final reading responce on The Outsiders

The Outsiders was a very exciting and interesting book.  It really showed a perfect example of a boy trying to grow up while dealing with so many hardships.  I have learned a lot about growing up from reading the book The Outsiders.  Things like how everybody needs a role model in life, how you shouldn't fall for peer pressure, and how friends can be just as important as family.

One way this book deals with coming of age is how Ponyboy faces conflicts that all kids face as they grow up.  For example, Ponyboy dealt with peer pressure and crime. Almost all of Ponyboy's friends have been involved with crimes, things like shoplifting or carrying around knifes.  Ponyboy could have easily been one of those boys and could have easily went to jail.  But he didn't because he didn't fall for peer pressure.  He knew what was right and wrong.

Another lesson I learned from reading The Outsiders is that, everybody needs a role model in their life.  Someone to tell you right from wrong, someone  who you could look up to for advice or to learn something.  Since Ponyboy's parents died in a car crash he was stuck with his brothers.  But his brothers stepped up and was his role model.  His older brother was strict on him.  One time in the book Ponyboy came home late and his brother was all over him asking questions about why he was home so late.  Even though Ponyboy didn't realize it, his brother was sticking up for him.  He didn't want Ponyboy to end up like a know body.  If Ponyboy hadn't had anybody to tell him right from wrong than maybe he would have been like Two-Bit, shoplifting for the fun of it.

The last lesson I learned is that friends can be just as important as family.  A lot of the Greasers have abusive parents or no parents at all, like Ponyboy.  But they have each other and thats all that matters to them.  They are each others family.  They do everything together and they stick up for each other.  They are friends who go to each other if they have problems or something on their mind.  They are always there for each other.  If it wasn't for friends than Ponyboy and his friends could be kids who become major criminals and live a bad life. 

The Outsiders is one of my favorite books and its not hard to tell why.  Its a great coming of age novel and it deals with all the problems kids face as they grow up like peer pressure and being exposed to things like crime.  This book teaches valuable lessons like, everybody needs a role model in their life.  The Outsiders shows how friends aren't just people you hang out with but like family.  The Outsiders is truely a classic.

reading response

From reading The Outsiders, I have noticed that the characters from the book are a lot like the characters from the movie, Stand By Me.  Both groups of kids come from troubled and sad pasts, some are involved in crime, and both groups of kids depend on each other.  Without each other they wouldn’t be able to live or have any guidance or advice.       

The characters from The Outsiders deal with the same family problems as the boys from Stand By Me.  Both Gordie and Ponyboy have dealt with a death in their family.  Gordie’s brother died in a car accident and now his parents barely even speak to him anymore.  Ponyboy’s parents died in a car accident as well.  Now he lives with his brother who is also in a gang.  Both boys don’t really have anyone to look up to or to be inspired by.  Johnny Cade and Teddy Duchamp both face abuse from their fathers and their mom’s just kind of ignore it.

Another way these boys are similar is how they are almost all involved with crime or fighting or verbal abuse.  Ponyboy and his friends are a gang and Gordie and his friends practically have their own gang going.  Two-bit from the Outsiders, shoplifts almost everything he owns.  It’s not like he does it for survival but just for fun.  The reason why I think they are involved in these kinds of things is because they don’t have any role models in their lives.  Their parents are practically strangers to them, they don’t teach them anything except for how to deal with abuse.  They don’t have anyone to teach them to do the right things or how to be a successful person.  Gordie’s brother use to be that person but ever since he was killed, Gordie just does what his friends say. 

The boys from the Outsiders and Stand By Me are also alike because of the fact that they rely on each other.  Without each other they would be trapped in a world full of abuse and loneliness.  These friends help them escape from the abuse and have a good time.  In a way they are each others role models even though there not the best ones.  Without Chris and Gordie, Teddy might have died trying to dodge that train.  Without Ponyboy maybe Two-bit or Dallas could commit an even bigger crime.  Even though they aren’t the best people in the world, it doesn’t matter to them because they have each other.                    

All these characters are alike one way or another.  They are also perfect examples of kids going through the process of maturing and adulthood.  They think that the world will be fine as long as they have each other.  But as they grow up they will realize that their friendships are drifting apart and they will notice how its time to think about their future and what they want in life.  You can’t be twelve forever. 

prompt #3

I used to be a small, chubby, Spongebob crazed boy. Someone obsessed with sports. A boy who didn't have a care in the world.  I wouldn't go anywhere without my parents.  I remember when I was in kindergarden; everyday I would cry and beg for my parents to stay with me and go into the classroom.  Tears would fall from my eyes as if I had seen a dead body.  I was immature like every little kid is, always curious and always making friends with everybody I met.  everyone was nice to me and would reply in a smile or wave, after all I was just a little boy.  Why would anyone have something agains't me?  I didn't know about high school stuff and going through puperty, things like that.  Dealing with social issues and struggles in schools.

