Mockingbird Essay

Atticus is a person that wants to make a difference in the world.  Atticus is Scout and Jem’s father, a lawyer in Maycomb descended from an old local family. A widower with a dry sense of humor, he is one of the few residents of Maycomb committed to racial equality. When he agrees to defend Tom Robinson, a black man charged with raping a white woman, he exposes himself and his family to the anger of the white community. With his strongly held wisdom, and empathy, Atticus functions as the novel’s moral backbone.  That is why I picked him to do this essay on.

Every person makes choices and lives with the consequences.  In this case Atticus has a good outcome and a bad one.  While he was making the choice to stand up for Tom Robinson during the trial he has to keep his kids safe and keep himself safe from the displeasing word people say about them and to them.  There are many points in the story when Atticus has to find ways for his towns people to understand that Tom Robinson has done nothing to wrong.

The outcome of this decision he has made is good and bad.  I believe that he changed the way people think in Maycomb.  When he is defending Tom, he gets his kids into it as well.  They almost get killed once, they get bullied at school, and more.  When they go to after the trail though they are treated great.  All because there father made a difference in the community.  Although the community just changed like that, he did something more than just change them.  I believe that he motivated them to be different that they were.  

" ’If you shouldn't be defendin' him, then why are you doin' it?’ " Scout said to her father.  In response Atticus said,  " ’For a number of reasons,". "The main one is, if I didn't I couldn't hold up my head in town, I couldn't represent this county in the legislature, I couldn't even tell you or Jem not to do something again. […] Scout, simply by the nature of the work, every lawyer gets at least one case in his lifetime that affects him personally. This one's mine, I guess.’ "                    (http://www.shmoop.com/to-kill-a-mockingbird/atticus-finch.html).

Atticus is not only a man for equality for everyone but a great father trying to teach his kids about life.  When Atticus gives the kids air rifles he says that they can shot at any bird they want besides Mockingbirds because they don't eat anyone's plants or harm anything all they do is make music.  Mockingbird has a metaphorical meaning too, anyone who is weak or defenceless,  to kill a Mockingbird in that sense is like taking advantage of someone weaker than you.  This was one of the four lessons that Scout learned throughout the book.  

Scout learns many lessons from Atticus that is one of the good outcomes of his choice to defend Tom Robinson in court.  He does not only teach Scout the lessons but teaches the community about how the world is not fair,and that even when people are different that they are the same.  We are all equal people, no one person has a better purpose to be here than the other.  In a way Atticus did win over the courtroom, they just didn't want to change the way they thought throughout the whole book.                 

When You Have A Old Man and The Sea.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Scribner Paperback Fiction, 1952. Genre: Fiction

The Old Man has not eaten for days and as you may guess he is pretty hungry.  The setting of this story in the olden days and and the old man goes to sea every day to get food for him to eat but he never gets food.  The other people that fish don't respect him that much but at the end of the story he gets more respect because he tried so hard when he was getting nothing but didnt give up.  When he was fishing he got a huge fish! put it on the side of the boat and went out and the sharks came over and over again and he later found his fish gone.  The sharks ate it.  All of it.  

“There are many aspects of this novel and themes covered that make this a significant novel”.  “The lack of action”, Fra7299, Amazon.com reviewer.  I agree with this because the only parts to me was when the old man was fighting with the sharks.  When he was fighting with the sharks you could tell that he was having a problem and with the other parts it was sort of dull to me could have been better.

The writing style of this book was hard for me to understand.  There were parts of the book that had some words that I didn't know could have fit into that sentence.  When Hemingway wrote the dialog I could not follow it because I could never really get who was saying what to whom, unless the young boy was saying something about the old man and he was saying “old man”.  The writing style for me was just hard to understand.  

The book that i can relate this book somewhat to was the Hunger Games because the way the characters are.  In the Hunger Games, Katniss has to risk her life to save her sisters.  In this book the old man has to risk his life for his own life.  They both has to do something scary to stay alive.  They both earn respect at the end of the book too.  In their own ways.  

The quote “A man can be destroyed but not defeated”.  I agree with the quote because when you are sad you are never sad forever.  You are always happy again at points in time.  You may have those memories but they will never defeat you to the end.  Life is hard but its worth fighting for.  

This book reminded me of when I would go to my grandfathers house and we would go fishing with little nets, we would have these buckets filled with water and put the fish we caught in it and release then after we were done.  My cousins and I loved to fish with our grandfather.  I would not read this book again if it was my choice i just could not get into it it was very hard to do for me.  

