Looking for Alaska (Entry 4)

When searching through the list of books to choose from, I was looking for the one that I could most relate to. When I'm reading a book that I can relate to it makes it more enjoyable for me and easier to read, and I also discover themes more. After looking through all the options, I decided that Looking for Alaska would be the best choice for me. I'm the same age as them, I'm going through the same things as them, and I mostly think the same way they do. So when they make a decision in the book, I can relate and understand why they made that decision. I also chose this book because it seemed to have action, mystery, and humor thrown in. On top of that, I have heard from many people that John Green is a good writer, and they were right. I was not disappointed with the book at all. I could relate to Pudge a lot throughout the book, especially when it came to him and Alaska. This made me pay really close attention to the book, and instead of wanting to put it down. I wanted to keep reading. I would recommend this book to any teenager. Even though we are all different, we still have the same thoughts and can relate to each other. I feel this is a book most teenagers can relate to. In fact, my sister recommended this book to me because she felt I could relate to it, just as she had. If you're looking for a  good book that has action, humor, and a twist, this is the one.

Looking for Alaska (Entry 3)

   Thanksgiving had just passed and classes were starting up again as Alaska mentioned to Pudge her idea of a new prank. Pudge asked to know what the prank was but she said she had to discuss it more with the Colonel. This annoyed Pudge because instead of going home for Thanksgiving, he stayed so Alaska would not be alone, but it seems that she still enjoys the comfort of the Colonel. The Colonel wouldn't tell Pudge a word about the prank, except that it was to be called Barn Night, and that when he packed, he should pack for two days. The next three days were torture for Pudge, as the Colonel and Alaska were always together and he was never invited. So to pass the time, Pudge finished his religion paper that he had been procrastinating on for so long.

   It was finally Friday, the start of the prank. After Pudge's successful precalc exam, he packed preparing for two days and then headed off to get Takumi. The Colonel, Pudge, and Takumi all walked up to the Eagle's house together getting ready to lie straight to his face. "I'm taking Miles and Takumi home for the weekend to New hope," the Colonel told him. The Eagle gave them an unsure look and then said that he was going to call his mom just to make sure. Takumi & Pudge's eyes both bulged from their heads as sweat treaded down their face, while the Colonel didn't flinch. "Chip and Miles and Takumi will be at your house this weekend?... Yes, ma'am....Ha!...Okay. Bye now." The Colonel's mom had saved them from what could've been a disaster.

   The three of them walked off to the barn with full smiles on their face. Alaska was already there and ready when they showed up, while Lara would be an hour late. Everybody was sitting on sleeping bags and enjoying the warmth of the barn, when the Colonel pulled out a single piece of paper and read from it. "The point of this evening's festivities is to prove once and for all that we are to pranking what the Weekday Warriors are to sucking. But we'll also have the opportunity to make life unpleasant for the Eagle, which is always a welcome pleasure. And so," he said, pausing as if for a drumroll," we fight tonight a battle of three fronts..." I will not go on to tell you what happens during the prank and what exactly they do, as that is for you to find out. All I will say is that the prank involves firecrackers, the school's computer network, and no room for error. The reason I chose to tell you this section is because it is one of the biggest things that happen in the book, and the prank has a big affect. Also it is one of the most enjoyable parts to read because it contains the most action and also humor. I guarantee if you read this book, this section will be one of your favorites.

Looking for Alaska (Entry 2)

The characters in the book have started to come out and display who they are and what they want as I’ve read more and more. Pudge is not as quiet and shy as he used to be and has actually made quite a few friends while still maintaining good grades. The Colonel has convinced Pudge to try smoking and it doesn’t take him long to get hooked. On top of that, Alaska got him to try his first drink of alcohol, which he wasn’t very fond of. He still has not made much progress on getting what he wants: Alaska. Every time he gets close to kissing her she says,” You’re adorable, but I love my boyfriend.” She has been loyal to her boyfriend throughout the whole book so far, but her personality tells me that won’t stay for long. Besides Alaska, Pudge wants to keep getting good grades while having fun with his friends. The Colonel & Alaska both seem to desire the same things. They care about having fun with their friends and pulling the best pranks they can. It seems that getting an education isn’t the first thing on their priority list. The Eagle wants all the kids to follow the rules and do their best to excel in school. He wants them to have fun too, just as long as they don’t cross any lines.

