Friday, December 21, 2007

Im done with it and I loved It!!!!

Im finally done with street love and I really enjoyed reading it. What I liked about the book was that it's such a "real" book. Theses type of situations happen everyday. there's a girl that has no confidence in her self and runs away from emotion and there's a guy that loves a girl and will do anything for her throw away his life and dreams just for her. I believe that it's hard to find a book interesting if you dont enjoy it. I say this because your mind is not driven to read a book when you can't enjoy it. It's hard because if you don't like it will just be read and nothing will come out of it becaus you wont care about it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I read it when i was younger because I went threw a situation similair to his book and I could relate to it. I have never read a review about this book but I would like to see what other people thought about the book I read about and enjoyed. The book cover was actually catchy it made me pick up the book. The book cover says street love in graffiti with a city in the back ground.It did a good job of illustrating what the book was about and what type of book it was. I would give this book to my sister as a gift. I actually can't see myself reading it again because I don't like to repeat books. But, This book is definately a "keeper". I would keep this book in my book collection anyday.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

petty crimes by gary soto

do the character's experiences cause them to grow ? if so, how? i think that she started to mature just a little but still can use some nurchuring . she still had a little tendency to go up in the stores and steal something just to do it.everytime she sees the 7 -11 gas station and corner store. but she avoids the drama and time by doing the good thing. after the first encounter with the storeclerk ,la guera 's mother told her that she have to stay with her aunt and learn some respect and find your morals. since then she has been caring and thinking about her goals and staying out of trouble.

My 5th Response

As I was reading today I came I was very suprised in what I discovered. Bryan and his Dad were put in a place I would never thought would happen. Bryan and his dad got into an arguement and got very mad with each other. His dad got mad because Bryan was talking to one of the stabb's daughter and he told he not to. This will change the story around a lot because him and his dad were so close and i didn't know how the story will play out now. It changed my thinkin by i don't think they will ever be that close any more like they were. It made me wonder about what the out come of the book will be. I will have to conitune to read to find out what will happen at the end.

I am responing to the 4th bullet in Personal Response/ Reactions

S.E.Hinton...Blog #4

In today reading is like some what real life. People say a girl cant change someone or break up a friendship. As time goes on, as we grow up friends tend to grow apart. Bryan and Mark was always together during their childhood.You can really feel when your friendship is fading away. My friends and I was always together playin Football,Parties,everything just chillen. Now High School arrive, new people and new girl young an dumb. As people get older they go there own way tend to live their own lives,Now we barly talk. As you get older you have be strong get respected from others, people might try to clown you play you as a fool. VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

petty crimes by gary soto

do the charaters experiences cause them to grow?if so,how? what la guera experienced was something she would never forget. she seemed to mature a little over time .she had moved away from those pack of girlfiends that she hung out with and she was trying to stop committing those petty crimes she was doing

My 4th response

Some parts of this book made me very uncomforable because i felt that people were mistheated in the story. They really showed bryan's father no respect after he lost his job. They looked at him as a loser and a failure in life as if he were good for nothing. Then Bryan was picked on because he dad was involved in the strike and he felt bad because his father was mad all the time and his mother stayed worring about his dad with mad her unhappy. I feel this was because they were done wrong and needd to be treated as equals. This lead to a new awareness in my life because it made me be thankful for how i live and how my family and peers treat me. It kind of made me look at my life in a different way and made me respect everything and everyone who has help me make it this far. Bryan and his family had none so i am greatful.

I am responsing to yhe first bullet in Personal response/Reactions.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Street Love reminds me of my personal life in many ways

In my recent readings of Street love I have noticed the similarities and differences in the characters and the people in my personal life. I have a cousin similar to Damien. When he really likes a girl he goes to the extreme and will do anything for her. His friends might tease him and he will get mad but that wont change his feelings for her. Junice Reminds me a younger me. The way I used to be. When I had problems at home I shut my self out of the world and I blamed my problems on everyone but my self.Never let no boy get close to me I was just so mean to them and had a attitude out this world. Couldn't no one tell me NOTHING!!! The difference between junice and I is that she has alot more on her shoulders than I. She has to worry about if her sister and her will be split up over her mothers actions. She has to also worry about how she is going to take care of herself......

The Riot

This setting in the book is so unique because it's really puts in the story as you read and makes you feel like you are a character thats is in the book. It also puts you in the shoes of all the character as if you were them. For example he father relates to my father in many ways & how the father adapts to all his surroundings. The setting of the story also takes aways from the story in some chapter by taking you into an unknown place. The setting can bring you so much into the book and can inspire you to keep reading the book. But when you get to the off setting parts makes the story a little boring and off topic. But the setting really makes the book fun to read and overall the setting has kept me intersed in the book. The setting is more of a modern 1980's setting in a busy town with lots of problems.

