Would I Want to Live in Jonas's Community (from "The Giver")

In the novel The Giver, the author, Lois Lowry creates a community into which Jonas, the main character, is inserted.  This community has never felt worry, had a choice, or felt an emotion.  I would not want to live in Jonas’s community.  There, everything and everyone is the same and someone makes choices for you.  I want to be different and make my own choices.  I want to feel emotion because that is what makes life worth living.

            The community sacrificed emotions so nobody would get hurt.  An example of this is found on pages 108 and 109.  The text reads, “He fell with his leg twisted under him, and could hear the crack of a bone.”  This is one of the memories of pain that the Giver gives to Jonas, because the community cannot handle the emotion of pain.  Another example is on page 174.  It reads, “It became a struggle to ride the bicycle as Jonas weakened from lack of food… His ankle throbbed as he forced the pedal down in an effort that was almost beyond him.” Jonas encounters pain and hunger when he flees the community for elsewhere.

            The community sacrificed choice so nobody would make the wrong one.  An example of this is found on page 98.  It states, “ What if they were allowed to choose their own mate?  And choose wrong?  Or what if they could choose their own jobs?”  In this passage, Jonas and the Giver discuss the danger of choice and how people could get hurt if they made the wrong one.  Another passage is found on page 174.  It states, “Once he had yearned for choice.  Then, when he had a choice he had made the wrong one: the choice to leave.”  In this passage Jonas realizes how dangerous choice can be, and debates if he made the right one, because he is now starving, lonely, and injured.

            The community sacrificed difference so everything would be predictable and the same. An example of this is found on page 84.  The text states, “ He waved his hand as if a gesture had caused the hills to disappear, ‘sameness’ he concluded.”  In this passage the Giver tells Jonas how they took away all differences like weather and landscape to make things more predictable.  Another example comes on page 100.  The passage states, “There had been a time when flesh had different colors.  Two of these men had dark brown skin; the others were light.”  This passage occurs when Jonas has the memory of the elephant, and he sees the men with the different, darker skin, a hue that no longer exists in the community.

            Jonas’s community offers a worry free community, but they do not let you live your life the way I would want to live mine.  I think they are too controlling and this is why I do not want to live in Jonas’s community, ever! 

Book Review: Ranger's Apprentice: Halt's Peril

Read November 30, 2010
    
     The book I just read, Ranger’s Apprentice: Halt’s Peril, by John Flanagan, is a great adventure story about loyalty, friendship, and medieval warfare. It takes place in the imaginary kingdom of Aralven and Hibernia in medieval times.  The main characters are: Will, a Ranger and former apprentice to Halt, Halt, also a Ranger and Will’s former mentor, and Horace, Will’s friend and a great warrior.  There are two major conflicts in this book.  The first one is with Tennyson, who is the prophet of the false god, Alseass.  Tennyson is using Alseass to steal the valuables of simple townsfolk and assassinating those who try to stop him.  The other conflict is that, in a confrontation with Tennyson’s assassins, Halt is hit with a poisoned crossbow bolt in the arm, leaving him close to death. The problem with the poisoned arrow is solved when Malcolm the Healer, an old friend of the Rangers, is recruited by Will to help.  Eventually he cures Halt and then rush off to catch Tennyson.  The first problem is solved when Tennyson and his followers are killed in a collapsing cavern after a confrontation with Will, Horace, and Halt.

     In my opinion, this was a real thriller and kept me begging for the next chapter.  This is the ninth book in the series and it was even better than the first ones.  I’m looking forward to the next book, but I’m not because I don’t want the series to end!

The post where I describe my best day ever

          Friday, the 13^th of August, was one of the best nights of my life and when my final pitch blew by the hitter, I fell to my knees and raised my arms in Triumph.  Then my teammates crashed into me and I was pig-piled to the ground.  We had just won the first Stan Brown tournament ever and Salem’s first multi-city tournament.  We had come back and beat the all-girl Rockford Peaches 7-6.  Then I pulled myself out from under the pile and stuck my index finger in the air, number 1, we’re number 1!

