"Go Ask Alice" Blog #5

Q: What are your final reactions and feelings after finishing the book?

A:            My final thoughts to the book are just that I am amazed. I mean you always hear about people being druggies, or drinking, or just being plain stupid when it comes to this kind of stuff, but when you hear a story about it, things change.

            First of all I can’t believe that this girl got caught up in this lifestyle and couldn’t get out. I think that if I knew her before she got involved with drugs, I would have never thought she would be one to try and be addicted to them. She seemed so normal.

            It saddens me so much to know that she died in the end. After you think that she finally cleans up her act and gets her life together, she dies. I just don’t find that to be right. I just think that she wouldn’t do it, the overdose and all. I almost feel like she was tricked get again into unknowingly taking the drugs.

            I feel that she would have made it so far in life: fulfilling her dream to become a counselor, helping drug abusing kids, and starting a family, but of couse that’s not the case.

            “Alice’s” life was taken away from her unexpectedly by other people. It is a sad story, which should have never happened in the first place. I guess it just shows that one time can mess up your entire life.

"Go Ask Alice" Blog #4

Q: How will "Alice do in the mental hospital? How will her time there affect her wanting to become a counselor?

A:            After “Alice” is checked into the mental hospital, she is scared and doesn’t really want to be there. She at first doesn’t want to be social at all and thinks all the other kids are freaks. “Alice” thinks that she doesn’t belong there.

            I believe that her time in the mental hospital will cause her to become more open with people. In order for her to fully recover, she must talk about her previous and current problems.

            Dr. Miller encourages “Alice” to talk to other patients in order to prepare her in becoming a counselor. I believe that this will give her more courage and strength, knowing that other people also have problems. She no longer will feel like the only one.

            I think that “Alice’s” time in the mental hospital will make her change even more for the better. Feeding off of other people’s problems will cause her to grow as a person and make her even more prepared for her desire to become a counselor.

"Go Ask Alice" Blog #3

Q: What has kept her out of drugs since the last time she has used them?

A: Family has played a major roll in helping to keep her on the right track and out of harm's way of drugs. All she really wants is to be somewhat of the person she was before she started using the various drugs. After she grandfather has a stroke and dies, she starts to fall apart. This shows how big of a part family plays in her life. Without her family, she is nothing.

What also keeps her out of drugs since using them is her desire to become a counselor. She wants to devote her life to helping kids in her same situation. She doesn’t want anyone to have to go through to troubles and heartaches that drugs have brought to her.

Finally, her faith in God has kept her sane for the most part. She prays that God will get her through all of the tough times and troubles. After her grandfather dies, she starts to lose her sanity. She dreams about maggots eating away at him and herself. She hopes that God will get her through safely and that her faith can help her out.

"Go Ask Alice" Blog #2

Q: What is your emotional response to the book thus far?

A: I honestly didn't think that this book would be so "emotionally challenging" as everybody said it would be, but it really is. I just think it is so terrible that just one time with LSD can hook you like that. It's insane. Although I think it's so bad that she is on drugs, I have to gives her props on her writing. The description of her trips on all of the various drugs are amazing. It's a shame she dies in the end because she really could have been an incredible writer.

I also think it is so sad that when she does want to give up the drugs and does for the time she does, people give her a hard time. Once you start, you cannot get away from it. Therefore, the only way she sees out of it is just starting back up with the drugs. It's basically a never ending cycle. 

All in all, drugs mess up people's lives for the worse. There is absolutely no point to them. Yeah, the time you do them is great as you see from the book, but after the fact she feels terribly. It's a shame that this downward spiral of drugs caused an amazing girl to lose her life.

"Go Ask Alice" Blog #1

Q: What is your initial response to the book and how do you expect to respond to it? How do you think Alice will become involved with drugs? (pg. 0-25)

A: My first response to the book is how much she is lacking in confidence. Alice is extremely insecure with herself and feels like a misfit. I believe that this is going to be the most emotionally challenging book out of our class. I think this because of the drug abuse. Although I do not know what exactly Alice will get herself into, I do know that this book is all about her drug addiction. Her drug addiction will bring many heart wrenching problems into her life, which will add to the emotionally challenging aspect. 

