gracesrdg0910's Blog

The year is coming to an end. The crazy roller coaster ride is finally coming to a hault after all of those dives and turns. Although my school year is almost over by blog life has only just begun. With my blog life comes writing. And with writing comes creative thinking and insperations. After looking back at my blog life and reading through almost all of my post I’ve found that different aspects of my life have influenced my writing. From family to vacations to books, the little things in life have inspired me to write.  

My own Experience: Under Dog 

This is a true story (I’m not know for lying). For the writing assignment I thought this story was appropriate and I wanted to share my actions. I hope it would encourage others like me to speak up.

Other people’s lives (family, friends): Catdog

Sometimes we call my sister Avery cat-dog. When you think about it cats and dogs really don’t get along, so it made sense. Nick names can do that.

Where I Live: Building a Nation

In my intro I decided to mention the building of an object. Since I live in New England and love the beach it was only logical to describe to building of a sandcastle.

Mother’s and Father’s: Rocks erode, but Humans grow

This assignment focused on parents. Using examples of how my parents have influenced my life made the piece more interesting. Looking back now I can see what a huge impact my parents have made on my life and how hard it must be for them to let me go.

Vacations: My Adventure through Barnes & Noble

A tradition in our family every year is to rent a house in Old Orchard Beach, Maine. We enjoy the sun, the beach, the shops, and the view, but at the end of a long day we relax at a little ice cream shop.

Books: The Book that Talked Back

Even though this post was about a “book” it still inspired me to write. The book, “The Sight” inspired me to link some of the themes in the book to my life. It made me realize the books are the mirrors of our actions.

When I was little I wanted to become a writer. It wasn’t so much the “writing” part that I loved but the idea used for a story. There were so many crazy, infinite ideas to use for stories. Playing with my plastic animals and dinosaurs I would pretend they were characters acting out each roll like puppets. As I grew older and learned more about the English language my interest in writing grew. I didn’t enjoy writing essays but I dived right in to short stories and poems. Recently Kathleen Benner Duble, an author, came to speak to our school. Having a love for words myself I found some of her main points were helpful to a young writer and student like me.    

This past Friday I was fortunate enough to attend an assembly at W.S. Parker Middle School and take notes for my next article. A visiting author by the name of Kathleen Benner Duble came to talk to the students about writing. She covered many areas from how to get ideas for stories to finding an editor. Duble was very well spoken and is one of those people that can motivate middle school kids! One of her main points in the assembly was how to transform an experience into a book. She showed the audience a slide show of each book she had written and published. For each book she described the story behind it that motivated her to write the book. I found this very interesting. She used stories from her sibling, parents, friends, family members, and hobbies! After the assembly I noticed that my hearing became more acute. Probably because Duble told the students to keep their ears open in case they heard an interesting story! Duble also told the students that the most inspiring stories are usually the short and simple kind. Overall the assembly was very inspiring and unique.

After the assembly I found that Kathleen Benner Duble’s words were still echoing in my head. Being a journalist myself I was fond of the assembly because Duble’s main points are important to students and young writers. By explaining her story behind each book she made me realize how you can use that experience as the base of your novel. For some reason I always thought that authors just wrote books from their imagination, not based on their real experiences. Now students understand that the idea for a book or school essay can begin from anywhere. From a cheesy, funny story told by your grandmother when she was a kid to when your father served in the war. Duble’s idea is important to a writer because now they are inspired to write and create a story from the little things that happen in their life. Kathleen Benner Duble is an amazing author and teacher.

I’m determined to make a difference in this world. A dream no one else has. I see the pain and suffering, anger and hate, loss and forgotten. I’m determined to make a change in my community. From helping my neighbors rake leaves to working at an elderly center. I’ll be one of the earth’s many busy bees buzzing around trying to fulfill my duty. Don’t think I can handle it? well it’s true that I’m only fourteen years old and a unstable, maturing juvenile compared to the rest of the world. But with my determination and support from others I will make a difference for younger generations to carry on. Today in class we learned about how character traits have an impact on their decisions. In the book “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier the main character is determine but apprehensive which affects his decision to be different than his father.