I am not a completely different kid, except for the whole Spongebob thing and being obsessed with sports.  I am now much more independent and am almost relieved when my parents leave me to do something without them.  But the changes have been both good and bad. But its much much harder.  School can be a struggle, staying up late studying for a test or spending countless hours trying to finish my homework.  When I was little, the only thing that I would have for homework was to read a book or do a worksheet.  Also, as I get older, I am exposed to much more, fighting and girls.  I have dealt with the obvious things like fitting in and bullying.  Not everyone is friendly to me now like when I was little.  If I were to smile at everyone I see in a day, I bet almost everyone would look at me with an odd face.  Back then, everybody would look at me with a smile.

I want to be a successful man when I grow up.  Someone who lives a great life.  I want to be someone who isn't involved with things like drugs and crime because that can lead you into a life of jail and possibly death.  Why would anybody want that?  I don't expect on being a star athlete like I thought I would be when I was little, but someone who enjoys what they are doing and lives everyday to the fullest.

prompt #4

During my transition from childhood to adulthood, I have began to notice all the conflicts that I am getting involved in now, especiallu wiith my parents.  When I was a little kid I would want to go everywhere with my parents.  I would cry if they left my sight for a second.  But now as I am growing up, I have grown to be much more independent, I prefer doing things with my friends.  Instead of going out to dinner with my parents, I would want to go to my friends house.  It may be  because I am embarrassed but it could also be that I just find it boring.

I am also held for much more responsibility, making the right choices and keeping up in school.  When I was younger my parents would do so many thigns for me but now I have to do things for myself and learn from it.  It is the right thing to do but it still gets agrivating.  With responsibilities like taking care of my cousin for a while or going to school early to catch up on homework, your life with social life decreases. A lot of my time is involved with school rather than friends or sports.

Another thing that I notice is that, as you get older, you get exposed to many things, both good and bad.  You start to do things to please your friends rather than doing what you really want to do.  You  fall under peer pressure.  But everyone one does; its hard not to.  I just have to not make stupid decisions that can affect my life. 

My Papas Waltz Responce (make up homework)

"My Papas Waltz," by Theodore Roethke is a great meaningful poem. You won't fully understand the poem unless you really analyize the lines. Not just reading the words but trying to find what the words actually stand for and mean.  A lot of people in my class thought this poem was about a father who is very drunk and who is beating his son.  But to some people, they think the boy and father are just dancing.  I don't really know what to think.

There are lines that give evidence to beating his son and the father being drunk like, "the whiskey on your breath can make a small boy dizzy," or "they romped until the pans slid from the kitcken shelf." Even though these are very explanatory lines, there is still evidence to show how the boy was just very small.  For example,"at every step you missed, my right ear scraped a buckle." That could just mean that he was up to his waist. 

 Also, the line that says,"the whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy," doesn't necessarily mean that hes drunk.  He could have had a little to drink but the fact is that your uncertain. The writer doesn't give clear evidence that the man is beating his son and he doesn't get clear evidence that he isn't beating his son. That is why I like this poem so much.

final responce

The book that I have been reading lately is, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling. Its very complex but at the same time it is very easy to enjoy.  Even though i'm not a big fantasy reader, I found this book to fasinating.  What I realized about this book is how the issues this book deals with is a lot like the issues like conformity, bullying, and
Harry has had a big time fitting in with the other people in Hogwarts.  A lot of it is because of how everybody thinks of him as the kid who survived the attempt of Lord Voldemort trying to kill him.  He only relies on two other kids.  Thats really all he has and its tough to turn to somebody to fix the issue.  Your embarrased and he can't turn to his family because he simply just doesn't have one.  He only has Ron nd Hermione.  I also, have dealt with trying to fit in, everybody has.  Whether your goin to a new school or a new sports team, its hard to just make friends and blend in; espesically when your known for a horific incident like Harry is.

Another isuue that I deal with and Harry deals with is bullying.  This kind of fits in with the categorie conformity.  Harry is constantly bullied by Draco Malfoy and his friends.  He can't escape the punishment, and he can't fight back because he might get kicked out of Howgwarts, and thats all he really has in his life.  Besides the school he goes back to a  rude aunt and uncle and a spoiled bratt in a cousin.  I have delt with bullying before.  Sometimes it feels like terrible and you feel like just start up a fight.  Its hard to just back off when they keep constantly attacking you with insults.  Sometimes Harry has fought back and sometimes I have fought back but you realize at the end that it wasn't the right choice.

The last issue that I have found in my book is kind of a personal social issue.  It is self esteem and determination.  At some parts of the book, Harry has a very high self esteem but in some other places, he has a very low self esteem.  When professor Lupin helps him fight off dementors, they describe Harry as not being confident.  Harry is very determined even if it means breaking the rules.  He ignores Hogwards rules by going to Hogsmeade.  He takes the marauder's map and go through secret passage ways.  I think that I am a very determined person like harry.  I work for what I want and am always willing to go the extra mile to forfill my goals.

Harry holds of issues that I myslef hold.  He has dealt with bullying, trying to fit in, just like every kid in the world.  Hes had problems with his self esteem but he is a very determined person.  He does what he needs to do even if it means ignoring the rules a little.

Reading responce

The book that I have been reading latelt is, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban, by J.K. Rowling. Its a complex and easy to enjoy.  Even though i'm not a big fantasy reader, I found this book to fasinating.

