Zendaya Coleman Batman?

20 year old Zendaya Coleman is someone that I see as a Batman like figure. Throughout the novel all Batman wanted was to fight for justice and prevent crime in Gotham City, Zendaya although often seen as nothing but a Disney star is very outspoken about issues that are affecting the country.  She is a huge activist for the Black Lives Matter movement which is to inform others of police brutality and unfair treatment towards African Americans. In 2016 she caught the attention of Beyonce and appeared in her Lemonade video which was to empower black women. She is willing to fight against racial stereotypes like at the 2015 red carpet for the Academy Awards Giuliana Rancic a fashion critic suggested Zendayas dreadlocks might smell like "patchouli oil or weed"  to which Zendaya responded with "to me, locs are a symbol of strength and beauty, almost like a lion's mane." 

My Personal Batman

The only person I consider as batman is my Father. Batman represents Justice, Sacrifice, and Morality. Batman is known for being a superhero. Those characters traits are common with my father.  The reason I chose my father because hes there when you need him. Hes the guardian of the family just like how Batman is the guardian for Gotham City. When theres a situation, my father would do everything to solve the situation and not let it get out of hard. For example, When my brother and I got into an argument and almost got into a fist fight however my dad notice the situation. He talked some sense to us saying, " This is argument is not worth it, you guys are fighting over a game that doesn't matter in life. You guys are brothers you're suppose to watch each others back and show love. Not fight over a dumb game." This is where the morality comes in, that hes knows whats right or wrong for us not fighting. In addition to this, My father even tends to help out others, like volunteering in the kitchen to feed the homeless because he feels that he should help the community grow. Just like how batman fights crime in Gotham city to make the community is safe.

Akon the GOAT

Aliaume Damala Badara Akon Thiam, more commonly known by just Akon, is a singer/rapper who started his career in 2003 and became famous after releasing his song “Locked Up” in 2004. I feel like Akon epitomizes Batman but not in a very similar ways since he doesn't have all the abilities that Batman has. However, I see him as a real life form of Batman since he has helped thousands of people with his project “Akon Lighting Africa”. This project was made by Akon to help the people in Africa by letting them have access to electricity. Akon and his project have already provided electricity to 15 countries in Africa. Even though Akon wasn't born in Africa and doesn't share and connections to it, he did this to give the people from Africa an equal chance to live a life like the others in other countries. This is a Batman quality because he tries to help others while not gaining anything from it, just like Batman fighting crime and not gaining anything from it for himself and putting himself in harm's way. I also believe that Akon is a Batman but in the real world because he funded the program with his money and not many people who have money want to spend it on things that they don't benefit from. Akon didn't directly benefit from it but he was seen as a good person to a lot of people. Similarly, Batman uses his fortune to build suits and cars and other things in order for him to continue his fight. Batman is also seen as a hero to Gotham by most of the people just​ as Akon is seen as a hero to the people he has helped in Africa.

Elon Musk

      With in our world Elon Musk embodies the traits of Bruce Wayne. Elon does this through the immense wealth he posses allowing him to invest and found many companies such as SpaceX and Tesla motors another way he emulates batman is the their mutual desire to improve lives of humanity. While Elon Musk has SpaceX and Tesla Motors, Bruce Wayne has Wayne Tech which is the company that is responsible for the creation of many gadgets and tech that Batman uses such as the Batmobile and the Bat suit that he uses to fight Superman. Elon is also involved in the creation of many technological advancements such as the hyper tube that is meant to make traveling easier through a series of low pressure tubes and the creation of the Falcon 9 rocket by his company Space X. Musk's companies have become well established in the world of AI(they are currently working on an AI system that is able to learn and make conscious decisions), physics, and robotics to name a few like wise Wayne Tech greatly plays a big role in Gotham through the creation of cheap public transportation and played major role in the effort to re stabilize and improve Gotham as a whole through investments such as funding Arkham Asylum and orphanages across the city so the youth don't turn to crime. Through both of these hero's efforts they try to improve their world around them through their resources and under the name of companies or under a mask.

My Personal Batman

The person I would consider as "Batman" in my life is a Freshman at Downey High School. Her name is Jocelyn and she was one of my friends at my old school. She had not been in contact since I moved to Bellflower, but she has left an impression on me. She was the quiet one out of a group consisting of six friends, including myself. It was rare for her to speak at all, in fact, but I didn't realize how she held the group together until after I moved. She listened whenever one of us had something to get off our chests, and she was always there when we needed her. Not to mention that, due to how silent she was, she seemed to suddenly appear beside us, often scaring us.
            Unlike the fiction character Batman, she did not have some sort of dark side that was trying to take control of her, nor did she give into it by faking her death. In fact, she was really sweet. But the reason why I chose Jocelyn as my Batman is not because of how quiet she was or how she seemed to appear out of nowhere at the right moment. I chose Jocelyn because she always had good intentions. If any one of the people in our group of friends came to her with a problem, she tried to help them. Whether it worked out or not, she was there to help, and she was there to support the person indefinitely. I may not speak to her now, but she is still my Batman.

My sister actually wanted me to put her as my Batman, but she said that the reason why was "because [she] said" so... Also, sorry for how short this is...

My Batman

My Batman would be my grandfather not because what does just for me but for the whole community. My grandfather is 83 years old and was born and raised in Brooklyn,New York. After the Korean war he moved to Los Angeles in 1954. Since then he has built a construction company, electrician business and owns a large stake of land all without a high school graduation. He's my batman because he has given me great advice about the world and he continues to be vocal with his opinion. My grandfather has set money aside for me for college for when the time comes. He also helped build community gardens throughout South La.

Malcom X, a Martyr

In many ways, Malcom X epitomizes Batman. One little, but important characteristic that describes the two is that they are both orphans. This characteristic is important because becoming orphans led to their strong desire to fight for a cause. For example, Batman fought against the crime that killed his parents and Malcom X on the other hand fought for black nationalism which was the cause that his father died for.  Both had a strong reason and belief for fighting. They both would die for their cause and they often times went through some extremes to fight for their cause. For instance, Batman severely injured people, broke the law and put a 13 year old in danger in order to prevent crime and fight the bad existing in Gotham.  Malcom X did the same thing but instaed fought for Black Nationalism. His means were not the most kind and were sometimes violent. For both Batman and Malcom X, it is difficult to get fristrated with these two similar people because they are both doing what they think is best in their minds to fight for their causes.  Also similar to the two is the effect of the media. They both didn't let it bother them or stop them. Batman was constantly ridiculed by the media as they said he was a bad influence and caused more crime. However, he continued to fight for his cause not caring who tried to stop him. He was focused on his goal like Malcom X, who received many death threats as his acts of Black Nationalism became more popular.  Both are an inspiration to the world and show that you should always fight for a cause that you believe in even if it does require slightly extreme means.

Beyonce...Batyonce...Queen Bat.

     Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter. Like Batman, not only is she super rich, but she contributes to broken cities and makes an effort to stand up for whats right.
     In 2016, Beyonce co-hosted a Tidal charity concert to support the Robin Hood Foundation. I also found it interesting that both Robin Hood and Batman are vigilante. Beyonce has a deep love for her hometown of Houston, Texas. In 2005 and 2007Queen Bey founded the Survivor Foundation and the Knowles-Temenos Place Apartments in response to Hurricane Katrina. It can house 43 men or women who would be homeless, and provides meals, job readiness trainings, and HIV/AID screenings. Over the past couples years she has donated 7 million dollars to the housing. Similar to Batman, she wants whats best for her city and assists in making it a better and healthier place.
     Beyonce has a powerful voice, but not only when singing. After her release of hit album "Lemonade", controversy sparked. Her album invoked empowerment of black women, divulged the discrimination of black people, and the dangers of racial profiling and police brutality. The National Sheriff's Association believed that she was promoting violence and inciting bad behavior, her response was simply, "I am against police brutality and injustice." In her "Formation" music video, the words "stop killing us" was written in graffiti.
     Although she physically can't defeat opposition like Batman, she does what she can and gets the message through. Batman and Beyonce are completely against injustice, and when they speak up, the media often twists it. However despite the hate, discouragement, and animosity, they continue to wax strong in what they believe and salvage their homes.

El Chapo

     Notorious for being a drug lord, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman more than qualifies as a batman. Wanted by the American and Mexican government, it is rumored that he gives to the poor in his homeland Mexico after his businesses. Much like Batman, the man doesn't have much morals and his businesses causes much damage to the civilians. In this business, people die without a cause, much like Gotham. Batman and El Chapo are both extremely rich, enough to do whatever they please.

     These two show much ambition. Batman tries to save Gotham and El Chapo to make money. The media shows different views on each of their efforts. People debate all the time whether Batman is a good or a bad person in his attempt to save Gotham. Likewise, people debate whether El Chapo is a hero or a danger to Mexico. Most people, in fact, look up to him just like people look up to Batman. This is impressive considering that he is currently in jail.

     El Chapo and Batman both remain in hiding as they are both wanted by the police. This is important because even though they aren't especially bad people, they are viewed as criminals by people with authority. As many people in Gotham, like Commisioner Gordon who doesn't want Batman put away, many people in Mexico want El Chapo to be free as well. Their Robin Hood like personalities allow for them to be recognized as heroes.

Bat-maaaan

A person in my life that I would consider as Batman would be my grandma. I consider her Batman because she constantly does things for everyone and comes to their need every time they ask for help. Though her kindness and selflessness can be why I chose her for Batman, is not why I chose her. It is more for the choices and decisions he is put through, throughout this book that resembles my grandma's character. My grandma is a kind woman, but often times helps people too much. Just as Batman is persistent in his field of fighting crime; my grandma is persistent in helping others out. To me it feels as if she had to do it or the world will "turn to chaos" if she lets people learn things for themselves. So instead of doing some things and letting others figure out stuff on their own, she does it all. This weight that she carries for many resembles to me the weight that Batman carries for Gotham City. Another reason why I'd consider my grandma Batman is that her personality resembles his. She doesn't really talk about everything that is on her mind and often battles most of her internal struggles on her on. She sometimes talks to my aunt about what is on , but other than that she is very conservative. I am not saying that it is bad that she deals with her own problems, I just notice that she doesn't let out most; even in tough situations. This could resemble how Batman doesn't talk about how he feels when he transitions to Batman or how he talks about his emotions when he experienced something traumatic day from day. Overall my grandma is amazing, but her emotional features resemble Batman with the exception of her not being able to love. ( this was trash sorry )

My Batman

The person that I consider to be Batman in my eyes is my cousin.  Batman is seen mostly as a superhero, helping out people and being selfless to help out the ones around them.  My cousin is always there when I need her.  Even when I feel like a situation is out of my hands, she's there to talk some sense into me and help out my situation.  Whenever a situation comes to her, she quickly knows how to react and solve it in the best way possible that wouldn't affect her or any of the family in a terrible way.  Sure, she likes to do things her way and not need any help, like Batman himself, but I help her out along the way, like a second opinion, so she knows that her decisions are a correct manner.  Another way, she cares about the safety of her family and very protective of me because I am one of the younger ones in the family, so she doesn't want me to make the same mistakes she did when she was my age.  She's there for advice, since she went through the things I'm going through right now, I know that I can go up to her and ask for help.  She also has this moral, which is a little action goes a long way.  She believes that any good thing you do, whether is helping out at home, helping out our grandparents or even the neighbors, can actually make a difference.  She's always helping out our grandma, whenever she comes every summer, around the house to make the days easier for her to enjoy.  So, even though her attitude isn't exactly like Batman, their characteristics are similarly alike in my perspective.

My Personal Batman

For my batman I do not see it as one person, and more like a group of people. The whistleblowers or people who expose corruption in our modern day. They can expose the government, the media or corrupt organizations. They are ones who see the wrong and are not afraid to call them out and stand up for the disenfranchised. The people they fight against have more power and more influence, yet they are not scared of sometimes dangerous consequences. Similar to Batman though their actions can influence people to take justice in their own hands and cause violence which deters their cause. In our book the media uses the Sons of Batman and The Mutant Gang to blame Batman for their wrong doings. This happens to this day with causes that have good intentions but a few outliers that make the whole group look bad for their actions. Batman and the whistleblowers of our generation are  who secretly represents the people even when they do not know they need him, or think he is the enemy. These people like Batman do not have the support of anyone but themselves, which shows their strength and determination to do what is right even when there will not be a positive outcome.

The Man of the People

Rodrigo Duterte, is the current serving president of the Republic of the Philippines. A man adorned by his people, which is what brought him into office, yet ridden with controversies. These controversies stems from Duterte's ordering of extrajudicial killing of people who uses or sells drug. However is his policies is not without good reasons. When he first questioned ethics for the killings, he simply point out to the increase of drug related crime and death from 1.8 in 2015 to 2.5 in 2016. His justification have since left a staggering 6,000 death after he took office in 2015. Duterte's crackdown on drugs and Batman's crusade of justice are comparable in that the line of morality gets blurred in the hopes of achieve peace. One example that are alike is the fact that they are willing to bend the law which guarantees that everybody are equal to get justice. However, one trait that Duterte and Batman differs is their upbringings and personalty traits. Batman was born into a rich family, which is why he has all the cools toys, and possesses a conservative personalty. He often keeps to himself whereas Duerte came from a poor family where rose through the political rank through his charismatic personality. Its these differences in characters that shows us anybody can seek justice and the actions that we take can blur line of morality. Which leads people to question your morals as a whole

My Personal Batman

   I personally consider my dad to be my Batman, he's always there to make sure the people he cares about is safe.  Like Bruce Wayne/Batman my dad tends to be somewhat closed off but he's not always which is what makes them different. Also, like Batman, when a situation goes down the wrong way he takes initiative to control it. My dad will pretty much do anything to keep his family safe like Batman with keeping others safe. He is really considerate and passionate who cares for the lives of others, and one time he almost got in an accident trying to help this kid who fell in the middle of the crosswalk and sprained his ankle. The light turned green and he almost got hit a by a car while trying to help the young boy. Overall I would consider my dad to be Batman because he cares for the lives other people.