 One theme that’s beginning to appear in the story is Self Discovery. I’ve mostly seen this theme in Pudge so far. When he first came to Culver Creek he was shy, lonely and unsocial. But because of The Colonel & Alaska, Pudge has begun to discover his true self. Another theme that has appeared is Independence. A lot of new independence is given to Pudge, which helps support the other theme because it helps him to discover who he is and what he really enjoys doing. He’s started off fresh, away from his family & old school. I predict that Death will be another theme to appear in this book because Alaska and Pudge talk a lot about her mom’s death and they both think about what will happen when they die. Also, Pudge studies a lot of people’s last words, and I feel like that will be involved with something later in the book. 

After reading quite a bit of this book I’ve noticed that it’s structured in a creative way. Instead of chapters, the book is in a countdown. For example, the book starts off saying,” one hundred thirty-six days before.” And as you keep reading, the days slowly decrease. I think it’s very creative because this structure helps events form in the story and it also foreshadows that something is going to happen when the countdown reaches zero. While looking around and reading things about this book on the web I came across a video by John Green, the author of Looking for Alaska. In this video he talks about the Printz award and also how he wrote the book. Here is the link to the video:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0pz5g5FP0g

Looking for Alaska (Entry 1)

The book I chose to read for this summer is “Looking for Alaska”. I’ve heard from a lot of people that this was a good book so I decided to join in on the action. The three major characters in this story are Miles Halter, Chip Martin, and Alaska Young. Miles is the main character, who decides to join a boarding school. He’s very quiet, but is easy to talk to and goes along with the flow. Nowadays, he would be known as unsocial and even geeky as he stands a good 6 feet tall and scrawny as a twig. His favorite hobby is memorizing famous people’s last words, and he’s really good at it. Chip is Miles roommate, and most people call him “The Colonel”. Miles is referred to as “Pudge” throughout most of the story so far. Chip is a short, stocky, somewhat nerdy man who has been going to this boarding school for a while. He’s known for causing trouble and doing what he thinks is fair. Alaska Young is a beautiful and rebellious girl whom Pudge falls in love with. When she was little her mother had a seizure right in front of her, but she was so freaked out she didn’t think of calling 911, so her mom died. Her father blamed it on her even though she was just a little kid. There are some other characters that pop up a lot in the story too so far, such as Lara & Takumi. They are friends with Chip, Alaska and Pudge but don’t impact the story too much. The last character that plays an important role in the story is The Eagle. He is the dean of the boarding school, watching over everyone with a close eye. The boarding school where all of this takes place is called Culver Creek Preparatory School, which is located in Birmingham, Alabama. A conflict that keeps popping up in so far in the book is Pudge has to decide whether he wants to go out with his friends and do pranks or stay out of trouble and not get expelled. And so far he has chosen to go out and live his life with his friends. I predict that he will continue to keep joining them, and that soon something will happen and he will regret it. I also predict that something will happen between him and The Eagle because there was a part at the beginning of the book that almost seemed to foreshadow. One question I have is: How does Alaska feel about Pudge? It’s obvious to see his feelings towards her but I’m curious about her feelings towards him. A connection I have is this book reminds me of all the movies where the beautiful girl is dating a guy and the main character of the movie likes the girl and does everything he can to get her, but I’m not sure if that’s how this book will go. 

Erutride

After everything that has happened, Tris wants to get away. All she can think about right now is the family she left behind. Once you choose a new faction, you're not supposed to think about your family. You are not allowed to go back to your old faction, so if you do not want to stay in your new faction, you become factionless. This is basically the same thing as a homeless person in our world. Tris knows its not good to think about her family, but she can't help herself. She decides she needs to take a trip. Instead of going back to her old faction to see her mom and dad, she hops on the train headed for Erutride. This is where her brother chose to be. Once she gets there, its obvious to see she's from Dauntless. Tris is the only one with tattoos, and seems to be the only one who expresses herself through clothes. Most of the people probably know she's from Dauntless but they don't say anything. After getting there, she heads to the main building. Once in, she argues with the person at the front desk about finding her brother. Before things get serious, her brother Caleb appears right behind her. They go to the park to talk and catch up, but it doesn't go too well. Tris finds out Caleb and her have very different views now. Tris decides to leave, but before she can take ten steps, two men in suits take her back to the main building. There, she is faced with the head official of the faction Erutride.

