Summer reading post #4

   I chose this book because personally I thought it would be interesting to feel the emotions and hear the thoughts of someone who has to leave their whole life behind and move across the world. Really the over all book was about a young girls journey through life and her thoughts decisions and choices throughout her journey to America. I chose this book by doing the one thing your taught not to do since you've been little. Judge a book by its cover, when I looked at the cover of this book I saw a young Chinese girl who looked sad, depressed, confused, worried and most of all looked like she was hiding all emotions behind one simple emotion on her face. After I saw the picture on the front I read the first couple of pages and was  immediately pulled in and interested in this book. I actually have some what of a connection to this book because my neighbors lived in japan all their lives and then had to come here it was hard for the two younger children because they didn't speak any English and they were faced with many struggles like adapting to our culture, language and different life style. They were like the characters in my book they were forced with struggles changes and many hard life changing decisions. I would recommend this book to more of a person that has a life story like this book. I would recommend it to someone who has had change in their life like this family did, I would also recommend it to an older person who has lived in one spot their whole life and saw it change from when they were kids to now. Like my parents, aunts, uncles and  grandparents. Overall I think this was a really good book, it showed great diction, syntax and a lot of imagery, I liked this book because it showed me her journey and how anything is possible to overcome you just have to have a positive outlook on everything, and stay open minded.

Summer reading post #3

The part in my book that really grabbed my attention and I couldn't stop reading was when they started talking about Mi gook and what everyone thought about it.  It talks about Apa (one of the characters) says that in Mi gook anyone can make money. Even if they went to a non important school or an important school. Uhmma another character in the book says that everyone in Mi gook looks pretty, like China dolls. She says that they all live in big pretty houses, much bigger than the biggest in their village, the rich fisher man. Ju mi another character in the book tells the main character in the book that she would like to live in Mi Gook. One of the direct queotes was "Then one day Apa gets a letter that makes him hug uhmma so tight her eyes cry. Now every time Apa says Mi gook, he smiles so big I think maybe he is a doggy like Mi Shi. When we are eating our dinner, Apa and Uhmma can only talk about Mi Gook. No more mean eyes over the rice bowl, my stomach keeps the rice inside like a good stomach is suppose to do. I hope they will talk about Mi Gook forever and ever." This whole passage just  makes me kind of happy because they actually enjoy thinking and talking about America. It also makes me happy to think that moving to Mi Gook will change their lives forever in the better. This whole section of the book really just makes you think that their lives now are really bad because they think America is going ot be this amazing place when really everyone who lives in America for their whole life knows that parts of America aren't good at all.

Macy's second summer reading Post

                        Some themes that are beginning to appear in my book, A step from Heaven are that you can not let people control your life and let what ever they say just go. You have to put a little of your voice into your life not just everyone else. Apa young's father has decided to change the family's life for the better in America. Young Ju really struggles with this decision that her father made because it is hard and very complex to learn a new language when our not that old. The whole idea and thought of moving puts a lot of stress and choices on her parents because, they are trying to make a better life for their children and try to make them the best that they can be. Young ju's father, Apa results to drinking... a lot. He has a ton of stress from moving to somewhere that they don't even speak the language of. But he wants his kids to have a better life. Young's brother soon after results to drinking for an outlet as well. He follows his fathers bad choices and follows down the wrong path. All young really wants is freedom.  She wants happiness and the freedom to stand up to her father and say what she wants. All her mother really wants is happiness for her children and for them to have a good life with the right choices. Uhmma thinks it's impossible to give them happiness since she took them away from their old life and moved them to the other side of the world. Halmonia wants happiness, freedom and good lives for her grandchildren. Although they are far away from her and she is alone she knows its best for Young Ju and Park Joon Ho.

Macy's Summer Reading

          The Michael L. Prinz award winning book i chose to read, was A Step From Heaven by An Na. The book is about a young Chinese girl named Young Ju, she lives in Korea but soon has to move to a new place. The new place Mi Gook means America, Young Ju faces many struggles and decisions when moving to Mi Gook. She knows little English and has to leave all her friends behind. The most important and hardest decision she was faced with was leaving her Halmoni behind, her grandmother. Her Halmoni lives by herself  because Young Ju's Grandfather or Harabugi passed away. Young Ju is worried she will be lonely all by herself and she does not want to leave her.

     The main characters in this book are Young Ju, the young girl that moved and is faced with many challenges, struggles and hard life changing choices. Young Ju's mother Uhmma, the baby she was pregnant with in the beginning Park Joon Ho,and lastly Young Ju's father Apa.
     The setting takes place mostly in Mi Gook or America. That's where Young's life really starts and her better life is created. Towards the beginning it talks and is more in the mind set of them living in china but throughout the book it goes more into the main setting America.
      Some inferences I have is that Young Ju isnt really happy living in America and she liked her old life in china better.I think that once Young Ju gets old enough she will abandon her life in America, her better life to go and be with her grandmother in China.  A self to Self connection is that we had neighbors rent the house across from us for 2 or 3 years that originally lived in china and had to move back with in the two to three year time frame because of the dads job. The littlest girl who I believe was about 6 or 7 when they moved here struggled quite a bit with out having any friends and barley knowing how to speak the language. I understand how tough it any be for Young Ju to adapt to the life in America, and how she could enjoy being back home with her friends in china.