So far, Alice has not yet become involved with drugs yet. She is living her life, moving to a new town, and finally making a good friend. Although she someone seems to be adjusting to this new life, she will eventually get involved with drugs. I think that this will happen when she is feeling really down about herself. Like she always says how her mother nags at her all of the time, how she needs to lose a ton of weight, how she feels and looks like a slob, and her lack of confidence. I think that with all this on her, she will eventually lose herself and use some sort of drug. 

Although, I think that after she starts the drugs, she will want to stop, but can't. I think that she will know that she shouldn't be doing them, but likes the way she feels. She basically hates herself and they way she feels, and will do anything to get out of her life. And unfortunately, drugs are the only escape she sees.

Book Choice

1. Go Ask Alice

2. The Boy in Striped Pajamas

3. To Kill a Mockingbird

4. Black Hawk Down

I would really prefer not to read "Black Hawk Down". 

Chapter 21 Conclusion

 “A Long Way Gone” was probably the most emotional, heart wrenching, and gory book that I have had to read for school. Although with that being said, it was by far my favorite. Right from the beginning of the book, Beah captured your interest. He just put it all out on the table and did not hold back, and that’s what I like about him.

            I believe that I would not have been so affected by this book if it had not been for Invisible Children or sadly, the gore of it. Unfortunately, what would capture people about this book would be the violence and gore. Like a car crash, you hate to look, but you have to. Although, after you look past the violence and gore of the book, you can look into the life of Ishmael Beah, and that is what begins to break you down.

            Yes, although this book was graphic, I would not have rather read any other book. This book just shows how badly the world was, and still is. Child soldiers still exist, and that is why Ishmael Beah is still talking about his life and book to this day.  I admire Ishmael Beah very much, and am proud that he had the guts to put his life into public’s eye.

Chapters 19&20 Response

 19: Chapter nineteen was upsetting in the beginning. When he was to leave the Benin Home and actually leaving was hard. It amazed me that he lost contact with all these people, even his friends. It also makes me wonder if these people are still alive and have heard of him since, or have even seen the book.

            The nightclub scene I thought was extremely cute. It made me feel happy for Ishmael that he finally got to be a normal kid for once, just sneaking out and partying, being a kid.

            On the interview day, for once in this book I actually laughed and found something comical. When Beah wrote about how he could not figure out “the metal box”, I found it entertaining. Although, I also became frustrated, like Ishmael was, when the man kept smiling during the interview.  I also found it frustrating when the man operating the passports and the woman at the UN embassy asked so many unnecessary questions.

            20: Chapter twenty was probably the most lighthearted chapter in the whole book for me. Comical events happened like not knowing what snow was, being introduced to strange food, and not knowing how to operate a thermostat, which made me feel happy.

            I am sad to know that this book is almost over, and I don’t want the last chapter to come. This has been probably my most favorite book that I have had to read of class.

            At the end of chapter twenty Beah writes, “I was sad to leave, but I was also pleased to have met people outside of Sierra Leone.  Because if I was to get killed upon my return, I knew that a memory of my existence was alive somewhere in the world.”(pg.200) That quote right there was probably the most touching passage in the entire book. It amazes me that just a kid my age would think that deeply about their life.

Chapters 17&18

 17: At the beginning of chapter seventeen, you can see Ishmael’s old life coming back dimly. This is because Ester gives him a walkman with rap music, which makes him start to remember his past life. I think it was clever of Ester to only let him listen to the Walkman when he came to see her because then he would come more often and recover more quickly.

            The flashback that occurred in this chapter was rather disturbing and made me feel terribly for Ishmael. When he describes how he was shot in the foot and how the bullet was brutally taken out makes me relieved that he can actually walk after it.

            18: Chapter eighteen was actually pretty good for Ishmael. His relationship with Esther improved and is very strong, like brother and sister, he was reunited with his childhood friend Mohammad, and he was appointed the spokesperson of the Benin Home.