My Personal Batman

I spent some time thinking up a person who even somewhat resembled Batman. Turns out it was right in front of me all along. I would personally consider my uncle to be my Batman, in so many facets that one could say he may actually be Batman. One, which is just a funny resemhlance, is his initially offputting attitude. Much like Bruce/Batman, he is almost emotionless, until you become close enough to him to be able to get to know him. Also, like Batman, he's constantly out and about saving lives as a firefighter. He risks his life everyday to save others without much worry for his own self being, which I find particularly admirable.
I'm sure by now you're absolutely positive that my uncle is Batman. Sadly, that is simply untrue. However, he is a passionate, considerate man who values the lives of others. His dedication and sense of compassion and need to protect those he loves and even the lives of total strangers is what makes him my Batman.

Edward Snowden / Batman?

     Edward Snowden is an example of a person in the real world that is Batman-like. Both Snowden and Bateman make the decisions they do for the good of the people. Similarly, these actions they take are presented under a negative light through the media. Edward Snowden, if you didn't know, was a former CIA agent that released confidential government information to the public via wiki leaks on the internet. This act can be seen as treason by the government or it can be seen as a gift to the public. No matter what, there are two arguable sides when talking about Edward Snowden and Batman. The two also illustrate the duality in human beings, a subject we have touched on a lot when discussing the graphic novel, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller.
     Bruce Wayne struggles with Batman's morals much like Snowden struggles with his decision because of the position he was in. On one hand, CIA agent Snowden believes that the rules should be followed and that released any type of government information is wrong; on the other hand, Edward Snowden knows that the people being governed should know the decisions their governments are making. Snowden is also similar to Batman because his power was supressed by the government through media.
     Batman is constantly shamed for being a bad influence on children throughout the graphic novel. This slander results in more people not believing that the actions Batman take are valid and for the good of the people. Edward Snowden is a parallel to this because after he leaked the governments information he was put on news channels that accussed him of treason. Bateman and Edward Snowden are alike because they do things for the good of the people but get put down by the media.

My Batman

     For me, the person that is like a Batman figure to me the most would be my uncle. Batman is a hero, known for being the person that will always fight for justice, whether or not those methods can be seen as appropriate. I feel like my uncle resembles Batman because he himself knows the difference between right and wrong, and will not hesitate to do something about it. Even though sometimes it may cause conflict, he is always straight to the point and will speak the plain truth to everyone's face. My uncle is very courageous and selfless, he dedicates himself to his family and made sure that his family members can live comfortably as best as they can. I respect him because he seems to stand out from the ridiculous drama that is my father's extended family. Though he is not without mistakes, for he himself had made decisions in life that could've ruin his and his family's lives. Even so, he took his problems head on and sorted it out himself. He is not the type to run away from his problems, and knows of the consequences of the action he takes. That is why I see my uncle as the real-life counterpart of Batman.

batman

     A person relevant to my life that I feel resembles Batman in the graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns is my uncle. He resembles Batman in the sense that they are both selfless and they try to make sure that people are safe and healthy. My uncle hardly ever does anything for himself; instead, he tries to help others as much as he can. For example, every weekend he helps my grandparents deliver food to the senior citizens home and he even stops along the freeway to deliver food to homeless people that live there. I feel like my uncle epitomizes Batman because they both think about the well being of others before they think of their own. My uncle is also like Batman because they both sort of hide their personal information and are closed off from a lot of people. Bruce Wayne uses Batman to hide his actual identity, and he also does not dkisplay any close personal friendships with any other character, after the death of the previous Robin, in the novel. My uncle is a generally introverted and reserved person who does not share his close secrets or feelings with anyone; however both Batman and my uncle maintain generic and superficial relationships with many people. All in all, they both are concerned with the security and well being of others, and they give efforts to take care of others, but they do all of this without getting very personally attatched to other people

My Batman

In my opinion, my batman would be my dad. The reason for me saying that he is batman, is because my dad has had a troublesome childhood (not that much really). As Bruce Wayne did, my dad sustained injuries. However, unlike Bruce Wayne, my dad has brothers. The reasons why I see my dad as a Batman figure, is because he helps the people that are less fortunate. Furthermore, I see my dad as a Batman figure because he helps the injured. One time in Cancun, Mexico, I fell on a sharp rock and cut my chest, my dad was the first one to my rescue. Another time my dad acted as a batman figure was when he bought food for a homeless man, as Bruce Wayne would have done. My dad may not be as rich as batman, but my dad is rich at heart, he always looks for new was to do things more efficiently. One way my dad is better than batman is the fact that my dad still has his first robin (me). Some of my dads characteristics are nobility, compassion, multitasker, respect, thoughtfulness, and love. In my opinion, my dad is a very good batman.

My Bahtmuhn

To me, my personal batman would be my big sister, Ate Jonah Lucero. Out of all my 4 siblings, I love my big sister the most. When I was being belittled by others, especially by my dad, she would be the first to speak out against him and save me. She would help me in times of need and help me with my projects when I was too young to do them myself. This awesome Batwoman taught me many things as well. As a child, she influenced me a lot, just as how Batman influenced the youth. If my big sister did something, I would copy her. This is probably why I like most things my big sister does. For example we have a profound taste for Italian food and sushi. She sacrificed many things for me, her money, her time, and her pride. My father used to reprimand her for defending against me, yet even though she was humiliated by him, she still took care of me. Occasionally, she would step out of line and go too far with my parents or anyone who made fun of me, but even though her "lines of morality" get blurred, I still love her for the common purpose of helping me.

These things she does for me is the reason I call her my Bat(wo)man.
Like Batman, she represented sacrifice, loss of morality, influence on the youth, and defense. Still now, even though I'm so old, she still takes care of me and my timid attitude. Even though she's so old (not 60 like Batman) she still makes an effort to keep me protected and happy.

Batwoman of the Years, ATE JONAH!!!!!

Logic aka the Rapman

In 2009, Psychological Logic, now known as Logic, launched his first mix-tape titled " Psychological Logic: The Mixtape" where one of the singles on that mix tape is called 'Rapman'. In the song, Logic gives himself a character call the Rapman (Batman) and he is fighting crime (proving that he is better than other rappers) against villains (rappers that think they are better than him). The song is like a direct physical connection to Batman through multiple references such as the rapcave and the rapmobile.

But Logic also even acts as the Hip Hop Batman. Logic saw all the bad stuff that was happening in the world that everybody experienced, and new a hashtag doesn't end problems but words from the soul can, so Logic made an album titled Everybody (which is currently ranked number 1 on Billboard 200) which talks about many worldwide problems that he/ rappers don't normally talk about. This to me connects with Batman on how he came out of retirement to try to stop crime due to him finally realizing how Gotham is currently manifested with crime.And also realizing that they have the power to change people's lives completely based on what they do. Even though Logic and batman didn't want to do what they did, the did what had to be done for the greater good of all. Greater good for Everybody. Also, both Logic and Batman felt very lonely and driven out as a child due to things happening in their life.

