Never Loose Hope

Author's Note: " I wrote this piece as an analysis piece. In it, I am analyzing the conflict and resolution of a creative piece that I have recently wrote and how it is similar to the plot of The Notebook."

Surprisingly enough, writing a creative piece is actually a very challenging task. One must describe the setting in vivid detail and explain character personalities and characteristics with clear and precise language. Also, when writing a creative story you need to make sure that your dialogue is interesting otherwise it will bore readers easily. Writing a fictional story also requires your thinking and problem solving as well, you must figure out how you want the plot to twist and turn to keep readers excited and attentive. While writing my latest creative story, "Forever", I had to consider all of this. In my story the conflict and resolution are very clear and the conflict in my story is very similar to that of The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. 

The conflict and resolution in my story "Forever" are very obvious. Clearly, by reading my piece you can figure out that the conflict is person-verses-person because Sarah must battle against herself and her feelings for Alex. Ultimately she wants to be with Alex but she knows that she must go back with her family to their home back in Virginia. Yet, throughout the short story she is debating and fighting herself and her own emotions on whether to stay or depart. Ultimately she chooses to go back to Virginia with her family, but years later Sarah and Alex meet again and they fall love and live happily ever after. Basically, the conflict is that she has to leave Alex and the resolution is that they meet again and things go back to the way they once were. I chose the conflict of her leaving in the story because I have a friend that is going to move soon and I thought that since I could relate to this that it would be easier to write. Also, I chose the resolution of them meeting again because I wanted the moral of the story to be to never loose hope. Even though Sarah had to leave Alex, they never lost hope that they would one day be reunited. In my story, the conflict and resolution are very apparent and the reasoning behind both of them and very sentimental to me.

Clearly, the conflict in the story that I wrote is that the girl must make a decision based on what she wants which is just one of the many examples of similarities between my piece and The Notebook. Also, Sarah, similar to Allie in The Notebook, is a very strong-willed young teenager who loves to have fun and enjoy everything that life has to offer. Another example of the similarities between both pieces is that the plots in both of the stories are pretty much identical: the girl has to make a choice and leaves the boy and then in the end they end up together and everything works out. In fact, when I was writing “Forever” I somewhat based the plot off of events that took place in The Notebook. Not only are the girl characters between the two medias similar, but the male leads are too: both Alex and Noah are the strong and quiet type, and also both boys are not afraid to show how they feel. They are both very in-touch with their emotions. The novel The Notebook written by bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, and my piece, “Forever”, are extremely alike and share a similar plot and the character’s characteristics and qualities.

In the short story, “Forever”, the conflict and resolution are very apparent and also the plot and characters are a lot like that of The Notebook. What I want people to take away from “Forever” when reading it and The Notebook is too never loose hope, because if hope is lost, you have nothing: absolutely nothing.   Everything will work out in the end just how it’s supposed to and everything happens for a reason.

Ribbons

Author's Note: "This is my response to the short story "Ribbons." Enjoy!"

 The shoes represent their culture and tradition and resistance to change. People in China think that if you have really small feet that means that you are beautiful so people used to and still do bind their feet to make themselves appear beautiful. As a result of the binding of the feet the women’s feet would still grow and become deformed from all the binding. The reason that the grandmother got so upset when she saw the girl’s mom handing her the slippers is because she thought that the mother was making the girl bind her feet. All in all to me the shoes symbolize tradition and I think they are also a little misleading.

 In today’s society, especially here in the U.S. beauty is everything. In fact, beauty almost gives you power. Think about it, all our Hollywood star actors and actresses and people in the tabloids are skinny and have what’s known as “the perfect figure”. Very few are an exception to this. Is that really who parents want their kids to look up to? Skinny girls in tight dresses? It almost makes overweight or bigger people seem like outcasts and that they have little importance, or at least that’s what I think. But really, what is beauty these days? Is it true beauty that lies inside or is it superficial and all about what’s on the outside? In the U.S. beauty is everything.

Can You Guess Who?

Author's Note: "My assignment in class was to write as if you were someone famous or well-known and see how many of your classmates could guess who you were. This piece is by Taryn and I. Can you guess who?"

 I live in a prickly fruit. My limbs, although thin, carry my box like body through the deep waters of the ocean. A figure unexplainable. My curves and pores add much dimension to my build. I would consider myself a total catch. I am the definition of perfection. I am giddy, happy, and forever part of the goofy goober club. My hobbies vary with range. I prefer blowing bubbles but I also enjoy jelly fishing.

 My hobbies are fun but they wouldn’t be nearly as gratifying without my best friends. My neighbors/friends differ in contrast; happy, grumpy, strong, and greedy. They are very diverse in color and shape, quite like myself. I also am a proud owner of the oh so wonderfully glorious snail. He is quite loyal and never responds rudely to my commands. Only with a subtle “Meow”.

