The Boy in Striped Pajamas

William Butter
Top 10 List
The Boy in Striped Pajamas


10 favorite:
1. The story is about the Holocaust, and Bruno is completely uneducated about the whole thing makes it intresting to read about.

2. Brunos creativity to make a swing out of a tire.

3. Pavels kindness to go and help Bruno when he gets injured from the swing.

4. Brunos compation for exploring.

5. The Berlin House, its 5 stories!

6. Shmuell and how he was so friendly and kind towards Bruno considering his father is an officer in the camp he is forced to put in labor at!

7. Brunos Buzz.

8. The rareness that there was a whole in the bottom of the fence to where a boy can fit through.

9. Brunos grandmother, she knew that what Brunos father was doing was wrong and she was the only one who would stand up for the Jews.

10. Brunos grandmother was fun and liked to play games with Bruno and Gretel.

10 annoying:

1. Brunos Father.

2. Lieutenant Kotler, he seemed to be flirting with Brunos mother. He was also mean to Bruno and called him "little man", he seemed like an evil man in the book.

3. Gretel, she seemed to be mean to Bruno and sarcastic all the time.

4. Shmuell getting beaten for Brunos actions.

5. How Brunos father called all the people on the other side of the fence not humans.

6. How shmuell was so skinny and was being starved to death even though he was so nice.

7. Brunos uneducatedness towards the Jews in Out-With.

8. How Brunos grandmother passed away.

9. The house in Out-With

10. Bruno being sent to march to a gas chamber.

The Boy in Striped Pajamas

William Butter
Scene
The Boy in Striped Pajamas

One of my favorite scenes in the book is when Bruno has come to the fence for the last time before he leaves for Berlin for ever. He is visiting his Jewish friend Shmuell and he has no idea why his friend is on that other side of the fence and what lifestyle he is living in at this time and he has also promised his friend that he will help find his Papa. There is a possibility for Bruno to cross to the other side because the fence by where they meet every day isnt properly secure to the ground and lifts up just enough where a little boy can fit through. So Bruno decides that he is going to put on some striped Pajamas and go over there. As Bruno adventures with his friend on the other side of the fence he soon finds out that it is not like his everday happy, free day. Everybody on the other side is sad and very skinny, practically starving to death. Bruno soon begins to feel uncomftorbul after he looks for Shmuells Papa and he decides he wants to go back. As soon as he says he wants to go back the guards blow a whistle and tell the Jews to march. They take all of the Jews to this chamber, and they all stay in here. This scene is very sad because Bruno is so uneducated about what in the world is going on, on this side and he thinks its just jolly old happy world when really they are in a gas chamber waiting to be killed... This is ironic because Brunos father is one of the head officers of the Out-With camps trying to exterminate these Jews when really, HIS SON IS IN THERE! This was my favorite scene because I am very fascinated in the Holocaust and reading about this rare possible scenerio is very intresting and it courageouss. It intrests me because Bruno has no idea in the world that these Jewish people are getting beat or killed, and yet he is in the middle of it!

The Boy In Striped Pajamas

William Butter
I Am Poem
The Boy in Striped Pajamas


I am a boy who was born in Berlin.
I am living in a 5 story house.
I am best friends with Karl, Daniel, and Martin.
I am related to my "Hopeless Case" little sister named Gretel.
I am being forced to move out of my beloved city Berlin because of my fathers job.
I am now living in a lonely isolated house that is only 3 stories called "Out-With".
I am very lonely and have no friends to play with at Out-With.
I am living beside a tall fence spread out for farther than I can see with people in striped pajamas on.
I am very confused and uneducated about the "jews" on the other side of the fence.
I am very bored and have decided to explore.
I am really excited when I found a friend sitting by the fence named Shmuell.
I am now best friends with Shmuell.
I am going to bring Shmuell food almost every day because he is so skinny.
I am sad that I lied about my friendship with Shmuell to Lieutenant Kotler.
I am forced to shave my head because my sister and I have gotten lice!
I am going to move back to Berlin with my sister and mother soon.
I am going to have a final explore to the other side of the fence to see what life is like where Shumell lives, and to try to find his Papa.
I am going to put on the striped pajamas to look similar to all of the other Jews.
I am now nowhere to be found, dead in the gas chambers, holding hands with my bestfriend Shumell.

Top 10

1. Winning State twice

2. Being on the cover of SI

3. Playing in the NBA

4. Playing in the Olympics

5. Getting a Hummer

6. Winning National in eighth grade

7. Going to the same school as my friends

8. Being able to live with his mother again

9. Getting Coach Dru at St. V's

10. Having friends that he can call family.

Bottom 10:

1. Being yelled at by Coach Dambrot

2. Losing the National Championship in the last 5 seconds

3. Being criticized for going to St. V's

4. Being "alone" at St. V's, having nobody to talk to

5.