           

            After they announced my name I charged out of the dugout, pounded across the soft, green grass, and lined-up next to my teammates on the hard dirt, base path.  I scanned the crowd taking in all the faces before returning my attention back to my teammates just as Wesley, our catcher charged out of the dugout.  Next to me our left fielder, Josh nervously chewed his nails.  After both teams had lined up the CD sung national anthem struck-up as we dutifully removed our caps and placed them over our hearts.  As we silently wished the song to hurry along so the games could begin.  When it finally ended we huddled up, and on the count of three we yelled “SALEM” at the top of out lungs.  Then we charged out to our starting positions and waited for the game to begin.

            Michael was our starting pitcher.  He started out shakily allowing 2 runs in the first inning, but we countered with two of our own on Matty Ryan’s 2 run double.  Which quieted their annoying fans in right-center.  After that inning, Mike settled down and allowed 1 run over the next two innings, we countered with one of our own on Ricardo’s flying steal of home, tying it back up.  Then, the fourth inning came and almost decided the game, and when their player slid into third-base safely on a 2 run triple, that made it 6-3, it looked as if we lost.  Mike pulled it together, though and we got out of the inning without further damage, we could not retaliate though.

            Then, in the fifth inning I ran out of the dugout and headed for the mound, picking up the game ball in the way.  When I reached the mound I toed the pivot-hole to the way I like it, then I started warming up.  The ball felt good in my hands.  The first batter lined a hard ground ball back to me, which I stabbed with my glove and tossed to the first-baseman for the out.  The second batter couldn’t handle it so I put her out of her suffering by striking her out in three straight pitches.  Finally, the third one hit a liner to the left side of the mound, which I lunged, dove, and caught before crashing into the ground and getting an enormous grass stain down my front.  In the bottom of that inning with the score 6-4 Zach Lebrun stepped up to the plate and smashed a 2 run double into the outfield to tie the game.  Then, he took third on a passed ball.  Next, against theist best pitcher, Eric lined a single into the outfield that gave us the lead, 7-6.  Now, it’s the top of the sixth, were up 7-6 and I’m on the mound.  Adrenaline is coursing through my veins, as the first batter works a full count.  Then I stepped off and blew on my hands to warm them up.  I threw a low fastball, which she checked her swing on, but she went around according to the first base ump.  I yelled in excitement.  The next batter just can’t keep up, 2 out.  I can feel the electricity in the air.  Then the next hitter hits a grounder to short, which the shortstop bobbles, runner on first.  The hitter keeps fouling pitches off and eventually it’s 2 balls 2 strikes.  Finally the fastball flies out of my hand and she whiffs, and you know what happens next, Victory.

After our celebration we shook hands with the other team.  Their hands were sweaty, but I guess ours were too.  I could feel their disappointment and I almost felt sorry for them.  After that we went off to the side and waited for our trophies.  When my name was called there was a lot of cheering so I tipped my cap to the fans before taking my trophy.  After we all got trophies we took a couple of pictures with our team, then some with the other team.  Then we took a victory lap around the field with of trophies, to the delight of the fans and the dismay of the coaches.  Then they blasted the stereo and we danced, but the funny thing was that since the tournament had started I envisioned sinking to my knees in victory after winning the championship.  When it was time to go, I said goodbye to my friends and teammates and got in my car.  As we drove home I thought, “This really is the best night of my life.  So far...”

Book Review: The Lost Hero

Read November 18, 2010
          The book I just read, The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan, is a continuation of the Percy Jackson series and has the same high energy.  The main characters are new though, and their names are Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, Piper MacLean, daughter of Aphrodite, and Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus.  Jason, Piper and Leo are classmates who, while on a field trip to the Grand Canyon, are attacked by Venti.  Venti are an evil species otherwise known as Storm Spirits.  Luckily, they are able to ward off their attackers and soon after, two Pegasus Riders arrive and bring them to Camp Half Blood.  At camp Half-Blood, they are sent on an important quest to find the kidnapped queen of the gods, Hera.  If they don’t rescue her before the end of the winter solstice the King of the Giants will rise and that will be very, very bad.  But, for Jason the stakes are even higher, because Hera has taken his memories and he must save her to get them back.