 Employee of the month every month. A motto used to describe my fry cook ethic. My technique would be nothing without my beloved spatula. Flipping patties is the highlight of my life. Also I take pleasure in working alongside one my closest best friends forever, a squid. My boss on the other hand is very avaricious. He cuts pay often. Most of the time money is short at my residence, but I will never give hope for a better life.

 Any who, my shoes are always squeaky clean and my tie is so darn beautiful I get complements everywhere I go. All in all I am a beautifully wonderful glorious sponge. I am Squarepants, Spongbob Squarepants, and I am proud.

Book and Movie Comparison

Author's Note: "My goal was to write a piece comparing a novel to a movie so I chose one of my favorite books: My Sister's Keeper. I hope you like it... comments are very appreciated!"

 My Sister’s Keeper is known as one of the most heartfelt books of the 21st century. Pulling your heartstrings at every page turn, this book really grabs your attention very quickly on. From the first page to the last you just cannot stop reading or put the book down: you have to know how it ends. In fact the book, written by Jodi Picoult, was so successful that an aspiring director came along and offered a movie deal for the novel. Since then the movie and the book are still beloved by many but some things that are in the book change in the movie, and the lighting and music that are used in the movie create emotion and drama.

 The biggest change from the original novel My Sister’s Keeper was the ending. In the book Anna, the daughter fighting to have rights over her own body, dies tragically in a brutal car accident and is declared as brain dead and her kidney and other organs are donated to her sister Kate. As a result of Anna’s organs being donated to Kate she gets to live a healthy normal life. However the movie doesn’t stay true to the books ending. Instead in the movie version Kate explains to her family that she is ready to die, and after time soaks in a little they accept her decision and ultimately at the end of the book Kate passes away. I feel like the writers and directors of the movie decided to change the original ending because I feel like even though there is still death it’s less sad. I feel like the movie ending is a more appropriate ending for the movie because I feel like it sets off a better message: that is you want something and work for it that one day it can come true. All in all a lot of the movie stays true to the book but one of the most drastic changes from the movie to the novel is the ending.

 Another thing that enhanced the screenplay and made the book differ from the movie was the lighting and music used in the movie. Obviously there was no lighting or music in the book but I feel like when the book became a movie the lighting and music played a big part in adding drama and suspense throughout the story. For example, the lighting in Kate’s hospital room varied, on her good days it was always very bright and made you feel happy but on her bad days the lighting was very dark and glum. I think the director made the decision to do this because then you really get to experience the emotions that the characters feel. Another lighting change I noticed in the movie that I thought was important was that when Kate died it was raining and the lights were dark but during her funeral the sun was shining all throughout the sky. Lastly the music during scenes like Kate’s death, the courtroom scene, and the fights Anna had with her family was all very suspenseful and added a lot of drama. All of these are very relevant observations and examples of how the movie’s lighting and music made the film much more appealing. I feel like the lighting and music in the movie version of My Sister’s Keeper enhanced the entire movie and added a lot more dimension and depth. 

Throughout the movie and book My Sister’s Keeper the music and lighting add much variations and drama and some of the storyline is altered. All in all I think My Sister’s Keeper was both successful on screen and off. The book and the movie both teach life lessons that both kids, teenagers, adults, and seniors can all relate to and learn from.

Privileges Lost

Author's Note: So this morning I was in a creative mood and felt like writing this. I hope you like it, comment what you think!

My name is Noah, and I am blind. "How does it feel,"  you may ask. It feels empty, like something is missing, which it is. I can experience every other emotion or feeling that life has to offer but I cannot see.  I cannot see the leaves change colors and drift off the tall oak trees in the autumn wind, I cannot see the salty ocean water crash into the rocky shore, I cannot even see my own wife anymore. All these things that I just mentioned are privileges, privileges that I do not have, privileges I have lost.  A wise man once said, "You don't realize how vital something is until it is gone."  He speaks the truth, for I know first hand what he is saying, I have lived what he is saying. I may never get my sight back, it may be gone forever, but I will never stop regretting taking the natural beauties of this world for granted. This world is filled with wondrous things, things that I can no longer see or experience. Things that you shouldn't take for granted like I did, things that you should appreciate. Because some day, when you die, you will wish you hadn't taken all those little things for granted. 

Paragraph Homework

The impatient waiter in the story "A Clean and Well-Lighted Place" reminded me of a girl named Violet in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" the movie. Violet reminded me of the impatient waiter because they are both impatient and do not want to wait. In "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Violet got impatient and ate the candy when she wasn’t supposed to and as a result she swelled up like a giant blueberry. Similarly to the girl in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" the impatient waiter closed up the café early because he didn't want to wait. 

Dear Katherine

Author's Note: "My goal was to write a creative piece using correctly formatted dialogue so that is why I wrote this piece."