Starting The Fault in our stars

For a while now  have been wanting to read The Fault In Our Stars. I have heard many great things about it and how its an over all great book. One of the main reasons I have wanted to read it is that the movie is coming out and I wanted to read the book before the movie. I'm planning to see the movie which means I have to read the book first  by June 6th is when I think it comes out. If you haven't seen the trailer for The fault in our starts I recommend watching it then starting the book.
 One reason why I was unsure as to if I should start this book or not is because its  a very sad emotionally book. I like books that keep me wanting to read them but sad books stick with me for a long time and I cant really deal with them that often. Despite the sadness of the book I have heard nothing but good reviews and positive feedback. I really think i'm going to start it soon.

Finished the Last song

I just finished The Last Song and i loved it. I finsihed the book and relized that Ronnie did change throughtout the story, a lot she went from being selfish quiet and in a way a bad girl to friendly opened and actually caring about people and the world. I think Will had a major impact oon her life and also her dad getting sick. Her dad getting sick was a really big impact and made her really change her ways. Ronnie changed in a good way, for the better.

Ronnie didnt think she would ever play piano again and she certainly didint evere think she was going to enjoy l;iving with her dad. In the end ofthe stroy she really started liking the beach and being withe her dad. Over the weekend i decide to wacth the movei sicne ifinished the book. I think that teh movie was better than the book becsuae i could see the characters personalities more adn see how they reacted to each conflict. The movie also made me really emotional. Overall I really liked the movie and the book but the movei better.

Blogger Reflection

The blog I chose was http://macysblogs.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-last-song.html#comment-form
           1. I think that the best phrase or words  that really shows my writers voice is th last phrase in my post which was "Will she play again ? WIll it be for her good or her dads?". This was an open ended rhetorical question. I chose to use rhetoric in my post because it really makes people think or in a way  kind of makes them use their brains and work to anwser the question. This phrase showcases my writing personality by saying that i am open to trying new and different writers craft in my writing to make it better than it was before. I thought that in thsi specicfic post it would be good to use a rhetorical  open ended question. With this question I think it made people want to read the book The Last Song because they would want to find the anwser to the question and the only way they would get the anwser is by reading the book.
         2.  The syntax I chose to use in this post was  Punctuation or sentence length. I had shorter sentences to speed up the post or accelerate the pace in a way, by using shorter sentences it makes the readers want to continue to read my blog and not get bored easily. The punctuation also helped, by using short sentences and periods frequently it increasing the tone and pace of the blog post. By using question marks at the end it showed questions and made the readers thinka bout the post. I think the syntax I chose as a writer to use really benifited my post and helped it become more interest in my blog post about the last song. One example is "She refuses to play the piano," by using a comma here it shows us that there is a pause in the post and wants  us to stop and think about it why would she refuse to do something she loved so much.
              The diction I chose to use was denotation i used the literal meanings of wrods and didnt say anything but them. But twoards the end i started to use conotaion by not really telling all of the stpry adn just asking quesions to make the readers think.  "Will she play again ? WIll it be for her good or her dads?".  Here i used conotaion and didnt really give thet meaning of teh sentence of phrase. "Her dad still palys the piano and enjoys it but Ronnie wont do it because her dad love it". Here i used denotaion and told the readers exactly what was happening and told them that the dad lopves to play and really wants Ronnie to play piano again.

Krista Ramsey Post

           The column I read  was about teachers having the responsibility to have a gun with them at school, which Is a very weird yet amazingly interesting. Teachers would have guns at the school to be able to protect themselves and the students if a school shooting was to happen. Like it has many times in various places and cities. I think in a way it would be good to have guns but then if the students or other knew about these then something could go wrong and in many perspectives I could see how it were to be bad but at the same time good and some what helpful.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/columnists/krista-ramsey/2014/02/22/krista-the-very-poor-case-for-arming-teachers/5744065/
    "To ask them to conceal a weapon is beyond common sense or even professional respect." I think that this line is very persuasive and is written incredible well. I think Krista Ramsey is an amazing columnists and this is just one of the many lines that shows us that. I think that this line really try's and makes the readers go towards her side and agree with her. With this line she wants the readers to think that having guns in school for he teachers would be a very bad thing. I'm not 100 percent sure she really swayed my decision but I do think they are bad to have but in some ways I could see how people would argue and say that they are good to have in school. For protection  from students teachers etc."To ask them to conceal a weapon is beyond common sense or even professional respect." This line is kind of what makes me lean more towards against it because, that's true. People can't tell you that you have to carry a gun with you. Let alone at work in an environment where the kids are suppose to be "safe". How would the kids feel if the teachers don't feel safe and have to carry a gun. I think overall Krista is an excellent columnist writer and even the she leans towards one side I don't think people would get offended with her writing because she has evidence why and backs up her opinion and also its an opinion not a fact.