I give The Old Man and the Sea 2 Paws - Find Better Prey

             

The Dreamer

1.  Out of this paper I would like the reader to get That the girl is really in love with the boy, loves to be in the Wizard World, and she really wants to find her parents but does not know how long its going to take her.

2.  What was easy to write was when she was on the train with the boy.

3.  What was difficult to wright was when she was having foggy eyes and not feeling well

4.  Is there anything that I should change in my story?   

I woke up in the field behind my house, there was no sound, and no sign of life.  By the sun, I can tell that the time is about 11 in the morning and its summer, middle of summer, maybe about July.  I feel more alone than ever right now.  I ran through the entire field to go back to my house.  There was no one there to make me feel loved again... I was on my own now, and had to find my family.  There was a note.   

Dear Alice,

Please be brave for me, for you father, sister, and brother.  We all love so much but we just wanted to make sure you know that we are safe and we had to leave you for your own good.  Please forgive us.  There are weapons in the garage under the box and through the little door behind it.  Get them and then come find us.  You will see some things, crazy things, along the way but don't let them get into your head.  Please be careful by yourself, I believe in you.  We love you very much Alice.       

You are very smart, use your skills- Mom

P.S. Find the boy

That’s all the entire letter said.  What does “find the boy” mean?  I had no time to think about that, I had to go.  I have not been in the garage in so long.  When I went into the garage it was dark, dusty, and dirty.  I found the box in the left corner of the room behind it was the door.  The door was small, so small I almost left but then I saw what looked like a little door knob.  There were only three things in there.  A bow and arrow, a small handgun with a few boxes of ammo, and a picture of my family.  The picture was taken not that long ago, it was taken when I turned 16.  I am 17 now and on my own trying to look for the people in the picture...my family.  My house looks gray and dead when I leave, the whole neighborhood looks like that.

I walked and walked for hours when I came across a long building, with a light in the window. About one story high and looks like an old fashion train station.  I just had to walk in and see if I found my family... I was not even close.  Different from all the others places, I have been today this one was not empty, it was filled, people everywhere!  There was no way I would find my family in here (even if they were there).  I have a bow and arrows on my back, so people are definitely going to look at me.  There was this feeling that these people did not want me there.  I felt like they did not accept my kind.  Which was weird because we are all regular humans, well that’s at least what I thought.     

“You can’t be here Alice, it’s not safe for you” this boy said in a soft whisper.  I was in shock that anyone said anything to me but more shocked that he knows my name.  I had to turn and see who said that to me.  Then there standing right in front of me, a tall, brown haired boy with brown eyes. I could not take my eyes off of him.  He started to shake me but for some reason I could not respond... I was in love with the boy from the train station.  He stopped shaking me and just told me that he was going to help me because he was sick of the way people treat your kind.  He said “ you seen nice” that’s when I started to know something was not right and then started to think about what my mom said in her letter.  She said not to let them get into my head, does that mean the boy?  At that point I realized that I didn't even know his name!  I found out that his name was Logan, perfect name for the perfect face.  Then came more questions, where was he planning on taking me?  Does he know anything about my past?  Can he be my boyfriend?  He then said that we have to get on the train to make it in time.

Many questions were running through my mind when he told me that I had to stay in my seat while he goes someplace.  I thought he was probably just going to the restroom, until he didn’t come back for 20 minutes.  His bag was just sitting there, a feeling of going into his bag came across me like when someone fake throws something at you and you flinch.  His bag was filled to the top with random stuff, pens, pencils, notebooks, and textbooks.  There were only two things that were not normal.  He had what looked like a fancy stick, and a picture.  The picture was the same picture I had.

He must have known something about my family.  He came back quickly and he saw me looking through his stuff.  “Want me to tell you where I got that picture?” was all he said.  He didn't care that I went through his bag. All I could do was stare at him.  “Your mother is a very sweet person, she found me on the streets in Finland when she was on vacation.” Logan told me.  I remembered when she went to Finland for a work trip.  She never mentioned meeting a boy there.  “She said that she knew that you would need help finding her one day.  The only picture she had on her was that one you have in your hand.  She said that I would meet you in the train station on 2nd Saturday of July, and I did.”

