Non-Fiction Reading Response

      The article "After Mandela" by Patricia Smith is about life in South Africa before and after Nelson Mandela. In 1964 Nelson Mandela was accused of trying to overthrow the government. He was found guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. "After years of international pressure things changed in 1990." Government freed Mandela after he'd spent 27 years in prison. After he was freed Apartheid had officially ended in 1991. Three years later Mandela decided to run for president. Africans feared a bloodbath but Mandela called to move forward rather than turning to violence. The author wants me to know the successes and setbacks of living after Mandela. One example of a success is the number of middle-class black citizens has double. One example of a setback is 20% of the adults have HIV.
      I think the authors purpose for writing this article is to show others what life is like for the people in South Africa. One example that shows a success is many black citizens had running water and electricity for the first time.  This article shows me that Mandela change South Africa in a positive way. One example of a setback is there were many poor black people and while whites remained middle or upper-class. Patricia Smith wants me to feel sorry for the people of South Africa. She wants me to feel that I could help them, but truly I can't. Nokuthula Maguabane is 18 and is trying to do something for older generations of black South Africans. She is praising Afrikaans. Afrikaans is a language used by the "white minority who ruled South Africa for decades under apartheid." Many blacks have long considered Afrikaans the language of the oppressors. The blacks do not understand Afrikaans is just a language. Maguabane feels the same way.
      From reading "After Mandela" by Patricia Smith I find that Nokuthula Maguabane is trying to follow in Mandela's footsteps. She and many others are trying to create the South Africa that Mandela "would have loved to see."

Work Cited

"After Mandela." After Mandela. N.p, n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2014.

Smith, Patricia. "After Mandela." Upfront [New York] 13 Jan. 2014

Cover Story sec.:12 Print.

Revised Response

   There are books that I can't put down such as mysteries, sci-fi, fiction. There are books that I feel I have to restrain myself from such as horror fiction. In “Witch-Hunt”, by Marc Aronson, there were a couple of times I felt the need to turn myself away. In the book there are many parts before you see chapter one, The Note to the reader, Introduction, and the Prologue. I felt myself turning away several times in the Prologue. After reading the Prologue I couldn’t sleep from the gruesome images. This restrained me from continuing to Chapter One.

   In the Prologue  "Boston, 1688: The Possession of the Goodwin Children", This pretty much sums up about what was happening while the Goodwin Children were possessed. "Red streaks showed up on their bodies" (36). I felt the need to turn away at this moment because I was envisioning what it was like in the late 1600's. All I saw was three little children the age of 5-12 (the book stated the ages of the children) covered in blood red marks all over their bodies. Could you imagine being tortured just like these children?

   Another moment, in the Prologue that I felt myself horrified was one page after the example stated above. "They would be tested into such postures as made the things impossible (37).” This quote made me turn away because as I stated before I envisioned what it was like. I envisioned children on the floor in postures no one has ever seen before. Arms twisted behind their backs, legs bent in ways they aren’t meant to be. I would imagine the torture & horrifying feeling these children were experiencing.

   I felt that my resistance says I was not prepared to read a book like this. It also says that I am scared of the non-existing. My resistance may also say that the book is complex and you need to be well prepared to read a book like this. This book brings me back to when I saw the Conjuring. I the images made it impossible to sleep that same night. Also when I saw You're Next the murdering and the image of the dead person gave me hallucination that the killers were in my house. I saw shadows and heard noises that gave me the creeps. 

   In conclusion the book Witch-Hunt by Marc Aronson is a book I felt I resisted a lot. The book made me realize I am not fully ready to read this book. I made to do some background research because I do not fully understand the book. Maybe you should read the book and tell me if you restrained yourself. 

Critica Thinking Question:Witch-hunt part 2

There are books that you can't put down, and there are books that you feel you have to restrain yourself a little. In Witch-Hunt, by Marc Aronson, there are a couple of times I felt the need to turn my-self away. In the book there are many parts before you see chapter one. The Note to the reader, Introduction, And the Prologue. I felt my self turning away in the Prologue and through out the book.

