The Lonely

      Emotion can be a beautiful and terrible thing. Unfortunately, the terrible side seems to prevail. There are so many emotions that can hurt you, grief, confusion, pain, and embarrassment to name a few.  But in my opinion the feeling of loneliness is the absolute worst. Going through grief is easier with a shoulder to cry on, confusion with someone to help point the way, someone to numb your pain, and someone to turn your embarrassing moment into a funny one. But what happens if you're alone? Ask Ty MacFarlane, who's been living alone in the middle of a desert for months. Completely surrounded by nothingness. Not even he, who considers himself a real lover of the land, can stand the loneliness for too long.  That's where Gemma comes in, another victim of the lonely.

     Tyler MacFarlane, or just Ty for short, takes the term "living off the land" to heart. He finds the desert so incredible, that he wants to live there: alone. His typical day consists of walks in the heat, working out with his punching bag, gathering food, and observing the land. All alone. Even at night, when the desert gets scary and the wind begins to howl, he sleeps alone. Not only is Ty alone physically, but mentally as well. Family has never been a big concept in Ty's life. His childhood seems to be one of those typical sob stories that you see everywhere these days, his dad left when he was very young, and his mother became addicted to substances and was therefore deemed incapable of taking care of him. Life at the orphanage quickly became the norm for Ty. A norm where nobody paid him any special attention, or saw him as their own. He now needs to fulfill this empty companionless void that has become his life. And he chooses to do this with Gemma.

     Gemma has always been a loner in a way herself. Within her group of friends, she seems to be the odd one out. While the rest of them would prefer to get wasted in the local park, she'd rather be reading or writing. Not that she'd ever tell them that though. They'd make fun of her! So she remains quietly different from them, a mind that is sharp, among a clan of dull ones. Her family situation isn't much better. Money, success in the office, and respect among peers rank above Gemma on her parents' list of priorities in life, and being an only child she doesn't exactly have a sibling to turn to. The loneliness doesn't truly hit her until she's alone in her room, curled up with her book.  Maybe she could use Ty's help, just not in the way he envisioned it.

     Another couple that is racked by loneliness on both sides, is the "Twilight Saga's" Bella and Edward. Being a vampire, Edward doesn't age and has been alive about 100 years. Somehow in that span of time he has never fallen in love, amidst his entire adopted family, who are all together and enjoy flaunting it. Bella resembles Gemma in a way, because like her she doesn't seem to connect with anyone around her. Bella's mom describes her as "a middle aged child," always thinking and acting responsibly. In the world of high school, it's hard to find another person who thinks that way. When she moves to Forks Washington with her father, the loneliness only gets worse. Her father is not exactly a verbose person, and seems to be pretty hard to reach. Luckily these two found each other, and they're no longer victims of this degrading emotion.

     To say the least, loneliness is hard. Imagine that feeling of having absolutely nobody to turn to. That feeling of taking on your life alone. Ty and Gemma may not have had a perfect Bella and Edward ending to their story…or an even remotely similar beginning or middle. But at least for a time they had each other. 

Sacrifice

      Love is different for everyone. It can be the most wonderfully perfect little rainbow filled occurrence of your life, or it can be your biggest mistake to date. Although I believe that one thing about love everyone can agree on is that it's a bit emotionally draining, and has the power to do crazy things. Crazy things such as suicide, sacrifices of all kinds, and even in this case kidnap.

    Ty had a strange childhood, heck he's had a strange life in general, considering he's been stalking the same girl since she was five. After obsessing over innocent teenage girl Gemma , he drugs her coffee and takes her to live with him in the middle of an unknown desert. Forever. He's obviously mentally ill. How can you keep track of the same girl throughout her entire life? Take away her privacy like that? Does love have the power to make that big of an impact? Apparently so. I can't think of a better explanation for Ty's actions, than his love for Gemma. Sure it may be obsessive and unhealthy. But hey love is love, and Ty is drowning in it.

    There's an age old saying that goes something like "If you love something, set it free." This is exactly what I'm thinking Ty will act on. If Edward Cullen can do it in "New Moon" than so can Ty. Edward's love for Bella is just as unhealthy as Ty's love for Gemma. He watches her sleep, is horribly over protective and condescending, and I swear he goes through withdrawals. Both men are dealing with the same feelings, and the same issue. Without their presence, their loves lives would be ten times better off.  Edward realizes that, decides to face his future withdrawals, and parts ways with Bella because he wants her to have a better life. I think that Ty will somehow realize that so much is waiting for Gemma outside their little desert home, and set her free as well.

    If love is such a powerful feeling that it can cause death, emotional distress, and kidnapping; then I also believe it can drive someone to give up their life's devotion. Gemma is the project Ty has been working on his entire life, because he adores her. Maybe he adores her enough to let her go.

ALEKS?

  Pewaukee School District has a pretty unique take on learning. Why do I think that you may ask? Well everything middle and high school students do is on the computer. We are each given out own laptop to write essays on, learn Spanish on, and even communicate with teachers on. But the most relevant reason for our laptops, is ALEKS, the math learning program that is entirely online, leaving students to learn every topic on their own without a teacher teaching it to them. With ALEKS no teacher is necessary, the only things you really need are a computer, and the ability to read the explanations that are given for each topic. That is the entire point of ALEKS, to learn math independently, and (supposedly) more efficiently.  Therefore shouldn't it stay that way?

