Reading Response on Book Club

             In the book “A Long Way Gone” by Ishmael Beah there is lots journeys and struggles. Throughout the book, the author faces lots challenges and emotional breakdown. From knowing that his parents might be dead, to knowing that to survive you must fight as well. Ishmael fights to survive in this devastating war by thinking that his parents are still alive. His motivation is his mom and dad because he wants to see them again and live happily. Along his journey he fights the rebels by joining a army.

            In the book “A Long Way Gone” the author who is also the main character goes through struggles and challenges. Although he is going through this, his motivation for finding his parents is keeping him alive. For example when Ishmael and his friends were walking in the woods trying to stay alive they were talking about there families. Ishamel said “ I have a feeling that we will find our families or at least news of them” this quote shows us when you want to survive you need a goal. For Ishmael that goal is his family. He and his friends sometimes sit down somewhere and cries trying to let it all out. They than stopped and realized that they can't find there family if they keep crying. So they started to move and tried to stay alive.

           In the book “A Long Way Gone” the author who is also the main character joins a army. He wants to survive this war so that he can find his family. This army fights against the rebels. He wants to kill all the rebels because of the bad things the rebels did. One time when a guy told Ishmael that his parents are alive, Ishmael didn't wait and rushed to the place where they were. When he sees the place burned and people dead, he loses hope and doesn't care about living. This shows us that his motivation to live and survive was his parents.

           Overall the character Ishmael went through a lot as a child. He lost his parents in a war, and had to survive to become who he is now. Ishmael motivation to survive was his parents. When they died there were others that wanted him to live. His struggles and challenges made him who he is now.

Non-Fiction reading response 2

            Sometimes their people in the world that have the natural ability to do something. Some people for example, like a disable person with no left arm, that can play basketball like a pro. This person can dribble, pass, and shoot like no others. His outstanding determination and dedication led him to teams that won back to back games. This person name is Zach Hodskins a person with no left hand and forearm. In the article “The Natural” by Mike Tierney, the authors wants readers to know that anyone can play a sport or any other kind of activity, with lots of dedication and determination. According to the article, Hodskins started to play basketball when he was 5. By the third grade he started to make his own style. “ I had to come up with my own style” Hodskin says. The author show readers the perspective of the other people. For example, when people watch Hodskins shoot three-points and pass with one hand, they notice as much as his missing hand is his drive. Hodskins is 6' 4” with his incredible ability to shoot from anywhere, along with his drive plus his pass.

           The author Mike Tierney wants readers like me to feel inspired by Zach Hodskins playing of basketball. He wants us readers to feel what it takes to be determined, and dedicate your life to that one thing. The author conveys readers with lots of examples of what it means to be determined and dedicate your life to that one thing. For example, he started to play ball when he was 5. By the time he was in third grade he wanted to make his own style to playing basketball. “ I just had to come up with my own style,” Hodskins said. In some ways his disability made him want to play harder. “ It made me want to work harder to overcompensate for things people said I couldn't do.” This quote shows us readers that he used his weakness to his advantage. It made him determined and hard working. He wanted to show that he can do what a non disable can't do. His captain for every pick-up-game played Hodskins was not chosen to play. The captain was concerned that he was pushing himself too hard. In middle school he went out for cross-country, primarily as conditioning for basketball. The family of Hodskins feared for his health because, of Hodskins coming home everyday tired and exhausted. When Hodskin was playing a game and his coach saw Hodskins struggling with dribbling left, the coach forced him to go left. So that in real games he doesn't struggle with his left or right.

             When reading this article, I've realized that you have to work really hard to achieve your goal. When I play basketball I don't really work as much as I need to. When I read this article I felt the determination Hodskins had over basketball. This made me feel like a loser compare to Hodskins. I felt like he had more determination and dedication over basketball than me. I play basketball as a hobby where he plays it for his career. This article has made me appreciate and acknowledge what it takes to be the basketball player you can be.  