     When Tris said that she was going to visit Caleb, I already knew she had made a big mistake. First off, they are in two completely different factions who have opposite beliefs. Second, she could start to miss him and her family again. But surprisingly, she doesn't seem to miss him at all. She actually seems to be annoyed with him. I predict this won't be the last time they see each other. I feel something will happen between all of the factions, and Caleb will be on one side, and Tris on the other. I know something is going to happen because Caleb hinted at it during their short conversation. He believed it has something to do with the head official of Erutride. This makes me very curious because Tris is taken to her, meaning she must have something to do with it. I believe it has something to do with Tris's dad because the head official seems to be against him. Right now, I am very curious and anxious on what's about to happen. I am definitely going to read the next book.

Tension

     The bonds between the kids trying to become Dauntless are beginning to weaken. Everyone is starting to be more independent, watching their own backs. Though, some groups have formed that are destin for trouble. Tris decided to stay away from those groups, knowing they cause trouble and push the limits of the Dauntless leaders. Will's group does not like Tris, and she knows it. They have picked on her before but have finally crossed the line. One night while Tris was sleeping, Will and his group decided it was time for her to go. They kidnapped her, and took her to the edge where the river lied below. Falling down into the gushing water would lead to instant death. People have fallen and some have attempted suicide by jumping off, none have lived. Will and his two friends blind folder her, and threw her over the edge, leaving her holding onto the railing. Will began to take her fingers off the railing one by one. Tris would be dead in seconds. But out of nowhere comes Four, saving Tris from her death. Four let her sleep in his house, knowing she wouldn't dare to go back to her room with everyone else. The next day, Tris saw Will and his two friends. It looked as if they were lucky to be alive. Four made sure they would regret their decision.


      Tensions between the members trying to become Dauntless has really increased my curiosity. Tris does not seem like a girl that would go and try to get revenge, rather I think she'll let Four take care of them. Also, I feel like the relationship between Tris and Four has grown, and is starting to pass just being friends. If they do end up becoming more than friends, this can really affect the story. And if the other members find out, I believe real trouble will occur, and it will change everything. One more person I am looking at is Al. Tris and him used to have a thing, but Tris has moved on and has even been harsh to Al about it. Every night, Al cries in his bed, leaving all the other members awake. Not to mention, he is last in every stage so far. The odds of him becoming Dauntless seems very slim, especially with his depressed atittude. I do not think it will end good for him. There are no cuts for stage 2, but I predict something will happen to him and he will not make it to stage 3. The only reason I'm predicting this is because the author keeps hinting that something is going to happen to him, and I can only see it being bad.

Stage Two

The second stage has finally come to Tris and her other opponents. It is said that no one can prepare for the second stage, and that is very true. For this stage, each person is hooked up to the same machine that determined what faction is suited best for them. But this time, they will be injected with a substance that will soon provide a hallucination (basically a simulation). In this simulation, they will be in a situation that involves their fears. Everything they encounter will try to haunt and scare them. In one of Tris's, she is drowning in a tank. Each person takes 4 of these tests over next week. They are ranked by the amount of time it takes them to calm down in the simulation, which allows them to come back to the real world. After all of the simulations are over, the ranks are put up and Tris is first.

     The reason Tris is first is because she is Divergent. This allows her to change the simulations and escape them quicker than everyone else. I believe this will benefit her in the long run, but also hurt her. If you are Divergent and they find you, you are immediately killed. It doesn't tell you why but I predict that the Divergents are capable of doing something dangerous, such as overthrowing the government. Right now, I think that Tris will find other Divergent people and they will work together to figure out why being Divergent is so dangerous. Also, I believe the government will discover them and they must fight them in order to survive. She can't just be Divergent and then have nothing happen because of it. There has to be something big about being Divergent, and I'm very curious to find out what it is.