            All these events happening made me happy for Ishmael because things are finally going somewhat right for him. He is finally somewhat happy. What topped the whole two chapters for me was when Leslie found Ishmael’s uncle, Tommy. Finally I am happy for Ishmael and hopelessly want his life to stay well like this.

Book Suggestions

I don't necessarily have a book in mind to suggest, but I do have types of books that I like. I prefer fiction books to nonfiction because they are more fun and can go many different ways. Although, I am enjoying reading "A Long Way Gone", which is nonfiction. I don't really care what book we read as long as it's not in the category of adventure or action. I tend to like books that are somewhat twisted because their weirdness captivates my interest.

Chapters 15&16 Response

 15: Chapter fifteen finally made me believe that some good can come out of this book. When the INICEF people came, it was a huge sigh of relief for me, especially why Ishmael was picked to go with them.

            Although I was happy that Ishmael and other boys got to go to the rehabilitation camp, it saddened me to know that all they still wanted to do was kill. It’s sad to know that all they thought about was killing and drugs. They had no idea why they were brought to the camp and still killed.

            16: What really stuck out to me in chapter sixteen was when they went into the city of Freetown. It amazed me how when they saw little things like tall buildings or cars got their minds off of killing and war.

            What I liked about this chapter were the flashbacks. Although they were again, gruesome, I liked them. The first flashback showed how much the war movies had an effect on the boys. Like Alhaji being like Rambo and slitting the throats of the soldiers.

            Near the end of this chapter, it was sad to see the affects of the war on the boys. For example, Beah wrote about himself, “I’d wake up sweating and throwing punches In the air. I would run outside to the middle of the soccer filed and rock back and forth, my arms wrapped around my legs. I would try desperately to think about my childhood, but I couldn’t. The war memories had formed a barrier that I had to break in order to think about any moment in my life before the war.” (pg. 149)

Chapters 13&14 Response

            Chapters thirteen and fourteen were by far the most graphic and heart wrenching chapters thus far. In chapter thirteen, I felt so badly for all of the boys’ first time in the battlefield. Although they had trained for that day, the initial reaction to all of the bloodshed was too much for them to handle. When Musa died from his backbone being shattered, it made my heart ache for Ishmael to know that the rebels took yet another one of his friends away from his life.

            A huge part of these two chapters had to do with an excessive amount of drug use. It sickens me to know that all these boys did was do all of these drugs. That the only reason they are able to kill without feeling sorry is because of the drugs.

            Another part in chapter fourteen that also bothered me was the rewards for killing rebels. I thought it was terrible that people, even though they were rebels, were lined up in front of innocent, young boys and were murdered. Just that image in my head makes me feel sick. Also being rewarded for it makes it even worse.

            I admire Ishmael Beah for having the courage to write this. To not leave out details that others would be uncomfortable sharing to the public. By doing this, it makes the story seem more real and I admire him for that.

Chapters 11&12 Response

All I can really say is wow. If I had to describe these two chapters in three words I would probably say: graphic, gruesome, and emotional. The day before the boys arrived to the village where their families were, the weather was odd. Ishmael writes that half of the sky was blue, while the other was clouded. Then it began to rain for only a short time. I somewhat believe that this was a sign from possibly God saying that something strange, like the weather, is going to happen.

            When the boys arrived at the village, I became extremely hopeful. I thought that just maybe things could go right for once and that some of the boys would be able to reunite with their families.

            As the boys were coming down the hill and the gunshots sounded, my heart dropped. From then I just knew that he was soon going to become a child soldier. Although Beah’s writing of the raid was extremely gruesome and graphic, I admire him for being able to write it. I think that it takes a lot to tell a story like this and include every single fact and detail.

            In chapter twelve, I could not have felt more sorry for all of the children. When the lieutenant told everyone that they must either fight or leave, I knew from then on Ishmael’s identity was a child soldier. I became extremely angry every time, “the rebels who killed your parents, family, and those who are responsible for everything that has happened to you.”