 This is a really good book and it’s first in Rick Riordan’s new series, The Heroes of Olympus.  This is another great thriller for mythology lovers and I highly recommend it.

The post where I describe my worst day ever

Let me tell you about my last trip to the emergency room.  It all started with me placing a little red pencil on the conveyor belt at my mom’s workplace, and then slamming down the green “GO” button.  Then, the conveyor belt lurched into action and the pencil slowly marched down the conveyor belt, with me running beside it.  When the pencil reached the bottom, which stretched into the basement, I quickly tried to grab the pencil, afraid it might break.  I snatched it off the conveyor belt, but I dropped it, confused.  I wondered why my hand felt exposed.  I pulled my hand up towards my eye, and screamed.  My hand was red, but not from the pencil.  The skin had stripped off my hand and I could see flesh, with blood pooled in some places.  I ran up the stairs, still screaming, just as my mom rushed into the room.  When she saw my hand she freaked out and rushed to the first aid kit on the wall.  She pulled out a clean, new bandage, rushed over to me, and dragged me over to the sink.  She cleaned my wound and bandaged it up.  Then, I blacked out.  When I woke up, I was in the emergency room.  A little while later the doctor came in and told us that my hand would be okay, as long as we kept it clean.  As soon as the doctor left, my mind randomly flashed back to my mom’s workplace.  “Whatever happened to that little red pencil?”

Book Review: Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean

Read November 2, 2010

           The book I just read, Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean, by Justin Somper, is a great adventure story about pirates and good old-fashioned vampires.  The main characters are recently orphaned, teenage twins named Connor and Grace Tempest.  After their father dies, the two teens decide they must flee their home in Crescent Moon Bay because they are misfits without a clear future.  They take their father’s sailboat and head out to sea, with no set course.  Soon they encounter a “tempest” and are tossed into the frothing sea when their boat capsizes.  When they wake up, they are aboard different pirates ships. Connor ends up aboard the Diablo, where the crew welcomes him.  Grace ends up aboard the dreaded Vampirate ship, long believed to be only a myth from a sea shanty, sung to them by their father.  They each fear that the other is dead, but refuse to believe it. Throughout the course of this book, the twins try to find each other, and neither doubt, vampires, nor pirates can stop them.   

          This is a really good book, and it mends vampires’ reputation.  I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and pirates’ swashbuckling ways, with a twist.  I look forward to the next book in the series: The Tide of Terror.

The post where I tell a scary story

          He was finally nodding off when a girl’s scream pierced the calm night air.  Joseph shot out of bed, eyes alert, and raced toward the sound.  He soon realized that he was in a graveyard.  “How’d I get…?”  He stopped as a cold finger slowly kept time on his shoulder.  Joseph stepped forward and whirled around.  Eyes searching.  He saw no one.  “I’m dreaming,” he thought.  But then, Michael Jackson materialized in front of him and let out a high-pitched, “Mah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!”  Joseph screamed like a little baby and ran full speed into a headstone.  Joseph flipped over it and his head struck another headstone.  Michael Jackson approached.  He knelt down beside Joseph and said, “Watch out, Joseph.” His breath smelled worse than tuna casserole in the school cafeteria. Then Michael Jackson disappeared.

          Joseph started to stand up, and saw a blue flash behind a headstone.  He bolted over to it.  Etched into the stone, and still glowing, were two words: ‘STAY AWAY!’  “Oh my God”, Joseph yelled before taking off.  As Joseph was about to run out the gate, his legs stopped.  He couldn’t go any further.  Joseph then swore, at nothing in particular, before turning around.  There, walking towards him was a zombie.  “Oh come on,” he muttered under his breath.