My mother knew that something would happen to the family 3 years ago when she was on her trip to Finland.  Why would she keep this from me?  Why would she have a stranger help me find her?  “She told me to not show you something until we were on the train so I think you should know about me a little...”  He took out the stick, and just looked at it, “I can get into a lot of trouble for telling you what I am about to tell you, so you have to promise not to tell a dead or living soul.”  I promised, not even knowing what I was really promising about.  “I am a Wizard.”  Logan said in a trusting tone.

That’s all he said, then he was just looking at me waiting for me to say something.  What could I say to that, cool?  Well done?  I came up with “WHAT?!”  That was not what he was expecting, I could see it in his eyes.  I think that he was expecting something more on the lines of “WHAT! YOU ARE A WIZARD!!!???”  All he said was “yeah, I am”.  The rest of the train ride was quite.  I was in too much of a shock to talk to him.  The train was coming to a halt when he said “this is our destination.”  I looked out my window and saw nothing just a train station.  We got off the train and just walked right into the station, then he turned into the gift shop.  Why would there be a gift shop?  He then walked right into another room, there was a sign that said “Employees Only”.  I knew that he was not an employee but I went along with it anyway.

There was a whole other world in that room.  Literally the door went into the Wizard world.

 I saw things I have never seen before, Goblins, Witches, Dwarfs, a Pegasus, Dragons, and Fairies.  There are so many more but I cannot remember, I was just blown away by what I was seeing.  There was color everywhere.  We started to walk through the city, fairies were flying around my head and are are all sorts of colors sizes and types of dragons around. Everything is just wonderful, until we went down one street.  Everything started to change it was starting to get cold, dark, and my eyes site was getting foggy.  I felt as if i was going to fall down right then and there.  Logan started to call out my name “Alice, Alice, are you alright?  Alice, can you hear me?”  I could hear him but could not respond.  It was impossible I could feel my mouth moving but not words came out.  I can hear him calling me and a banging sound but can't figure out where it is coming from.

“Logan, I can't move.” was what came out.  Then the whole world went black.  Where was I? I was at home. Where was Logan?  He was outside my window banging on it.  “Alice I have been calling you for two minutes now.”  “You're going to be late for you families portrait.”  Said Logan.                      

Book Review: Tree Girl

This was an amazing book.  It was about everything.  It was about a girls childhood, trees, safety, Guatemala, family, and many others.  This book can teach you many things at once.  When you read this book i would recommend it for teens because there are some awful thing that happen in this book.

 They call Gabriela Tree Girl. Gabi climbs trees to be within reach of the eagles and watch the sun rise into an empty sky. She is at home among the outstretched branches of the Guatemalan forests.  She is only 14 years old when her life turns upside down on her birthday.   She has lost her whole family; her entire village has been wiped out. Yet she clings to the hope that she will be reunited with her youngest sister Alicia.  She has watch so many people die and decides not to be known as Tree Girl any longer.  

This is based on a true story, this book tells from a first person view from a Mayan teenager Gabriela Flores who witnesses the torture, rape, and massacre of Indians, including her own family before she hopefully meets up with her sister at the camp at the border of Mexico to go to the place of opportunity (America).   

Rate - 4

The Wonders of Musically Inclined People

As the worlds population gets bigger and bigger are value for stuff changes.  We need gas and technology, but the question is... Do we use then all the time?  Yes,  Do we need them every second of the 24 hour day?  No,  Could we live without them?  Yes, our ancestors did so why can’t we.  With gas we mostly use it to get to work and to get children some place or another, but we can carpool and save gas or ride a bike/take a bus.  What about technology?  We want it but we don't need it.  We can go the longest time without the computer or texting apparatus.  We as humans started out with out technology and didn't use it till a later date in time.  So as you see these thing among many more are not necessary but they are convenient.

Its a school morning, 5:45 AM , my alarm is going hysterical.  I can not find the snooze button which is probably a good thing otherwise I would not get up.  I finally get up and get dressed, this is around 6:00 AM now, and all i can think about is listening to my iPod on the bus and in school when i am in the hallways or in the band room.  I am on the bus now, its dead silent.  I sit in my usual spot in front of my friend Sabrina and across from my friend Azadoria.  Sabrina and I talk a little then we go up the street across from mine and pick Cameron, and my friend Neal.  Neal sits next to me so Sabrina, Neal, and I can all talk.  

