The Perks of Being a Wallflower Summary & Reflections

After the football game was over, Charlie, Patrick, and Sam both went to a place to eat. Where they talked about favorite movies, songs, and books. After a good conversation Charlie than found out that Sam and Patrick are step siblings. Charlie really wanted to ask out Sam on a date but being the person he is, he obviously didn't. It was that night that Charlie had a "special" dream about Sam. Charlie felt very guilty and ashamed that he had that dream about Sam, so he wanted to tell her but he didn't want to ruin their new friendship. After a while, Charlie then came around to tell her. This big mistake on telling her was the worst thing he could ever do. She wasn't mad or being judgmental but she did tell him that she doesn't want to date younger guys. After the incident happened, Patrick then gave Charlie girl advice. Telling him that girls only want older guys because it makes that feel important. Also that they act like mothers, and learn everything from magazines. Charlie was then confused and decided to observe other couples in the hallway or in the streets.
Over all the book was very weird for me because it had very weird topics that made you think a lot. For example when Patrick gave Charlie women advice, it not only puzzled Charlie but me too. Other than that part this book was very entertaining because it didn't really have a lot of drama. It was a very chill and slow paced book. It was only towards the end where things speeded up and where the book reached it's climax and where the big problems happened. I like how the problems resolved perfectly and how they got through the problem. For example, in the book, when Patrick was have a secret relationship with the football star quarterback Brad, and they wanted to keep it a secret because Brad didn't want others to think differently about him and he knew that people wouldn't accept him. After this secret was discovered by Brad's father, the whole school finds out too. In which a series of events happen such as Patrick getting beat up by Brad's friends, and Charlie defending him. I like how this problem was solved in the end because it showed how important friendship was in this dilemma.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Summary & Reading Strategies

Continuing from my previous summary Charlie is still writing his letters to this stranger. For the next day, Charlie's advanced english class is assigned "To kill a Mocking Bird" in which later is Charlie's favorite book. Charlie then sees his brother in on T.V playing for a school, and doesn't say in which position or school he plays for. After his english teacher Bill hands Charlie another book since he saw Charlie enjoy it so much Charlie then met Patrick. Patrick is Charlie's closest friends and probably his only friend. Charlie describes Patrick a very happy and kind person. After Charlie finished his book "To kill a Mocking Bird" he did an essay in which he got a C. Although I didn't expect that it really did happen. Charlie then went to his first football game since Michaels death. He only went to see the people there. He wasn't really interested in the game. He sees his friend Patrick, where Patrick then introduces Sam to Charlie. Charlie instantly felt this connection with her and thought she was very beautiful.
A reading strategy that I use often in to reread a couple pages back before I start to read again where I left off. I like using this strategy because it helps me remember and refresh my memory about the story. Because I forget everything, I use this strategy so that I can always be in touch of what they are talking about or what is going on. Using this strategy really help me understand books more because before I used this strategy, I would be too lazy to reread the book and be completely lost in the book that I would have no idea of what they were really talking about. It wasn't until I reread a couple parts of the book that I realized that it really is worth it to reread a couple pages back just to remember better and get the story.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Summary & Signpost

Continuing from my previous summary, Charlie had finished his letter and now was explaining a new day. He starts off by also saying how Susan and was at the meeting with all of Michael's friends with the guidance councilor. Susan talks about how she misses Michael greatly and that she remembers how Michael once told her that she was the most beautiful girl that he'd ever seen and that they went out and she explained how close they were. Charlie then explains how he is always quiet in class and always keeps to himself, until this one kid named Sean noticed him. Sean then waited for Charlie after gym class and said immature things to Charlie and how he was going to give him a "swirly". Charlie then just said how Sean always looks upset about something, and Sean got mad and started punching Charlie. Charlie then just started to do things that his brother taught him in fights. Hitting Sean in the knees, throat, and eyes. Charlie ended up hurting Sean real bad but didn't get into any trouble. Some kid ended up telling the principle that Charlie only fought in self defense and that Sean started the whole thing.
A signpost that I noticed in this book was an A-ha moment. I noticed this sign post when Charlie started to explain how this one girl Susan was changing. He explained how she used to be nice and fun to be around in middle school, but after she entered high school, he grew a bit taller, got prettier, and took her braces off she started acting all weird. Acting dumb around boys, and doesn't say hi to Charlie anymore in public. Charlie then noticed and realized that many people are bound to change when they meet new people. This A-ha moment was important because I predict that later on in the book Charlie is also going to change and he might realized something is up when things go bad. I believe that Charlie noticing this was a good thing because it help Charlie become a more aware on how the changes are going and if they are good or bad.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower Summary & Connections

