Scat - Week of 1/27/14

Prompt: What special way did the author write (for example, flashbacks, told in first person, multiple voice narrative, foreshadowing, lost descriptive words that create images of your mind, etc.)? Dis that make reading it better or worse? Explain.

Pages Read: 1-110

     This is the kind of book that is fun to read! Scat is about a science class going on a field trip expecting it to be fun but then something 'tragic' goes wrong. Their evil science teacher goes missing. No one likes Mrs. Starch but they all worry about her because she is still their teacher. It is only up to two students, Nick and Marta, to go look for her. The only problem is, no one has a clue where she might be. Mrs. Starch has no contact with people at all, she has no family members around and rumor says that her husband moved away because of her poisonous snakes. The idea of a teacher going missing is very common but author, Carl Hiaasen, does a splendid job at making this story one of a kind!

     A special way that I think Carl writes is having the point of view focus on the principle too. Most of the time is is the main character or the main character's best friend. Since he has the point of view of the principle I wonder why the author's intention was to have it on his point of view... Maybe something very surprising will happen in the book or maybe that was just to give the readers more information on how teachers are handling things with the missing teacher. I have so many predictions my my mind and I am full of curiosity. I really like how the writing of Carl Hiaasen caused me to have many questions and comments.

     Another special way I think the author writes is how he puts humor in his characters. I find this is giving the book a more realistic feel to it. Most of us, youngsters like to fool around a lot and so Carl put that in his book which allowed me to connect to the
book. Most of the time connecting to the text to self makes it more realistic and believable because you know the experience. That is why I am enjoying his book so much and I thought this was a great pick for Battle of the Books.

The Fault in Our Stars - Week of 1/20/14

FEW SPOILERS

Prompt: After reading I wonder...
Pages Read: 1-130

     "[Green] shows us true love--two teenagers helping and accepting each other through the most humiliating physical and emotional ordeals--and it is far more romantic than any sunset on the beach" 

-The New York Times Book Review

   
     This New York Times review explains exactly what I think about this book! Most people that being different than anyone else changes the way people see you as. I used to think that too until I started reading this book. Teenagers, Augustus and Hazel, are falling in love but the only thing in the way is cancer but that is not stopping them to be brave. Even though Augustus has already gone through pain he is not letting that scare him from vein with Hazel. Though, she is worried to hurt him because of her cancer. Their bravery is the only thing they have faith on.

     After reading only half of this book I have so many questions in my head. I am thinking how fortunate I am to be healthy. I feel so fortunate which quickly got substituted with guilt in me. That is not a pleasant feeling. Which makes me wonder if anybody else feels guilty when they read this book. Then I imagine myself in each character's position. Isaac being blind, Hazel with cancer, and Augustus with his fake leg. I think I would rather be born blind that become blind later on in my life. I imagine myself in Isaac's place by driving to the hospital to remove the cancer from my eyes but it will leave me blind. As I make my way to the hospital I would wonder, "Will I remember very color? What if someone kidnaps me and I do not even know it? If I do forget colors and shapes how can someone describe something to me? How will I learn to read?" All these questions I would have If I were in Isaac's position. A huge sacrifice to make to be healthy. The thought of suffering is worst than the suffering itself. Hazel I can already guess how she feels because the book is in her point of view. Augustus, I do not exactly know how he feels because he is in love with Hazel and she is in danger of dying so why is he putting himself in a risky zone of pain and agony of sadness. Augustus has already lost his old girlfriend to cancer, so my question is why go through this again? I just think that since I cannot imagine myself in love I do not know why Augustus would do this.

     Maybe love gets you to do stupid things from what I have heard and seen. All these thoughts, questions, and imagination inside my head is petrifying
me for some reason. If you read the book please, please, please, tell me your thoughts on the book and your questions. Please include you opinions too! The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is a book that really make you think about your life and how fortunate you are. Maybe for some readers it makes them think that they are not alone in this world. I am hoping that few think that the characters in this book are more fortunate than them. I do not like seeing people suffer. I wish everybody the best of luck in their life and years to come, hopefully.

