♡ BLOG FOUR ♡

Thirteen Reasons Why

Jay Asher

   During Spring Break I began to read "Thirteen Reasons Why",  and it begins the suspense very fast, but catches the reader right away when Clay Jensen gets Hannah's tapes. In the first cassette on  Side A Hannah's says, "I hope you're ready; because I'm about to tell you the story of my life. More specifically, why my life ended. And if you're listening these tapes you're one of the reasons why". Clearly, this remark Hannah made on the tape sparked up Clay's curiosity, and why is he on there because he does not recall doing anything wrong to her. Clay says he'd been an acquaintance of Hannah, seen around school and kissed her at a party. He has been listening to the tape and following locations on a map given by her anonymously in his locker awhile back to follow the story. In my opinion Clay has engrossed himself in Hannah's tapes and her story, and I think it's because he doesn't know exactly why he's in the tapes.
   Clay's character is not very risk-taking with anything so far through the book. For example, when Clay got the tapes and heard what it was about he could've went to the police or talk to anybody about it, but he did not. At the beginning of the first tape there was a warning that if any of the persons on the list did not give the tapes to the next person on the list another set of copy tapes would be sent out, and whatever was on the tapes about he did not want to be viewed differently. This is why I believe that Clay isn't risk taking because he could have done something about these tape since he said he had not done such a horrible thing to her. I wonder if Clay will change this aspect of himself later on in the book.

♡ BLOG THREE ♡

Courage for Beginners

Karen Harrington

    After reading "Courage for Beginners" I have realized how much courage Mysti summoned while tragedy struck at her house, and for being only twelve in seventh grade it was an enormous amount. Her father fell from a tree and was hospitalized for five months, and with a mother with agoraphobia life became very difficult for her family. Mysti knew change was coming for her and through out the book she adapted to the change that came onto her life getting the courage she needed. For example, she had never walked home from anywhere else to her home on 4520 Fargo Drive,  but everything changed and she was even able to walk to the store to buy food and supplies. I believe this tragic event was horrible, but was good for Mysti's family because her mother finally admitted her that she was really agoraphobic and why. Her life changed from day to night but with great friends to keep her emotions up in my opinion this was for the better.

    While reading the book I remember Mysti's father who was hospitalized for the entire book said, "Change is coming for us all" and I believe this was something very wise to say and it traveled throughout the whole book.  Change did come onto Mysti's life and it seemed as if it came in a very harsh and mean way, but it helped her. various times in the book this phrase would come up, and I believe it was an important life lesson for Mysti. The reason why I believe this was a life lesson for her because she wasn't use to change and it barely ever happened to her because she was always on 4520 Fargo Drive where nothing unusual happened.I believe the theme is given through this because we all know life is always going to bring us change, but we have to be able to overcome the change.

♡ BLOG TWO ♡

Courage for Beginners
Karen Harrington 

I am continuing to read "Courage for Beginners", and it has gotten to the point you now the characters well. Mysti life has been really tough without her father because her mother cannot go out to places because of her agoraphobia. They've had to eat a little bit less of their food because they're running low, and there is nobody to take them, there is but her mother doesn't like to ask for help. But when the school air conditioner breaks down Mysti walks home with Rama because Anibal and his clique are teasing her, she then realizes that she is capable of walking to places on her own. Mysti realizes that she has do something because change is coming, and she needs to catch up. Mysti is able to make groceries now, and got a haircut on her own. Mysti's father finally woke up from his coma, but will not be able to return home in a while.

There are many conflicts in this book, but to give one in particular would be Mysti's mother's agoraphobia. I believe her agoraphobia is what holds back the Murphy family from doing things normal families do. For one they cannot go to restaurants, grocery shopping, or even visit their father at the hospital. Mysti feels really bad her father has to be getting through his coma without his beloved family. The small steps Mysti is taking for her family are out of the box for her, and are acts of courage. The title "Courage for Beginners" really does explain the theme of the book which is of courage.

TOLERANCE

Tolerance: ˈtäl(ə)rəns/

noun
1. the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

I believe tolerant means to be considerate on what a person says even if you don't feel the same way. For example, if someone in a different religion shares something with me that I don't believe I can listen, share my own belief, but in a way that won't harm the other persons feelings. In that way I can be tolerant to people while listening closely on how they feel, reflect on their opinion, and know that we won't always have the same opinion, but I can still be a tolerant person. 