          Joseph tried to run, but could only move in slow motion.  As he tried harder, the zombie caught up with him.  Joseph stuck out his hand in defense, and when the zombie touched it, the zombie evaporated.  “Phew”, Joseph said, but his success was short lived as a crowd of zombies gathered around him, and then they slowly moved in to grab him.  Joseph screamed and threw himself onto the ground.  A few seconds later, he felt a gentle shaking, too light for a zombie, so he rolled over and looked up. His friend Jake was standing over him.  “Dude, what happened?” Jake said in his irritable voice.  Before I could answer, Jake helped me up and said “Come on, I need to get you home”.  As I walked away, Michael Jackson appeared floating above a headstone.  He mouthed “STAY AWAY,” then he laughed his shrill, wicked laugh, and was gone.  Joseph thought, “I knew I shouldn’t have watched the ‘Thriller’ video three-dozen times last night.”

My "The Million-Year Picnic"* Interpretation

*From The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury         

           “Boom!” an ear-splitting bang broke the calm caused by the boat motor’s low drone, as a giant red fireball engulfed the deep purple Martian sky. “Hide!” Dad yelled.  You see, in the Million-Year Picnic by Ray Bradbury, William Thomas, Dad, knows that the only way to save his family from global annihilation is to flee Earth and go to Mars.  When the family decides to begin a new life as residents of Mars, they are in fact Martians!

When Dad takes his family on a “fishing trip” to Mars he is taking the first step towards his family becoming Martians.  Although excited for the fishing trip, Timothy wonders, “Why go so far for vacation?”.  ‘They had come millions of miles for this outing- to fish.  But there had been a gun on the rocket.  This was a vacation.  But why all the food, more than enough to last them years and years, left hidden back there near the rocket?’ (Page 175)  Timothy begins to figure out that maybe it’s not just a vacation; maybe it’s something more.  He is right.

Dad explains to the family that they left Earth to avoid annihilation and to start a new life on Mars.  They’re going to leave all their old ways behind, just like those dwindling remains of Earth in the fire.  ‘ “I’m burning a way of life, just like that way of life is being burned clean of earth right now.” ’ (Page 179) Dad wants to show the family a new way of life by burning their memoirs from earth.  Now their new home is Mars.

The family eventually realizes that they are the Martians.  Dad takes them down to the canal and they see, ‘The Martians were there - in the canal - reflected in the water.  Timothy and Michael and Robert and Mom and Dad.  The Martians stared back up at them for a long, long silent time from the rippling water.’ (Page 180) This means that the family is finally realizing that they are the Martians and Earth is no longer an option.

If Dad had kept his family on Earth they would not have survived, so he had to move his family to Mars in order to survive.  Because they moved to Mars, they become Martians.  The bigger message of the Million-Year Picnic is that we can’t keep fighting wars, or we’ll kill out our species.  As Bradbury writes, ‘strangle ourselves with our own hands.’

Book Review: Kingdom Keepers III: Disney in Shadow

Read October 9, 2010
    
       The book I just read, Kingdom Keepers III: Disney in Shadow, by Ridley Pearson, is a nice old fashion mystery story.  It takes place in Disney's Hollywood Studios and EPCOT theme parks.  The main character, middle-schooler Finn Whitman, is a DHI, which stands for Disney Host Interactive and works in the Disney theme parks.  For the third time now, he is caught up in the Overtakers' evil scheme.  The Overtakers are all the disney villains.  This time though, the stakes are much higher as the Overtakers have captured Wayne, who is Finn's friend, mentor, and creator of the DHI's.
       This was a really good book, in my opinion, because it has all kinds of action and adventure.  For example, they ride the Test Track way over the normal speed limit, and battle the Overtakers at the Fantasia dress rehearsal.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially to people who love mystery and adventure.