I Am Poem

I am a kid from Akron, Ohio.

I am living with my mother and going to friend's houses when she can't take care of me.

I am going to a school where nobody speaks to me.

I am playing basketball and I am being featured in Sports Illustrated.

I am winning state championships left and right.

I am losing my focus.

I am losing games.

I am pulling myself together.

I am winning again.

I am focused, dedicated and humble again.

I am drafted into the NBA out of high school.

I am playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

I am playing for the US Olympic Team.

I am throwing chalk into the air,

I am LeBron James.

In the Beginning Edmond Dantes is an intelligent, young sailor. He reminds me of Elie Wiesel from the book Night, because they are so innocent, kind and loving. We know he must be handsome to have such a pretty wife, and he must be very kind to care about his dad so much. Dantes is described as “He was a fine, tall, sim young fellow of eighteen or twenty, with black eyes, and hair as dark as a ravens wing; and his whole appearance bespoke that calmness and resolution peculiar to men accustomed from their cradle to contend with danger.

I am surmised how often I am actually blamed for something I did not do. Just the other day I got a demerit for talking in class but I actually was not talking it was my neighbor. I tried to tell the teacher but they would not listen. This is just like how Edmond Dantes is unfairly charged are treason as Edmond says, “I have committed no crime”( ). Just like Edmond Dantes I try to get out of the charges against me but unfortunately we both fail in doing so.

Count of Monte Cristo

I believe that the scene where Edmond Dantes is arrested for a crime he did not commit is very frustrating. The police charge Edmond “With being a Bonapartist faction!”( ), which was a very serious crime back then. Even though Edmond is arrested he stays calm and goes without resistance. This scene foreshadows Dantes being wrongfully charged and taken to Chateau D’if. This scene is very important because it sets the whole book up, if Edmond had not been arrested he would never have tried to take revenge.

Theme

Theme
Jeff Patton

The theme of The Shack was to show that even a man whos child was murdered can forgive and how powerful forgiveness is. He showed me that if we all forgave our debters the world would be in perfect harmony. God revealing himself in mysterious ways may also be a theme. Some obvious themes are love, a father child relationship, and how battling up your feelings isn't good. This book and it's themes can truly help someone that is spirtually lost. " 'Daddy!' yelled Mack, and threw helpself onto the man who couldn't even look at his son...'Daddy, I love you!' The light of his words seemed to blast darkness out of his father's colors" (215). Forgiveness lets people heal, love, and be loved.

feelings

Explore Feelings
Jeff Patton

At the very end of Mack's stay in the shack, God took him to where his daughter's body was. Mack forgave the killer there.
" 'I do not love him.' 'Not today you don't. But I do, Mack, not for what hes become, but for the broken child that has been twisted by his pain I want to help you take on that nature that finds more power in love and forgiveness than hate.' "(225). The quote shows how deep God is and how he loves us all. it also shows how Mack still has a cold heart towards the killer. It foreshadows his acceptance of love and forgiveness. It also shows Mack where his child's body is so he can go get her. It shows Mack that he can forgive and he can live without the pain. This scene changes the way Mack looks at life. he used to be cold on the inside, but he let all that go and now he can live a happy life.

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks

Literary Techniques


note - spoiler-ish alert

"I nudge Voodoo Baby's tiny body. Her body moves, but not in the right way. It moves in the wrongest way possible, and my eyes fill so that I can hardly see" (263).

Voodoo Baby is one of these three baby ducks dropped off at Carly and Anna's house, and they each named their own duck -- Anna's duck being Voodoo Baby. Voodoo baby is notably a representative of Anna, or Anna's sisterly relationship with Carly. After arly's nightmares are brought ot life (theoretically), Carly rushes to see the baby ducks, in an attempt to escape from the horrible feeling in her gut. She finds Voodoo Baby, drowned. Without a doubt, this represents how Anna has changed, and changed in a way completely unorthodox to Carly -- Anna has moved in the wrongest way possible. The crystal clear relationship between Carly and Anna has broken into fragments, so much that Carly can hardly see what was ever there.

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks

Theme


The whole point of this book was about sisterly. Despite all challenges faced, sisters will always be sisters -- even through the hardest of social backstabs. Of course, this theme can also stretch out to simply state that friendship, family, anything, if mixed with honesty and support, will never fall. Lauren Myracle wrote the book in a way where everything would piece itself together within a couple of pages, the puzzle pieces would form a work of art -- "everything stupid is washed away by [their] flood of tears. What's left is love" (277). Countless books have themes similar to this book, showing that if you care enough, you can get through anything.