This book starts off with 15 year old Charlie writing in what I believe is his diary. He is still coping from a recent suicide from his friend Michael. He explains how he doesn't want to go to high school because he overall hates school and he is very shy. After the death of his friend Michael, the school councilor had to talk to Charlie and all the people that were friends with Michael to see how they were doing and coping with the death of their friend. Charlie explains how he felt like he made the teachers and the councilor nervous because he didn't really talk and cried a lot. He started noticing how his grade got better and how the teachers were being more nice to him in which bothers Charlie because he knows that he didn't get smarter and the teachers aren't really that nice to him so he feels like they are just trying to make things easier for him. After his first journal entry/letter his says that he hates High school but he noticed this one girl named Susan who used to go to middle school with him and that she was very fun to be around and easy to talk to, but over the summer he took her braces off, got a little taller and got prettier. Charlie explains how she changed. For example he says that she acts dumb in the hall ways, and even more around boys. He explains he doesn't see her as happy as she used to be in middle school.
A connection that I though of right away that made me think about this book was the topical change that everyone goes through in high school. The beginning of this book reminded me a lot of how in movies when two people were best friends, then through high school they don't talk anymore and how the kids who are shy and lonely are often bullied. This lead me to a prediction that Charlie was either going to change like this girl Susan, or gets bullied. This connection came to me when Charlie was explaining how this girl Susan changed from how she used to be in Middle school and how she is now in High School.

Would We Be Killed?

Many American Indians were marginalized in society and made to feel as if they didn't exist by many actions and experiences that they had to go through. For example in the article "Would We Be Killed?" it says that Captain Henry Pratt, wanted to send all the indian kids to a boarding school to be educated and be taught the ways of a white man while they were still young. Pratt made sure that none of the Indian Chiefs would find out about this process. In the article it also states that Pratt's slogan was "Kill the indian, save the man." This quote meant that Pratt was trying to take these indian kids, and teach them how to become a civilized white man and forget all about their culture. This action or process made the indians feel like they were the problem and that they were very unwanted. Therefore making all the indians feel marginalized.

The purpose of Shanice's essay was to inform and to entertain the reader about her indian culture today and how it is very important to her. I believe that she wanted the reader to know that the indian culture is very unique and that she enjoys being a part of it. She also explains in the text, that indians today or familiar with the modern lifestyles but she still enjoys the way of life of an indian. In the text it says, "we live in houses with electricity and running water. I take showers, watch Finding Carter on MTV, and wear jeans just life any other teen. This quote means that although his practices her indian culture and likes the lifestyles, she is still civilized and clean.

Catcher in the Rye Summary & Sign Post

After Holden describes his brothers death and how he is still very emotional about his death. Stradlater gets back from another date from Jane. Holden hands him his english homework he had done for him, and Stradlater ungratefully says that this work sucked and that no wonder he got expelled from his other school. Holden then was furious and grabbed his assignment and ripped it up angrily. Afterwards Holden starts smoking because he knows that it bothers Stradlater. Holden then asks about the date and Stradlater said no without thinking twice. Stradlater refused to tell Holden any details of the date in which infuriates Holden. Holden then tries to fight Stradlater but Stradlater just pinned Holden to the floor until Holden calmed down. As Holden is still pinned down to the floor, Holden insults Stradlater to the point where Stradlater punches Holden in the nose. Holden then gets up and walks into Ackley's dorm with a bloody nose.
A sign post that often pops up throughout the book is memory moments and a-ha moments. For example, Holden has many memory moments throughout the book such as when he remembers his brother's death, or how he remembers how his family used to be. Noticing these sign post means that Holden is still stuck in the past and how he needs to let go. Although it was a significant period of his life, he still need to remember that it happen because in the book, there are many times when Holden still mourns for the death of his younger brother in which cause him to give attitude to those around him and just gets him in trouble. So far there had been around two a-ha moments where Holden realizes something. For example, in the book Holden realizes how people are fake and "phonies". All throughout the book, Holden explains how he hates those who are "phonies". This sign post really helps the reader understand the character more. Knowing this means that you will be able to predict on what will happen in certain situations based on what you know of the character and what he might do.