The Perks Of Being a Wallflower - Week of 1-13-14

Slight Spoilers

Pages Read; 0-213(FINISHED)

Prompt; What are two emotions the main character has felt? What made the main character feel that way?

By stephen chbosky

     My last blog post was about the same book but it was not my opinion on Charlie's life. This book changed the way I see life in high school. My prediction of what high school will be like is scary, annoying, and tiring. Mostly negative because I guess I have always heard negative comments on those four years of your life. The only good comments I have heard about high school is when you become a senior. The last year of being a high school student, then you are (hopefully) of to college. I really do hope to go to college. It would be easy to get into a good university if you went to a good high school. That means that I have to work hard to get into a good a good high school. If I don't then that is okay, I guess. I can just work extra hard to get good grades in whatever other high school I go to. My aunt, Jalissa, she is 20 and was not in a perfect high school, I would say. I know she worked really hard to get into the college she is in now and because of her inspiring hard work she is my mentor and inspiration. I have heard that freshman year is the scariest year out of all the years and I will admit I am not looking forward to it. Charlie was not looking forward to high school either he was also scared about it because he had no friends until some seniors took him into their lives and together the have an infinite moment.

     Charlie writes letters to a stranger he has never met before but has heard many good things about him. The whole book is basically made out of his letters. The letters are like a diary for him. Since it is in his point of view I know what Charlie feels. He is just a shy freshman who is barely recovering from the loss of his best friend, Michael. His whole life he has never been exactly happy in any point of his life. Writing these letters makes him release his thoughts, especially when you are writing it to an understanding person. "I just need to know that someone out there listens and understands... I need to know that these people exist" Charlie wrote in one of his letters. In the beginning of the book he says, "So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm still trying to figure out how that could be." My guess on why Charlie feels this way it is because his best friend, Michael, committed suicide over the summer so he is recovering from that. In overall Charlie feels happy and sad in the beginning of the book.

     Two seniors probably saw what Charlie was going through so they helped him get back on his feet onto his infinite feeling. "Sam tapped her hand on the steering wheel. Patrick held his hand outside the car and made air waves. And I just sat between them. After the song finished, I said something. 'I feel infinite.' And Sam and Patrick looked at me like I said the greatest thing ever." This part of the book is the most popular part. Just by having true friends made Charlie infinite. Having great happiness that cannot be measured. This has taught me that simple things like a car ride can control you. Unexpectedly Charlie has experienced sadness, and happiness. Until that one car ride has made him reach an infinite feeling.

Infinite Brightness

POV - Bill, Charlie's Teacher 
"With him life was a routine, without him life was unbearable"
- To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

September 6, 1991

     I never thought of becoming a teacher but I do know that I have always wanted to change someone's life. I guess being a teacher does change someone's life. As a teacher you get to see the different behaviors of students. Along with watching the behaviors of students I get a glimpse of what might happen to them in the future. It is mostly my guess or prediction of their future. One of my students who I know their future clearly is, Charlie. Even though at first he wasn't doing so well in his essays I still gave him the A's on his report card because I could see the brightness in him. I am giving him books separate from the advanced english class so that he could learn on his own and so he may improve his writing in his own speed. He is only a freshmen but I know Charlie is able to build on his work if only I push him a little. I told him his sentence structure needs some more building into it. Ever since I told him that I have seen his improvement very quickly. I gave him his first B on an essay. When I gave Charlie back his graded essay on Peter Pan, he had a face of shock but elated at the same time. Then I realized that Charlie might not notice his improvement on essays. Which might make him even more proud of himself. As I have said before Charlie has an infinite future ahead of him. Do not get me wrong, during his coming-of-age story he will have some problems along the road but he will overcome it. Like when he told me about his sister being slapped by her boyfriend I knew I had to take action if Charlie would not. I just hope that there won't be any problems between her and Charlie. If there is well they can't stay mad at each other forever, right? I know I had problems with my siblings too but we always got over it. I did not think he has many friends either, until I saw him 'hang out' with some seniors, Sam and Patrick. Which makes me wonder who were his other friends in his school when he was in eighth grade. Middle school seems so much smaller than high school, so I am assuming Charlie must have had at least one friend. I am sure he did but I wonder what happened to him. My guess is that he probably moved to a different school.