This book really is about imagination.  It brings you into another world filled with monsters and magic.  Its what this book is all about.  Theres always a new twist to things.  Something you didn't expect always happens.  I think the best part of the book is the magic.  All the potions and wonds are really brought about so creativly and makes me always want to read.

Another thing I like about The Prisoner of Askaban is how the author does a great job of describing the settings and whats going on.  All the expressions and emotions that the characters are filled with.  She uses great metaphors and similes which makes the book much more interesting.  That has inspired me to use more metaphors and similes when I write.  Its a great way to describe things and get what your trying to say across to the reader.

In all, The Prisoner of Askaban is simply a great book.  Possibly the best out of all of the Harry Potter books.  All the witchcraft and mystery to it really makes me enjoy it.   

3 Great Blogs

My three favorite blogs are Jose's, Gabrielle Gautier's, and Erin's.  There blogs truely show what we have done in ELA during the year and all the things we have learned.

I like Jose's blog because you can really see all the effort he has put into them.  Every single blog is there and every single one is done perfectly.  His poems are really good.  He uses great medaphors and similes. For example, in his sonnet he says, "A world inside a an outcasted sea line. Only the pure may enter these walls. He writes about a certain topic but never gives away what hes talking about.  He leaves you thinking and I think that is really cool.  Also, Jose incorporates Shakespeare's language in the sonnet.  He uses words like thee and pers'n.

Another blog that I really enjoyed was Gabrielle's.  Her poems are really meaningful and are about so many topics that people can really relate to.  Gabrielle also does a good job describing her poems and giving her opinion.  Giving her input on paintings.  Her inferences and interpetations are really spot on and very direct.  Gabrielle's blog has all the qualities of a great blog.

The last blog I chose was  was Erin's.  I really like the topics she writes about.  She writes about the things you wouldn't normally notice everyday.  The things that don't stand out.  Also, she does a good job of backing up her opinions with pin point facts and statements, like in Papas Waltz.  Thats something that I can really improve on and reading Erin's blog can really help me.  Her poems are also very metaphoric and thats why I really enjoy them, especially her sonnet. Her blog is something that I can really learn from.  She did a great job.

Family sonnet

An escape from a problematic life.
Always eccepted, no matter how wrong.
A bond that is stronger than a clasp knife.
This bond that we have is something life long.

Bringing hearts up when they are in the ground.
Bringing all the beauties of my life out.
We are like yarn that is never unwound.
A sea of memories, without a doubt.

Rays of sunshine on a long dead beat day.
They are what I would do anything for.
They are as sweet as candy or sorbet.
They aren't just people I stand before.

People to you but they are more to me.
They are a part of my family tree.

An Incident

I read down the list.
My heart being like a uncontrollable
drum.  I stare down the paper like a hawk. 

The top reads "Basketball Team Roster."
I see an Isiah, a Kelvin, a Peterson, but
 not a Gabriel.

My face turns pale and my mind
goes blank.  Not knowing what to do or
say, I just walk away into the frigid night.

I don't make a grin or say a word.
I just walk all the way home, feeling
sorry for myslef, and I remember how my
name wasn't even mentioned.

Description on poem, The Incident

I decided to write about the poem; The Incident.  What I notice about this poem is how it is almost written as a story.  Its like the poet took a passage from a story and decided to write about it.  You don't find people writing poems on that kind of thing. 

The poem really describes the characters well and the setting.  For example, the poem clearly states how the character had never been a victim of name calling like that.  He never really thought anyone would call him that.  In the poem it says how the boy never forgot that incident the whole summer.  That brief encounter really changed him.  I can tell that that he lived in a time period and place where that would really wasn't used by kids.  I hate to say it, but now, it seams that, that would is use so much now.  And sometimes its not even said to be disrespectful.

Another thing I got was how the two boys were the same age.  Even though the author doesn't say directly how old the boy who cursed at the other boy was he still said, "he was not that whit bigger than me." 

Description on Painting

This painting is called La Pansee Femme en Meditation danws un Bosquet da Laurier Rose.  It was painted by Henri Martin. 

I like is picture because of how it is focused on a women, yet she is not looking directly at you.  Her face is to the side.  Maybe thats because she is a lonely person or a shy person.  Another thing that I like about this painting is how her face is blurred out, even though she is the center of the picture her. 

The background of this photo is very beautiful and the flowers are very colorful and bright.  The women seems to be the darkness of the piainting.  The negative side of the painting.  Another thing I noticed is that the womens hand is up to her face.  Maybe that means she is thinking.  She is in the middle of a thought or idea.  Maybe thats the reason why she isn't looking directly at you.

poem on picture

A trail that never ends. 
Trees with not many leaves. 
Is this a place of beauty, or a place of
misery.

I go down this trail and what
do I see.  Nothing but a
surplus of  brown blurred out
trees.

The grey blue sky fills this place.
How long will it take before
it is replaced?  How long will it take
before the sun comes down
and all you can see is a dead
beat tree?

Will this trail ever end?  Or will
it keep on going, like the earth we live
in?