            Overall these two chapters I believe have been both the most graphic and emotional. I think that Ishmael Beah is a strong man for being able to get through all of this and be able to tell the stories as his life as a child soldier.

Chapter 10 Response

Chapter ten was a long and emotion filled chapter. One of the hardest parts for me was reading the boys’ stories of when the rebels attacked. Saidu’s story was the most emotional for me personally with the sisters. How he said everyday he carried the pain that his sisters and parents had to go through from the rebels.

            When the boys got to the busy and crowded village, I became excited and hopeful that some of the boys would find their families. Although the boys were going through the war and being alone, it was nice that they were able to let loose and have fun for once in that village.

            By far the saddest part of this chapter would be when Saidu passes away. The way Beah wrote how they thought he just passed out again, but how he wouldn’t wake up after shaking him or pouring water on him was difficult to take in. Death in general is a hard thing to endure. Even when you didn’t know this little boy that died, Beah’s talent of writing made you feel like you knew him. Chapter ten was one of the most difficult chapters to read so far. Hopefully the other boys don’t die this way or at all.

Chapter 8&9 Response

After reading chapter eight, I liked how Beah had flashbacks to his youth with his grandparents. It made me see him as more of a person, than a little boy lost and alone in the forest. When Beah writes about how he had the run-in with the wild hogs, I became nervous. This is because I thought he was setting it up to be rebels. Before Beah found the six other boys, I can’t imagine how he lived for an entire month without human contact. I couldn’t survive if that were me.

            In chapter nine, Beah shows that even if war causes people to lose all trust and hope, there are still some people that can help you through. I think that it was extremely thoughtful and generous of the young man on the beach to let seven boys that could have potentially killed him live with him. I am yet again astonished that the rap music saved Ishmael’s life again. The rap music had saved his life twice before, but the third time with the chief is amazing. When sometime like that happens, you know that you are supposed to live. Like Ishmael Beah’s father said, “If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die”. I believe that goes for Ishmael’s life. 

Chapters 6&7 Response

            After reading chapters six and seven, I am somewhat relieved to know that not every chapter is filled with gruesome, graphic bloodshed. At the beginning of chapter six, when the men captured the boys, I held my breath the whole time. It amazed me how rap music yet again saved their lives. Rap music led them out of the village that was attacked by the rebels in the first place and then saved their lives from being recognized by a fellow villager.

            Also in chapter six, I liked how Beah flashbacked to the time with his brother and farming. Although it saddens me to know that all he wanted was to be asked if he was okay. All he wanted was love and sympathy. Unfortunately, there could not be just one chapter of lightheartedness and Beah concludes that in chapter six that that was the last time he saw his brother, Junior.

            Making up for the lack of bloodshed in chapter six, Beah describes in chapter seven when the rebels come and attack. Although it was religion to not interrupt prayer, it makes me angry that the imam could not just stop once to save his life. All he had to do was listen to his fellow villagers and it could have saved his life. As Beah wrote at the end of chapter six, he could not find his brother, Junior, or his friends. He was only left with one, Kaloko. Nearing the end of chapter seven after Beah left his hiding place and is walking alone, it disgusts me that people could not trust a twelve year old. When Ishmael encounters the family at the river, the man could not trust him. Because of the war, all trust was lost. It sickens me that children like Beah were left alone fending for themselves.  

Chapters 3-5 Response

            After reading chapters three, four, and five, I am still amazed by Beah’s talent of writing. I just thought reading the first two chapters was hard, but just reading about the pain and suffering he had to go through kills me.

            When the rebels first abduct the boys, it made me feel extreme anxiety. Although it had already happened, I wish that I could have protected them. I could not believe the cruelty of the rebels to the old man. Beah writes that before the war, young people were expected to respect their elders, but during the war, it had made at total change. For example, when the young rebels throw the old man to the ground, I felt terribly for him. Also, the fact that the boys were forced to laugh or be killed. That pushed me over the edge.