October 16, 1991

    There is a certain point in our life where we all go "bad," as you would say. This happens mostly when you are a teenager. Well I never truly have gone bad. The only time I have done something bad that even my parents got mad at me would be when I slacked of on my schoolwork. Yes, I know, I lived on the wild side. I know what kind of mischief teenagers could get into, not only because I was one of them because I am a high school teacher everyday surrounded by teenagers. I do not mean snoop on someone but I accidentally overheard some students in the hallway talking about performing in a Rocky Horror Picture Show. What are these kids getting into now? I trust Charlie, that is why I told him to call me by my first name, Bill, outside of class. I am just hoping that he also will make good choices. The students who I overheard are also friends of Sam and Patrick, the seniors I mentioned earlier. If they are friends with Sam and Patrick then they must know Charlie. I don't mind them being with Charlie it's just probably one of those moments we are as teens. Teenage years are hard to grow up in. Well, that is only in my opinion because I was actually bullied when I was in school. My wife makes fun of me because of that. You could say that my wife is a bully to me sometimes but its actually just sweet teasing because of the stories I told her about my bullying experience. Charlie has already gotten in his first fight here. It was not his fault though, he was just trying to defend himself. A witness told the truth, that Charlie was only trying to defend himself. It actually turns out that he was been bullying Charlie. At least he stood up to his bully, I wish I could've done that.

November 5, 1991

     What surprised me the most about Charlie was that when he told me about his sister being slapped he asked me a very smart question. I have never thought about it but it is very true. He asked me why do we love people that are bad for us. "Charlie, we accept the love we think we deserve," was what I said, which really surprised me because I am not that kind of person to say stuff like that. I also think it is a very wise answer. I wonder how many people would agree with me because I know there are some arrogant people out there in this huge world. The reason why I am wondering this is because I know Charlie has been through a lot. Especially with what has happened to him when he was a child. Actually just last year he has been through a lot. Not that long ago one of his middle school teachers came to this school to see her students from last year. Most people from that middle school end up coming to this school. Well when she came here she told me what happened to his best friend, Michael. He committed suicide last year. Charlie is holding up great. Which also leaves me wondering about the poem he had in his notebook. I caught a glimpse of the poem in his notebook. I saw the words “slash” and “wrist” and the last line which said, “because this time he didn’t think he could reach the kitchen-”  I might be thinking about it in a wrong way but that is just my guess.

December 22, 1991

     Charlie has experienced many different things. His childhood, Michael's death, and other even more personal things. Though, his brightness never died. It kept going because I could see it in his eyes. There is no end to his brightness. When I told myself I want to change someone's life, I wanted to do something even bigger than being a teacher. We always turn out to be something we weren't expecting to be. I do not think Charlie knows what he wants to be. He sees things and he understands them. With this talent that he has, he can change many lives! When he is older I hope my prediction will come true and he will change hundreds of people’s lives. He must help them. I think the only way Charlie could do that is with a book. Just a simple book of his thoughts. Something simple and nothing, could become something. His writing has showed so much common sense and his thoughts are beautiful. I think he could write a book someday. I truly think that. He has more than potential in him than he thinks. Charlie, a normal average student. That is what you see him on the outside. Charlie, a student with infinite brightness in him. That is what he really is on the inside.

I imagined my character young because I figured he would be more understanding with Charlie.

 Here is the suicide poem  and this is the video for the poem. Enjoy!