Everyone can be batman

       I do not have a certain person that I particularly can say I see them as Batman. Through my point of view I feel that everyone can be batman at times without even knowing ourselves.  Through many conflicts or problems we face daily, we tend to obtain these certain qualities that a super hero in any comic book or movies has due to their super power. In this case, Batman does not really have any super power , but natural strength that he trained/prepared himself for so I feel that we all can be Batman with out superpowers. Batman had qualities such as responsibility, strength, intelligence, passion etc..., but point is that we possess some of these qualities right now for example one quality would be strength.  Not everyone has to have super strength to be like batman, but strength could apply as in mentally because all of us have to be strong when situations are pretty bad, we learn how to deal with a situation and through that situation our mentality will expand to be able to comprehend various points and our thinking will evolve more thoroughly.  Other qualities, for instance, responsibility, passion, and intelligence are usually acquired everyday from turning in assignments on time, competing in a sport with all your energy to win, to achieving high standards that you thought you wouldn't achieve because you put yourself down or thought you couldn't do it. So I feel like everyone can be batman, their own batman practically.

Chance the Batman

Chancelor Bennett, commonly known as Chance the Rapper, is a famous hip hop artist who was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. I believe that Chance is a representation of Batman because of what he does for his town. Similar to Gotham, Chicago is a busy city littered with unjust crime. Although Chance is not capable of doing all the things Batman does, like physically attack criminals, he does fight crime figuratively. President Donald Trump tweeted that if Chicago did not lower their crime/murder rate he would threaten to send the "feds." Chance retaliated stating that he is tired of seeing cities like Chicago the last of priorities and expressed that Trump sounded like he was announcing war with his threat. He started the #SAVECHICAGO program and reached out to all the organizations in the city and stopped the increase in murders for a short amount of time. Despite the crime rates, Chance believes Chicago is a place of booming industry and a busy downtown. Like Batman, Chance has hope for the city and especially in its younger generation. In the Batman comic, Batman is seen as admiring Robin and explains that she has decades ahead of her young life and is one of the reasons he does what he does. More recently Chance the Rapper donated 1 million dollars to Chicago's public schools and explained that he will continue to support Chicago's most valuable resource: its children. The last comparison with Batman and Chance is the question of their morals. We see Batman being at the center of the media, questioning if he is actually saving the people of Gotham or just putting them into more danger. In some of Chance's most popular songs, he raps about sex and drugs which can be seen as a bad influence to his younger audience. However none of these discouragements stop Batman and Chance from protecting the city they love.

[KC]: Who is our Batman?

Hi all!

We tend to feel invested in fictional characters because of qualities they hold that are universal and can be found in real world people. For this blog, I want you to write about a person who you feel epitomizes BATMAN. Why would you consider this person a "Batman-like" figure? What actions do they take? What characteristics do they display? This can be someone you know personally or a famous figure in our world. For the sake of conversation, I would like you to try to keep this particular comparison to a currently living person.

As always, you probably cannot provide a good explanation with anything less than 200-250 words.
Also, make sure you comment on two other people's posts with a response of more than a couple of sentences. Engage in a conversation. Share your thoughts. Talk to each other through writing.

DEADLINE: One post and two comments are due by Wednesday, May 17th at 5pm.

A place where you can wander

A place where the wind talks with the trees

A  place where the river flows

A place where song dances from branch to branch

Where light pierces the skies above

Then the winds change

The luscious green turns to scarlet red and burning yellow

The songs begin to lose their notes

The beaten path begins to fade

For now the winds change

They do not talk with the trees for they howl

For their companions have ran their course

The rivers do not flow free but sit idly

For they pray for the warm rays

As the colors rot into a sickly white

Some turn to slumber

While others do wander

[KC]: TKAM Vocabulary

In case you need the words for this unit, here they are! Help each other out with paragraph numbers for list #2 in the comment section. If you all can't find them, then write your own sentence :]

[KC]: Dolphus Raymond Poems

Hi young poets! Here are the instructions for the Dolphus Raymond poems. Get a jump on them tonight and come ready to work on them tomorrow. Bring resources: your novel, some paper, some colors, etc! 

Second Quarter SSR Reflection

For the second quarter  I read a memoir titled A Work In Progress written by social media personality Connor Franta who has over 5 million subscribers on YouTube. Obviously since the book is a memoir the only "characters" are his friends and family. What I found really interesting about this book and admirable was his journey through expecting himself when it came to terms with his sexuality and his body image. Not only does the book give you a insight look into his childhood, aspirations, future, and current life but the reader can also take a few life lessons from the book.

Prodigy

My favorite character that I enjoy reading about is June Iparis from the book Prodigy which is from the Legend series. June's character in the book can't be summed up in one paragraph rather in multiples. June's character in the story is rather complex and dynamic. She was born into an elite militaristic family of and she is praised for her being the only one in history to get a perfect score on her trail (a required test that will determine each person role in society). June's intelligence does not go unnoticed as the books showed that she works well under pressure and have the tendency to not see things for not how they appear but rather question everything. It is June's skills that aided her as she fights an internal conflicts between loyalty to the very country that praised her or finding out the truth about her government's secret that put her in danger. I connect to June to a degree in that I'm very quick on my feet about to think of a solution for a problem but that is where the similarity ends as I am not as smart as her. One example that proves it is when June uses the vibration on the ground the figure out how far the object that is making that vibration is from you.

SSR

A character in the book Perfect by Ellen Hopkins I'd like to focus on is named Andre. Andre is an African-American character who wants to pursue in his dream of ballet-styled dancing, but can't express the dream because of his parents. His parents don't know because they will resent his idea and prevent him at all costs to not to go to a dancing academy after high school. ( They think is unreasonable and a waste of time ) Andre's parents are very structured and punctual adults. They believe he should go into business school because it is a good paying job and it is categorized in the town as very business-like and intellectual. Unlike his parents, Andre took more aspiration from his grandfather who used his curiosity to create an invention that set his family in a wealthy standpoint. Reasons why Andre ( he's not gay btw ) is one of the most inspiring characters, is that he continue to follow his dream despite the pressure he goes through in and out of school. This characters determination and confidence influences me in life, because that's what i lack within my own self. Also what was very unique about this character than out of all the other main characters was that he became a positive influence to the people that were in his life. He overall was a very optimistic person who spreads a lot of positive vibes to the people he met in the book. This positivity helps certain characters grows and learn through their mistakes with his advice.

