballet. I stopped taking classes when I was in 6^th grade. However, just because I stopped taking the classes doesn’t mean that I still don’t have the same love for it now then I did when I was taking classes. If you really knew me you would know that I love my family. My family means more to me then anything else in the world. I love spending time with them and laughing with them. If you really knew me you would know that I absolutely love spending all of my summers down the shore. I love laying on the beach and spending my nights walking on the boardwalk. Those are my favorite things to do.

What makes a hero? (4)

A hero doesn’t have to be someone who wears a cape and beats up evil guys for a living even though that it definitely one. A hero can be someone who is just a nice person all the time to almost everyone. Hero’s are of course people who do save people just like a cop or a firefighter especially. There are way to many qualities that qualify someone as a hero. Everyone has different ones. Being nice, loving, and kind. These are all such great things to be in my book. My dad to me is a hero. He is such a kind person. I remember one night we were driving home from a party and when we were driving by this old man had fallen my dad did not even hesitate to pull over and go help that man up. The man was having a hard time getting up but my dad did not stop until the man was up and walking again. This is just one of the act of kindness that he had done but I promise you there are so many more. If that’s a hero then I must not know what is.

A time when you were part of a group but didn’t want to do what the group was doing. (5)

At my shore house there is a lot of kids my age. We all get along very nicely. However some times I do not want to do what everyone else is doing.  No, I’m not talking about not wanting to go somewhere where they are going or do some sort of activity. I am always up for everything and anything. But when they are making fun of people and making them feel bad I’m not okay with that. I always try to make them stop but when its me against 4 other girls there’s not much I can do but either leave them and go with other people in my group or just ignore them until it stops. Last summer, one morning we were all going to the water park and my friend Briana’s mom was driving us.  Well, Briana didn’t want this girl Erin to come. Erin never did anything wrong to any of us Briana just felt like being mean to her. So we were all leaving at 10, well Briana told Erin to be at her house at 11. I didn’t even notice that she wasn’t with us until after we had pulled up to the water park. At that point there was nothing I could have done. I was extremely mad and it wasn’t even done to me. I don’t like leaving people out because in my head I always think “What if that was me?” So to make sure this doesn’t happen anymore I try to get my mom to drive everywhere so that everyone is included.

Reflection on Winter Break. 1-3-11 (6)

My winter break wasn’t really anything special other then Christmas. Christmas was the best day of my whole winter break. I got a new camera and 2 new pair of Uggs which was great! Other then the presents though, I enjoyed having all of my family over my house and talking with them. Sleep was something that I got a lot of I would wake up between 10:30 and noon everyday. My cousin also had slept over and we had a lot of fun. There was also a lot of mall time in my winter break which I always enjoy! On New Years I went over to Goldies' house because she was just getting back from Florida, she had a party which was a great way to bring in the new year. I wish we had a week off more often! So I guess in a way my break was special!

 The basic plot of the book Is about a boy named matt that is really a clone to a evil science professor named El Patron who controls mostly everything  and  everyone. But as through out the book Matt learns more and more information about himself as a clone and El Parton as a dictator to society.  The conflict of this story is person vs. person. This is because its Matt vs. the dictator El Parton  but the problem is that Matt is brain washed to believe that El Parton is his friend but he is really just a clone he wants to be in handy for spare body parts if something goes wrong.  You should take away from this book that everyone is not your friend and you can not live in world blind of your own personal thoughts. For example you can not expect someone to always be their to do everything for you and lead you through life’s task. Basically you should take away from this that its good to have independents

I  can relate to Matt in this story because just as for him everyday in my life is a opportunity to learn something  new with in my self. So I can someday have a vision of what a great life is for. The feeling I felt that a character in the story also felt was the down feeling of being accused of something and having no one believe me when I say I didn’t do it. This was the same feeling that Matt has when everyone is accusing him of killing Furball.

My personal opinion of this book is that it is a must read for anyone. This story had me on my toes from the minute I picked it up. The special thing about this book is that I have not came across to anything with a similar plot or way to present the conflict. The strength of this book is that it’s a original plot and  the suspense level it puts on the reader is unbelievable. I don’t find significant weakness in this text.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a different kind of story to read and loves a suspenseful book fraught with mystery this is the book for the job. I loved this book and wish everyone could obtain the same care for it as I did.