    Every Monday, the math pupils of Asa Clark are forced to participate in Focus Monday. Their purpose is to get us to "focus" hence the cleverly thought out name. But in my eyes, and in the eyes of several of my classmates for that matter, it should be renamed "A day to waste on a pointless activity, so that you feel as if we're actually teaching you." You see, us math students can use all of the time on ALEKS that we can get. When you're expected to teach yourself an entire course worth of math within a single school year, you don't really want to have silly interruptions like that. Mondays usually go something like  this: Start by finding a good spot by your friends, next talk the entire class period, finally copy down what the teacher has written on the board and turn your paper in! Easy and pointless all in one! There are many other interruptions as well such as emails home to our parents and ILP learning plans that we have to type out and keep track of, and instruction, where a teacher teaches you a topic in a completely different way, in twice the time it would take you to learn it yourself. As an ALEKS user, I simply want to make the most of my math time, but the teachers don't seem to agree with me.

     A typical day in math class starts with something called a daily warm-up, and it is eerily similar to Focus Monday. It has the same format: Come in, sit by your friends, pull out a piece of paper and copy what it says on the board. The worst part about these daily warm-ups, is the fact that they somehow take up 20-30 minutes of time. Don't we already waste an entire day on this same thing? How focused do we really need our minds to be? If anyone actually pays attention to the content of daily warm-ups, they would find questions such as "How many sides on a (insert name of polygon)?" Another big one is numbers that appear the same written backwards, or sometimes even upside down! Why are we wasting valuable ALEKS time on such things?

     Overall if it were up to me, our math curriculum would be more focused on actually using the learning program that we have invested in. There is no point in the ALEKS program if we can hardly work on it, and instead must work on a bunch of other activities.  The program is all about independent learning, not "focusing" and "collaboration." So what is the point of forcing such things on us?

Mistakes

   (Authors Note: This is my character analysis essay. I am doing it on Richard Parker from Life of Pi)

      If you're human, you've made a mistake in your life. It's simply a factual statement when someone says that nobody is perfect, because in reality that is the truest statement one can make. People mess up on a daily basis, on both small and large matters. For example you may have gotten a question wrong on an important test, or made a mistake during basketball tryouts, resulting in your placement on the second team.  In truth you'll probably be over it in a few weeks. Pi Patel's mistakes on the other hand can not be taken so lightly, in fact they alter his entire life forever.

    When poor Pi ends up on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific, he has but one companion and that is a 450 pound Bengal Tiger that goes by the name of Richard Parker. Unfortunately for Pi, Richard is a not just a 450 pound big cat, but a 450 pound man eating beast as well. Richard Parker's need for raw meat is sickening, yet it also proves to be helpful in the most unexpected of ways. Providing food for Richard Parker gives Pi something to work at, and eventually Pi becomes so wrapped up in feeding the two of them, that he almost forgets his situation and is able to form a strange attachment to his tiger friend. Think about it, if you provided for another living being for that long, wouldn't you become attached to it as well? The tiger becomes a way out for Pi, something to focus on other than the loss of his family and their future together in Canada. If it wasn't for Richard Parker, Pi just might not have made it off of that boat alive.

     Towards the end of the novel we find out something that not only changes the entire course of the story, but Richard Parker as a character. When Pi is being questioned about his experience he tells two stories, one with animals as the characters, and one with people to replace the animals. These stories are eerily similar, because in both of them the animals and people match up to one another. The even creepier part is that Pi is the person that replaces Richard Parker, who kills multiple people and things throughout the course of the story. Does that necessarily mean that the entire story Pi has been telling is a work of fiction, and that in reality he is a murderer? Not exactly. But Pi is Hindu, who sees most animals as sacred, and is a devoted vegetarian. But that is exactly why Richard Parker isn't real. Pi could not face the vital mistakes he made against his morals and religion, so he decided to cover it up with an intricate lie.

    As an animal, Richard Parker was a creature who hungered for fresh meat. It was like an addiction, and it turned him wild. Alone on a lifeboat Pi figuratively became that tiger. His only companion was his need to kill and devour, at one point in the book after killing a turtle and ripping it's shell off he begins  to see the still alive turtle as a gourmet soup. This lust for murder kept him occupied as well. He quotes "feeding Richard Parker helped me to almost forget my situation." The entire time he is on the lifeboat, Pi's main focus was feeding his carnivorous side. Strangely enough though, as soon as he acquires land Pi loses all traces of the tiger, in fact he doesn't even think twice about it. As a character, Richard Parker was nothing more than a mere figment of Pi's imagination. A figment that Pi wanted to rid himself off immediately. 

     Unlike most mistakes, murder is one that cannot be undone. One that cannot be forgotten or forgiven. Especially in Pi's case, where it ways so heavily against his religion. This murder was in fact so gruesome, that not even the interviewers (who had several doubts about Pi's first story) could swallow it. They chose to believe the unrealistic animal story, over the legitimate one. Humans may not be the most flawless beings, one thing they can do though is suppress their mistakes.

The Alarm

  The sound of her alarm is possibly the most degrading thing she has ever heard. It means another never ending day at school. It means finding an outfit in the morning to accommodate her current situation. It means an entire day of looking over her shoulder, refusing to go anywhere by herself, for fear of running into Him. She has come to hate the sound of her alarm. He doesn't stop at raising angry welts on her face and arms, for His complete satisfaction He must also manipulate her, play games with her that she has no way of winning. Games only He can win. Because of Him she is living one of the most unhealthy lives possible. Domestic abuse is often overlooked by other, more "important" issues, when really it is one of the most severe problems that has arisen in today's society.