Jerry Renault is your typical, freshman, teenager. He has gone through life determined yet apprehensive of where it might take him. A quote that shows his determination is, “I’m going to make the team. Dreamer, dreamer. Not a dream: it’s the truth.” (page 7) Jerry Renault’s biggest dream is to make the football team. He is determined to tackle the coach’s insults and shove them in the mud where they belong. Jerry will be able to survive the enormous amount of pain constantly pulsing through his body after every practice. The Juniors and Seniors can sack him all they want, but Renault is determined and will rise to his aching feet and challenge them again. Despite his determination to make the team Jerry is nervous of what might happen if coach turns him down. What will he do without something to work for, to keep his mind focus? This is Jerry’s worst nightmare.

One of the greatest factors impacting Jerry’s decisions is his character traits. His determined yet apprehensive personality causes him to decide that he wants to be different from his dad. A quote that shows his decision and characteristics at work is, “Was that the most exciting thing that had ever happened to his father? That pathetic holdup try by a scared young kid brandishing a toy pistol? Was life that dull, that boring, and humdrum for people? He hated to think of his own life stretching ahead of him that way. A long succession of days and nights…” (page 61) Basically Jerry is shocked and astounded that his father let his own life just slip away. Instead of following in his father’s footsteps Jerry wants a change, something worth living for. He is determined to do something with his life and make the most of it. But in the back of Jerry’s mind the reality that his life could end up like that frightens him. He knows that he can’t set his bar too high because otherwise he might not be able to reach it.

Power is an object that no one can control. Our early ape cousins fought over power and today we still have difficulty distributing power evenly. Yes, there is the principal and the assistant principal, the women who run the front desk and teachers who all work very hard to keep the school peaceful. Rules and codes are made to capture Power and lock it in a cage. Despite the thick, strong, metal bars containing Power the bars still bend and stretch. How do we control power? In the book “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier “power” comes into action numerous times. For English class today we were fortunate enough to question our classmates about why a secret organization might form and what happens when kids are given too much power.

One reason an “organization” forms is because of weak central power. A quote that shows this is, “Friends could gang up and rebel against the school’s main authority. Depending upon how the school reacts determines where the power shifts to.” – Melissa A. It’s true that a gang or group of friends could get together and speak up against the person holding the most power. If the school reacts properly and is able to settle the rising emotions then the school will carry on normally with only a slight scar. In order to maintain power the principal should remain calm and confident. You can always tell a good leader from a not-so-good leader. But if the sudden rebellion frightens the principal so much that he or she doesn’t know how to react to the situation, the power is most likely to fall in the hands of the rebels. Without a plan to get the school back under control the principal along with the regular adults normally in charge will still “be in charge”, only the newly formed organization will make all the rules and decisions.

One event that might happen when kids are giving too much power is bulling. A quote that shows this is, “Bulling would be a problem. The kids would be making the rules and decisions. They can even choose to target a single kid or group that is getting in their way. Instead of focusing on education the kids would be focused on maintaining their power and deciding what to do with it.” – Caroline G. The one thing with power is that there is such thing as having too much. For a mature adult extra power can be a good thing (promotion, salary raise). But too much power for a kid is like giving them too much candy. Being a kid you aren’t fully mature and haven’t been exposed to everything life has to offer. It’s likely that kids have been given little to no power and a sudden burst could be damaging. They don’t know how to control the new energy and situations like bulling can occur. Kids will use their power the wrong way by hurting people without knowing it.

Previously I have told you about my shy, humble personality. That usually comes into play when I talk in front of class, speak out randomly, or when I’m chosen to be the leader. For any of these situations I undergo pressure to speak up and act bravely, to go where no one has ever dared to go. I get pressure to make the right choices, say the right things, and act a certain way. These requirements build slowly like a stalagmite until they become annoying and take over. In the Junior Great Book “Star Food” by Ethan Canin the character suffers from pressure. Dade could be a dreamer and think up radical ideas but instead he is pressured from his parents and questions things.

One reason Dade is just an ordinary boy trying to please his parents is because he is pressured to please them both. A quote that shows this is, “The summer I turned eighteen I disappointed both my parents for the first time. This hadn’t happened before, since what disappointed one usually pleased the other. As a child, if I played broom hockey instead of going to school, my mother wept and my father took me outside later to find out how many goals I had scored.” (page 146) Dade is like a fly caught in a sticky web. He is pulled between his mother and father trying to please their opposite personalities. Dade finds himself staring off into clouds to get his mind off his parents and maybe find a solution that will please them both. Form his mom he feels pressure to become a man of “limited fame” and discover something unimaginable by staring off into clouds. On the other side he gets pressure from his father to follow his footsteps in owning their grocery store Star Food and to see right through to the end of his life. As you could imagine Dade developed different personalities and acted a specific way with each of his parents. With pressure continuously pushing him down how would he ever find the time to form a discovery?