The Last Song

            I'm making my way through the book quickly now and I'm actually enjoying it. The setting of the book is starting to very. It used to just be Ronnie and her brother Jonah staying at the house or them going outside to the beach witch is practically their backyard. Now it is starting to have a more wide variety. From the beach, to different houses, the fair/fun events on the peer to the house and many more places.

           Also in the book we now  have a more wide spread variety of characters. Before it was only four characters inside the family, Ronnie's dad, mom, brother Jonah and Ronnie . Now it's them four plus Ronnie's new friend blaze her boyfriend, and then Wil a guy she meet at a volley ball court at the beach. In the beginning I wouldn't have thought that Ronnie would have made friends but as the story goes on she makes more and more friends and starts to open up to people way more. So as the story is progressing so is Ronnie.

Character change in Last Song

                 Ronnie the main girl character  in this book has really changed throughtout the story. In the begining she really was not opened to anythign, she was rude and seemed really selfish. Thorughout the 100 or so pages i have read Ronnie has really changed from quiet didnt really open up to anyone to really opened and is even starting a realtionship with a boy and is becoming friends with a girl named blaze.
            Jonah, Ronnie's little brother in the story really hasnt changed that much. In the begining he was really open to coming to stay with his dad for the summer because he hasnt seen him in a while and really missed him. Jonah is getting closer and closer to his dad and is really accepting his parents divorce. Jonah and Ronnie dont really have that close of a realtionship, i think throughtiut the story they will gain eachothers trust and get closer as they progress through their journey over the summer living with their dad.

The Last song

    So I am farther into my book and the more into it I get the more I find myself connecting to it and wanting to read more. Ronnie is now living with her dad and is noticing that there may be something up with him. I find that ronnie and her dad used to have a strong connection before her parents split and seperated. When her dad  moved to teh beach they lost touch and most importantly lost the special father daughter connection.
    Ronnie has a strong hatred for her dad at the moment and i think it has something to do with the seperation of her parents. She doesnt want to do anything that will make her dad happy like play the piano. As I use my contacts clues I infer that before her parents got a divorce her and her dad  a special bond over playing the piano. HEr dad still palys the piano and enjoys it but Ronnie wont do it because her dad love it. She refuses to play teh piano, and says she will never play again.

Will she play again ? WIll it be for her good or her dads?

Last song

        I just started reading the last song and so far its really good it shows great viziualization and really makes you think about how you treat people. Its about a girl Ronnie and her  little brother Jonah. Their parents are recently divorced and they live with their mom in the city. Over summer their dad really is wanting to see them so they are going to live with their dad on the beach for the summer. Ronnie isnt to happy about this moving choice. BUt her mom thinks it willl be good for her because Ronnie isnt really the best kid, with flunking classes and shop lifting on the weekends, ronnies mom thinks this will be a perfect get away just what ronnie needs.
   The setting of this book is so far the beach, it started out in the city with her mom but is now moving settings adn taking a turn to the beach. Ronnie, Jonah, wil who ronnie si soon to meet adn her dad are the main characters in the book. Throughtout the first couple pages you learn Ronnie is a stubburn, do it my way or the high way kind of girl. She doesnt really trust people and is always getting in to trouble. The real question is will she change or will she be this way the whole book. Many descions will come up in her way forcing to take the right choice or the wrong one is what we will have to wait and see. I am intriged to read the rest of this book even though im not much of a reader this one is good and i cant put it down.

Clarisse Characterazation

                     Clarisse is one of the Main Characters in the book I am currently reading, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. I imagine Clarisse as more of a mysterious character, as if she is a character who you don't really know much about even though she can be outspoken and stand out. I can see Clarisse being a taller girl with a long blonde hair and Pale skin. I can imagine Clarisse to have a soft expression on her face as if no expression at all. I think one of the most important quotes in the book so far said by Clarisse would be when she says " I'm antisocial, they say. I don't mix, its so strange. I'm very social indeed. It all depends on what you mean by social,  doesn't it? Social to me means talking to you about things like this. " I think this really defines who Clarisse is she's outgoing yet shy, shes crazy yet scared. She's what people don't expect her to be. She questions things she shouldn't be questioning like the burning of books. Montag who is a fireman which is the ones that burns books says " you think too many things." Which i believe is very important because she thinks to much about the burning of books and how she questions it and doesn't really think its right. Why would you wanna burn information? She believes that what the firemen are doing is wrong. She asks Montag if he ever reads the books he burns. He of coarse says that it against the law but it kind of makes you question him like do you really read them because, I don't know about you nut i would Clarisse obviously would too. So far in my book i imagine Clarisse to be out of the norm and not like any one else and that could be a threat to society they don't want anyone who is "different".