Dear Katherine,

Today marks my 417^th day away from you. With every passing day I find myself missing you more and more. I miss your smell, your touch, the way you always made me feel safe. I long for the days when we were together, as a family.  The army is a cruel place, filled with hatred and anger.  Every man for themselves. But I know that I will never be alone. I will forever have you and the kids, little Timmy and Jack,  to stand by me and support me throughout life’s hardships. But  I know that I will see you soon, in just a couple of months things will be all back to normal again and it will all be over. All this separation that we’ve had to go through and all the nights I couldn’t sleep because I was worried about you and the boys will be worth it because we will be reunited at last. There is nothing I want more than to see you and the boys, nothing.

 It’s getting late so I know I must go to sleep soon but I will write to you again soon, I promise. Remember I’m doing this for you, and the kids of course, but just remember that no matter how far away we are I’ll always be in your heart. I love you Katherine. See you soon.

Forever Yours,

John

~*~

As I finished writing I put the pencil and extra papers neatly inside my dark green duffel bag and zipped it up tight. Careful not to burn myself, I put out the candle and climbed into my sleeping bag and drifted away.

The fumes of burning bodies and death cause me to awaken from my deep slumber.

“John, wake up,”  yelled one of my platoon members into my ear. I burst to life and was up on my feet within a couple of seconds. I grabbed my sleeping bag and shoved it in my duffel bag as fast as I could. We ran outside of the tent trying not to be seen. Sparks light up the night sky and fire surrounded our campground. I rushed to help one of my fallen platoon members but it was too late, he was gone. I knelt down beside him and said a quick prayer in his honor and for his wife and kids back home.

“John come on,” my platoon leader shouted among all the flames and chaos. I rushed to his side and as we gathered all the other members of our platoon I realized that I had left my letter back in the tent.

“You guys keep going, I’ll meet you there.” I called out to them. I sprinted through the forest and dodged burning trees desperately to get back to the tent. Just as I was 10 yards away the tent exploded and I was flung back into the trees. I took a pretty nasty fall and hit my head severely on a tree trunk. I touched my now throbbing head and realized I was bleeding very badly; I tried calling out to my platoon members but they were much too far away to hear me. My vision began to blur and I felt all my limbs turn numb. A blacked out to the sight of flames burning away everything in it's cold dark path.

~*~

My eyes fluttered open to a very harsh light and as my eyes adjusted I realized I was surrounded by people, people I didn’t know. I tried to touch my head to see if my wound had swollen but my arms and legs were locked down to the table I was laying on. Where am I?, I thought to myself.

“He’s alive sir,” I heard one of the men whisper.

“What are we supposed to do with him?” asked another.

My memories started to come back and as I continued to gain my consciousness I realized that these men that were surrounding me were the enemy. Leaders of the countries that were trying to destroy my troops. 

Effects Of Bullying

Author's Note: "One of Americas leading issues in schools is bullying so I decided to do a little research on the subject. Turns out that there are 3 main types of people involved in bullying: the bystander, the bully, and the victim. Since there were only three main people involved in bullying I did research on each one and how they are effected by bullying. My hope is that by reading this you gain knowledge on why bullying in America needs to stop."

Every school has a bully, every bully has a victim, and every attack has someone watching from the sidelines.  Whether you are just passing by the scene and just witnessing bullying taking place or if you are a part of the actual bullying itself you will be effected.  According to  mychildsafety.net, bullying is one of the top five issues in schools all over America and effects over half of almost every school in the U.S. This paper will inform you on what bullying  the can do to the bully, the victim, and the bystander both short and long term.

Obviously if you are a victim of bullying you will be effected by it. According to stopbullying.gov, a website devoted to trying to put an end to bullying, kids who are bullied have a higher risk of  depression, anxiety, feelings of sadness or loneliness, becoming addicted to drugs, suicidal thoughts, abnormal eating or sleeping patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. Keep in mind that those are only a few things that bullying can do to you, it can also get to a point where kids get depressed and not wanting to study and as a result of that get lower scores on tests and homework and their GPAs can drop. Another source I used informed me that over 160,000 kids skip school everyday because they are afraid of being bullied. Also, according to dosomething.org 1 in 10 students drop out of school because of bullying. Worst of all as a result of being bullied people will attempt to kill themselves. Surveys on bullyingstatistics.org  show that 14% of students have suicidal thoughts and 7% of students have attempted suicide because of bullying.  Also, if you are being bullied always remember that you are not alone, surveys show that one in every six kids gets bullied regularly. The effects bullying can have on you if you are a victim can be extremely traumatizing and can put you on the path that leads to a very bad future.

Although the victim in most cases is effected the most in a bullying attack, a passing bystander can also be effected by just witnessing what is going on. More often than not a bystander in a bullying attack will feel guilty for not stepping in and defending the person being bullied. Likewise bystanders in bullying attacks are more likely to have increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. In most cases people who witness the bullying and do not step in drink and abuse drugs because they feel guilty and want that pain to go away.  Similarly to if you are a victim of bullying a bystander will also be more likely to skip or miss school and have depression and anxiety. According to a4kclub.org,  72% of bystanders during a bullying attack will not speak up in fear that if they do they will be the bully's next victim. People passing by and witnessing someone being bullied are also effected by the experience.