Another reason Dade is just an ordinary boy is because deep down inside he doesn’t know who he is yet. A quote that shows this is, “Then I went up to the front of the store. “I’m not sure what my dreams are,” I said to my mother. “And I’m never going to discover anything. All I’ve ever done on the roof is look at the clouds.”” (page 164) At the age of eighteen most high school students are well on their way to collage and have officially become an adult. For Dade his mind has been blocked from looking too far into the future because his mind is focused on pleasing both of his parents. It’s a never ending battle that can only be won by a defeat. His mother has encouraged him to lift high into the clouds but his father just brings him back down to reality. With the concern of both of his parents Dade has rarely has the time to please himself. By confessing to his mother that all he has ever done was stare at clouds and by disobeying his father by letting the thief go Dade has created a space for him to grow and gain independence. In the end he has defied his parents but understands sacrifices must be made grow individually.

Parents and teenagers don’t technically coexist together very well. First of all the teenager is “growing up” and becoming a young adult. The parent on the other hand has to deal with giving their teen more independence and letting them go. Put these together: the parent is pulling and the teenager is pushing. As a growing, maturing teenager myself I find that in order to grow and earn independence I need to defy my parents. Not for everything but for some situations that I feel strongly about.    

The first time I successfully defied my parents was when I said “No” to an art class. Of course before then I had said no to other things, but I was younger so my parents were able to convince me otherwise. I was in 6^th grade and still transitioning to the “Middle School World”. My mother decided to take the opportunity to look around town for art classes. As a little kid I’ve always loved art; painting, doodling, and playing with clay. Even though most of the stuff that I made looked like a train wreck. I couldn’t help it! With all the mistakes that I made I’ve managed to learn on my own “what makes a good piece of art”. When my mother suggested actual art classes outside of school I was a little hesitant but agreed to visit a small studio with an open mind. We went my mom talked, I smiled, and the lady smiled back. Interestingly enough my mom and I were able to watch an art class in action. For that class they were doing still life flowers.

After the class was finished we thanked her, smiled, and left. On the car ride home my mom kept asking me what I thought and whether or not I wanted to sign up. I had to be honest with her even though she would be disappointed with me for several reasons but I didn’t want art classes. “Sorry mom but I not that interested in that teacher, even art classes in general. I really love art but to me it’s more than just having different skills.” My name was sharp, cutting my thoughts. Her eyes were confused and disappointed. “But Honey I thought you wanted to…” I wanted to make her happy but I didn’t want to just do it because she wanted me to. I wanted to do it because I wanted to. My mom walked away frustrated but I felt good inside that I had stood up for what I felt was right.

Fear can be a very powerful feeling. For example: nightmares. In these vivid, frightening dreams Fear creates images of the past, present, or future. As the nightmare unravels the situation grows. Images of family and friends can appear or strangers and monsters could replace them. Some visions are short and sweet as cake while others can be long and enduring. But when you wake up, heart pounding and mind racing, you try to remember what you saw, felt, and heard. Nothing but a few wisps of faces and the fear of not remembering what happened. In the short story “The Griffin and the Minor Canon” by Frank Stockton a fearsome Griffin takes his chances at running a school for the “bad” children in town. His effort would have a positive force on this school because the children feared and respected him.

One of the reasons why the Griffin would be a positive effect to the school is because the children feared him. An example of this is, “… so he called up the various classes and questioned them upon their previous lessons. The children racked their brains to remember what they had learned. They were so afraid of the Griffin’s displeasure that they recited as they had never recited before.” (page 139) The children’s previous teacher, the Minor Canon, was a very humble, soft spoken man. Because he was a “young man” he was an easy target to play on. The Griffin on the other hand was a monster with a large mouth full of teeth, great wings, and a flaming tail when angered. Just his image could be frightening! Even though fear is not the feeling you want students to feel it can be very useful if the students are trouble makers and tricksters. Because the students feared the Griffin so much they worked and studied harder trying their best not to anger him.