     Domestic abuse usually occurs when one member of the relationship decides they need to have the upper hand on the other member. In her case, it is simply because He cannot stand the feeling of weakness. Like most boys, He often would compete with his friends to see who could bench the most, who could be the best on the football team, etc. And when this girl that he knew he loved popped into his already chaotic personal life, He could not let her take over. So he resorted to violence. Of course there are many other reasons this occurs as well, people could be overly possessive and not allow their partners to have friends that are of the opposite gender, they could be using their significant other for physical  favors and see them as nothing except that, or they could even believe that men and women are unequal. In reality more people than you realize are being violently abused, and the signs are everywhere. For example victims will become very conscious of their body at all times, the way they walk to and sit at their desk seems almost planned and mechanical. Also they seem to know every injury on their body and the elaborate cover up behind it. Less obvious signs is that they will flinch at almost anything that comes their way, even something as small as somebody flipping their hair over their shoulder. But the most painful part of domestic violence? The fact that the person that is hurting you, is the person that said they never would.

     Unfortunately abuse in relationships does not stop there. In some cases, like the case of our friend , there is physiological abuse involved as well. This type of abuse is very different from violence, but the effects are just as bad. For example, she has a very low self esteem, and her self confidence is basically nonexistent. It is even hard for her to answer a question in class. This may be have something to do with the fact that He is constantly reminding her that she has no redeeming qualities, or maybe it's because He makes it a point to greet every girl in the hallway but her. Those are not the only things that occur during this type of abuse though.  In severe cases the victim may have to follow a set of rules that the abuser has enforced, such as who they can and can't talk to, what they can and can't wear, and what  they choose to do with their time.  Oftentimes people overlook this aspect of the abuse, but overall this also plays a big part in the outcome.

     For her, the scariest part of the entire relationship is the changes. When she looks at Him she still sees the little boy who has liked her since 5th grade. She still hears Him calling her his angel, and she still feels his arms around her when he would dry her tears instead of create them. And because of this she can't let go. She doesn't know if he even cares about her at all anymore, all she knows is that she needs to move on from the past. But she is too afraid to.

Patriots Pen

(Authors Note: This really isn't my best writing ever, so don't judge me just based on this)

 When America was first formed, it was meant to be united. The Pledge of Allegiance even describes us as "one nation under god." But in reality, there is one thing that does indeed divide America: and that is political parties. The conservatives and liberals, the elephants and donkeys, yes each party even has a mascot of sorts. What is this, a sporting event? George Washington even said he never wanted to see America with political parties, because he believed it would divide the country. And it has, in some negative and positive ways. 

     Ever since political parties were created, a flood of different opinions brought on new ideas. Usually new ideas are a good thing, especially if they're good ideas. But do our founders agree with these ideas? Do they agree with the Democrat's belief that government is key? How do they feel about the Republican's take on weapons? One thing that I can almost say for sure, is that they are happy that the laws of freedom of speech are still in place. This allows people from both parties to express their thoughts, and in my opinion that probably makes our founders very happy to know that their rules have not been forgotten. But sometimes I do wonder if they wish that things would be expressed in a more civil manner. I think that when candidates are debating with one another, they would like us to remember that we are one nation.

    Sometimes though it is hard to remember that. It seems as if politics creep into almost everything! Friendships, relationships, and even family events can be soiled by the ongoing rivalry between the two parties. For example, last Thanksgiving my dad and uncle got into a wicked fight over politics. It was right before dinner and me and my cousin were hanging out upstairs somewhere, and from there we could hear their frustrated screams  Because of this, dinner became a very awkward affair, instead of something that should be fun and laid back. Is this really how they intended freedom of speech to express itself?

     So my final question for our founders is this: Do you agree with George Washington? Has politics divided our nation? My opinion on the matter is this: I think politics have divided our country in the most subliminal way. Political signs in yards declaring the views of that house, grotesque Halloween masks. It seems that the hatred between the two parties is indeed there, but it has been suppressed.

Phone Call

(This is my cause and effect piece, I used the novel "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson as my example. Beware! There are spoilers!)
 

 

8:00 PM

      The novel "Speak" surrounds a timid and socially awkward girl named Melinda. Just months ago, she had been an innocent 8th grade girl, who was beyond excited for high school. But after some fateful events at a rambunctious party, Melinda's life takes a turn for the worse. In a moment of muddled thinking, Melinda called the cops while at the party and turned everyone in attendance into them. Now this may seem like a weird move for a teenager to make, and in normal circumstances it would be. But these weren't normal circumstances. Prior to making her call, Melinda had been sexually assaulted, while she was intoxicated.

     Before her assault, Melinda could indeed be considered drunk. In fact on the way to the party, she had been hanging about halfway out the window of the car as they sped down the highway! If poor Melinda had chosen to stay sober, then she would have entered high school as a bright eyed and excited freshman. But instead she let the alcohol lead her straight to Andy Evans, who embraced the opportunity wholeheartedly. Originally Melinda had called the cops to report him, but ran her mouth off about the party instead.

     Because of Melinda's drunken babbling, all of her peers see her as a goody two shoes, and more importantly the girl who got them grounded for the rest of the summer. By the beginning of freshman year nobody will talk to her, and to put it bluntly Melinda is a friendless loser. Her best friend Rachel won't even make eye contact with her. Eventually Melinda becomes exceedingly depressed and lonely, all because of one simple phone call.