I am responseing to the 1st bullet under setting

Saturday, December 15, 2007

S.E Hinton's...That Was Then,This Is Now

Really Bryan's reactions are similar to humans...lol. Bo0ks are suposed to have similar situation to us to sound real.There is a good way and a bad way to do something. Bryan was only tryn to get his Pool game skills up,and if he made an mistake he paid for it. Pool was his way of having fun and receiving money. The more you play the more money you might lose.You may have to take risk to better your self. Never know when that big shot pool player come around, would your game be on point. People may dislike you because you have some thing they want or wish they had. Bryan has to be organized or consistently on track to handle hie business.And the haters will keep you on track.

S.E Hinton's...That Was Then,This Is Now

Bryan's credit was running low with the Bartender.Everytime he gets in the Pool hall he orders a 15 cent Coke.The bill was slowly building up and before he knew it he owed 3 dollars. Back in that time 3 dollars was alot of money, and if u dont pay up you'll get beat up. Now Bryan had to talk his way out of trouble he was good for that.''If u bring me a coke now, I'll pay you tomorrow.'' See Bryan showed respect an got respected.

S.E Hinton's...That Was Then,This Is Now

Well i can relate to Bryan's life to a certain point.You may have to know certain people to get what you want.Bryan goes down to the Bar/Pool Hall to make some extra money.Now he being under age,he cant get in.Bryan had a skill for pool and he would try to hustle people out of their money.I relate to his hustle,my skill would be a hard worker.I would cut the my Uncle's grass for about 15 dollars.I knew the right people and know the right price to charge them. The Characters seem real to me by them tryin to get there paper right. Bryan knew the Bartender and Owner of the Pool Hall. Bryan and his friend had creadit for being who they are.

Friday, December 14, 2007

My Characters Are "Real".

The characters In street love are Very realistic. Junice is a ghetto girl who has to struggle for everything at a young age. Junice's mom was a drug dealer. Getting caught up in the act of selling drugs she now has to spend 25 years to life in prison. The effect of this is now leaving Junice to do whatever is nessecary to provide for her and her younger sister, Melissa. Junice is alone in her world she has no one to look up to even her grandmother isn't the best role model for her. Knowing that her and her sister can be seperated by child services is a hard pill to sollow. What can she do without her younger sister?? What can her sister do without her?? her confidence is low, and she believes she can't trust anybody but, family. In result she tries to shut her self in a corner away from the world. No friend's, No boyfriends, No life at all. But soon this will all change.

Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Allure of the West

<i>Into the Wild</i>, Jon Krakauer, pgs 144-207 (end)
<i>Death of a Salesman</i>, Arthur Miller, pgs 1-97

So, I finished <i>Into the Wild</i> and started rereading a book that I'm studying with my AP Literature class.  As I read the first act of the play I was struck by the similarity between Chris McCandless and many of the characters from <i>Death of a Salesman</i>.  The main character of this story, Willy Loman frets over a missed opportunity to accompany his older brother to Alaska to make money. Instead he is 60 and stuck in a dead end sales job.  Interestingly enough, Willy's father abandoned <i>him</i> as a child to also seek fortune in Alaska.  In a weird twist, Willy is disappointed in his son Biff because he is constantly seeking work outside of the norm of the day.  He's worked on cattle farms and other jobs that Willy does not respect.  Biff explains that he likes these jobs because he's not stuck inside at a desk and can be out in the open air.

In American culture the west has always been symbolic of the open frontier, a vast unexplored wilderness where a man could make his living outside of the realm of laws and societal constraints.  It's interesting that these two books, written 50 years apart, have such similar themes.

Does anyone else know of any characters who seek a life outside of society?  Anyone have a friend or family member who constantly wants to go out on the open road?  What do you think drives a person to feel like this?

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<b>Dear Blogger:</b>  This is not a spam post.  I am mailing to publish this on all of my student's blogs in order to provide a sample and to engage in discussions.  Please call off the spambots.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

petty crimes pg.1-22

how does this book relate to your life? in this book, a girl by the name of la guera was a shy girl who didnt do much and didnt know too many people but wanted to have friends . she would be a follower and do things to gain their friendship .a group of girls who didnt do anything but get into mischief came around and they got la guera's attention. la guera wanted to be friends with them but they didnt pay them no mind so to get the girls attention, she would go inside the store to try to attempt robbery but was caught in her tracks and she caused a scene scaring the store clerk by getting her brother on him. after everthing was all said and done, la guera went outside carrying on the scene and the girls was shocked and surprised that they overestimated her and what she can do.since then the girls were always trying to hang out with la guera.

this relates to my life in many ways ,it reminds me of my childhood days.growing up for me was difficult at some points due to the area i was living in. the streets were so dangerous and half the times my mom wouldnt let me outside b/c so much was going on out there.I still didnt know that many people so i didnt want to go outside anyways but everytime i go outside i see kids playing football and there were times that i wanted to play and they would not let me.One day ,I came back around there with my older brother and we were playing catch and i said to the guys "let me play or else!" my brother is going to beat you up.when they let me play they werw actually shocked by how good i was.since that incident, they would always let me play and they would even beg me to play to some extent. till this day dont nobody bother anymore .