Another reason why the Griffin would have a positive force on the school is because the children respected him. A quote that shows this is, ““I should think you would be at the head,” said he. “I am sure you have never been in the habit of reciting so well. Why is this?” “Because I did not choose to take the trouble,” said the boy, trembling in his boots. He felt obliged to speak the truth, for all the children thought the great eyes of the Griffin could see right through them…” (page 139) If the students respect their teacher then they feel the need to tell the truth, participate, and speak with an open mind. Although the Griffin was a monster he gained the children’s respect by giving them a chance to change, listening to them, and not punishing them harshly. The children saw this opportunity and took a chance. As the Griffin and the children spent more time in school they learned that the class functions much better when they respect each other.

Have you ever watched one of those Under Dog movies? Last time I checked they were the most common theme in movies. These films range from Disney to Summit or to any action packed, gun movies. Despite the plot and characters, every Under Dog movies brings the warm, happy feeling right at the end when the nobody becomes somebody. Looking back at the beginning of the movie you can always pick out the events leading up to the character breaking out of the shell. Movies try their best to relate back to reality, but in the Under Dog case it’s not so easy to pick out the details from the human face. In English class we’re starting a new Junior Great Book. One of the situations is a person who is not naturally courageous but finds his inner voice to act bravely.

Naturally I am quiet. I have always been one of quietest kids in my class and my teachers always complain how they can’t keep my mouth shut. It’s not that I’m bored and don’t want to participate, it’s that my brain needs time to process everything. I listen to the words and kneed them until they become more meaningful. Teachers and students interpret that as shyness (I would too), so whenever I do talk everyone stops, listens, and realizes my idea. But one day a friend of mine mentioned that she heard these girls say something rude about her. By eighth grade she was use to people whispering about her mental problem and that she was a Sped. But I had enough. She had talked to me about other times how she was singled out because of her slowness. I felt bad and cracked a joke to make her smile.

Steam wasn’t fuming out of my ears nor was my face glowing red. Instead of confronting these girls I decided to “talk to someone” about this rising issue. After school I went down to the guidance office and explained my situation to one of the teachers. Never have I felt the need to express what was going on in my head to someone other than family. But this time I was pushed off the edge and decided that something must be done. After I had finished my story the guidance teacher agreed that gossip influenced our school a lot. She promised to put a word in for the principal. As I walked out of the door the inside of me was swelling with hope of change. For this situation passion and determination overpowered my mind forcing me to speak out.

When I first came into sixth grade it was all about teachers, homework, and classes. Every day I would come to school and go through the same routine like a robot, thinking this was Life. Next year the only change that I saw was a different art teacher. Before I had Mrs. Davis (excellent art teacher), but in Ms. Ropple’s art class I felt different- like I found the “right place” for me. After being one of her star students all last year I’ve grown more comfortable, confident, and expressive overall. Through my art elective and extra art I find ways to express myself freely and show my perspective. Now I create original, meaningful artwork, think up crazy ideas, and talk nonstop. I found a place where I could just be me like Lahni, from “When the Black Girl Sings” by Bil Wright.

Lahni had never been to church before and neither has her mother since she had been married. So, when Lahni found tears streaming down her face after a solo by one of the choir member her mind began to open. Being a singer herself she wanted to join the choir, “’If I could be Carietta Chisolm, I thought, for only one day, I swear I would open my mouth and just keep singing. What else would I need? What else could I possibly need?’” Already Lahni had calmed her temper towards the other Girls and refreshed her mind about her broken family by singing. She made up songs and hummed them in the shower, in school, at home, and on her bike. This church could provide an opportunity for her to release her emotions and do what she loved.

Things were getting worse. The weird, snotty Girls were bothering her, her parents were separating, and a boy was stalking her. But on Thursday Lahni received her first voice lessons and on Sunday she sang with all her might making sure she was heard among the choir. “The whole room laughed. But when they did, I knew it was a good laugh, not one that meant I was a joke. I was able to laugh with them, and their faces told me they admired what I’d done. I stood there feeling hot throughout my whole body.” Going to church, watching her mother sway to the music, and singing from her heart made an environment where Lahni felt accepted and understood. Now she can look forward to Sundays and feel something deep inside, the feeling of a “right place”.