Conflict Resolution Piece

10:49 AM

     The last place Ronnie Miller wants to spend her summer is with her father in South Carolina, living in his beachside shack. Ever since he abandoned the family Ronnie has felt nothing but resentment towards him, and as a result doesn't make the best choice, this is the main conflict.This issue hasn't just affected Ronnie though, what she doesn't know is that her father is suffering from stomach cancer and wants to mend their relationship before it's too late. At this point though, it may not be possible. After several years apart, Steve doesn't know if he can reach his young and troubled daughter. 

     Eventually Ronnie's father does get through to her: with the truth behind the divorce. Even though she still believes that leaving wasn't the best course of action, Ronnie forgives her father and they build a much stronger and happier relationship as the summer wares on. Unfortunately though Ronnie has to realize that their time together is limited, yet this realization is easier for both of them knowing that peace has been made.  This non resolution somewhat resembles the Hunger Games, because both heroines deal with the loss of a father figure in their lives after a special bond has been formed.

Adventures of a Part Time Jellyfish Rescuer

(Author's Note: This is my narrative piece)

"Ew Sophie look at all the disgusting jellyfish bodies!"

"I'm scared, what if the jellyfish turn into zombies?!"

It was the usual day in Myrtle Beach, sunny, mid to high eighties, an occasional breeze that seemed to have the perfect timing....basically the weather could be summed up as perfect. So you'd think that convincing someone to walk along the beach with me would be simple. Wrong. Okay so there were a few dead jellyfish lining the shore, but they could easily be avoided. Where was my family's vacation spirit?

Eventually though I suckered my mom into accompanying me, and I will admit that at first I was pretty grossed out. I was surprised to find that almost everywhere we walked, me and my poor mother would have to dodge the half or fully dead jellyfish bodies that scattered the shore. If only I had known what I would be doing later, than merely walking around the limp jellyfish wouldn't have seemed so disgusting.

One can only be among dead jellyfish for so long before their curiosity gets the best of them. When I bent down to get a closer look, what I saw horrified me. Now I know that jellyfish are relatively lifeless animals to begin with, what with their microscopic brains and digestive systems...can they even see? But at that moment, I didn't really care what they were. What I saw when I looked down at the animal that appeared to be dead, was that it wasn't really dead at all. The bulbous head appeared to be taking shallow and gasped breaths. It sure didn't help that the temperature was slowly climbing as the day wore on, and that it was humid out. I could only imagine how it felt to have your body slowly melt and become one with the sand. Without thinking, I bent down and scooped it up. My mom proceeded to act in typical mom fashion.

"Sophie! What are you doing?! You're going to get stung!" my now erratic mother exclaimed.  

"Not as long as you only touch the head." I was delighted to hear that the voice had a British accent. I turned to see a girl  heading towards us.

As my mother continued to speak to my newly acquired British friend, I examined the baby jellyfish in my hands a bit closer. I noticed what appeared to be a large tumor on the side of it's quivering body. After a short debate inside my head, I decided that I should let the curiosity get the best of me, and poke it. When the lump began to travel along the side of my helpless comrade, I shrieked. Immediately my mother and the unnamed British girl ran over to see what was going on.

"What is that?!" I held out the writhing jellyfish for them to see.

But before they could answer my question, a giant white crab scampered from the safety of the jellyfish onto my hand. At first I wasn't exactly sure what to do. I definitely didn't want to drop the jellyfish and injure it further, which was a knee jerk reaction, but I also didn't want an albino crab on my hand. These thoughts ran through my mind in a matter of seconds, but before I could think things through any further I sprinted to the ocean  and deposited the jellyfish and it's friend. I stood back to look and make sure my jellyfish could swim, and once I realized he could I knew what I was going to do with the rest of my afternoon. 

After several hours of strolling along the waves, and gently reuniting the victims to their homes, I returned to my room hungry and fishy smelling. But despite my stomach's pleas for food, and the sea like aroma that lingered on my skin, I was glad. I was glad I had sacrificed my afternoon to save some innocent lives. And yes, jellyfish do have lives. Life is life, no matter if you are a human or an ant. No matter if that life has large purpose or a small purpose. No matter how worthless it may seem. Whether you shoot a gun or squash a bug, you are indeed taking a life. But the same goes for saving one.

Re-Telling Piece

( Autors Note: This is my re-telling/book advertisement peice on My Life in Black and White by Natasha Friend)    

 These days, it is every teenage girl’s dream to be classified as “pretty.” And in this novel, one lucky girl really is. Until the night that she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with her best friend. Prior to the events that happened that night, this girl, and her face, are never the same again. If you have ever felt insecure about yourself, or experienced a life changing event, then this is the book for you!

Quote Analyzation

Friday, September 07, 2012

"What really keeps me going is the constant belief that it could all disappear tomorrow."- Phil Donahue

      The meaning of this quote seems to be pretty self explanatory. Obviously the person who wrote this is having a hard time in life. Maybe he's divorcing his wife, or he lost his job. It could even be something relatively small when compared: maybe him and one of his oldest friends are in an argument about something. Whatever it is, it's really hitting him hard. Maybe so hard that he has trouble getting up in the morning, dressing himself, going to work, etc. But in the back of this guy's mind he's clinging onto one thing, and that is hope. He's hoping that things will miraculously fix themselves overnight. This never really happens.