Acrostic

Jeff Patton
Acrostic
JESUS

"Jesus... he was dresses in a simple gold crown, but he was every inch the king of the univers." (216).

Everything bows before him

Superior to every living thing

Ultimantly, he is the winner.


Single handedly defeated death

Peace, Love & Baby Ducks

Explore Feelings


note - trying not to spoil anything

A frustrated Carly returns homoe to only be infuriated, especially when she sees her sister, anna, wearing her shirt. She's even more annoyed when Anna greets her as if nothing is wrong, so she calls her out stating, "You're wearing my shirt" (254). Of course, "[She] can't believe that of all the things [she] could say, this is what comes out of [her] mouth. But it is" (254). Carly, like all girls, will spot every little thing, and make a big deal out of it -- except unfortunately, the next time Carly sees the shirt, it really will be important. Anna, on the other hand, doesn't seem to catch onto Carly's anger -- of course, she can tell Carly is frustrated, but she doesn't know why, since she doesn't think there's anything to be frustrated about! The shirt itself is Carly's home-made shirt, made from a carved potato and some paint. So, unquestionably, Carly feels insulted to see Anna wearing the shirt, since it looks better on her than it would ever look on Carly -- who put all the effort into making it in the first place. I won't go further than to say that soon after this scene, Carly will notice the shirt agian, only the sting that comes with it will be much worse.

THEME - Kite Runner

Sarah Muth

Theme

Kite Runner has SO many meanings in it. The author of the story is trying to teach us more than just one lesson. The meat of the whole story though is trying to show us how Amir made the wrong choice by not doing anything about Hassan when they were young. Because it was something that haunted him for the rest of his life.

When he was an older man and finally went back to his homeland, he found that Hassan was shot and killed and then his wife was followed right after and Hassans son was left as an orphan. If Amir had done differently when he was younger, Hassan might have still been alive and his son wouldn't have been alone.

The affects of what he had done left the son trying to commit suicide and then taking a vow of silence. We learn from this by obviously not only always sticking by your true friends through thick and thin, but also keeping those who have always been faithful, close to you.

Hassan had always been a true friend and Amir failed to be the same. We must learn to be humble and loyal like Hassan no matter what. Hassan never hated Amir even after what they went through, and we need to all learn to not hate, no matter what someone has done.

Nineteen Minutes- Exploring Feelings

In Nineteen Minutes this particular scene was frustrating and sad. The court case is almost over and Peter has admitted that he was the murderer who killed the 10 people and injured 19 people at Sterling High School. But Peter’s lawyer, Jordan, sees on the sheet that there is still one more witness JOSIE CROMIER. Jordan feels that she can save Peter’s case. Josie has been telling everyone that she doesn’t remember what happened the day that Peter killed everyone and has been begging her mom, Alex, not to make her go to the witness stand. Josie finally decides that she will testify as a witness in court. Suddenly things make a completely unexpected turn. “As the gun fired, it ripped two stripes of her skin from the base of her thumb… The blood was black on Matt’s gray t-shirt. He stood for a moment shocked, his hand over the wound in his stomach. She saw his mouth close around her name, but she couldn’t hear it, her ears were ringing so loudly. Josie? Then he fell to the floor” (440). We had learned that it wasn’t Peter who killed Matt Royston, it was his girlfriend whom he had loved more than anything, Josie. Peter watched Josie shoot Matt then he promised not to tell anyone, a friendship “oath” then Peter went to killing more people. It made no sense, Josie and Matt had been so in love, they were the picture perfect couple. After she is pleaded guilty for murdering Matt Royston, Josie admits to her mom that she loved Matt so much that she hated him, she hated herself for loving him and if he was gone things would in a way be easier. Popular, perfect, straight-A-student Josie had thrown her life away from that one bullet that killed Matt. She was sentenced to five years in prison.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Mason Conine
English 8-2
3/11/10
Acrostic

**Book spoiler**
C. Curious. Chris is always looking for another thing to read, watch, or just learn about. But, he is really interested in mathematics and space. He dreams of graduating from a collage in math and going on to be a astronaut.
H. Hope. Chris is hopeful in many ways. He hopes all the time that he finds out who killed Wellington, but more importantly he hopes that he finds his mother and gets to live with her. He wants to do this because he is afraid of his dad after he found that he had lied to him about his mom.
R. Read. Chris loves reading about the Apollo missions and a lot of other things. His reading advances his knowledge which he really enjoys. But with he disabilities he has a hard time reading and writing so he has his teacher to help him.
I. Independent. He shows how independent he is when he travels all the way to London by him self. This may not seem like much but you have to remember all the things that bother him that I have listed in my above post. He proves this when he says, "... I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery of Who Killed Wellington? and I found my mother and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything" (221)
S. Safe. I think that Chris thought he was completely safe and in his own little world at the start of the book. But by the end of the book I think that he knows that he is part of the real world were he has to be on his own.