The post where I describe my cell phone

It sits there, baiting me to pick it up in my hand - that little red rectangular box with the curved angles.  It has already buzzed like a, I don’t know, a giant bee perhaps.  The box buzzes again and the screen lights up reading “New Text Message from Nick H”.  What’s a text message?  I have never heard that term before, but it interests me.  I press the center button to see what it does.  It opens the “Text Message” and it reads “Hey Colin wats up” on the screen.  I think “what the heck".  Now, I’m going to examine it.  On the front it reads ‘Samsung’ and ‘Verizon’ with a check mark.   Under 'Verizon' there is a number pad with numbers 0-9 and a # and ✻ .  I have no clue what they are, so now I’ll turn this object around in my hand.  It’s surprisingly heavy for it’s small size.  On the back, there is a mirror with a circle within a circle under it.  Now I twist it again and I realize it slides open on the side and there is a pixel picture of me throwing a baseball, as I think it’s called.  Now, I slide it back to center.  After studying the keyboard, I accidentally push a button on the side and the phone speaks “Please say a command!” “Yikes!”, I say and throw the phone across the room.  Then my mom comes in and says “Colin, Why are you throwing your phone?”  Then, it all comes back to me.

The post where I describe ice cream

The bowl of ice cream sitting so innocently in front of me, is not so innocent.  It makes me want to eat it right now, but I must write first.  The name of this delicious fudge-swirl ice cream with chocolate sauce drizzled on top is 'Cape Cod Fudge Shop'.  My throat yearns for a little of this delicious food.  Now comes the taste, Dum-Dum-Dum.   Mmmmmm, it's delicious taste has me addicted to even licking the chocolate sauce off my lips.  Now another bite, it's smell and look draw my hand towards it as if I am in a trance.  It smells like solid happiness, but I will not touch it except for with my mouth.  My hands are not worthy enough to touch it.  Mmm, my taste buds thank me as I shovel spoonful after spoonful into my mouth.  Choc-o-late, my taste buds scream as a piece of solid fudge goes into my pie, I mean ice cream hole.  Now, I am running low on my full bowl.  I must-must-must savor it slowly, but I cannot, it is impossible.  Now, as quickly as it came, it has disappeared.  Nooooo, I think, my fudge :(   Knowing me, my lips are probably dressed with chocolate.  Now, looking at that empty glass bowl with melted ice cream scraps still in it, I feel a wave of extreme, sincere sadness and excitement wash over me.  I have decided why people pray to God.  It is to beg him to give us some more of the food of the gods: CHOCOLATE!!!!!!  The reason I'm sad is 'cause there's no more! 

Book Review: Cherub: The Recruit

Read September 30, 2010

In Cherub: The Recruit, by Robert Muchamore, James Chote is a boy who’s always in trouble.  His mom’s a shoplifter, and his stepdad has an extremely bad drinking problem. In the beginning of the book, James’ mom dies from drinking too much. James is then sent to a foster home called the Nebraska House.  After getting into trouble for stealing beer, he is sent to a juvenile detention center.  From there, he is recruited by Cherub, a division of MI5 for kids 17 and under.  Soon after getting used to Cherub, James begins basic training, a 100-day training course to prepare you for everything a spy would have to accomplish during a mission.  Next, James, Kerry, Connor, Mo, Shakeel, and Gabrielle all pass the final challenge of basic training, a week-long mission simulation in Malaysia.  As a result, they earn their gray shirts and their qualifications for missions.  After that, James Adams, formerly James Chote, is assigned to his first mission with his teacher Amy as his ‘sister’.  The mission is to locate and stop the environmentally friendly terrorist group ‘Help Earth’. ‘Help Earth’ is threatening to destroy Petrocon, a meeting of all the CEO’s of the major oil companies.  The MI5 thinks ‘Help Earth’ is based in Fort Harmony, a hippy camp located extremely close to the location where Petrocon will be held.  James helps uncover the members of ‘Help Earth’ in Fort Harmony and saves Petrocon.  James and Amy also uncover the would be plan of ‘Help Earth’.  The plan was to release a highly poisonous bacteria, anthrax, into the air at Green Brooke conference hall.  To do this, ‘Help Earth’ would use the air circulating vents to spread the disease around the complex.  When James returns, very successfully, from his first mission, he receives a navy shirt, a great honor. 

In my opinion this is an amazing book.  The beginning was dark and slow, but it really picked up the pace as it went along.  The Cherub series has quickly become one of my favorites and I hope to read the whole series.  I would recommend this book to grades seven and above boys, who love plain old adventure with NO VAMPIRES.  