Krista Ramsey: Coach Stands by Charged Kid

     A young kid in high school is forced to go to court after trying to rob a market with halloween masks and a fake gun. Though his basketball coach, Jesse Cheatham stood by his side as knew that the kid could be a real role model if he was pushed to do the right things, and he understood that he had to show the kid he was needed, and not unwanted.
   
       The line I like best in this column is where Krista says," But maybe what they need most of all is to realize they're needed." This line speaks out to me the most because it really helps me understand why this kid's coach is standing by his side. He knows that the kid has two sides, a very good one and a not so good one. But he knows that if the kid is looked out for, he will be a role model in his society and change the way people look at him. But in order to do this, you have to let him know that he's important to you and that he's needed. I believe this line changes how the reader views the story and the choice the coach made on standing by his athlete's side.

     After reading three of Krista Ramsey's columns, I feel she has a very unique writing style. She can write about a sad or serious story and make the reader feel very emotional, and she can also write a happy or funny column that makes the reader smile or laugh. Either way, she is very good at engaging her readers and convincing them about what she believes. Though, she also has a writing style that lets the reader come up with their own strong opinion about the column. As I said before, she can make her columns range from very serious to extremely uplifting. In her column about kids and technology she says," The kid who used to walk home from school looking at houses and trees now rides home staring at a screen not much bigger than his hand." This quote makes me feel very sad because it is very true, and I can relate to it. In her column about Peyton Manning and Russel Wilson she says," Probably half the population sees this as a problem and the other half, a blessing." This line allows me to form my own opinion, which is that I feel people should dress up more when they're supposed to, but I also believe people should be able to express themselves in anyway they want. And finally, in the column I chose, she says," But maybe what they need most of all is to realize they're needed." This line shows why the coach is standing up for his player and it makes me change my view on the whole situation.

     Three questions I have:

1. How long have you been doing this for?

2. What would you say your writing style is?

3. Overall, what is your favorite thing about your job?


     Link:
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/krista-ramsey/2014/03/29/krista-ramsey-desales-market-robbery/7071067/

Initiation

After making it through their first day in the Dauntless faction, they soon learn it will not be as easy as it looks. There are 24 people who chose Dauntless, but only 10 will get in. To get in, they must go through initiation, which involves fighting, teamwork objectives, and other challenges like knife throwing. They will each be individually ranked on their performance through initiation, and the top 10 are in. As the days go along, it is easy to tell that Tris is having a hard time. She is losing her fights and having trouble finding her inner strength, but that soon fades away. The first team objective they have is a paintball war. They are split up into two teams, and each team gets to pick their location, which is within a radius of a mile or two. Tris and her group decide to put their flag by the Ferris Wheel. For the first hour nothing happens, and they are starting to get impatient. Though, Tris comes up with a strategy that proves she has potential. She climbs the ladder of the old ferris wheel until she reaches the very top. From there, she can see everything, including the other team's location. She tells her team and develops and plan. Within 10 minutes, her team has won. She proved to everyone that she is a valuable player.


      As the initiation goes on, I feel Tris will continue to find more inner strength and use it to rise the top. After the paintball game, she begins to have confidence, and even beats one of the top girls while fighting. I have two theories about what will happen after  initiation. My first is that Tris will rise to the top, pass initiation, and become a very important person in the Dauntless faction. My second theory is that she will not make it through initiation. This means she will become faction less, unable to do anything. Though, I think she will find more faction less people like her, but not just regular people. I think she will find more "Divergent" people while wandering, and they will learn how dangerous it is to be Divergent. I am very excited to read on into this book.

The Decision

It's finally time for Beatrice to decide what faction she will choose. During the ceremony, a child will be called up and given a knife, and with that knife they must cut themselves and spill the blood into the bowl of the faction they choose. When Beatrice walks up, she hesitates, and then out of nowhere chooses Dauntless. Everyone in the crowd is shocked. After reading this part I immediatly became shocked as well. The Dauntless is the most feared group. They are the strongest and protect the society from the outside. Most people in the Dauntless faction have tattoos, piercings, and short/black hair, though it's up to them how they look. Dauntless is personally the faction I dislike most. They are not my style and I don't feel I would fit in.