            It sickens me that this happened to Ishmael Beah and all the other children, and that just a book informs people. Although we have only read five chapters, I feel connected to Beah as a child and want to know what happens next. I also feel more connection to this book because of Invisible Children. I believe that this will be a tough read for me emotionally because of that.

Chapters 1&2 Response

            After reading the only the first two chapters of “A Long Way Gone”, I am already sucked into the story. The way Ishmael Beah writes his autobiography makes you grasping for more. His style of writing is just straight on and true. He basically just tells it like it was and is not trying to beat around the bush. He is not trying to make it seem better than it was, when in all actually the events he experienced were terrible.

            Another thing I like about Ishmael Beah is that in only two chapters of reading, I already feel terribly for him and want to know what happened next. The way he sets up the story of his life as a pleasant time with his friends, just being kids and acting innocent. Acting like any other kid would at their age, listening to music and dancing. He then is taken aback with the rebels raid in his home village.

            After reading just the beginning of the book, I am both looking forward to reading what happens next but also fearful of what will happen. I know that Ishmael will be abducted, and it will become extremely graphic, but I want to know his life story if it means being completely appalled by what has happened to him.

British vs. Ibo People

            There is much conflict between the British and the Africans. First, the white British missionary arrived and the Oracle told the Ibo people to kill him. The Oracle said that more would be coming soon. After the murder of the white man, many white missionaries came as the Oracle said and killed many people in Abame. This caused to Africans to dislike the missionaries and could not change their prospective of them at the time because they did not speak the same language.

            During Okonkwo’s exile, the missionaries built a church, which caused many Ibo people to convert to Christianity. One of these people was Nowye.  This caused much controversy, and the Ibo people thought that there would be no people left to worship them after they died. They thought their own religion would die out.

            Upon the arrival of Okonkwo to his old village, the Christians are making a school. Mr. Brown and Akunna get into an argument over their gods. Mr. Brown is trying to say that if you carve a piece of wood it is not a god. Akunna rebuttals that they do not worship the wooden idol, but that God made the trees that the wood was taken from. Akunna continues to say that the Christian god is not in Heaven, but in England.

            After Mr. Brown falls ill, the new reverend, Mr. Smith, comes in and takes over. Mr. Smith is not like Mr. Brown. Unlike Mr. Brown that didn’t care if someone came to the church, but was still confused, Mr. Smith said that you had to be sure of what you thought. All Mr. Smith wants to do is take down the Ibo culture and convert everyone to the Christian faith.

"Female" Virtues Ignored

            In Mbanta, Okonkwo is scolded for not understanding the Ibo proverb that “Mother is Supreme”. Okonkwo ignores “female” virtues in himself and others like affection and the quality of listening. This creates any problems in his life because of his one-sidedness.

            Okonkwo ignores the “female” virtue of affection by not showing love for his family. I believe he is like this because his own father was lazy and could not care for his family, so Okonkwo believes that he should show that he is strong and tough. He thinks that he should not show any vulnerability.

            Okonkwo also does not show affection towards his son, Nwoye. Okonkwo thinks his son is not a man because Nwoye is sensitive and actually has an emotional side. Okonkwo wishes that Nwoye was more like his daughter, Ezinma, whom is strong and tough, like Okonkwo.

            Okonkwo’s one-sidedness creates problems in his life like selfishness. When he is exiled, Okonkwo begins to feel sorry for himself, in which he should not. Uchendu tells Okonkwo that “Mother is Supreme” and that other people are in a much worse situation than Okonkwo himself. Although Uchendu tells Okonkwo about many stories in which people’s lives are much worse than his own, Okonkwo continues to feel sorry for himself which will cause many more problems in the future.