♡ BLOG ONE ♡

Courage for Beginners

Karen Harrington

    I have begin to read the book "Courage for Beginners" so far I have found out that the main character Mysti Murphy's mother is agoraphobic. Being agoraphobic is having a fear of crowded spaces and enclosed public areas. Mysti says she does not like change, but it seems to happen that change will over ride her future. Her father is the only one of their family that can drive and works since her mother is agoraphobic. Mysti’s father is climbing up a tree to get a towel that has gotten stuck there and falls down onto the pavement face first. Since Mysti’s mother cannot drive and is to afraid of riding in car they cannot see their father in the hospital. They get check ups on him everyday, but I feel that this is not the enough for Mysti, her mother, and sister Laura. She starts seventh grade and her friend Anibal doesn’t talk to her at school because he is trying a social experiment where he is a “hipster”. Mysti’s is not use to change but now it’s changing quicker then ever, and not in the best ways.

      I have noticed that Mysti or another character uses the word nefarious a lot, or it seems to pop out in every other chapter. The word nefarious means an action or activity that is wicked or criminal. In the text  her mother had used the word saying, “Don’t talk to nefarious strangers. Keep your eyes.” I feel that this word keeps showing up again because maybe something else wicked might happen to Mysti again like her father’s accident. I have read other texts in the book that use this word, and I feel like it has to do with something. This word “nefarious” seems pretty important in this book, because it is a word brought back up over again while not being a typical word and it shadows something bad.

BLOG EIGHT!

The Giver 

Lois Lowry 

    While finishing reading The Giver I realized how much Jonas has changed throughout the book. At first Jonas would question certain things in his community once he started his training with The Giver, but when he got the answer he’d apologize for asking the question and would agree with them. After more, and more training The Giver would explain to Jonas what happened within the community and Jonas would disagree and want change like not having Sameness. Also, when Jonas found out what a Release was he wanted a real change and so The Giver and him made a plan. Two weeks later they had a plan set out and brought it to life as Jonas escaped the community with Gabe at midnight the day he’d be released. I think that Jonas had so much courage to go find Elsewhere to set the memories he had free so everyone in the community could have them, but not knowing a hundred percent if Elsewhere really did exist. I really like the abrupt ending where you can interpret it in a way you feel is the way the book ends, because to me their really is no end but a beginning of a new future to this community.

   One theme this book carries out is to persevere. I feel like Jonas had a lot of perseverance going on while fighting to get to Elsewhere. He had to go through different climates and areas he’d never been and had to ride his bike a lot through the rough areas even twisting his ankle at one point. He’d gotten exhausted from riding the bike, was starving, and felt like maybe he would not be able to save Gabriel or find Elsewhere but would not stop and keep going on because he knew it was there and he’d be able to get there if he kept going. Jonas told himself to stop thinking of “what ifs” and kept going on never stopping. This message was very positive, and it just shows that we can do many things if we stop thinking of those “what ifs” and just go on like Jonas did because their is something waiting at the end.

BLOG SEVEN!

The Giver 
Lois Lowry   

   I am reading “The Giver”as you may already know from my last blog. Jonas had been worrying of how his Ceremony of Twelve will go, and what Assignment he’ll receive. I believe that Jonas had the whole right to be nervous and apprehensive because at the real Ceremony of Twelve they skipped him, and waited all the until the end to tell the community it was not a mistake and gave him his assignment. Jonas has become the Receiver which is a big honor since the last one they tried to train was a failure. Jonas training will be completely different from the other Twelves and painful, as the Chief Elder stated.

   While reading Jonas brought up a really good question to The Giver, he told him that he was thinking on what if Gabriel, the baby their nourishing, were able too see colors and choose his own toy? The Giver responded by saying, “He might make the wrong choices,” meaning that once they become older or Gabriel for example the might choose something that is wrong. Clearly, Jonas understood because he said, “It wouldn’t matter for a new child toy. But later it does matter, doesn’t it?” I believe the Givers short answer was very wise one for an elder, and in the community they are living in it was an appropriate one. I know that it gave Jonas the satisfaction he was looking for on why they cannot make their own choices.