(Sorry I messed you the tittle of the book in my earlier post)

Secret Life of Bees Acrostic

Love. "I can tell you this much: the world is a great log thrown into the fires of love"(132)Lily was finally loved for the first time when she was accepted into the Boatwright family. Lily had grown up without anyone to love her and she felt comfortable in the company of August and her family. August taught Lily to love God and to pray to the black Mary. She taught Lily how to make honey. She taught Lily to love and to be loved.

Integrity. Lily had the will power to stand up to her father and tell him that she was happier without him. She had the courage to date a black boy when that concept was very controversial. She had the strength to forgive herself for killing her mother.

Lies. When Lily arrived at August's house for the first time, the first thing she did was lie. Lily told August that she was an orphan who had no place to stay. She told August that she was willing to work for money and could help with the bees and around the house. Lily lied about her father being dead. Part of her wished he was dead. Lily wanted to make August feel sorry for her and have compassion on her so she could stay with her. The whole time August knew she was lying but August didn't mind.

Young. Lily was a young 14 year old girl who was very mature for her age. Lily was fascinated by little things such as bees. Lily enjoyed writing in her journal about bee's and about life. Lily was aspiring to become a writer.

3.

3. I thought one scene in particular in the book The boy in the striped Pajamas was very sad. It was when Bruno had just gotten his tire swing and he was going as high as he could on it. Well it ended up that Bruno fell of the swing and got pretty cut up and had a pretty bad. I man named Pavel a Jewish slave that cut the vegetables in Bruno’s house saw this and ran towards Bruno. He pick him up and carried him inside. He got a bandage out and started to fix up Bruno’s cut. Bruno a typical child started over reacting and asking if he had to go to the hospital. But the old man said don’t worry you do not have to I used to be a doctor. Bruno then asked the man then why are you hear cutting the vegetables instead of being in a hospital helping people. The old man did not answer because he new the little boy did not know the truth of what kind of father Bruno dad was. After they exchanged a few more words Bruno’s mom came home. Pavel went strait back to work withought saying anything. This scenes significance was that this was the begging when Bruno knew something was going on. He did not know why Pavel was there at his house but he knew there had to be some reason and he was going to try and find out.

2.

2. Bruno is talking to the boy across the fence and they were having a pretty long conversation. Shmuel says, “I want to work in a zoo”(139). To me this quote is very sad. What Shmuel does not realize but he his in a zoo. Gates enclose him and the SS officers shout out them like they are dogs or some other animal. It is also sad because Bruno tells Shmuel that he would want to be a soldier just like his father. Which would basically mean that Bruno would be the zookeeper of the (animals) Jewish people and Shmuel would be one of the animals. The significance is that the boys seem to have much in common but this fence separates two whole different boys and worlds. So it should see that these two boys should be enemies of each other but yet they are friends. Bruno does not care is Shmuel lives in a different place looks different than him or even if he is not the same religion. All Bruno wants is a friend that he can talk to and try to relate with.

1

1.Bruno is a curious young boy who loves to play with his friends and go exploring. He is almost exactly like my little brother because they both love playing with their friends and discovering new things. They both enjoy doing active things and finding something that they have never seen before. Bruno is the average city boy who loves to walk home from school with all of his friends and see all of what the grown ups are doing there. Yet his behavior gets him in trouble some times he means no harm and just wants to have fun like any other kid. He is very hard headed and wants to know the answer to everything even if that means he interrupts his mom in the middle of the sentence. He usually will obey all the rules or he at least acknowledges them and no he is doing something bad if he is breaking them. Bruno seems a little self-conscious about what his dad does for a living even though he knows it is and very important job in Germanys eyes. Still Bruno friends are the most important to him and he is very sad he is going to have to leave them. He shows this by saying “And what about Karl and Daniel and Martin? How will they know where I am when we want to do things together?”(7). He ends up getting very angry at his father because he was the reason they were moving and leaving all of Bruno’s friends behind.