    Forget what I said earlier. I'm kind of in the middle of the road with this one. I guess there's a slim chance certain things could fix themselves. Say you and someone important to you are in a disagreement and aren't talking. Suppose overnight that person realized they're wrong, or just decided that you're important enough to them that THEY can take the blame. And so the next day you guys apologize to each other and TP someone's house or do whatever activity you enjoy doing together. THAT  might happen. But for other, larger issues, it won't work like that. If that important person had died, do you think that's going to just undo itself overnight? That you'll wake up to the sound of a phone call from them inviting you to coffee later? No. That sounds extremely harsh but the truth hurts most times. Along with that if someone you loved passed away, you're going to grieve for however long depending. Sure, after a little time…or a lot of time…your cuts will scab over and you will get better. That’s not a  process that happens overnight, and if it is then you didn't love them.

    

     I'm not trying to be too critical here, but realistically this is not a very accurate quote. Sure it's nice , but it's not one you should take to heart. If things were magically able to disappear when we fell asleep, we'd have a perfect utopian world. There is something I liked when I first read this saying though, and that is the fact that it is filled with hope. Hope is an essential part of the universe. Hope often propels us forward. And without we'd likely have a solemn and unhappy world. 

Man 48

 The guilt eats at me every time I make up another silly excuse.

"Another bowling night?" my wife Stacey complains, "Why don't you ever just want to stay at home with me anymore?"

"Babe I promised Luther we'd get in some practice before the final tournament." Another work of fiction.

I barely got out of their alive

Lisa is the relatively new secretary at the office, and I was the lucky man that got to show

her around. As we walked down the long hallways, and I showed her the ropes, I felt like a little boy as I glanced at her sheepishly. I think I may have even blushed, especially when she kissed my cheek as a thank you for showing her around. Driving home after that wasn't the easiest task, my thoughts were clouded with her laugh, her smile…even her beautiful voice. Getting away from Stacey so that I could be alone in our bedroom to call her was even harder. Not only did I have to lie a lot, but I had to deal with the hurt in my wife's  eyes. 

 Stacey's eyes…in the moment that Lisa leaned in to hug me, I stepped back with my hands up high.

"Lisa nobody at work has to know…alright?"

     As my words slowly sank in, so did the pain in this other woman's eyes. Am I a monster of some sort? Without saying anything paced backward out the door, and practically ran to the parked car. As soon as I started driving I deliberated on whether to tell Stacey the truth, I mean it's what she deserved, she was my beautiful, wonderful, pregnant, wife. But  what if she was so angry at me, that she ended our relationship and filed for divorce? My last thoughts before my entire body went into panic mode had something to do with how I'd never ever want to be apart from my Stacey.

Authors note: This really isn't my best work, I kind of started writing and this is what it turned into. I suppose it might be classified as a short story but I don't really know.

    The memory is different this time. Usually memories become old and worn over the years, but the memory of the pit is still fresh in my mind. I can still feel the rats crawling up my neck, down my shirt, nipping at my skin. I shudder as I think of the horrific darkness that consumed me in that chamber. I shouldn't have even been subjected to such living hell in the first place…. Some people say that life isn't fair, and I have to agree, but what could I have done to deserve torture to that extremity? As I lay on this creaky, dusty bed and reminisce about that awful period of time, I am silently grateful that I have never fallen back down into a pit of any kind. After that particular experience I appreciated life much more, eventually married and had my daughter Violet. But I was never able to escape the pendulum, nobody can, as I slowly come to peace with the fact that the pendulum is inescapable I whisper my last goodbye.

Tell-Tale Heart POV

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” was told by an insane narrator. Through this character’s point of view you get the idea that everything is sort of blown out of proportion with this guy. I don’t think we can trust this narrator at all, because like I said before he is so dramatic about everything, and he is obviously mentally unstable. Through his eyes, we are the predator, and we don’t really get to experience the fear that the old man felt.

Now if the poor and helpless old man was telling the story, we would probably be reading about the extreme fear, and then pain he feels as he is crushed by the bed. Not that we don’t already pity the old man, but if we read this story from his view, we would probably pity him even more. This would probably be a much more gruesome story if it were told from this point.

I heard the crash at around midnight. As soon as I sat up in bed, I knew that I wasn’t alone. I wished desperately that I could see out of both eyes, so that it might be easier to look about in the dark. It became obvious very quickly that I would never fall asleep, or move for that matter, for I was completely frozen in fear. I let out a small and pitiful groan, and wouldn’t dare lie back down. As the time wore on I could feel and hear my heart beating louder and faster, until I feared that whatever was in here with me would hear it. I wonder if the predator found it amusing. All of a sudden I heard the door creak open a little wider, and before I knew what happened I had been pinned to the ground. I looked up into the eyes of the person that I had least expected this to be, but at the same time I had always known. The only thing I could do was keep from screaming as he crushed me with my own bed.

Poem Response

EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS DAYS

Everything you have to pay for this days
Like a bottle of water
If you want to drink it
And I believe that is insane to pay for a bottle of water
Because the water that you buy is not 100% pure
Half of the water that you drink is bottle water and the other half is tap Water
But the water that you get out from your tap is just as good as the water
That you buy in the store
Why? 
Because the water from the tap at home you don't have to pay for it
And you can drink as much as you like 

One reason I really enjoy the poem “Everything you Have to Pay for These Days, is because it is very straightforward. Sometimes when I’m reading something I don’t want to have to think around all the figurative language. I also really like the message this poem is sending out, it’s basically questioning why we pay for water at the store, when it costs nothing out of our tap and we can have as much as we like. The speaker of this poem had a very wise tone and voice to it and it is almost a little smart alecy. Overall I really enjoyed this poem and believe it gives you something to think about.