Elemental by Antony John

For my second quarter book, I was being drawn to a character whose misfortune kept getting in his way of connecting to other people and himself, in a spiritual sense. The character I feel sorry for is a boy named Thomas; he is the main character as a matter of fact. The book Elemental is or should I say has the same type of characteristics or traits as Avatar the Last Air Bender, plus extra. People can control water, earth, fire, and air; however, with the control of those elements, they can also feel temperature changes, swells, storms, and many other things. The sad part is, Thomas and his brother don't have any powers too two parents that have powers. In the beginning of the novel he begins to be a savage and roast people on how they didn't detect a storm and how they aren't pulling their own weight. The funny part is, during the emergency evacuation, he is under a tree with his brother watching everyone work to protect their houses. I can't really say if he is a dynamic character however, he does make lots of progress in his love life. This makes the story more interesting because in my opinion, he gets closer to his inner element and his inner spirit. I would recommend this book to people that are spiritual, and for people that love fiction. Personally, I love this book because of the way that the story presents it.

This Boy's Life

For my 2nd Quarter SSR, one of the books I read was This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff

In the beginning of the story that explains their new life, Toby and Rosemary, his mother, leaves Florida and her abusive husband to get rich on uranium in Utah. When they get there, Toby promises to change and even adopt a new name, but Rosemary tells him that in return he take catechism classes and take Jonathan as his new baptismal name. He meets new friends and they’re accompanied by Rosemary’s ex-boyfriend Roy. After Roy finally leaves, they move to Seattle and there, Toby, now Jack meets new friends while his mother meets many romantic interests. As children, they are violent and commit minor transgressions, such as vandalism, and they all together with the children’s mothers move into a big house. This Journey taking about half of the memoir, Rosemary began her adventure with Dwight; however, Jack isn’t very accepting. Jack moves to Chinook with him and Dwight forces him to do many jobs and take his money. Although he meets up once again with Rosemary in Seattle, Dwight makes sure to pester them over and over again in fear of Jack spilling the beans. Dwight makes sure to give Jack many things in order to keep him quiet, and Jack became silence. From then on, the story builds into a fight Jack has, and the many decisions he has to make between his happiness and his mother's happiness; however, is this Dwight really good for his family?

I enjoyed reading this book because I was very pessimistic as a child. During this heart-wrenching story did I feel the utmost sorrow for how his life played out to be. Reading this book consolidated me but not for the reason of relating to it, but for the reason of opening up my eyes to how grateful I should be about my life. My only problem with the book was that reading this confused me at some points because of everything going on in the book. Many things were happening and sometimes I would forget what just happened previously and it’s connection to the next paragraph. I don’t blame Wolff for this packing of information, since it’s about 25-30 years of life written in 288 pages.

2nd quarter SSR Reflection

               One of the books I read this quarter was Unhinged by A.G. Howard, and is the second book in the Splintered trilogy. This book was a dark and very interesting take on Lewis Carolls Alice In Wonderland, which is my favorite fairytale. Alyssa Gardner happens to be really clumsy, overthinks things way too much, and is very stubborn. Compared to the beginning of her story Alyssa was very shy and so closed off that she would refuse to socialize would people and would always wonder what would happen if she had a world of her world, and not really caring about her surroundings. After realizing she is the true heir to Wonderland she must reclaim the throne by defeating the Red Queen, and bring peace and prosperity back to her people, while choosing between her two friends Jeb and Morpheus to be her king. When Alyssa was told that she's the rightful ruler of Wonderland, the news changed for good. She began to be more open with her subjects and not afraid to fight for her people, this helped continue the story by showing her to change her ways and to be a better person. While reading this book I began to notice the similar characteristics between the characters and my friends which made reading this novel even more fun. My favorite part in this book are two chapters where one focuses on Jeb, while the other focuses on Morpheus and Alyssa's point of view on them when she has to decide who will be her king. Overall I really enjoyed this book and really recommend reading it, especially if you'd like to see a different version of a fairytale you heard as a child.

Second Quarter SSR

Lincoln’s Last Days by Bill O’Reilly

For the second quarter of the school year, I read Lincoln’s Last Days by Bill O’Reilly. If I was given a choice between a nonfiction book and a fiction book, I would probably pick the fiction one because I prefer reading fiction. However, this book is a nonfiction book but it really got me hooked. By reading the title, Lincoln’s Last Days you would think that it would center around Lincoln but it actually focuses on his killer, John Wilkes Booth. As I was reading, the fact that Lincoln wasn't supposed to be killed caught my attention because as we all know he was killed. Lincoln was only supposed to be kidnapped but Booth went too far and ended up killing Lincoln and becoming the most wanted at the time. The main character which is John Wilkes Booth is a static character because throughout the whole book he is cold hearted and doesn't regret his actions against the president. This shows the type of person Booth is since he changed his mind dramatically from a kidnap to an assassination. I don't think I connect to Booth in any ways, mainly because i'm not a killer, more specifically a president killer. The only interaction we see between Lincoln and Booth is when Lincoln is killed by booth while he was watching a play. This book goes into a lot of detail from the events leading up to Lincoln's assassination and further on when Booth is being hunted for the killing of Lincoln.

2nd Quarter SSR

The character I chose for my SSR reflection was Katniss from The Hunger Games. I chose this character because the book gives her the most spotlight which highlights her key traits in context. Katniss is a very brave young girl that loves her family very much and she will do anything to protect them. I would sat that Katniss is a static character through out the books. But her love for her family plays a role in the books as Katniss volunteers for the Hunger games since her sister was selected. This act shows bravery and courage in her which was a reason why she is my favorite character in the series. Katniss does not really change through out the books but she never looses her courage and bravery.
No matter what gets in Kaniss's way, she has the courage to overcome all the challenges and obstacles. Katniss does not do these challenges for her own sake but for her families sake and condition. She hunts and trades in the market to keep her family alive due to the death of her father. She puts herself in a situation in where she has a greater chance of being selected into the Hunger games in return for food for her family.

2nd Quarter SSR

2nd Quarter SSR

For my second quarter I read The Elite by  Kierra Cass. This novel is the second book in the series called The Selection. The book takes place in a royal palace where a prince is trying to find his true love. It's basically like the bachelor, but cheesier. The protagonist is probably the most important character that builds up in the novel. This character, America, is very artistic. Especially in the musical side. America is also very feisty. Throughout the novel she goes through multiple obstacles. She deals with patience, jealousy, and decision making. Before she went into "The Bachelor", she had a person she loved. She didn't want to be part of the selection, but he leaves her so she can move on and have an actual chance with the prince. She later finds out that he has become a guard for the prince. Later on in the novel she begins cheating on the prince with Aspen Leger (aka her ex). She knows it's not right to cheat ,but she still has feelings towards Aspen. The thing I relate to her is jealousy. Obviously people are gonna get jealous at other people who have what they want. When you don't get what you want as much you question if you deserve it or will you ever get it. America has the same thinking. I have doubt like her, but I do not agree with cheating.