In addition to the victim and the bystander, a bully is effected as well.  In most cases a bully is someone who suffered from some kind of traumatizing event as a child and wasn't given the proper care to recover and so they take their anger and pain out on others. Bullies are at very high risk of abusing drugs and alcohol both through their teenage years and adult years, getting into fights, stealing others possessions, vandalizing property, dropping out of school, engaging in sexual activity early in life, and being abusive to their romantic partners, spouses, and children. Also, according to bullyingpreventionintstitute.org, a website that informs parents and kids on the effects of bullying, bullies are usually convicted of crimes  and given traffic tickets in adulthood. Bullies are effected very much by their own bullying and are already on the path to a very unhappy and dark future.

The bystander, the victim, and the bully are all effected during a outburst. Bullying can put everyone involved down a path that leads to very bad things. Bullying can be prevented though, bullies can be stopped. If you are a witness to a bully attack anonymously report them to your schools guidance counselor or talk to a teacher you trust right away and together we can put an end to bullying. 

Sources Used:

• :. " The Effects of Bullying - Beliefnet.com." Inspiration, Spirituality, Faith – Beliefnet.com - Beliefnet.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.beliefnet.com/Love-Family/Parenting/Interviews/The-Effects-of-Bullying.aspx>.
• "Bullying Victims - Bullying Statistics."Bullying Statistics - Teen Violence, Anger, Bullying, Treatment Options. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-victims.html>.
• Dombeck, Mark. "The Long Term Effects of Bullying." American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.aaets.org/article204.htm>.
• "Effects of Bullying - Youth "Ambassadors 4 Kids" Club (A4K)." Ambassadors 4 Kids (A4K) Club | Bullying Resources For Kids | Reporting, Stopping & Preventing School Bullying | Cyberbullying Information Organization - Youth "Ambassadors 4 Kids" Club (A4K). N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.a4kclub.org/get-the-facts/effects-of-bullying>.
• standers. "Effects of Bullying | StopBullying.gov." Home | StopBullying.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects/>.

Dreams

Author's Note: " I wrote this piece to demonstrate and  prove my knowledge of being able to identify figurative language in a poem. I would like this piece to get scored on the reading rubric for Word Choice and Context Analysis. This piece is written about Langston Hughes poem "Dreams."

Dreams

By Langston Hughes

Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

Figurative language is used very frequently in poetry and literature.  The use of similes, metaphors, personification and all other types of figurative language give the reader a better understanding of characters and settings described by the author. Also, the very detailed, creative, and vivid language add more depth and makes the piece sounds more sophisticated than regular writing. Langston Hughes does a really great job of using figurative language and adding emotion in his pieces and because of this his poetry and short stories are very impressive. In Langston Hughes poem "Dreams" he uses two different types of figurative language and even though the poem is only two stanzas in length it has an extremely large amount of depth.

In the two short stanzas of Langston Hughes poem "Dreams" he uses two different types of figurative language. The first type of figurative language that he uses in this poem is personification. For example in the first line Langston wrote, "Hold fast to dreams," which is personification because you cannot actually hold dreams. Another piece of figurative language Langston Hughes uses are two metaphors in this short but lovely poem.  The first metaphor he uses is, "For if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly," and the second metaphor that he uses in this poem is, "For when dreams go life is a barren field frozen with snow." Langston Hughes uses two different types of metaphors in his poem "Dreams."

Although the figurative language in this poem help make it sound very mature and sophisticated another thing that makes this poem so good is the depth that Langston Hughes uses in the poem. I feel like what he is trying to say in this piece is that dreams give you innocence and imagination and challenge you to think outside the box and that once you loose that innocence you loose your dreams. Also I think that he is trying to hint on that you should never stop chasing your dreams because once you give up on your dreams you will realize how bare your life is, sort of like the barren field of snow described in the poem. Lastly I think one of the messages in this poem is that you should never stop dreaming because if you stop dreaming you will have nothing to live for. I think that in the poem "Dreams" by Langston Hughes the author uses a lot of depth and overall has many morals and messages behind it.

Even though the depth of the poem was very powerful another aspect of this poem that was affected by figurative language was the tone of the piece. The tone in “Dreams” makes readers feel sad and a little depressed because of the way he uses his two metaphors in this piece. The metaphors add a very sad tone because of how he compares life without dreams to a broken-winged bird or a barren field frozen with snow. By saying that he is trying to have you recognize how useless life would be without goals and dreams. I believe Langston Hughes compared life without dreams to those two things because he wants people to know how sad and useless life would be without goals or dreams. I believe that the tone in "Dreams" by Langston Hughes is changed and affected by the figurative language used within the poem. 

In the poem "Dreams" which was written by Langston Hughes the author uses depth and figurative language to make to poem sound more mature. There are many life lessons and advice that are expressed throughout this piece. Everyone should read this poem and stop and think for a second about the messages behind it because you can really learn a lot of good advice from this poem.