In the prologue, titled Boston, 1688: The Possession of the Goodwin Children. This pretty much just tells you about what was happening while the Goodwin Children were possessed. "Red streaks showed up on their bodies" (36). I felt the need to turn away at this moment because I was envisioning what it was like in the late 1600's. All i saw was three little kids about the age of 5-12 covered on blood red marks all over their bodies. Each mark about a foot long. 

Another moment in the prologue that i felt my self resisting was one page after the example above.
"They would be tested into such postures as made the things impossible (37). This quote made me turn away because like I stated before I envisioned what it was like, so all I saw children on the floor in postures no one has ever seen before.

I feel that my resistance says I was not prepared to read a book like this. It also might say that I am scared of what doesn't exist. My resistance might say that the book is complex and you need to be prepared to read a book like this. 

In conclusion the book Witch-Hunt by Marc Aronson is a book I felt that I resisted a lot. The book made me realize I am not fully ready to read this book.  I made to do some background research because I do not fully understand the book.

Witch-Hunt

     I just began read the Witch-Hunt by Marc Aronson. In the book you hear multiple opinions from different people, but so far I have not heard an opinion from the towns people. I feel that if the voice of the town people were heard it would not change the way the witch trials happened. It would only put the "witches" to death even quicker.
     In the text it says that they had to move the trials to a different setting because,there were to many of the towns people.  I am unsure of how long the trials lasted but it is said it was from March 1692 to October 1692. If the towns people spoke up witchcraft would have ended sooner and less people would have died. I haven't read much but this is all that have really understood about Salem Massechsetts 1692.

Argument Essay

     I have recently read the book "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck. After finishing the book I have made the conclusion: Of Mice and Men should be banned from middle school libraries because there is a lot of mature content, it is racist, and  it could be a bad influence.

     I believe a book like Of Mice and Men should be banned because there is a lot of mature content. Most young adult books these days have to do with drugs, sex, rape, alcohol, etc. Some kids are not ready to read things like rape of the side effects of crystal meth. In the book Of Mice and Men on pg. 20 it states, "tell ya what-`know what he done Christmas? Brang a gallon of whisky right in here and says, 'Drink hearty boys. Christmas comes but once a year.' 'The hell he did! Whole gallon? 'Yes sir. Jesus, we had fun. They let the nigger come in that night." This quote shows the mature content of them having "fun" while they were drinking a whole gallon of whiskey. Another example is on pg. 29 "Where is the Gd. damn nigger." The cursing is strong and racist. Kids could call someone this and hurt their feelings not knowing what the word means.

     Another reason a book like Of Mice and Men should be banned because it is racist. This is a reason it should be banned because being racist can hurt people and make them think negatively of themselves. For example  on pg. 68 when Crooks is talking to Lennie and says,” I ain’t wanted in the bunkhouse and you ain’t wanted in my room. ‘ Why ain’t you wanted?’ Lennie asked. ‘Cause I’m black. They Play cards in there, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me.”  Because other people were racist toward Crook, he think negatively about himself. Being racist is another form of bullying. Middle school librarians and teachers should be aware of these things to prevent it from happening with the students of the school.
      Another reason a book like Of Mice and Men should be banned because it could be a bad influence. Most parents wouldn't want their kid reading about drugs, rape, etc. In an article we read in class "The sick-lit." The article states “One girl, Jess says that while the book put into words what she felt, ‘It was also too close to home for me to read’. She added: I’d finish reading and immediately reached for my blade.” I know when I finished Crank, another book that has rape and what happens when you do meth, i didn't reach for a knife. If I was a parent I wouldn't want my kids trying to kill themselves over a book as strong as it is. 

     One might argue that these books teach lessons. Yes Crank by Ellen Hopkins shows kids the symptoms of crystal meth and what happens when you do it. But what if your child doesn't understand these lesson what if they get curious. In the article Darkness Too Visible it states If a teen has been abused, the logic follows, reading about another teen in the same straits will be comforting. If a girl cuts her flesh with a razor to relive surging feelings of self-loathing, she will find succor in reading about another girl who cuts, mops up the blood with towels and eventually learns to manage her emotional turbulence without a knife.” Managing your emotions with a razor is not a good idea. 