Update- 10/4/10: I just read Mission 2: The Dealer, which takes place mostly in Miami, Florida.  In The Dealer, James has to take down Keith Moore’s Gang (KMG), from the inside out.  This is another good read.




Update- 10/25/10: I just read  Mission 3: Maximum Security, which takes place mostly in Arizona.  In Maximum Security, Cherub is working with the FBI to capture Jane Oxford, the second most wanted criminal in America.  James' mission is to bust Oxford's son, Curtis, out of the Arizona Max prison.  This will help the FBI set a trap for Jane Oxford.  The FBI hopes that she will try to visit her son, and there they will capture her.  This book was as good as the first, The Recruit, and even better than The Dealer.  I highly recommend it.

Book Review: The Wednesday Wars

Read September 23, 2010

In The Wednesday Wars, by Gary Schmidt, Holling Hoodhood is off to a really bad start in the school year with his teacher Mrs. Baker, who he thinks hates his guts.  First, Holling starts spending Wednesday afternoons with Mrs. Baker, when everyone else goes to Catholic or Jewish religious programs.  During that time, she decides to make him clean all the chalkboard erasers in the junior high.  Then, Mrs. Baker decides that cleaning the erasers is a waste of time, so they start reading Shakespeare together instead, which to Holling is worse than cleaning erasers. She also makes Holling read the plays at home, and his dad makes him do that to make Mrs. Baker happy, because he wants a contract to be the family sports store architect.  Next, Holling’s knowledge of Shakespeare gets him into a sticky situation in which he has to play Ariel, the faerie in a community showing of the “Tempest”.  In the play, he has to wear bright yellow tights and a shirt with feathers on the butt. He will also have to miss Mickey Mantle signing autographs at Baker Sporting goods.  After that, Holling’s dad brings him to a job interview for the architect of the new Camillo Junior high school, because he wants Holling to see how to be an architect and that it’s a blood sport. Holling also decides that he doesn’t want to follow his dad into the architectural firm, but he’s afraid to tell his dad that.  Finally, Holling attends his friend, Danny’s Bar Mitzvah and stands up to his dad to tell him he doesn’t want to be an architect because he wants to take control of his own life.  Holling also figures out that when you feel you’re a man, you’re a man and nobody can tell you otherwise, even your dad! 

In my opinion this was a pretty good book.  The beginning was funny and light, but the ending got more serious.  My favorite part is when Holling uses Shakespeare’s swears instead of modern profanity.  I would recommend this book to most seventh graders who may like the story of an unlikely hero and his journey through life, with lots of mishaps along the way.

Book Review: Chasing Lincoln's Killer

Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

James L. Swanson                              

Read September 17, 2010

This book takes place in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia around April 1865.

The main characters are: John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln’s killer; David Herold, his accomplice; Abraham Lincoln; Lewis Powell, Booth’s accomplice and Sec. Seward’s attacker; Edwin Stanton, officer in charge of the manhunt; and Boston Corbett, the man who shot Booth.

First, on April 14, 1865 John Wilkes Booth sneaks into Ford’s Theater and shoots President Abraham Lincoln with a .44 caliber deringer single-shot pistol, then flees the theater and the district.  Then, Booth meets up with David Herold outside the city and they make their way to Dr. Samuel Mudd’s farm for medical care, a meal and some rest.  Next, they leave the farm and hide in the woods behind before meeting up with Thomas Jones, who agrees to help them cross the Potomac, but he tricks Booth into heading the wrong way. So, instead of landing in Virginia they land farther north, in Maryland and are almost captured by the manhunters.  After that, Booth is cornered at the Garrett’s farm and gets himself shot and killed with a bullet rather than surrendering, and hanged back in DC.  Finally, Booth’s accomplices and the other conspirators are caught, brought back to Washington, tried and then hung, their names were Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, David Herold and George Alzerodt.

My opinion of this book was very good.  I wish it had been a little faster in the beginning before the assassination, but overall this was a really good book and I’d certainly recommend it to anyone who asked me.