Thunderstruck

Author's Note: " Speak is a very good book, it won some awards back when it was brand new. I think this is a book that all teens can relate to and I highly recommend it to all middle school students."

Do you know what its like to feel alone, to feel helpless, to feel like you don’t even have a choice? Melinda Sordino, the main character in Speak, knows exactly how that feels.  She has felt alone ever since her friends ditched her because she busted them for drinking at a party. Now no one talks to her, looks at her, or even takes the time to listen to her side of the story. Some people might call her an outcast, but I look at her as a hero. The book Speak will teach you that its easy to go down the wrong path and make erratic choices, but if you stand up for what you believe in and guide others in the right direction then there is nothing that can stop you.

Melinda in not your average girl: she doesn’t like anything girly, she hates attention, and she doesn’t get the best grades in school, but she is smart enough to make to know right from wrong. It’s simple choices that we make everyday that determine our entire future. For example, if you’re the quarterback on your high school football team and you get caught drinking, your entire sports career will come crashing down: no scholarship, no adoring fans, no nothing. With every year that we mature we get a little more freedom, but its what we do with that freedom that matters most. I just hope that if I’m ever put in the same position as Melinda that I will be able to make the same decisions that she did. It’s not exactly an easy thing to rat your friends out to the cops, it takes a lot of courage and they aren’t very forgiving: but if that’s what it takes to show them that what they’re doing is not right, then so be it.

I think all teens should read this book, it captivates you from the moment you pick it up to it’s very last word. It’s so touching, it’s what all teenagers think but are too afraid to say. Speak describes real world situations that can happen at any given time. It prepares readers for the future. This book is not a good book for upper elementary school students like 5th and 6th graders, it talks about some pretty serious subjects, and its not something to joke around about. In books like this you really notice how the character grows as a person from beginning to end, you watch her learn new things, and discover who she really is as a person. By the end of this novel readers will feel like they know Melinda, like somehow she is apart of them. Speak is definitely one of those books that you will become attached to, it’s hard to get out of your head once you’ve read it.

This book has a lot of very serious topics in it, such as peer pressure. If you ever feel like your being forced into something, you’re not, you always have a choice in what you do. No one can make you do anything that you don’t feel comfortable doing. Real friends don’t make you change, they like you just the way you are. Now I understand that sometimes you’re with the wrong people at the wrong time, but don’t give into their demands, they can’t force you to do anything. Don’t make decisions that you’ll regret tomorrow, it’s not worth it to put your and possibly someone else’s lives in danger. You always have an option. Never forget that you have a choice, don’t let other people influence you to change.

Helping others is always a nice thing to do but sometimes you have to put yourself first: don’t let yourself slip away and make choices that you will regret in the morning. Life is full of hardships, but when you figure out right from wrong it makes your life a whole lot easier. Hold onto yourself. Whenever you make a mistake just get back up and try again, because isn’t that what life is all about, taking risks and making mistakes?

The Things We Will Never Get Back

Author's Note: " I took time out of my day to read the book Ana's Story.  It changed my perspective on life: it made me realize how lucky I really am. Seriously though, it's a great book: yes, it's a little sad at times but it's worth your time."

 “Why don’t you just go and kill yourself Sandy, no one cares about you!” Kelly said. Sandy did just that. She ran into the bathroom, sobbing; she grabbed the first thing she saw, a bottle of pills by the third sink from the left. Sandy twisted the cap off vigorously and gobbled down every single pill until she was lying on the ground with everything around her blacking out; just like flipping the switch on a lamp she was out. Kelly ran in the bathroom apologetically, but it was too late: Sandy was already gone. While reading the book, Ana’s Story by Sara Bush, you will learn about the harsh life of a girl named Ana: a life filled with the pain of being bullied, being abused; you will even learn that in life sometimes there are no happy endings.

Bulling is not okay; its a sad excuse for making someone else feel worse about themselves just to build up you own self esteem. Whether its online or in person it still has the same affects on the people.  What bullies need to accept is that just because someone is different from them doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings. If you were called a bad name or were gossiped about you wouldn’t feel to good about yourself, would you? Its time for a change, so for all you bullies out there next time you want to make fun of someone, stop, take deep breaths and ask yourself: is it really worth it? Take the time to get to know people before you judge them.

According to ChaCha, 30% of the United State’s youth is involved in a type of bullying everyday: bullying can drive people the extremes, such as suicide. How would you ever be able to live with the guilt of knowing that you had bothered someone so much that they thought their only way out was to end their life? Did you know that over 1 million kids and adults all over the world commit suicide everyday? That could be your child: sometimes they swallow a bottle of pills because of online harassment; sometimes its a accident, but by the time you realize somethings wrong, it’s too late.

While reading the novel, Ana’s Story, you will realize and understand that this isn’t just a scary story, it’s real and happens to innocent people everyday. Yes, it’s sad, but it’s the truth; it’s also reality: there are people in the world who can’t support their families and put food on the table, there are people who live on the streets because they can’t afford shelter, there are people who bite off more than they can chew, and there are people who die everyday in hospitals because they can’t pay the towering fees. After reading this life changing book you will realize how lucky you really are.