Wonder

          My second quarter book I read was Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio.  This novel revolves around August, a young child who throughout the years has had a very hard time. August has a sister who he loves dearly and so does she.  He suffers from a certain medical diease that affected him terribly since he was born.  August was born with a facial deformity  and well every year it's been surgery after surgery to help him be a bit normal like others.  August was homeschooled, until the age of ten, he chooses to go to school.  This novel is so heartwarming , but I did like how Palacio included everyone elses part of the story, not just focusing on the main character from his point of view.  Well of course August was my favorite character, he is a child and it is easy to relate to him in some situations, but other situations not really.  I feel lik August is a dynamic character because as he faces new things that are hard for him to deal with in the end he always sees that each problem has a better outcome.  August seems to change personality and perspective after every obstacle thrown at him.  I feel like his trouble for making friends is relatable to everyone, but his condition may be hard to relate to. August affects many people's lives either good or bad throughout the novel and its is hard for them, but they try to keep strong and support August in any situation.

Second Quarter SSR Blog

          One of the books I read this quarter was Yesterday I Dreamed I Could and Now I Can. The book was a collection of thoughts from Facundo Cabral, a Argentine philosopher who was assassinated in Guatemala. It was purely in Spanish (I translated all the quotes) and reflected on some of the morals that Latin American people should keep in mind as they live. That being said, it's hard to talk about a favorite character because there wasn't one. Instead, I think it would better to discuss the the person that would come out the collection of thoughts. This person surrounds him/herself with their pleasures in a way that wouldn't cause anybody any harm. One of the biggest ideas is that there shouldn't be any countries because your nationality is only an abstraction - an excuse to get into wars. I agree because I think that we should treat each other equally regardless of nationality; our nationality doesn't need to be something that helps us take pride in our persona. My favorite trait of this person is their ability to listen. In the book there is a great quote that pretty much sums up the reason why: "The person who listens is the wisest because they are the only ones capable of rejecting and accepting. The first step to being wise is listening to yourself." It encompasses the reason why some people fail to take notice in their mistakes and don't progress. Listening is important because we can't simply reject what from what we know or what we think we know. You must take everything into consideration before making a decision.
          My other book that I started towards the end of the Quarter is Chinese Cinderella. I haven't completely finished it yet, but I've read enough to know that my favorite character is the main character and author of the book. Adeline Yen Mah writes about the tough and crude experiences she went through when she was growing up in China during World War II. Mah portrays herself as a very dynamic character because she's growing up and learning about the world much like Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird. She was often taken advantage of because she is the second-to-last born daughter. Her stepmother mistreats her, and this allows her humbleness to shine as she can't do anything or else she gets beaten unfairly. Mah grows over the novel because she learns that sometimes life is never fair, it's pretty much the plot of the story so it definitely helps it. I can easily connect because I don't like to complain about the ways that life is unfair, I'd rather make the best of the situation.

"Diplomacy is merely an elegant way of lying." 😊

2nd Quarter SSR

The Great Gatsby was the book I chose for my second quarter SSR book.  I definitely do not regret choosing this book because now its one of my favorites. Overall the plot and story line was really intriguing and it was really engaging for me which was because the characters, more specifically Nick Carraway. Nick is honest, patient, and trustworthy. The whole story is told through Nick's perspective which helps this novel because Nick learns things other characters. This makes it easy for the reader to keep up because you find things out through his perspective. Nick is a dynamic character because we see him undergo a change from the beginning and end of the novel. This definitely helps because its easier to stay engaged and interested. As the novel progresses everything starts to become clear and you get to learn more about Nick and how he fits into the midst of everything. I think I can connect to Nick because were both good at keeping secrets and laying low when drama happens. Nick is really patient and is a good friend even when he's sort of a skeptic.  One of my favorite interactions in the book is when Gatsby (Jay) and Nick are in his backyard during one of his parties and there having a deep conversation which ends up with Nick saying, "You can't repeat the past." And Gatsby's response is,"Why of course you can." I love this part in the novel because it shows how Gatsby is trying so hard to believe that its possible to relive the past even though its a new circumstance, he's still fantasizing about his future with Daisy.

2nd Quarter SSR Post

This quarter I read The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson.  It was a book about not expecting the unexpected.  It is told from the point of view of Andie, who has her whole life planned out for her, everything to the last detail while being the daughter of a powerful Congressman.  However, a scandal that her father was wrongfully accused of creates a ripple in her life plan, causing everything to unravel into the unexpected.  Instead of going away from her hometown on an internship, she copes with trying to figure out how to have the best summer before her senior year.  But throughout the book, she learns the if everything is planned out to the last detail, you can never find the unexpected.  Just living in the moment can bring out the great surprises that you'll remember and cherish forever.
My favorite character of the book would have to be Andie, the narrator of the story.  I really liked how she tried to make the best of her summer with the whole scandal of her dad's political image hanging in the balance.  Even though, at the beginning of the story, she was seen as a rebellious teenager, sneaking out to parties and having 3 week boyfriends, my first impression was one of those rich girl personalities from the movies.  But more into the story, her character develops even deeper, away from the impression of a rich girl and more into a caring and considerate person.  She develops closer relationships with her friends, her new boyfriend and especially her dad because their connection was rough with him being away.  Seeing all that made me feel like she was actually a real person, as if I've known her my whole life.  I feel like I can relate to a character more if I feel like she's a real being with real feelings and real thoughts, so it made me connect with her more.  I really recommend this book, its really enjoyable and with little bits of humor in it, too.

Quarter 2 Ssr

The book I chose to read during the 2nd quarter was the Star Wars trilogy. The story follows the adventures of Luke Skywalker ,C3PO and R2D2. I read the first book because I found it the most interesting. Luke is out hunting for scrap and parts on the side while trying to help his Uncle's farm. When one day he is out working when he hears strange beep and whistles and robotic talking. Luke goes on to investigate and this is where he finally  meets R2D2 and CP3O. CP3O explains that they crash landed and need to hide. Luke who thinks about if he could turn them into good farming tools agrees. While investigating further on R2D2, R2D2 relays a holographic  message from princess Leia explaining how she needs Obi Wan Kenobi's help. The story almost reiterates every piece of the movie series. If you are a Star Wars fan I highly suggest picking this up.

2nd Quarter SSR Review

       The book I chose to read was The Piano Teacher by Y.K. Lee. This novel falls under an interesting genre in that it's a romantic historical fiction novel. This novel is also unique because it follows two primary characters, Claire and Will. The novel starts off following Claire, an English woman who recently moved to Hong Kong with her husband. She grew up rather sheltered by her protective mother, so she's initially wary of the citizens of Hong Kong. However, a friend of hers introduces her to the Chens, who are looking for a piano teacher for their daughter, Locket. She accepts the offer and quickly acclimates to her new profession. a few months later, she meets Will Truesdale, the Chens' personal driver. she quickly becomes infatuated with him and begins an affair. The story then turns to Will's point of view. His story takes place during the early 1940s, early into WWII. Like Claire, he's an Englishman who's rather slow to adapt to Hong Kong; however, he has a guide in the form of Trudy Liang, a Eurasian socialite who takes an immediate liking to Will. Thus begins their odd relationship. Sadly, it doesn't last as the Japanese occupy Hong Kong with brute force, and they're driven apart. The story then alternates between Claire and Will, slowly intertwining the gaps between them and revealing the years prior to their affair.