Mother to Son Response

The poem “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes is basically one large metaphor. It is talking about how one can compare life to a staircase; you are always climbing to the top, but the staircase itself determines the kind of climb you will have. When this mother tells her son that life for her has not been a crystal stair, she is saying her life hasn’t been as flawless and simple as crystal. Instead she describes her staircase as stairs with tacks, splinters, and torn up boards, which is basically saying that she has had a life full of obstacles and pain. I think the Mother’s tone was firm yet loving with her son. This kid could have been complaining about how his life was so difficult and labored, when really he didn’t realize how easy he had it compared to his dear old mother. I felt a little ungrateful as I read this, because I’m sure most people in our grade, including me, think their teenage lives are so unfair, when they really don’t know what they have compared to other people.

Mike Noonan: Second Rate Author and Part Time Ghost Hunter

                In my own soon to be thirteen years of life, I’ve never suffered any majorly tragic losses. Sure my on and off sick grandparents, that were in fact so sick that I never got to know them, have passed but nobody that I need to have with me at almost all times has passed. I still have the one person that I can always count on for almost anything that comes to mind, Mike Noonan doesn’t. His wife Johanna died of a stroke on a hot day, in the pharmacy parking lot; while she was pregnant. If this were to happen to myself, I can’t imagine what kind of affects this would have on me, and it practically tears apart poor Mike’s life. But Johanna’s widowed husband is strong, and he faces a lot in the few years proceeding her death.

                If you are deathly afraid of heights, and you climb a wall at Adventure Rock anyway you are being brave: if you are an avid rock climber and climb a wall at Adventure Rock you are not being brave. This proves that Mike Noonan is an extremely brave man. He is not an avid ghost hunter, but he hunts the supernatural anyway. After some strange and terrifying dreams about his old lake house “Sara Laughs” Mike returns there to settle his mind. I think any normal person would want to stay away from somewhere if they were having dreams about a place in which they are attacked by a strangely lumpy monster. The simple will to go back to the house in the first place is courageous. Right when Mike walks through that door, the hauntings begin. He literally is engulfed in the sound of a young child’s tears as soon as his steps echo into the house. But does he leave? No he stays and witnesses refrigerator magnets move themselves, “Bunter’s Bell” ringing, and more tears from a little boy. Mike goes to sleep every night, knowing that some potentially dangerous creatures are watching him. Does he just ignore these terrifying spirits? No he talks to them through the refrigerator magnets. If you reflect in on yourself, you have to admit you probably wouldn’t be brave enough to withstand any of these things, but second rate author Mike Noonan can.    

                After a few days on the TR Mike runs into the potential cure for his grieving; Mattie Devore and her daughter Kyra. The lovely (and young) Mattie has also been recently widowed by her husband Lance, and the two eventually turn to each other for comfort. I’m sure they loved each other in a friendly way, but not in the passionate way that they both used to feel. When Mattie offers to house Mike for a night he refuses multiple times, and even when he accepts her offer he is reluctant. Lust was a big factor in Mike and Mattie’s relationship, and you’d think that because of how much he admired her physical attributes that he would be more eager. He isn’t though and I believe that this is because his heart is still Jo’s. One line in the book mentions a moment where Mike realizes that he has to have Jo, and no one else can hold a candle to her. It is possible that death was a good ending for Mattie because of this, just for the reason that I Mike really didn’t feel much more besides a good friendship, and a lot of lust.

                Mike lost more than just his wife on the day of her death: he lost his unborn child too. If there’s one thing Mike yearns for almost half as much as his late wife, it is to be a parent. And to know that he came so close absolutely kills him. This is similar to Rosalie Hale from the Twilight series. She would do anything to be able to live again and have a child, but unfortunately for her it isn’t possible. To cope with this she basically becomes Bella’s child’s second mother. Having a child is also a dream of the past for Mike, so he becomes almost a father figure to little Kyra. Both of these characters both find alternatives for their baby dreams. Kyra fills the empty space that has been left in Mike, and he needs her more than she needs him.

                Who knew that one event like that could snowball so much? Obviously Mike’s life would never be the same in the first place, but so much more happened that can never get reversed. For unfortunate Mike the grieving may never end, he may be forever tortured by his memories. If I were to lose someone like that my life would be changed forever, just never as drastically as Mike’s.

Identity

                In life one thing that everyone has is an identity. It can simply be their name, or something they’re known for, their “claim to fame” works too. Not everyone is simply born into a label, sometimes people struggle for years to find who they are; and it’s not a walk in the park if that’s what you’re going through. If one thing is worse than no identity, it’s the dreaded bad identity. If you are given a bad reputation you are usually shunned by your fellow coworkers, neighbors, or in Melinda Sordino’s case classmates. In the novel “Speak” Melinda was the victim of a sexual assault that changed her life, and her identity. Everyone struggles with their identity, and it doesn’t always pay off.