The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time

Mason Conine
English 8-2
3/11/10
Setting

The time of this book is in the 1900 in and around London, England. It isn't in any particular season but it has to be cold most of the time because they are in England. Christopher usually stays in his house, at his special school, or around the corner to buy a candy bar. When he is investigating the murder of Wellington (a dog he loves) he dose start to get risky and wonder around the neighborhood to ask people questions. He lives in a very tight neighborhood and he frequently mentions that there are people who live next to him that use drugs a lot. Besides this his setting is very nice and I would like to live here if it was not so cold. If this setting was in a warmer place I would definitely go there. The setting dose change in the middle of the book when he makes a big travel to London from his home town. This makes it very difficult for him because London is such a confusing city. "I didn't knock on the door of number 38,which is the house next to ours house, because the people there take drugs and Father says that i should never talk to them, so I don't. And they play loud music at night and they make me scared sometimes when I see them in the street. And it not really their house." (38). This is talking about his neighborhood at his dad's house where we start off the book. It is also talking about the drug users and how they frighten him. Over all he lives in a very nice place that would be even better if the people living around him where not so strange.

The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time

Mason Conine

English 8-2

3/11/10

Character Sketch



The first impression of Christopher John Francis Boone is that he is a dumb child with learning disabilities. Well I am here to tell you that this is absolutely wrong! He is so smart he, "..know[s] all the countries of the world and their capitols and every prime numbers up to 7,057... knew that it meant 'happy' like when I'm reading about the Apollo space missions..." (2). I would like to know if one of you is smarter than that! He also is almost in love with mathematics. He dreams of some day being a famous mathematician and going to collage for it. But, he has many behavioral problems such as: not talking to people for a long time (once for 5 weeks), not eating or drinking for a long time, doesn't like being touched (he hits people for it), screaming when he is confused or angry, claustrophobia, smashing when he is angry or confused, groaning, not liking yellow or brown things (??), refusing to use his toothbrush if someone touched it, not eating food if other foods are touching (I do this), not knowing when people are angry with me, and not smiling. O.k. those are just a few so you will have to read the book if you want to know more. So, I think we can all learn from him how to be curious even if things are hard, not to trust strangers, and to preserver even if you are afraid.

Nineteen Minutes

I Am Peter Houghton

I am an unexpected murderer.
I wonder how my life would have been if I was born someone popular like Matt Royston instead of someone who gets beat up, made fun of everyday that everyone hates and pays no attention to.
I hear the screams of the victims and feel nothing.
I see Josie's face in my mind, and even though she didn't want to be my friend anymore, could never kill.
I want people to not make fun of me and to see me as who I am instead of a nerd with thick glasses.
I am an unexpected murder

I pretend my life is someone else's and I am just simply invisible.
I feel every moment I've had in Sterling has been absolute torture since day one
I touch my gun and feel instant power.
I worry that my mom and dad will never to talk to me again even though they haven't paid a speck of attention to my my whole life.
I cry because I need help and I feel that there is no one I can trust. I can't believe what I just did.
I am an unexpected murderer.

I understand that what I did to get back at everyone for bullying me all those years wasn't the best resort but I had to somehow get revenge.
I say that people should give me a chance and listen to me so they can hear my side of the story and why I murdered and injured all the people.
I dream that my actions will be forgotten and will fade away like fog.
I try to think of the happy times in my life but there I always draw a blank.
I hope that people can stop comparing me to my perfect straight-A- student brother Joey who is dead anyway.
I am I am an unexpected murderer.

Nineteen Minutes- Acrostic

Judge Cromier (Alex Cromier) is Josie’s mom. At first she liked the idea of her mom being a judge but then once she became one, Josie drifted farther and farther apart from her mom. Alex has a dilemma of being a judge and a mother and this strongly affects Josie and Alex’s relationship.

One gunshot, that was all it took for her to shoot her boyfriend, Matt Royston and kill him. They were “ideal couple” she was smart and pretty and he was a jock and popular, they were high-school sweethearts. But she unexpectedly killed him it was as if she had loved Matt so much that she hated him.

Sterling high school, a perfectly normal high school where nothing has ever gone wrong and everyone has the same routine. But on March 6, 2007 everything changed. Peter Houghton decided to walk in to Sterling High and kill 10 people. This was the day that scarred Josie and everyone else at Sterling High’s life forever. This was the day that changed Sterling, New Hampshire forever. Sterling High would never be the same again.

“If you listen carefully, in a hospital, you can hear the truth” (100). Josie isn’t able to re-cap what happened after the shooting because she is so shocked. In the hospital she listens around and discovers the truth, 10 people had been killed and she had one of the injured. But she can’t seem to remember ever being there. Also, doesn’t want to believe what had happened and all of her friends had been killed. Later, she begs her mom not to have her testify in court because she is scared to remember what happened.

Ex best friend of Peter Houghton. In the past, Peter and Josie were best friends. Whenever he was bullied, she would always stick up for him. Then, she ditches him when she becomes popular in middle school because she can’t be seen with a “loser” like Peter. She never meant to deliberately ditch him, it just happened that way. Once Josie became popular, she became obsessed with social status and looks, someone she never wanted to become.