Opinions of Okonkwo

My opinion of Okonkwo is that he is somewhat selfish and has a bad temper. I think this because he has beaten his own family in the past out of his anger and selfishness. Although, I can see his hardworking self come through.
Okonkwo has beaten his third wife out of anger. He did this because she had gone out on a personal errand when she should have been making his dinner. Although this was somewhat selfish of her, Okonkwo had two other wives to feed and take are of him. Not only did she just beat his wife, he beat her during the Week of Peace. By doing this, he I believe that he might have learned his lesson because he then had to sacrifice items that were important to himself and his wealth.
Although I see Okonkwo has selfish and violent, he is also a hard worker. I believe this because Okonkwo took time to schedule a meeting with Nwakibie, the richest man in the village. Okonkwo asked Nwakibie to please spare him some yam seeds, which he ended up getting double for what he asked for. Okonkwo planted the seeds, but the weather failed him, and he lost all of this crops. When this was happening, Okonkwo tried everything to keep his crops from dying. This shows that he is hardworking.

P.S. Cheating Response

Based on what I know from the story, I believe that P.S. will turn himself in at the end of the story. I think this because of the pressure he is given by his father, his family history, and the kind of kid he is
I believe that P.S. will turn himself in because of his father. By the information we are given, his father is unloving and tough on him. His father and the history of his family going to the school cause P.S. to feel like he must do well. He is pressured to do pass because of the history of his family.
I also think that P.S. will turn himself in because of the kind of character he has. P.S. seems like the kind of kid that would become extremely guilty and feel terribly that he cheated in the first place. I believe that he will come to think that cheating is not worth the guilt even if it does mean that he can’t go to Colorado or make his father pround.

Friday Fill-ins #85

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was flautas.

2. Sterotyping is something I intensely dislike.

3. The full moon comes about every 28 days.

4. “Grime time” is one of my favorite local expressions.

5. Sometimes it's best to keep things to yourself.

6. Twilight (the trailer) is the best movie I've seen so far this year!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to hanging out, tomorrow my plans include watching movies, and Sunday, I want to hang out with my friends outside.

stereotyping.

At least once in everyone’s life, someone is judged before they are known. And vice versa, although some may not admit it.  It happened to me, and yes, it’s happened to you.

             A time in which I was judged before a person knew me was just last year. I had, and still do have, my own style, which some people were not going to accept. Not just one, but many kids judged me just based on how I looked, although I am an extremely thoughtful person. They were just not used to something different.

            Although I had friends, new people were not accepting. They would steer clear of me and not want to be involved, just because I was not in the stereotypical Hollister wearing norm.

            After realizing how much people were not accepting, I put myself out there. I was even more friendly and nice. I talked to more people, and after they realized I was just like them, they accepted me. They said they did not think I would be like I was just because of how I dressed. They fessed up and apologized, which was amazing for me to experience. It made me realize that I can be me and people may not like it, but they will realize they are wrong about stereotyping eventually.

            After being judged, it has made me realize how people can be not lenient on people at all. Thankfully, I have learned that I can be whomever I want. I do no under any circumstances have to fit a certain mold. I am free to be me. 

Monitoring Sites with Hawkeye

After reading the article “Monitoring Sites with a Hawkeye”, I agree with the fact that senior leaders of Universities have the right to monitor profiles of athletes. I think this because if an athlete were to put of an inappropriate picture or themselves doing something wrong or bad, it gives them and their team a bad image. Also, if an athlete were to post a picture of a fellow teammate, they could be unintentionally hurting the future of that athlete and student.
Another reason why monitoring profiles is a good idea is to keep athletes safe. For example, if an athlete posts something giving away information about their team or themselves, leaders monitoring the profiles can advice them to take it down. If I were in this situation, I would rather have my profile looked at than possibly putting myself, or others in danger.
Although I am for this specific article and controversy, I can also see why athletes and others could disagree with myself, and the situation. I can see how athletes may think they are being violated of their personal pictures and profiles. These athletes that are against this must believe that it is unconstitutional to go through private profiles. I believe if this is the case, then the athletes need to see that these senior leaders are only doing this for the sake of the school, the specific team, and most importantly, the actual athlete.
I believe that monitoring athlete’s profiles on sites like Myspace and Facebook is for the better. These athletes need to realize that this is for their own team’s good. When being apart of team, you do what’s best for the team as a whole, not just you. Therefore wouldn’t these athletes be willing to do this?