Reading Response on a Poem

            In the current century the image of perfect is being thin or being buff. Another “perfect image” is having designer clothes. Behind middles school walls having designer clothes is fitting in. Have you ever been jealous of the girls with thin bodies and the perfect clothes? Ever killed someone for his or her clothes or shoes? In the poem Please Don’t Take My Air Jordans, by Reg E. Gaines, the speaker seems young, high school maybe eighth grade. The poem is about a boy who steals air Jordans to look good in school. After reading the poem, one theme is people care about a person’s appearance; this is shown in the fourth, fifth, and sixth stanza.

            The fourth stanza the speaker talks about his gear (new clothes), and how it makes him feel special. “And the reason I have to look real fly/ well to tell ya the truth man I don’t why/ I guess it makes me feel special inside” (Gaines 13-15). The speaker says his gear makes him special. Why does someone have to look nice to feel special, isn’t everyone special in his or her own way?

            The fifth stanza the speaker explains the importance of his gear. “ But I really must get some new gear soon/ or my ego will pop like a ten cent balloon” (Gaines 17-18). I inferred that the clothes complete him and he cant live without his clothes. His gear is important to him. Just like currently with us teens, our phones are so important to us. We cant live without them.

            The sixth stanza is a follow up and tells us why his clothes are so important. “My crew’s laughing at me cuz I’m wearing old gear” (Gaines 24).  True friends wouldn’t laugh at your clothes. They wouldn’t laugh at your appearance. They would know if something is wrong with you and ask you “what’s wrong” or “are you ok?”

            Reading a poem is like looking at a painting. At first we look at it and don’t know what we see. Then we realize there is a true meaning, a story behind it. Some people think being thin or buff is perfect, however people should like who they are not the person the want to be. In the poem the speakers kills for a pair of sneakers. There was no need to take a persons life for a pair of shoes. After reading this poem, I realized that fitting in or having the best clothes or being thin, isn’t everything.

I Feel Bad

I lied to the turtle
I told him I
Like the pig
I feel bad

I lied tithe snake
I told him I
Like the Tiger
I feel bad

I lied to my self
I told her I
Like the Koala
Do I feel bad?

I live in the house
 of endless Lies
Should I
          Do I
    Feel Bad

Reading Response on Independent Reading Response

The Red Necklace by Sally Gardener is a story of the French Revolution. The story is fictional and is written in the third person. The main characters Yann, the boy who doesn’t know of his gypsy origins, Topolain, the magician, and Têtu, the dwarf go to Paris to do a show for the Marquis. Then things change thanks to Topolains mouth. I have gotten through the first hundred pages and have notice real world problem. There are a couple of “scenes” of murder and about one “scene” of stealing.

The first “scene” of violence is on page 42. “The count (Count Kaslliovski) pulled the trigger. There was a loud retort, followed by the acrid smell of gunpowder and scorched flesh….Têtu put his head to Topolain’s chest, listening to for a heartbeat. He shook his head.” This is murder and is happening all over the United States and Oklahoma teen shot his half sister and great-grandmother. Also a Texas mom killed her 10 year old son and left his body in a bath-tub.

One “scene of stealing is on page 55. “A bloodred ribbon with seven crimsons stones set into it. Without thinking, he put it in his pocket.” This may not seem like stealing but he is taking something that isn’t his. “He began the to search the room for money. Hidden deep in among the drapes of the bed was a purse. Yann picked it up and put it in his pocket.” This is stealing and is happening in New York. Two People stole watches worth $709,000. Three men stole several thousands of dollars and got away with it.

In conclusion the book The Red Necklace by Sally Gardener has real world problems even though it is a fictional book.