Secret Life of Bee's Literary Techniques

“People who think dying is the worst thing don’t know a thing about life"(2). Lily says this in the beginning of the novel during the exposition. This is an important quote because Lily’s life has been profoundly affected by her mother's death. This statement suggests that living with someone else’s death can be more painful that dying. Not only does Lily have to live with the fact of her accidently shooting her mother when she was an infant, she also has to deal with May. May is the sister of August Boatwright. May also had a twin sister named April who was depressed and committed suicide at a very young age. May and April had so much in common. When one of them got sick the other got sick. They were best friends. Throughout May's childhood she had nervous breakdowns and was emotionally insane. The way May expressed her feeling was by writing her emotions and thoughts on a peace of paper and placing them in the "wailing wall."This was the way to calm May down. One day May ends up killing by drowning herself in a river. She left a note saying that she would finally be reunited with her mother and of course her twin, April. This quote may seem irrelevant. Dying is the worst thing in life, but in the eyes of Lily it is not. Lily has experienced a lot of sorrow and sadness in her life. She has come to realize that when someone dies, everyone else becomes closer. In my opinion, this seems like a strange remark but she is wright in a way. You should lament in death but move on and focus on those who still surround you.

Sherlock Holmes

"Looking back we saw the figure moving slowly away over the broad moor, and behind him that one black smudge on the silvered slope which showed where the man was lying who come so horribly to his end." In this book it is not like many other there is not one big murder and then the detectives examine that one murder. in this book there is more than one murder and many close calls. Holmes and Watson are kept one their toes always trying to catch up with the murder. Even with the last murder Sir Arthur Conan Doyle squeezes even bit of mystery while he can by changing who Holmes and Watson think was the victim. After this murder Holmes and Watson make their final decision of the murder and plan their trap, which adds even more suspicion to the book.

Sherlock Holmes

"Very stealthily we heard it pass along until it died away in the distance. then the baronet gently opened his door and we set out in pursuit." Sir Arthur Conan Doyle really does a good job of getting and keeping the readers attenion with his contant action and suspicion. He keeps Sherlocka and Watson always in danger and with the murder suspect always changing mostly each chapter.

Percy Jackson, The Last Olympian

Vince Carrozza

Character sketch

My first impression of the main character of my book was that he was kind of like me. He is dyslexic like I am and has A.D.H.D. like I do. Then I kept reading I noticed he had some of the same problems in school that I had or do have. Then I read a little more and things got weird and I realized he is nothing like me considering he is part god, he has gotten kicked out of every school he has gone to, and has no friends. Other than that he seemed, at first, like an average kid in school. He wasn’t the coolest guy around or anything, but he seemed pretty normal.

As the book goes on he starts to get the characteristics of being brave, lucky, talented, powerful, and having qualities of leadership. He goes on many quests and through the quests you start to pick up how he is brave. When he fights the titan lord Kronos, he does not run away; he stays and fights like a warrior. He stands tall (figuratively) and shows bravery. He is lucky when his friends come just at the right time to save him. Like at the end of the battle with Kronos, Clarisse and the Ares cabin comes in to save him from a dragon monster. He is talented and powerful when he creates the hurricane to beat the Hyperion the titan. No other demigod can do that, or anything close to that. He shows the qualities of leadership when he leads his armies to fight Kronos and his army.

Other characters in the book say the same thing that I do. They say they depend on him to lead them against the army of Kronos. They are astonished by his great power to create a hurricane. They realize how brave he is to fight Kronos, the titan lord, all by himself. They don’t say anything about him being lucky, but its obvious he has his lucky moments. There are many more things other characters say in the book, but I think those are the most important.

Early in the book Percy says, “if I really had the power, what difference would a week make? I could end this threat right here by taking down Kronos. Hey, I’d fought monsters and gods before” (21). In this quote Percy shows his bravery, and from what other characters have said he makes the conclusion, that he is powerful. He does display a little overconfidence and he underestimates his enemy, but when he is fighting that is where some of his power, talent, leadership, and luck kicks in.

Percy Jackson, The Last Olympian

Vince Carrozza

Explore feelings

There was one scene that I thought was very exciting in the book. During Percy’s fight with Kronos’s army a flying pig (The Clazmonian Sow) attacks Percy and he uses Daedalus’s inventions, the statue automatons, to take down the sow. He throws a rope around the pig while it is flying, trys and fails to climb up it, but successfully guides it to the statues that take it out. Percy says, “It’s one thing to climb a rope in gym class. It’s a completely different thing to climb a rope attached to a moving pig’s wing while your flying at a hundred miles an hour” (250).