I am usually rocking out to Pitch Perfect or Wicked by now and I am loving it.  With my iPod I can be the person i want to be without anyone telling me different.  That's why I picked it to be in my essay.  As I am walking into the school I am either turning up the volume so I can't hear anything around me or I am turning it down to talk to people around me (it’s usually depends on my mood for that day).  What's great about turning my music down?  It usually means I am going to walk in to the band room and going to talk to Caroline, Jon, Nate, Jack, Alexa, Ryan, and a lot of other band members.  But mostly those 6 people.  

The band room is like my second home, but its the band room so it everyone in the music department and the drama department mixed into one, like when you add sugar to cookies,  makes everything much better!  There are so many people that know my deepest darkest secrets...by so many i mean like 5 people.  All those people are in the band besides one.  Otherwise the band is part of my family now.  

As a band we go to competitions and kick butt.  I remember one time when we were on the bus to our  first competition i believe.  We were on the bus and within the first 5 minutes we were one.  We always do the rules of the band bus first.  The rules are Number 1- No number two, Number 2- No number one unless absolutely necessary, Number 3- No singing unless its a singing run through.  

After that we ride to our destination maybe we will have singing but maybe not.  It really depends on the mood of the percussion section (my section), we mostly make the noise.  Then comes the hard part... Changing on the band bus.  When you change on the bus you have to be aware of your surroundings.  You have to watch out for other people because its a bus, its going to be tight , and when the bus turns.  That's when you really have to be careful.  The bus in other words is a danger zone.  

We finally made it to the competition!!!! This is where we show what we are made of and how to rock the instruments that we either are just learning house to play or ones that we have played for years.  Value is a wonderful thing and you can either value a price tag or value a friendship.  Either way it means something to you.

Vocabulary Video, Gawk

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Just Catching

Just Catching

Just Listen- Owen and Annabel

Catching Fire- Katniss and Prim

    It was a very hot day in District 12.  The days lately have been like this, hot, muggy, just not the way you want a day to go...and it got worse.  There was this thing called the radio the the capital was bringing in the districts.  With the radio came new people to put on the show.  These people were from the west side of North America.  “Prim, come and eat” my mother said to her.  Today was Prims first day of school.  I have been going to school for 10 years.  I am a Sophmore in High School.  Prim is in 8th grade.
     “Katniss, will you make sure Prim gets on the bus okay while i go to the market?  “Yes mom, do you think you can try to be faster this time and not talk to that man again?” “Yes Katniss”.  I walked Prim to the bus and we waited forever then if finally came and Prim got on.  Now I had to wait for my own bus.  I am on bus 4 same as the two new people that go to my high school.  One of them is on the radio station and the other just helps out.  These people are Owen and Annable.  

The bus was packed so tight barely Prims cat could walk down the center.  “Hey do you think I can sit with you?”Annable asked me and the first thing that popped out of my mouth was “Ummm, yeah sure”.  “Thanks this bus is packed with people my friend, Owen, had to sit up front with the drivers kid!”  I could not figure how she just kept talking then just stopped.  I sorta wanted her to stop talking too because I was not really listening and i did not want to.

The rest of the bus ride was silent.  Besides the other people on the bus, they were talking about all sorts of stuff.  Finally we get to the school.  Since I was sitting near the back I was one of the last to get off the bus.  I saw Owen (Annable’s friend) and decided to wave but then he turned and did not see me.  I could not wait for the day to end.

THE DAY IS DONE!!!  I could not wait to pick up Prim and go home.  Change of plans.  Annable saw me try to wave to Owen and she found me walking home and she introduced me to him.  Then they invited me to go to the radio place.  I forgot what they called it, something fancy.  “Thanks but I have to pick up my little sister from the middle school.” I said because i really did and I just didn't want to say no without a reason.  “Thats perfect because Owen has a sister in the middle school also!” Annable said like it was a great chance that it would change my mind.  It did.  

“Okay, i guess it will not hurt to go see, is that okay with you?”  I wanted to make sure that that was okay with Owen before i just have my and my sister walk with the new people.  “Yeah sure its fine” Owen said like he didn't care whether I go or not.  So we picked up Prim and Owens sister.  Then walked to the radio place.

We got there and it was i was back in the Capital building.  It brought back memories I didn't want back.  Owen and Annable didn't know anything about the Hunger Games and what my family and best friend went through.  I didn't want them to know so I just played it cool.  That was the best idea I ever had to play it cool and keep walking because it is nothing like that Capital.  The people are nice and they treat you like a person not like a piece of a game.  my final word right now are...these people are going to be so great to have here.