Friday, December 7, 2007

Damien's Motivation!!!!

Damien is an interesting character. Damien's motivation is love. He has never been in love before but he wants to be so bad because he is for sure that he found his soul mate. Damien is sure that Junice is his soul mate. Even though she was hard to get he would stop at nothing until he had her. He excepts her flaws and all. He wants to be that guy in her life who stand with her threw good times and bad. I feel bad for any guy who talks bad about her in his face. Damien dont play when it comes down to his "main chick". Damien's right hand man Kevin finds it hard to believe that he is in love with this girl that has so many isues going on in her life. Who cares what anyone thinks is always in the back of damiens mind He is in love!!

2nd Blog Response

There is many different conflict involved with the story "riot" that are very vengeful. Bryan the son of a construction who is with the union which who are on strike at this time which causes riots. I waiting & waiting to see whats going to happen next. The climax is getting to me. The qualities of Bryan , his dad, and his mom are angry but yet honest. His mom wants the whole strike movement to be over with because in fear of someone getting hurt. Bryan is confused about the whole situtation. And his dad just wants his job back & wants there demands met. This will affect how everyone handles this problem. The dad could be out of a job for some while , the mother could be let worring sick about him , & bryan will not understand whats going on completly. By this it can change the out look of the whole story. This conflict can lead to more conflict which could make our characters life very cifferent in numbous ways. At this point of the book i don't know what is going to happen i will just have to read to find out what will happen in this wonderful conflict.

I am responsing to the 1st bullet in conflict.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer Pages: 1-144

So, the book I'm reading is about this early twenty something kid who
is pretty alienated. It's a nonfiction book, and since I haven't
summed it up yet in a previous response, it's about a kid who is
searching for meaning in life and seeks this meaning by exploring.
At the beginning of the book we find out that he ends up dying in the
middle of Alaska to exposure.

Even though I think I'm supposed to, I'm having a really hard time
identifying with the main character, Chris McCandless. I look at
the cover and there's this picture of Emile Hirsch portraying
McCandless. He's a good looking kid, and he's kind of sitting in this
"top of the world" type dominant pose. The author seems to really
identify with the character, and spends a couple of chapters relating
his own similar experiences. And McCandless is seemingly the rugged,
individualistic antihero that Americans celebrate.

But, I can't get into him, and I think it's because I'm a parent
now. I see the way this kid abandoned his parents, went off into the
middle of nowhere, took chances, didn't write home, and espoused his
theories on the way life works to whomever would listen, and I'm
like, "dude...call your mom, dad and sister. They're worried sick."
The kid is kind of portrayed as this spiritual, deep Thoreau quoting
prophetic figure, but he just strikes me as naive and self centered.
I don't know what I'd do if I was his parent. I would be devastated
if my son took off after graduating college and just disappeared.
It's really rather sad.

(By the way, if you're wondering, this response is to the 7th bullet
under character. The total length of this response is 279 words. I
summed up the book to start because I figured you'd need that
information, but then I really tried to stick to talking about
whether or not I identified with the main character and why.)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Check out what my book is about!!!

The book im reading is called street love by Walter Dean Myers. My book is about a young girl name Junice who happens to be going through many obstacles in herlife. She finds a guy name damien who is really interested in her but she is having a hard time letting him in her heart. Even though she knows that damien might actually be the one she needs. She finally notices to be true to him she must be true to herself.

Monday, December 3, 2007

address to response on book

the book that i am reading is called petty crimes by gary soto this book is about little misdemeanors set off in the beginning of the book things thas can describe this book would be mischief ,trouble , enticing ,enjoyable theres is just a little more to read before i explain exactly what this could be about because it can just be more to know before you get there

About my book

My book is about riots and how it affected the life of a young boy. He was brought up in the time his dad was boycotting and protesting for his rights in the work place.

One thing i like about me book is the setting in the book. It takes place in an busy town with no union and stabbs everywhere.

The name of my book is "Riot" and is by an author i keep think of right now. lol.

Your 1st Post!

Today in class we will be posting to our blogs. To keep things simple, this
first post will be a kind of introductory thing. Here's what I'd like each
of you to write (make sure it is under your own display name):

1. In 2-3 sentences, give us a taste of the book. What is the title? Who
is the author? What is the "gist"? (It's about a girl who...)
2. In a separate paragraph of 2-3 sentences, finish this sentence: One
thing I like (or don't like) about the book so far is...