This scene shows how Percy is brave and how he is smart and uses strategies. When he knows that he can’t take something down himself, he finds a different way to take it down instead. This event might foreshadow him defeating his main threat, Kronos. Kronos is more powerful than Percy and he is going to have to find away to defeat Kronos with strategy and not just power and strength. His ending plan for defeating Kronos is by dipping himself in the river Styx and becoming invincible.

The significance of this scene is that this flying bore is extremely powerful and no other half blood can take it out, but Percy. This scene shows the other half bloods how much they need Percy and the difference that he makes for them. Not only is Percy powerful and a good leader, but he doesn’t rely only on brute strength and his power for everything. He shows the Half bloods that he can pick his battles right and he knows what to do during them. Percy knows his limits. The only thing Percy gets out of this fight is that he realized that he met his match, that he came close to dying, and he has to be more careful next time. This scene was very exciting to read through because a lot of things were going on during it.

Percy Jackson, The Last Olympian

Vince Carrozza

Acrostic poem.

P: Phenomenal. Percy never ceases to amaze people with his incredible luck and talent. During his fight with Hyperion; he creates a hurricane to cool out the monsters fire and harnesses great power. No matter what adventure or task he sets his eyes on; he always prevails. He is the one who sticks out in the crowd and does what no one else can do.

E: Enthusiastic. Percy is always excited for things and takes part in them too. He does more than just take part; he even takes charge of things. An example of this is when he becomes; basically the general of the Half bloods and defends the empire state building from the monsters. Throughout the book he is a great leader because of his enthusiasm and he gives everyone else a reason to take part in things, which later on in the book his enthusiasm and need for Clarisse and the Ares cabin encourages/causes them to come and help.

R: Remarkable. Percy is remarkable because of the things he does. When he saved Mount Olympus from burning down to the ground, the gods offered to give him gifts because of the remarkable things he did. He is also remarkable because he is one of the few sons of Poseidon.

C: Commander: Percy is a commander and a leader. The other half bloods did not just pick him to lead their armies against Kronos. The campers naturally followed Percy. He was a natural leader because of his ideas; because he had a plan; because he enforced it; because the other half bloods naturally followed him. Percy had the qualities and during kronos’s attack he became the leader.

Y: Youthful. Percy Jackson is very young and after seeing him do all these remarkable things you start to get the prospective that a kid his age could never do that. His youth in this book is his enemy because things are threatening, like Kronos and Luke, that are much bigger, stronger, older, and wiser than he is.

J: Just. Percy was just when he turned down being a God. It was the right thing to do, to return the favor from Annabeth. It was the just thing to do when Percy had the chance to kill Ethan, an evil half-blood, but he let him survive.

A: Ambitious. Through out the book Percy was always striving to defeat his enemies. He is a hard worker and is eager throughout the book to complete his tasks. During Kronos’s rising Percy knew that Mount Olympus could be overthrown and with his ambition and many other traits he made sure that didn’t happen.

C: Courage. One thing that got Percy through all his adventures is his courage. Without that he wouldn’t have been able to stand up above all the other campers and become the leader of the Half-bloods. Without courage he would not have been able to fight Kronos and Luke. Without his courage he would not have been able to succeed in his dangerous tasks.

K: Keen. Percy is smart and keen and always has a plan. He goes into fights knowing what he is going to do and executes it perfectly. When he fought the Clazmonian Sow (a flying pig) he tricked it in to flying near some stone statue automatons and they destroyed the Sow.

S: Selfless. Percy is selfless because he was offered to be turned in to a god after he saved Mount Olympus, but he turned that down to ask for a gift that would help all half bloods like himself. He asked that all the Half-bloods would be claimed by their parents (gods). Also he would be turning down his best friend Annabeth if he became a God. Earlier she had been offered to join Artimis and her hunters, but she refused so she could stay with Percy.

O: Open-minded. Percy was open-minded. He thought about all the possible outcomes. When he was defending Mount Olympus from Kronos he made sure every thing was defended. He thought about all the possible places that Kronos could attack from and he made sure everything was covered. He also made his plan open to possible outcomes, so he could be ready for anything

N: Nonhuman. Percy during the book says to Rachael his friend, “Let’s pretend we’re a couple of normal people” (8). Percy is a half-blood he is part god and part human. In this book part of him is nonhuman and the whole book is the way it is because of this. He can see and do things, that normal people can’t. When Kronos stops time for all humans Percy can still move around and stuff because part of him is nonhuman.