                Finding an identity is hard enough for the students of Merryweather high school, without the constant change of their mascot. Before the end of “Speak” the high school changes their team name at least five times. They go through many diverse titles such as the “Blue Devils” and the “Wombats” before finally settling on the “Hornets,” the “Horny Horny Hornets.” To be honest the students would have an easier time with their personal identities if they could at least say something along the lines of “Hi my name is Jenna Anderson and I go to Pewaukee High School, home of the Pirates.” An identity less school just makes things harder for everyone, especially since almost everyone that attends Merry Weather high school is searching for something to call themselves. This wacky high school is utterly missing an identity.

                Another identity seeking being in this novel is the new girl Heather from Ohio. She wants her name to be known by everyone in school, and in all the right ways. Heather is a dreamer, she wants more than just to fit in, she wants to stand out. The only thing keeping her from achieving these hopes is her rather eccentric personality. Merryweather doesn’t always accept new kids, especially ones with hopeful and bubbly personalities like Heather. The only group that will accept her is one that will treat her as a pet, someone to just do all they’re work for them. Like so many other things in this book Heather is without identity.

                Some things aren’t without identity, they just exceed it, and the art curriculum at Merryweather does this. The teacher Mr. Freeman gives them one word to branch off of; otherwise they are completely free to do whatever they want. When something has no restrictions, requirements, or obstacles can it really have an identity? In Mr. Freeman’s room there is no identity, the artist can be whoever they want, and they can create whatever they want. There is no identity in Mr. Freeman’s room, and that is one of the only places where it’s ok.

                Almost every person, every object, and every place has an identity. Identities are one of the most important things in life if you think about it. Everybody wants to be known, everybody wants people to think good of them, but that doesn’t always happen. You can never choose your identity, but you can do something to change it, as Melinda has. Melinda is now stronger and happier than she was after her assault; this girl has truly improved her life. At some point everyone accepts themselves for who they are, and by that time everyone should be satisfied with their identity.    

Speak quote analysis

“IT sees me. IT smiles and winks.” Melinda is putting up a poster when she notices the dreaded “IT.” The only reason I can think of for Melinda being frightened of something, is if that something or someone had something to do with why she now has no friends. It is a strong possibility that IT had something to do with, or was even the entire cause of what happened that night. Maybe that is why IT smiles and winks, IT is mocking Melinda, because IT got IT’s way.

ITYILYBTIHTKY Comparative Essay

               How long did it take you to meet your best friends? You know the kind I mean. The people you sit by at lunch, attend school dances with, go shopping with, and talk on the phone with…your best friends. Imagine having to leave them and get shipped off to a whole different town, or even worse a different state! Claire Lyons and Macey McHenry did this very thing, and it was not an easy journey. Though their situations were similar they have very different personalities to take carry them through the difficult task of beginning in a new place.

                One of the first things that made Claire and Macey a little bit shaky is the fact that they have to adapt to all of the new rules and regulations of their new homes. All of a sudden small town Florida girl Claire is thrown into the designer clothed world of Westchester New York, A.K.A “The Beverly Hills of New York.” Poor Claire has to go from being accepted just the way she is in overalls and Keds, to having to fight to fit in by endlessly gossiping, changing her whole wardrobe, and learning the expectations of Massie Block’s prestigious and powerful clique. Macey on the other hand is already glamorous and rich enough for Westchester, but not sneaky and clever enough for the Gallagher Academy. The Gallagher Academy poses as just another snooty boarding school but is secretly a school for young girls with spy aspirations.  Her pampered and easy life is turned upside down when she has to go through spy training with the headmaster’s daughter and her friends. Both girls go through changes much more drastic then the location of their home; they have an almost complete personality and life change.

                When Macey and Claire arrived at their new destinations the groups that they were to join were pretty obvious. Macey was to hang out with Cammie Morgan’s group, who had originally given her the grand tour of the school, and were now her new roomies. They had a rocky start when Macey acted like a complete spoiled brat on the tour. She smoked her cigarette deliberately under the no smoking sign, ran ahead of the group, and even pushed one of the girls while hissing profanity at her. Despite a bad first impression the girls eventually end up good friends. Claire’s first few months in Westchester didn’t go very smoothly either. Her destined group was Massie Block’s infamous Pretty Committee, which she probably would have never even talked to if she wasn’t living in Massie’s guesthouse. Upon her arrival in Westchester Claire is far from Pretty Committee Material, and is therefore bullied by Massie and her friends. But once Claire proves to Massie that she is just as worthy of friendship of everyone, they soon become inseparable. The journey of moving to a new school turned out perfect for both girls.

                The situations of these two are similar, but their personalities are as different as summer and winter. Claire is just about the kindest person you’ll ever meet. With endless forgiveness, support, and fun Claire is one of the best friends you could ever have. When Massie makes fun of her clothes, or hair she is soon forgiven. If one of the girls has a new boyfriend then Claire is there to tell her how cute they are together, even if the rest of The Pretty Committee doesn’t approve. Rules also matter a lot to Claire; she is always respectful of her elders and tries to be a model student. To put it simply, Claire can be defined as a goody two shoes who you always want to have by your side. Macey on the other hand is the complete opposite. She is overflowing with pride, pain, and rebellion. With her black hair dye, nose rings, and cigarette addiction Macey is every parent’s nightmare. Her friends sometimes even have to put her on the right track! But all the same they cherish her friendship and flaws. Claire and Macey are simply polar opposites.

                If you’re lucky you’ll never have to go through the same things that Macey and Claire did when they moved. They went through many of the same things during this time, and it couldn’t have been easy. Yet they were both able to come out on top, and surprise everyone. Their personalities may be drastically different, but the things they went through are almost identical. These two girls have their differences, but have some of the very same experiences.       