    Learning about abuse, bullying, and tragic endings is never easy, but grasping those topics is easy while taking a glimpse into the world of our 43rd president’s daughter’s eyes. The author works for UNICEF, an organization devoted to giving kids in other countries a better life, a second chance. When you think about it, saving lives seems like a pretty good alternative compared to sabotaging them. If you’re one of those kids who is hurting because of what someone did to you just recognize that you’re not alone: there are other people in this world that feel the same; and there are people who can help you.

Text Analysis: How the Setting Affects the Plot

Author's Note: "I really enjoyed writing this piece and I think it deserves a 10 for text analysis. I believe that I proved my point and backed it up with important information."

Every book, passage, or short story has a setting.  A setting is a place where a book or story is taking place. Settings are extremely important and help readers tremendously by helping then create an image in their head of where the story takes place. Normally the plot of a book depends on the setting, therefore  if you change the setting then you change the plot. For example, the Uglies series written by Scott Westerfeld and The Giver written by Lois Lowry both  take place in a futuristic universe; if the settings changed in either of these books it would dramatically effect the plot in the books as well.

In the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld the plot relies on the setting. In the futuristic universe that this book takes place in there are hoverboards, a city surrounded by walls, and perfect weather all the time. All of these aspects involve the plot and the setting. For example, if the city that was described so vividly in the book wasn’t surrounded and bordered by towering walls then there would be no reason that Tally would feel imprisoned and therefore she probably wouldn’t have run away in the first place. To add on to that if they didn’t live in such a futuristic world with technology beyond our time then there would be no such thing as a hoverboard. The entire plot relies on the use of the hoverboard for transportation so if there weren’t hoverboards the plot would be severally  changed and effected. Also the perfect climate that was expressed in the trilogy is very key in Tally’s survival once she makes the decision to leave the city. If the climate was not perfect all the time then Tally could have died after she left the city because of weather conditions like a freezing blizzard or a scorching desert. Therefore the setting in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld plays a big part in the plots of the series.

Although the Uglies series written by Scott Westerfeld is a great example of how a setting affects the plot of a book another fantastic example of that concept is the novel The Giver by Lois Lowry. The Giver takes place in a world where they only see black and white, are assigned careers, and have to live by a running list of rules. One example expressed in the book The Giver by Lois Lowry is that fact that they can only see two colors: black and white. If the citizens in the book could see color then the plot would be dramatically affected because the entire plot of the novel relies strongly on the imperfections of this town such as how they are color blind. In modern day everyone gets to choose their careers based on their interests but in The Giver they get theirs assigned to them.  The plot would change entirely if the citizens were given the opportunity to pick and choose the careers of their choice, after all the whole plot of the book is based off the fact that Jonas is given the job of The Receiver at the Ceremony of Twelve. Therefore if the citizens got to pick their jobs in the book The Giver the plot would completely change. Lastly, one more crucial part of the setting that affects the plot in this book is that the citizens of this establishment are forced to abide by a extremely long list of rules. If they didn’t have rules and were more carefree and easy-going then that also would have changed the plot. Those are three examples of how if the setting of the book The Giver by Lois Lowry changed so would the plot of the book as well.

If the settings in the books The Giver by Lois Lowry and the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld were altered then the plot of the books would be dramatically altered as well. Both books rely very strongly on their settings to help readers visualize what world the characters live in and depend on their plots to tell the story.  The setting and the plot of a book go hand-and-hand and if a book was missing a setting or missing a plot then that book would suffer from being extremely uninteresting. Therefore the setting of a book can change the plot of the book and also the entire story as a whole. 

Help Me.

Author's Note: "I wrote this short creative piece to demonstrate my understanding of point of view. It is the court room scene in My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult where Anna is trying to plead her case, the only difference is that this piece is written from Anna's sister Kate's point of view. "

All my life I have been fighting and struggling to stay alive. A couple months after my birth I was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer which causes your body to produce abnormal amounts of blood cells and decays your bone marrow over time. When I was little I would need to come into the local clinic 5-6 times a week for a check-up. Once I hit age 4 the cancer started to spread and that's why my parents had Anna. She was a genetically enhanced creation of science made to help and assist me.  Once Anna got of age the doctors would bring us both is and eject blood cells or bone marrow from her body and transplant them into mine. After awhile these procedures started to take place more and more frequently.  Without her I would most likely not even be here today.

Your honor I don't understand why Anna won't do this for me, if I don't get that kidney I will die and if she loved me she would help me.  Anna is being so insensitive about this, my whole life has been a struggle and she doesn't understand how much pain and suffering that my disease has caused me.  I need this more than she will ever know.  This kidney will give  me another chance to live my life and will bring me one step closer to conquering my disease and finally being able to live a healthy normal life. Anna  is being so selfish, if she really loved me she would want to help me and she wouldn't want me to die. All  I want is another chance your honor, and that's why I think I should get this kidney. 