       This novel is truly a favorite of mine: It's not necessarily the characters that intrigue me, since they're all flawed in their own ways, but rather the way the story is told by Lee. She fluidly tells both sides of the story, even with the ten year gap between them, perfectly combining them into a mysterious, daring novel that kept me occupied continuously.

SSR

Over the second and third quarter I read The novel Everyday by David Levithan, and I really liked it very much. The story is about neither a boy or girl A lives inside a random person's body every single day.A never gets to have a family, friends or even its own bed .A moves through peoples lives without making any big changes so the person doesn't think anything was off the next day. Things change one day when A is in the body of  Justin and A falls in love with Justin's girlfriend, Rhiannon. Throughout the story A goes out of his way in other peoples bodies to find her and meet her all over again. Eventually he tells Rhiannon and they try to make their complicated relationship work. I really enjoyed this book because it comes from a perspective with no real gender,age,and appearance who has to live in the bodies of different races, sexes, and ages. A even though doesn't have a true identity is very honest and easy to relate to which builds characterization without having any background info.Later on in the novel it reveals the difficulties Rhiannon has with being with somebody who she'll never really know. This book is amazing and I recommend it but you have to come with an open mind and be prepared for a little bit of heartbreak.

2nd quarter SSR

The second quarter SSR book I chose was "A long way gone" by  Ishmael Beah. I highly recommend this book because its base on a true story. My favorite character is Ishmael the main protagonist. Ishmael wrote down his experience of the civil war in Sierra Leone and tells us what hes been through. The reason why hes my favorite because he's determine, fearless, and brave. Before the war he was normal kid enjoying life. He lost his family during an invasion of the rebels in his village. The ones that survival was Ishmael, his brother, and couple of friends. Throughout the book they wander around different villages to search for shelter and food to survive. They did horrible acts like stealing food from kids. After a while Ishmael becomes a soldier for the army. The army brainwashes him to get revenge and to execute the rebels for slaughtering his parents. As I keep reading the book Ishmael was rescued by UNICEF. They put him in rehabilitation center, where he struggles to understand his past and to imagine his future. As he finds love from the nurses hes forgives himself and opens up with the people. He was invited to New York City with other kids in the war. When hes there he managed to tell his story to the United Nation which created the book "A long way gone".

Second quarter SSR

The novel I chose for my second quarter SSR book is called, Dorothy must die, by Danielle Paige. This novel is about a girl named Amy Gumm who lives a very impoverished life and is just itching to leave her old Podunk town of dusty acres. This story is about the world of Oz turned upside down, The bad guys are now good guys and the one so innocent Dorothy Gale is now the evil dictator sucking the life and magic out of Oz with the help of her henchmen, The tin man, the cowardly lion and the scarecrow. After Amy is sucked into to this world it is up to her and the witches to restore Oz back to it's glory. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fiction and a dark twist on stories.

Everyone knows the ending ‘There’s no place like home” and in this case for Dorothy there

really is no place like home. After she leaves back to Kansas, Dorothy is no longer contempt with her

life there so Glinda the good witch decides to bring her back. Back in Oz she is made queen and

given powers, but she starts to go power hungry. Oz is a magical place, The life of Oz and lives in Oz

depend on magic. Dorothy begins to steal the magic with the aid of her three henchmen. Meanwhile

the once bad witches are now good and begin to rally against Dorothy with the help of Amy. The fate

of Oz is in a teenage girl’s hands, that’s a lot of pressure man….but regardless she works endlessly

with the team of witches and a young sorcerer named, nox (her boo thang ;)) in an effort to save the

once so magical and festive place destroyed with greed.

Second Quarter SSR

One of the books I read during the second quarter was the Scorch Trials by James Dashner. The Scorch Trials is a sequel to the Maze Runner and is about Thomas and his team of Gladers post-escaping the maze. However, WICKED, the organization that stuck the boys in the maze are still not done with them and force them to cross the Scorch. One of my favorite characters in the Scorch Trials was Newt. Newt was named after Sir Isaac Newton which is fitting because Newt is smart and is always thinking before he acts. Newt is tall, muscular, blond, and has an accent. In the Maze Runner, Newt was in command but in the Scorch Trials he gets that privilege taken away and is named "the glue." Newt can be seen as static, but in the best way possible. This helps the storyline because if Newt were to be constantly changing I would believe that the Gladers would self-destruct. Newt is essential to the Gladers because he is "the glue." Whenever there is a quarrel between the boys, Newt will be the first one to split them up; he is a peacemaker. Newt cares for every boy in the group. I think he is like this because Newt tried to commit suicide before and he knows what it is like to have those types of feelings of loneliness and depression.When Thomas didn't know some of the boys' names, Newt knew and even got to know them closely. Newt also will be the one to stop and think about what they are going to do, instead of just jumping in blindly. Although he is not the leader anymore, you can tell that the boys still have lots of respect for him because he is sometimes leading silently. I think I connected with Newt because he is that one person that will never leave anyone behind. When someone perished while crossing the Scorch, Newt would be the person mourning the most. Newt's relationship with Minho is very interesting. Everyone knows Newt would have been the leader yet Minho gets assigned it. Even thought Newt is jealous, he helps Minho out to be a great leader.

The Disaster Artist, Read It

     My second quarter SSR book was The Disaster Artist, which unlike most other student's SSR books, is a totally true story about the making of a movie, so the person I'm talking about isn't a character, it's a person.  My favorite person from this book was Tommy Wiseau.  Tommy is a very deep and complex individual with character flaws, complex motives for his actions, and a dream to accomplish.  Throughout the course of the novel he constantly shifted, he always had reasons for doing what he did, even if they were terrible things, he always had a reason for doing it.  In addition, even after he just did something terrible, because of his reasons for doing it, you always end up just feeling sorry for him.  He develops really well over the course of the novel, progressing not only as a character, but as a human being.  His motives become clear, and his reasons for doing things gain substance and reason.  There's a really powerful scene that takes place between Tommy, and the author of the book, Greg Sestero.  It initially comes off as incredibly malicious, making Tommy look crazy and manipulative, but as the story progresses we see why Tommy acts the way he does, and like I said earlier, you end up feeling sad for Tommy.  He has a very deep and tragic backstory that is revealed throughout the course of the novel, revealing why his dream is what it is.  My favorite thing about Tommy is just how human he really is.  He has a reason for why he does what he does, and why he acts so strange.  Because he's a real person, it adds so much to his character, and knowing that what happened in the story all really happened amazed me.  The Disaster Artist is one of, if not the best book I have ever read.  The story enthralled me, and a non-recreational reader, I just couldn't stop reading.  I don't usually grow attached to characters, but by the end of the book, I was actually crying at what was happening.  I really could not recommend this book more, if you are going to read it, definitely watch The Room before you read it; it really adds power and meaning to everything you read.  To conclude, go read The Disaster Artist if you're in to deep, complex characters, and compelling nonfiction stories.