Symbolisim in IT

     

                “An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.” This is the dictionary definition of fear, and I think it’s just so simple and easy, especially when it’s supposedly describing something as complex as fear. Fear is the feeling you get when you catch a glimpse of the monster in your closet; fear is the pit in your sinking stomach when you walk down to the dark basement storage room to get whatever your Mother requested. Now imagine if fear was an actual being, one that could walk talk and even kill with its sick powers. This is the horrifying creature that Stephen King created perfectly in his novel IT. The monster that haunts these pages isn’t what you think it would be though; it is the town of Derry Maine itself. Derry simply isn’t right. You can tell as soon as you reach the town limits, a kind of haze overtakes you, and the entire town. It just screams “Turn around, this place will only hurt you and drive you insane!” The people within it are unfriendly and sour; they put up walls so nobody can know anything about them. But don’t blame them, it’s the town. The town demands every man for himself. So if I had to make a dictionary definition of fear, it would be simple “Derry, Maine.”

            In this small alcove of Maine there is more than just fear, there is also bravery. “The Losers Club” or “The Lucky Seven” has gone through a lot in their 11 years of life, including intense bullying by Henry Bowers, and his pals, as well as some hardships in each of their personal lives. Bill Denbrough (the leader) has an awful stutter and a dead brother. Eddie Kasprak has a fake case of asthma cooked up by his over protective and obese mother. Richie Tozier is bullied for his terrible eyesight, and has a lack of parental guidance. Mike Hanlon is a victim of severe racism. Stan Uris is bullied for being Jewish. Ben Hanscom struggles with obesity and getting terrorized by Henry Bowers. And finally Beverly Marsh is abused by her father, and is extremely poor. On top of all of that these young characters have to travel deep into the sewers in order to keep the entire Derry population from being killed by an inhuman evil. That is what bravery is: the willingness to sacrifice your well being and safety for the greater good.

            The actual walking living being living beneath the sewers is nothing more than a fun house mirror, a scary funhouse mirror, but a bag of convincing tricks all the same. If you’ve noticed fun house mirrors are pretty deceiving, they are able to make you believe you’re something you’re not, and it takes a lot of effort and strength really to look past that and see the truth. This is exactly the case with the fake clown that calls Itself Pennywise. All It is is smoke and mirrors, and just like everything It has a weakness; people seeing through it. The Losers come to realize that behind all the makeup and convincing props It is afraid of them, and this is what eventually defeats the terror living under Derry.

            It takes a lot to stand up to your fears; it’s really not a walk in the park. To look the creature under your bed in the eye is practically unimaginable. But all that fear really is is your imagination. Once you realize the creature under your bed is nothing more than a bunched up blanket, bravery will come easily to you, as it did to those seven courageous kids. Some things like Derry will always be haunted, but by nothing more than the past.  

My predictions for "I'd Tell You I Love You But Then I'd Have to Kill You."

Let's face it, in almost every book that is written for middle school girls there are always two girls. The main character and the girl that she doesn’t like. Then almost every time these two have to come together for the greater good. In the midst of saving the world or whatever it is they’re doing they become best friends. To be perfectly honest that just about sums up my prediction for “I’d Tell You I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You.” Macey and Cammie are going to be paired up for a mission, to save the Gallagher Academy from the enemy, Macey because her ancestors are part of the Gallagher Academy, and Cammie because her mother is the current headmaster. By the time these two are done with that they’ll be inseparable, and all geared up for the sequel. This book is kind of like The Clique in this way. Massie’s perfect life is turned upside down when her father’s old friend moves into her guest house with his wife and two kids, one of them a girl who’s Massie’s age. This book’s climax comes when the two girls fight together to keep their fathers from embarrassing them in front of the entire middle school,  and after a few hours in the bushes these two are best friends.

                Another prediction I’m going to make is about the weird new CoveOps teacher. He’s constantly checking out Cammie’s mom, planning strange lessons, and is obviously extremely intelligent. I think he’s a spy for an enemy school or something to put it simply. But like every good actor he has the entire school fooled into thinking he’s completely 100% good, a little on the strange side, but also on the good one. I know how this is going to end; just like Professor Quarrel in Harry Potter. The Professor is new to the school that year, and he comes off as an extremely uneasy and shaky kind of guy. Everyone goes for this act until Harry realizes he’s really working for Voldemort. After making this terrible discovery, Harry goes to defeat Quarrel before he can do any more spy work for Voldemort. It’s not easy but Harry kills him, and is showered in glory. I’m pretty sure this is how it’ll be with Cammie and Mr. Solomon.

                Don’t think I forgot the title! What fun would this story be without a boy to mix things up? I think that somehow Cammie is going to meet a boy, and their love is going to be forbidden in some way. It’s a possibility that they simply won’t be good for each other, like the lion falls in love with the lamb scenario. Maybe the boy will be working for the unnamed as of this point enemy. Maybe he’ll be attending an all BOYS spy school that doesn’t approve of interaction with girls from the Gallagher Academy. The point is their love is forbidden. In a way this could be like the Twilight series. Bella and Edward have to fight in order to be together, and there are so many secrets they have to keep from others as well as each other in order to do it. Cammie and Mystery Boy might have those same kinds of problems with forced secrets. But just like in Twilight they will probably reach a verdict and everything will turn out.