     Books like Of Mice and Men should be banned because of the amount of mature content, it is racist, and it could be a bad influence. Be for you read another book read the blurb and ask yourself: Do I think I am ready to read this? Will it influence me in a bad way? 

Monday Muse: Childhood Memories

   When I was five years old, I remember one “very scary” time of my life.  Starting  kindergarten. It was a new school. I had to make new friends, but the thing I was going to miss most was my mom. I attended Daycare in the same building at my mom’s job.  I was always in the class across from her office. So whenever I got hurt she was always there to cradle me in her arms.
   It was my first day and everyone knew each other but me. I was considered the “new girl”. I walked into the classroom and everyone looked at me.  As I walked by to meet the teachers I could hear the girls in the “group” whispering stuff about me. “Oh my god did you see that girl, she’s so ugly” said one of them. “Lets not be friends with her” said another. 
There were these two girls in a different group. One looked just like me but with straight hair and the other, dark skin with straight black hair in two little ponytails. I walked with my mom, up to the teacher. I sensed all eyes in my direction. 
   When my mom left I cried. This went on for 3 months, September, October, and November. Everyday I cried for minutes or for hours. I can remember what was going on in my head those 3 months. Why am I here? Where is mom? I don’t like it here. Where am I? I have no friends. Can I go home? My mom and my teacher tried different strategies to help me not cry.  They let me take my favorite stuff animal but that still did not work.  I overheard my mom saying that she would change my school if I did not try and continued crying.
   One day when my mom left the two girls that were not in the “group” took me to their table. They told me it would fine. “Really?” I asked and they said “yeah.” Ever since that day the three of us were B.F.F.s. My friends and I were in the “gifted program” so we were together from kindergarten to 5th grade.  We were inseparable.
   When writing this story...looking back at it...I realized that I didn’t need my mom to be there I had plenty of friends. I had to suck it up and deal that me and my mom would be separated for almost 6 hours. Girlfriends and Guy friends, I still keep in touch with all my friends today. I call them on the weekends or whenever I have spare time.

Evermore

   After a horrible accident claims the lives of her family, sixteen-year-old Ever Bloom can see people's auras, hear their thoughts, and know someone's entire life story by touching them. Going out of her way to avoid human contact to suppress her abilities, she has been branded a freak at her new high school — but everything changes when she meets Damen Auguste. 

   Damen is gorgeous, exotic and wealthy. He's the only one who can silence the noise and random energy in her head - wielding a magic so intense, it's as though he can peer straight into her soul. As Ever is drawn deeper into his enticing world of secrets and mystery, she's left with more questions than answers. And she has no idea just who he really is - or what he is. I feel the theme of this book is don't judge someone on how they dress, or what they do.

   For example Evers best friend, Haven, starts to dress differently after meeting Drina, a very old friend of Damen. On page 119 it says "when I get to the lunch table I try not to gawk but Haven's hair is purple.....'right after i hung up with you last night i triend to die it red, you know, that gorgeous coppery shade like Drina's?" This shows that Haven is  trying to dress just like Drina. Another example of her dress just like Drina is on page 133 Haven says "you guys don't even know her.....then Miles yells 'its not true'.....then Haven says 'she likes me just the way I am'........(miles)Oh, is that why you changed your entire look, because she accepts you for who you really are?" This quote shows that Miles, gay best friend of Haven and Ever, is judging on how Haven dresses, buts its her choice to dress the way she wants to.
   Ever judges Damen for trying save Havens life. On page 179 it states "Damen on the floor, his clothes torn, his face dripping with blood, while Haven thrashes and moans under him......what have you done to her? seeing her pale skin, her eyes rolling back, and knowing theres no time to waste." Later in the books ,not to spoil it, Ever thinks Damen is a vampire but all he is trying to do save her life. Drina insist that Haven gets a tattoo of Ouroboros. The tattoo gets infected and Damen tries to save her life but Ever sees something different.
   This book taught me that me that i shouldnt judge a person on how they dress or the way they act, I need to get to know the person in order to judge them.