The Patriot vs. My Brother Sam is Dead

Author's Note: " I needed a piece to score on the writing rubric so I choose to put on my compare and contrast essay that I did for social studies."

When Sam returns home after being away at college for a year and announces to his family he is going to enlist in the Rebel Army his parents are horrified and raged, but his younger brother Tim couldn’t be more excited. With Sam’s father on the King’s side and Sam enlisting in the Rebel army Tim doesn’t know just what side to join. Should he honor his father and be loyal to the King and be a Loyalist or should he fight to be free and be a Patriot? Tim, only being a fourteen year old boy, figures out what he wants and what the danger and excitement of war is really like. The movie The Patriot and the book My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Gollier and Christopher Gollier have a lot in common.

In the movie The Patriot and the book My Brother Sam Is Dead are very similar in the sense that in both of them a family is torn apart by the war. For example in the movie The Patriot the Martin family is split up a lot: one of the boys dies early on in the movie and then the Dad(Benjamin) and oldest son Gabriel go to war leaving Benjamin’s other 3 kids at home with their Aunt. In the book My Brother Sam Is Dead a similar situation happens, Sam Meeker(the eldest brother) makes the decision to enlist in the rebel army despite the fact that his father is a loyalist. Sam leaves his family to go fight with the continental army while his younger brother Tim is left at home with his parents wanting to join the war like his brother. These are two examples of how the Meeker family and the Martin family get split up because of the war.

Even though the separation of family was a big similarity between the movie The Patriot and the book My Brother Sam Is Dead another big similarity between the two was all the killings. In example, in the movie The Patriot The middle son Thomas is shot early on in the movie. Closer to the climax of the movie the eldest son Gabriel is stabbed to death. Also in the movie the British soldiers burnt down the continental governments houses and killed their families. On the very last page of the book My Brother Sam Is Dead Sam dies, the British shoot him repeatedly until he is gone. By reading the book and watching the movie you can see that the British Army were ruthless and spared no one, not even children.  The deaths and killings in the book My Brother Sam is Dead and the movie The Patriot are just one similarity between the two.

Another similarity between the book My Brother Sam is Dead and the movie The Patriot is that in both you really can really see and visualize the effects of war. For example in the movie The Patriot you could see all the deaths and feel the pain they felt. Also in the movie they talked about how war was everywhere and how battles were fought in the people’s backyards. In the book you had to visualize these things but a lot of them were the same. For example in the book they talked about the wounded and what they effects of war did the land and the people who were fighting and even the innocent people who did nothing wrong. The effects of war are very apparent in the book My Brother Sam Is Dead and the movie The Patriot.

The Revolutionary War was not an easy one as you can tell be reading the book My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Gollier and Christopher Gollier and watching the movie The Patriot. Some of the similarities between the book and the movie are the visualization of the effects of war, the separation of families, and the death and killings.  While reading the book My Brother Sam Is Dead and watching the movie The Patriot you learn a lot about what war is like and how brutal and ruthless some of the soldiers really are. 

Different Perspectives

Author's Note: " I wrote this piece for point of view for my Language Arts class. Feedback is much appreciated!"

Adele is a rising star in the music industry, her album 21 sold over twenty-seven million copies worldwide. On top of that she has managed to be nominated for 184 awards and has won 99 of them. Besides being a role model for kids who dream to sing, her songs are raw and her voice is mesmerizing. Her newest song Skyfall has topped charts all over the world and is a cult phenomenon. If the song Turning Tables by Adele was told in the point of view of someone else's point of view then the moral and message of the song would change completely.

The song Turning Tables by Adele has a lot of meaning behind it. Personally when she sings the lyric, "Next time I'll be braver, I'll be my own savior," I feel like Adele is talking about someone in her life (a friend, family member, or boyfriend) that was always there for her and how she(Adele) is figuring out that they are no longer there anymore. I think this song is her way of saying that she has finally figured out that the person who was always there for her is no longer there and how she has to move on. When she sings, "So I won't let you close enough to hurt me, No I won't ask you, You to just desert me," I feel that she is talking about how she cannot let that person back into her life because it will just make things more complicated and she will end up getting hurt. I feel that the message Adele is trying to get across in the song Turning Tables is that people change and it's time for her to move on. 

The song Turning Tables by Adele is written from Adele's point of view. Since the song was written from her point of view you will feel sympathetic and sorry for her when you hear the song. Also you will feel betrayed when you listen to this song. You will feel betrayed because someone left you. Another feeling you will experience when you listen to this song is hatred. Hatred for someone who betrayed you, hatred for someone who you thought was your friend, hatred for someone who left you with no one. One last emotion you will feel in this song is abandonment. Adele wrote the song Turning Tables from her point of view.