My Sister's Keeper (Character Sketch)

When I began to read this book Anna seemed selfish. It appeared she was stopping all treatment because she didn't want to help anymore and didn't even consider her sister's fate. Kate, her sister, asked Anna to stop the treatment because she didn't want to fight anymore and she knew it was time. In this situation Anna reminds me of my sister. I know she loves me and even though it would be tough I belive we would handle it the same way these sisters did. Anna taught me that when everyone is against you all it takes is a little faith and things start to smooth down. Anna was only making this sacrifice because her sister requested. Anna was well aware of Kate's fate but because of their bond and love she was willing to agree. "I was born for a very specific purpose...because I could save my sister, Kate"(8). This quote explains what Anna was going through. When Kate got sick Anna was the one who saved her. After Kate asked Anna to stop helping her with the treatments Anna knew Kate was going to die, because of her.

My Sister's Keeper (Literary Techniques)

"A jewel is just a rock put under enormous heat and pressure. Extraordinary things are always hiding in places people never think to look"(152). The author chose to add this quote in the book because it describes every human being. It shows that every person is a jewel under pressure from their peers and everyday life and like diamonds unique people are found in unlikely places. I like this quote because it shows how different each person truly is. It also shows that you can't judge people because they are undergoing heat and pressure and you just need to get to know them. It is significant in this book because Kate is suffering Leukemia and is not perfect but the people around her who love her see past her imperfections and treat her normally. The people who pass and don't know Kate see sadness, but they are quick to judge because underneath she is a strong individual. Finally, this quote teaches me not to judge people and that everybody is unique.

In Sue Monk Kidd's, The Secret Life of Bees, Lilly embarks on a journey to run away with Rosaleen, their maid. The reason Lily does this, is because she wants to run away from her father. Lily's father abused her and acted as if he hated her. And as for Lily's mother, she had never really known her. Right before Lily left her father told her about her mothers death. Lily was very young when her mother died, so she was extremely curious to find out how she'd died. T-Ray, Lily's father said the day she died she was packing her bags. He said she was moving out and not taking Lily with her. Lily couldn't believe this. She was stuck by the fact that her mother left her. Then T-Ray continued by saying. The day your mother left... we were arguing. Then he told her that Lily, who was crawling on the ground, lifted a gun and pulled the trigger. That was the day her mother died. Lily was flabbergasted by the fact that she was the reason her mother was dead. Lily was only a mere child when this happened. She felt awful after finding out the news.

When Lily ran away, she goes to find a cirtan house that makes honey. She decides to head towards Tiburon, the town written on the back of her mothers black Mary picture that was taped to a honey jar. This jar was one of the only memento's Lily had of her mother. Lily and Rosaleen arrived at the pink house of August Boatwright, who is a middle-aged black woman who takes them into her home. Then after months with August, Lily finds out that her mother stayed with August when she left her husband and Lily for the first time. To her surprise, Lily learns things about her mothers past from August. The truth in life is that when you run into obstacles and feel alone and sorry for yourself you can find true compassion within yourself and more through others to find the impossible.

This story of fate relates to Santiago in the Old Man and The Sea. Santiago was a fisherman who went 84 days without a catch. He had no money, no family and feels like he is unlucky. Thanks to the boy, Manolin, Santiago feels like he will be able to catch a fish again. By taking a leap of faith, Santiago catches a huge fish and Lily finds August who acts as a new mother. "There is nothing perfect, there is only life." By going out of your comfort zone, you can find friends and family who can impact the rest of your lives.

My Sister's Keeper (Acrostic)

For once in Anna's life she is about to be able to call the shots. She has given her sister everything she has ever needed out of love. From blood to bone marrow Anna has sacrificed herself for her sister.
After further discussion Anna has to make a tough decision that will not only jeopardize her family as a whole but will hurt everyone individually. She must go behind her family's back to make a choice either to save Kate or eventually let her sister go.
Many do not understand why Anna is thinking about letting her sister die but because they have such a special bond only Anna knows why she has been asked to choose. Kate is a strong girl and has faught Leukemia her whole life with the help of Anna but she knows she is ready to die and can't fight any longer. It is Kate who asks Anna to stop donating blood. The only reason Anna even considers making this choice is because she loves her sister and knows that will make her happy.
"...Is that there is no good answer. So as parents, as doctors, as judges and as society, we fumble though and make decisions that allow us to sleep at night-beacuse morals are more important than ethics, and love is more important than law"(409).
Love is a difficult thing to understand because it can hurt you but also save you. In Anna's situation she had to make a sacrifice out of love for her sister but it killed her mother. Her sisterly bond to Kate was the key to her sister's survival.
Yet in the end it was the ulimate sacrifice made from Anna that saved Kate. Family is the theme of this book because throughout all the treatments the Fitzgeralds overcame all their struggles together. They had their ups and downs and at times each member felt alone and helpless but together they became stronger because they had each other.