Sonnet Basketball

Tarek Kawser 

Basketball players are there for the game

They jump and shoot for every point to count

Each player is looking for pride and fame

Every single fan will sit and will recount

When they play basketball they play to win

The feeling to win is incredible

Each team will get to there place to begin

When working as team its not terrible

They accomplished the plays so perfectly

The fans are still in their seats feeling tense

The home team played very effectively,

With their most effective skill of defense

As the last second comes you shoot your last three

  After bell rang they won and were let free

 809                                         School

                                                By Tarek Kawser

                                        They say school is fun and exciting place

                                         but in reality it’s a timeless torture

                                         its easy for a parent to say school is fun

                                         in reality the know it’s not a place for anyone

                                   

                                         School is like an eternal hell that repeats itself everyday

                                         that's why kids like us try to stay away

                                         however school is needed to live

                                         so you need to stay motive, and

                                         be positive

                                        

                                         A student studying social studies seems bored

                                         sacrificing himself under the sun shine

                                        but at the end of all that hard work, he might get a reward

                                        

                                         School is a timeless torture that will repeat itself everyday

                                         but hey, what can I say

                                         you just got endure it and not

                                          run away

                                    

Poetry Reading Response

         Teenagers around the world get influenced by there surroundings and friends. They want to fit into a group that they see, they want to be like them, and they want to act like them. In the poem “Please Don't Take My Air Jordan”, the main character is having the same issues. He is embarrassed to see his friends laughing at him. Therefore he will do anything to get new shoes or other things things to look good. The main character of this poem is influenced by his surroundings and friends.

          In the poem “Please Don't Take My Air Jordan” the main character feels embarrassed to see his friends laughing at him. So he steals or does anything to look good. The quote “I guess it makes me feel special inside / when I'm wearing fresh gear I don't have to hide”, shows us readers that the main character is assuming that if he wears old clothes, his friends will laugh at him. As a result of him thinking this way, the main character starts to steal things. “My crew's laughin at me cuz I'm wearing old gear / school's almost over summer is near / and I'm sportin torn jordans and need somethin new / there's only one thing left to do / Cut school Friday catch the subway downtown / check out my victims hanging around / maybe I'll get lucky and find easy prey”. The main character is so scared to get laughed at that he will steal from anybody. He will even cut school and go steal from someone with Jordan. This is a good example of what makes someone steal because he/she is influenced by there surroundings.

In the poem “Please Don't Take My Air Jordan” the main character starts to kill for his needs to look good.            He cuts school Friday and packs his gun and goes for hunting. “The red emblem of Michael looked as if it could fly / not one spot of dirt the airs were brand new / had my pistol knew just what to do / took off fast but didn't get to far / I fire (POW) he fell between two parked cars”. This quote shows us readers that he would even kill people to get his needs to look good. This shows us that he is so embarrassed that he was influenced to the point where he starts to kill. It also makes readers infer that he has bad or fake friends. It makes me feel this way because a friend wouldn't judge a person by how they dress, or even care about what that person wears. I think a friend is a person that wouldn't laugh at the friend. The main character has to change his way of looking good and start to wear things that his surroundings wear. This is another good example of what makes someone steal and kill because he/she is influenced by there surroundings.

         After reading this poem I realized that teenager needs to learn to find true friend that will not influence them in a bad way. The main character on the other hand was influenced a lot and caused him to do what he is doing, that is killing and stealing. While it is important to make friends, people should wear extra lens so they see whose his true friends or fake friends.  

Independent Reading Response 2/2/14

          There are lots of people in the world that are embarrassed to talk about things. Some people are embarrassed to talk about there personal life, about there family background, and some people are embarrassed to talk about there dads. In the book, “Secret Saturday” by Torrey Maldonado, the main character Justin is very curious and annoyed by his only best friend Sean for lying to him. One time, when Justin and his friend Kyle stayed up late at night, he saw Sean and his mom secretly walking somewhere. He suddenly asked Sean what was up, and Sean just looked away and lied. Whenever Sean gets into argument or a fight, he always brings up their dads. He will say the most nastiest things about there dads, and will hurt them mentally. Whenever Justin brings up the conversation about Sean's dad, Sean tells him that his dad is in Puerto Rico and looks after them. Which is a lie because whenever he looks away Justin knows he's lying. I think that Sean has a serious issue with dads, because he always hurts other students dad.

         One time when Sean was playing ball with some kids, Sean hit a kid name Chris really hard. When Chris was out and he walked away, Sean hit him again. Chris got mad and he stared at him. Sean looked at him and threaten him saying “I'll do it again if you want.” Chris rushed Sean and pressed his chest against him. Sean looked up at the ceiling and was waiting for him to swing first. Sean told Chris “hit me so I can knock your teeth out like your alcoholic father.” This shows that he has something against dads. Why bring up peoples dad and say bad stuff about them when you could say others things. Each time he gets into a argument he always makes kids feel down. I think this one good example of why he has issues that has to do with dads.