2nd quarter ssr

My favorite character from one of my SSR books would be Ryuugamine Mikado from the Durarara!! series. As I read the books throughout the quarter, I start to see how his character developed. One thing I love about this series is that there is no such thing as a side character. Every character is essential to the story in their own way, and Mikado just happens to be the first one introduced to the readers. I connect with him greatly because like me, he yearns to escape out of an ordinary life, and in doing so he moved to the city of Ikebukuro. He's quite timid and shy, but gets determined when his friends are in danger. He also has a dark side to him, borne from his yearning to evolve out of the ordinary. He's a part of a trio of friends and one of the leader of the main gangs of the city, the Dollars. While some can see him as a boring character, as the story progresses we see him become something akin to a ravenous monster. While he does has his flaws as a character, that's what made me connect to him the most. I can't say anymore as I'll spoil the important parts of the series, but I'll shall say this, Ryuugamine Mikado is a very interesting character to read about, along with Orihara Izaya.

2nd Quarter SSR

During the 2nd Quarter, I read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher which is about a girl who created thirteen tapes explaining the reasons why she committed suicide.  Though this book was dark and very deep, I really enjoyed it and encourage you all to read it as well because it has a very good message behind it.  My favorite character throughout this book is Clay Jensen.  He is a good student who studied over the weekends rather than going to parties and always called his mom to let her know where he was.  He is very insightful when it comes to people's feelings.  For example, he knows when people need someone to talk to and when someone just needs some space.  He is nice to everyone, talked to people, and helped them out and people found no reason to be mean to him.  Everything is perfect for him, but he learns the shocking truth about many things around him as he listens to the tapes from Hannah Baker, the girl who committed suicide.  The world is good to him and good fortune is on his side, so he never really noticed the bad things that happened to other people.  Through the tapes, Hannah opens Jay's eyes to the reality around him and changes Clay into someone who is more observant and more truly caring towards others.  In this way, Clay is considered a dynamic character because he learns about the reality of things and gains a true understanding pain.  This change in his character helps the story.  Hannah had shown signs of suicidal thoughts, but people ignored them and no one is there to help her.  Clay realized that as he listened to the tapes and makes a promise then to always help someone who is being ignored or crying for help.  Clay's middle school crush, Skye Miller, pops up here and there in the book and whenever she is mentioned, she shows signs of suicidal thoughts such as isolation and sudden change in appearance.  In the beginning of the book Clay notices these things, but he doesn't do anything about it.  However, in the end of the book we see him call her name when he sees her in the hall.  We can assume that he helped her out did his best to prevent Skye from committing suicide, so he wouldn't feel the same guilt he felt when he found out Hannah Baker had died.  Clay is my favorite character because of the change he made in his attitude towards things.  He didn't just pout or deny the things that Hannah Baker had said in the tapes.  He took the constructive criticism and made changes within himself, so the same mistakes would never happen again.

2nd quarter ssr

     This quarter, I read the novel, The Hunger Games. This book is about sacrifice and strength as well as how people deal with extreme survival of the fittest situations. In this book, an interesting character was Katniss. Katniss is the protagonist of the story. She volunteers to replace her sister Prim as tribute for District 12 in the Hunger Games. She is a very strong and stubborn person who will do anything for her family and the people that she loves. She is extremely introverted and can be a little fiesty sometimes. Katniss is very clever and is able to think quickly and logically in urgent situations. Most of the people in her life only see the tough side of her, but the few people she is close with in her life are extremely fortunate to see the gentle and compassionate side. She also experiences trust issues and likes to do things by herself or with one or two of her close friends or family members
     I feel like this character connects to me because I am an introverted person who only opens up to a few people that are close to me in my life just as she does in the novel. I am also a quiet person who experiences trust issues with many things and often wants to do things individually or with one or two people as well. I also feel connected because I know a few people who are like her and I notice that most of the people in their lives never get to see the softer side of them like I do. I am also in connection with her because I come off as a very serious person sometimes, but I also have a happier side as well, but it just doesn't show as often as it should..
Katniss' introversion is a good addition to the book because you get to know what she's thinking as the reader but you can also see what types of things Katniss doesn't convey to other characters in the book. I think that the introversion helps us see her character development. It allows us to see how she begins to open up to more people and begins to become more confident as the novel goes on. We as readers get to see how she discovers herself over time through the story. This character interacted in a unique way with her friend and hunting partner Gale because their relationship was sort of three dimensional. They seemed like they were brother and sister, boyfriend and girlfriend, and just best friends who enjoyed hunting, which was what they actually were. Katniss was always with Gale before the games, and they often fantasized about fleeing their country and starting a new life away from poverty and adversity.

This semester I am reading a novel called "The Best of Me" by Nicholas Sparks. So far, i really like this book and I recommend it if you like romantic novels. It is about a boy named Dawson Cole and a girl named Amanda Collier who were high school sweethearts but got torn apart. Fortunately, 25 years later, they find each other. My favorite character from the book so far is Dawson because he is such a selfless and caring guy who would give up anything to make someone he loved happy. I am really excited to read the rest of the book and see what else happens.

Pat Peoples Pioneer of His Own Reality

     For my Second Quarter book I began to favor Pat from Silver Linings Playbook by Mathew Quick, but at the beginning of the book I found him so bloody annoying because his whole motivation to get better after he was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, charged with assault against the history teacher that his wife was cheating on him with, and was put in a mental institution for 4 years was to get back with his cheating wife after he got out of the mental hospital.Pat Peoples is a person who is lost in his own sense of reality, but he doesn't realize it until it is shoved in his faith. He doesn't realize the amount time that went by and he starts his journey into what really happened after he meets Tiffany. Tiffany became the person who Pat is able empathize with because she is equally screwed up due to her husbands death and depression. They gave each other outlets to express themselves in a nonjudgmental environment and provided friendship for each other. This allowed for Tiffany to stop participating in provocative behavior and Pat to begin to live his own life. Tiffany in her own weird way tries to express her feelings towards Pat by forcing him to realize that his wife is never coming back and he begins to live his own life. Pat's development as a character lead him to become a more likeable person that you can sort of related to because we are all lost in this place we call reality.

[KC]: SSR Quarter 2 Reflection

Hi kids,

Here's your Quarter 2 SSR assignment (I know, I know, we're a little late here):

Step 1: Create a new POST in which you reflect on your favorite character from one of the SSR books that you read during the 2nd Quarter.
 - Feel free to use these questions to help guide you, but don't feel tied to simply answering them: What type of traits did this character have? Was the character dynamic or static? Did that hurt or help the story? How was the development of this character across the novel? Why did you connect with this character? Were there any cool interactions between this character and any of the others?

Step 2: Once other classmates have posted their reviews, COMMENT on two other reviews. (Be sure to read the comments on your review as well and engage in conversations as necessary.)

DUE: Friday, February 24th.

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