I was very curious on how Beatrice would adapt to her new faction. She did not seem like someone who would fight the outside and have piercings and tattoos. Though, she has seemed to adapted quite well. She has started wearing her own clothes that she likes, makes relationships with other kids who have chosen Dauntless, changed her name to Tris, and even got a tattoo of three birds that represent each member of her family. In one week, her family is allowed to visit her. Though, I do not think the visit will happen. I feel her parents do not want anything to do with her after she chose to be in a different faction. Even though Tris seems to be doing pretty good right now, I feel that soon things will become hard and she must dig deep inside her to fight those hard things.  

Beginning of Divergent

     The book I chose to read for my independent reading book is Divergent. The main character in this story is Beatrice Prior. She is a very thin, pale, blond-haired girl, that looks very young, though she is sixteen. Just from reading the first few chapters, I learned that Beatrice is a very curious girl. She is always questioning things and always thinks about things more than other people do. As the story goes on, I predict she will play a big role in her society, even if she is seen as a bad person. The story is in a future society that is isolated from the outside world. They have people guarding the walls at all times. After reading, I made a connection with the book, The Hunger Games. Both of these books have a very controlled society and they are both isolated from anything outside. I'm glad that this book reminds me of The Hunger Games it was one of my favorite books.

     When a person turns sixteen in Beatrice's society, they take a test that chooses what faction they go into. This will ultimately determine the rest of their life; their job, salary, location, etc. It starts out with Beatrice at school, getting ready to take her test. When they call her name, she walks into a mirror room, where she is hooked up to a machine and given a liquid. She then is in another world, put in simulations where she must make a decision, and these decisions determine her life. After the test, the person with her explains how she is different. She made choices that no other person has made, making her not fit for just one faction. This type of person is known as "Divergent". They are seen as very dangerous. I predict that she will soon meet other "Divergents"and they will try to accomplish something that will change their society. I also feel that they will be seen a bad, rather than good. I am very excited to read on in this book.

Character Sketch: Clarisse

After reading the first part of the book "Fahrenheit 451", I learned that Clarisse played a big role and affected many characters because of her personality. At the very start of the book, Clarisse was very social to Montag and asked him questions about being a fireman. Just from the little conversations they had, I found that Clarisse was a very curious and adventurous girl. To the left is a picture of a girl that I think Clarisse would look like, but I think she might look a little older than the girl in the picture. She did not fit in with everyone else, and she was called "antisocial" and "crazy".  If I were a citizen in their society, I would probably agree with everyone else that she was a little crazy and thinks about things too much. Though, from my personal view, I don't feel that Clarisse was very strange at all. She was curious, adventurous, very social, and just wanted to learn about anything and everything. Does that sound crazy to you? I'm curious about things and I'm also adventurous, yet people don't call me crazy or anything of that nature. I feel that Clarisse fits in more with my society than the one in the book.

     After analyzing the first part, I came to the conclusion that her most important quote was a question she asked Montag at the very beginning of the book. As she was entering her house, she asked him, “Are you happy?" Before Montag could think of an answer, she already had vanished from his sight. I feel that this is her most important quote because it affects Montag's life and even changes the way he thinks about things as the story progresses. Because of that question, Montag begins to question if he is happy or not. He comes to the conclusion that he is not happy. He even thinks about quitting his job. I believe this one simple question ultimately changed his life. Adding on to Montag and being a fireman, Clarisse knew right away that is what he was. She tells him that she is not afraid of him or anyone of the firemen, and looks at them as regular men. Their conversation has made me feel that Clarisse seems to not favor the firemen and question why they burn books. She even brings up the "myth" about firemen putting out fires. When she brought that up, it really made me think about her and her family. I feel that her family is hiding a secret, or they know something no one else knows. I think this because a lot of things she knows about, including the myth, is what our society is like today. Though, I don't get to learn much more about Clarisse because she dies in a car crash by the end of the first part. I hope her family is still involved during the second part so I can see if my theory about her family is correct or not.