If this song was told from a different persons point of view I think that it was change the way many people interpret this song. For example if the song was sung from the point of view of the person that she was singing to in the song you would have a different opinion of Adele. I think that if the point of this view were to change that you would see Adele is a different way. Since the song is told from her point of view you will feel sympathetic to her but if the song is told from someone else's point of view I think you would be angry at Adele if you listened to this song. The interpretation of the song would change drastically if the song Turning Tables by Adele was told from a different point of view.

This is my response to Turning Tables by Adele if it was written from a different persons point of view:

You know the old saying, " You don't know what you had until it was gone?" well you knew what you had you just took if for granite. Now I'm gone, I'm done trying to be the person you want me to be. I'm never gonna change, not for you or for anyone else. All you ever do is rant and rave about "things I've done to you," but in reality I'm not the one who keeps hurting you, your the one who keeps hurting me. I'm done with the pain, and that's why I left. It wasn't me it was you. It's over, it's time to move on. We haven't been ourselves lately and it's time to see other people and continue on with our lives. It's time for a new beginning. I think it would be best for both of us if we didn't talk anymore. We need to move on, you need to move on.

Footprints in the Snow

Author's Note: "Where I live it's winter right no so I wanted to write a poem or two about the winter time."

My burning hot chocolate made my taste buds clench. I looked around and saw the gleaming fireplace and stockings hung carefully from the mantel.There were lights strung all around the dark evergreen that towered above and presents wrapped tightly below. 

I walked out the door and saw a fresh blanket of snow coat the cold wet ground. The icy snowflakes made my nose nip. I stuck out my moist tongue hoping to catch some of the ice crystals in my mouth. The crisp air made my lips quiver. As I looked back dark I saw my silhouette leaving footprints in the snow. 

The sand swiveled between my toes and my feet felt tingly in the cold ocean water. A took a deep breath to inhale the light salty fumes of the ocean air. I closed my eyes and let my mind drift off into some far away place. Standing in the water was more peaceful and relaxing than a day at the spa. The waves were calm and the seagulls fluttered and batted their wings across the sky as quietly as butterflies. I opened my eyes and pitched my wet elbow in an attempt to see if maybe this was all a dream but to my delight it wasn't. I stared out into the endless waves wondering what secrets that the mystic ocean holds.

Victims

Author's Note: " I wrote this piece for my Language Arts class. This piece demonstrates my understanding of theme. The theme I choose to present is Government Control. In this piece I talk about three different books that have the theme government control and I also provide one real world example where theme is demonstrated. Feel free to leave feedback!"

All over the world government control is happening. It is a major issue in our world right now. Not only does it go on in the real world, it also goes on a lot in books. The theme government control is one of the most popular themes in books right now and interests teens a lot. Government control is a main theme in the books The Hunger Games, The Giver,  My Brother Sam Is Dead, and all of forms of media.

One of the main themes in the book The Giver is government control. For example, each family can only have two kids:one boy and one girl, no more and no less. Another example of government control in this book is that the citizens of the community don't even get to choose their own occupations. Instead of choosing their careers themselves the government decides what role they will have in the community. Also, the community has many rules and some of  these rules include that you cannot show your nakedness around anyone else, no bragging, and no questioning anything. These are just some examples that prove that government control is a main theme in this book.

Similarly to the book The Giver, government control is also very apparent in The Hunger Games series. A clearly notable example of the theme government control in this series was the Capital's creation of the Hunger Games. The purpose of the games was for the Capital to maintain control over the districts after it's first rebellion. Another example of government control is the presence of the peacekeepers throughout the series. They put people in their place and are not afraid to hurt anyone. The peacekeepers are a constant reminder that the Capital does not care who they hurt as long as order in maintained throughout the districts. Government control is clearly one of the central themes that is consistent in not only in The Hunger Games but also the rest of the trilogy.

Even in historical fiction novels like My Brother Sam is Dead we still see the theme my of government control. My Brother Sam is Dead is a book set in the time of the revolutionary war. During this time the King of England and his parliament were trying to control the colonies by taxing everyday items like sugar and tea. Another way the King tried to control of the colonies that was talked about a lot in the book was when he sent in the British troops or "Lobster-backs" as mentioned in the book, to keep the colonists in line and loyal to him. The book My Brother Sam Is Dead is a great example of the theme government control.

Government control is often a main theme in books and movies but it is also a very real issue in todays society. For example Muammar Gaddafi was the leader of Libya for 42 years. During his reign he reportedly taxed the people  ridiculous amounts and kept the money for himself and his family.  According to Time.com Muammar Gaddafi  was killed by rebels last year when they captured him in his home town. "He was a wicked man, I'm surprised they didn't tear his body to pieces," says Ali Tarhouni, the finance minister of Libya. What happened in Libya is a phenomenal example of how government control is a very real issue in the world today.

One of the  main themes in the books The Giver, The Hunger Games, My Brother Sam Is Dead, and in reality is government control. Nowadays the theme government control is very popular in all forms of media: books, movies, tv, and in real life. All forms of media that  have to do with government control are very serious and are nothing to joke about, they are very real issues and pull at your heartstrings. Government control is a main theme in many books and is also an issue in today's society.

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