           In advisory class Ms Feeney brought a guy that went through struggle as a kid. He came to this class to talk about why being good and getting educated is a important thing. When he was speaking Manny a student in that class was starting trouble again like always. When the guy spoke Sean told Justin how corny the guy is. Behind him Manny eavesdropped and shouted out something that will start a argument. “Sean if you got something to say then raise your hand.” Then Sean started dissing him and made the class laugh at Manny. Than it got worse by Sean saying “At least I used to live with my father. Before he moved to Puerto Rico. Do you even know who your real father is?” Than the teacher got mad and told the guy to leave, because her class isn't ready for this. This shows us that whenever Sean gets into a argument, Sean will bring up there dads to diss them. I think that he is doing this because his dad is like the rest of the other dads. When the second advisory class started a guy that came in went to jail, and knows Sean's dad. This explains why he doesn't talk about his dad that much and why he always disses other dads.

         Overall I think that Sean doesn't like dads, and that is why he makes fun of the other dads. Sean's dad is in jail and he didn't tell anyone about it. Not even his only best friend Justin. He told everyone that his dad is in Puerto Rico, and works there for Sean and his mom to live peacefully. This made everyone believe that he has a perfect family. While everyone believed him he would insult and make fun of other dads. I feel like he is very embarrassed to tell people that his dad is in jail and not in Puerto Rico. Justin the main character should talk to Sean and explain to him that its okay for him to be embarrassed. He should convince him to not feel bad and move on. Also that hurting other peoples dads won't solve anything.  

Non-Fiction Reading Response 1

               Some people don't get justice for the killing of their beloved ones. According to the article “Justice Denied” by Dan Barry, Federal Bureau of investigation received a a letter from northeastern Louisiana, asking for justice in the killing of a well respected black merchant. For example, Frank Morris the black merchant died in the hands of two white men. One was holding a shotgun, and the other one held a canister of gas. Than he was found dead four days later from the fire that was lit that day. The author states that, the F.B.I told the people that the crime would go unpunished because, its said the local police were probably were involved in illegal activity. Some people like Frank Morris didn't get there justice, and the crimes were barely noted, much less investigated. People were afraid to come forward because of fear. Some of theses racially motivated killing was done by the Ku Klux Klan. At the time these group people were feared in the south. The F.B.I began a cold-case to investigate racially motivated murders from civil rights era. Although they are investigating, the government faced challenges. They couldn't investigate to give justice because of witnesses that were dead, suspects were dead, or the murderer himself dead. This article shows me how irresponsible the F.B.I are, and how bad of job there doing.

             The author who wrote this is trying to convey to us readers that racism still exist. It is also trying to shows us how people believe, and have faith in the F.B.I. One example is the colored people in Concordia Parish who wrote to the F.B.I saying, “ Your office is our only hope, so don't fail us.” This quotation shows us that, they truly believe in the F.B.I, and has faith in them. I feel very sorry for those people who aren't getting there justice. I am devastated to see that racism is still around. When the two white men killed Frank Morris by burning him I felt like it was the Ku Klux Klan's doing. The author shows different cases that involve racial killing. Frank Morris, Hosie Miller, Till, and some other people went through racial killing. Till a 14-year old black boy who was tortured and killed, because he was flirting with a white women. Hosie Miller, a farmer and church deacon, was shot by a white man in a argument over cows. This shows that lots of these killings involve racism. The author of this article is a little bias, because he stated that the Ku Klux Klan is responsible for many of the murders. He also stated that the F.B.I barely noted down the case, and much less investigated. Therefore, I conclude that this kind of writing shows readers that he is being a little bias. The colored people of Concordia who wrote to the F.B.I shows what they feel. There perspective shows the readers that they really had high hopes for the F.B.I.

           After reading this article, I can conclude that the F.B.I made a mistake, and they should have tried solving the cases when the incidents happened. They should know that if you resume a case after 5-10 years later the witnesses might be dead, or the murder himself might be dead. I've noticed that the cases close down, but opens up again, but the victims relative at the end don't get justice. Grace Hall Miller is a good example for this. Her case opened up again, and at the end after a careful investigation, she didn't get justice for her husband's death. She says “I guess they were just trying to make a show.” This quote shows the readers what she feels about the F.B.I. Once reading this article, I learned that not everyone in this world get justice for there relatives death.

Bibliography:

Barry, Dan. "Justice Denied." Upfront 18 Nov. 2013, Magazine ed.: 8-9.