Catcher in the Rye Summary & Reading strategies

After a few days past, Holden was now with his friends that were going to go watch a movie but later decided not to go because Holden hates movies and half of his friends already the movie so they decided to go eat and then play pinball. After Holden got back from spending time with his friends, he started working on Stradlater's english assignment. Stradlater told Holden that he was supposed to give a description of something that is related or something that is in a room but since Holden couldn't think about anything to write about he wrote about his brother's baseball glove that his brother used to write poems on. Holden was very close to his younger brother Allie. Holden said how Allie was very smart for his age and was the smartest in his whole family. Holden then describes how he is still very emotional about Allie death from Leukemia. How he still vividly remembers Allie's death and how Holden went to his garage only to break out all of the windows there with his bare hands and get stitches later on.
A reading strategy that I use often is writing down notes for myself. I use it more often now for this book because this book has a lot of details and scenes that are later going to be important in the book. For example, Holden always talks about one thing or mentions one thing then later explains it in the book. It is important to keep track of everything that is happening because it really just helps you stay on track and focused on whats going on in the book. I like using this strategy because it personally helps me remember what Holden was going to talk about because if I don't use this strategy then I will easily forget on what Holden said about this person or how something went down. Then I will forget what is really happening then I will have to read back to really understand why or how Holden is feeling and why.

Catcher in the Rye Summary & Connection

Continuing from my previous summary, Holden is now at his former History teacher's house who is ill. Spencer's wife opens the door for Holden, and she greeted him. Holden then started talking to Spencer. In a deep conversation, Spencer then lectures Holden about his grades and why he flunked him. He says that life is a game and that Holden needs to start playing by the rules. Spencer only wanted to make Holden think about his future and where he was going to end up if he continued to act the way he did. Not wanted to be lectured, Holden decided to leave and go back to his dorm. After Holden returned to his dorm, his annoying next door roommate barges in. According to Holden, Ackley is an extremely annoying classmate that always walks into your room announced, has poor hygiene and is always thinking that everyone likes him or wants him to be there. Ackley then tops his annoyance by clipping his toenails to the floor which Holden was telling him to stop. As Holden's roommate walks in (Stradlater) Ackley leaves because he hates him. Stadlater then talks to Holden about his date with Jane but Stadlater always calls her Jean. Holden tries to hide is obviously strong feelings towards Jane. Holden then compares and contrasts Ackley and Stradlater. Although Ackley's lack of hygiene is obvious, Stradlater's is not. Holden later concludes that Ackley is an obvious slob and Stradlater is a secret slob. After Stradlater leaves, Holden is tormented because he was bombarded with thoughts on what Jane and Stradlater might do.
This story really reminds me of the typical cliche of when the one friends girlfriend is the other friends friends longest crush. I feel like it isn't going to end well for Holden because if Stradlater finds out then it will be very awkward for the both of them. I predict that in the book, that there will be a big fight between Stradlater and Jane, and when they break up, Holden is going to be there for Jane and they will end up together. I know that thee will be other big problems throughtout the story for Holden but I feel like this is going to be the side love story.

Tolerance

Tolerance: "The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with."

I can be more tolerant to others by just keeping bad or rude comments to myself. Keeping these comments to myself can save me from a lot of bad feedback and just save a big argument. For me tolerance means that you are able to accept someone or something that you don't really feel or agree with. Like I said I can live a more tolerant life just by keeping my bad or judgmental comments to myself. There are many times were I have tolerance because when I went to my friends church once, they had a different religion. So instead of speaking my mind, I kept to myself.

Catcher in the Rye Summary & Relfection

The Catcher in the Rye starts off with the main character Holden Caulfield explaining on how he isn't going to bore you by talking about his early childhood, but he wanted to talk about his "madman" stuff that happened to him around last Christmas. He then talks about how his brother is in Hollywood making loads of money and how he sold out for the fame. It also talks about how Holden got kicked out of Pencey Prep because he failed all of his classes except English. He then explains how he didn't plan to watch the whole football game against Saxon Hall because since he was part of the fencing team he had to get to New York so that he can carry the equipment over there but lost almost half of it on his way over there on the subway so they had to leave early. It was his last day until Christmas vacation started so after he left the football game, he went to go say bye to his old history teacher who is ill with the flu.
The beginning of this book was a bit boring but it started to carry out and started to become more interesting for me because I liked the way Holden talks about everything and the way he expresses himself. I don't like how Holden is very judgmental about everyone. I do understand where he comes from and why he would think that way but I believe that one should always see the best in one because always looking on the bad side of things can really mess a person up.

Graceling summary/reflection

After Katsa's friends (Giddon, Oll) are carrying the old lienid man (Tealiff), Katsa is trying to get back to Randa's Castle to safety. While Katsa is trying to clear the way of all the guards by knocking them out, she encounters a lienid fighter that has the grace (power) of fighting. After a battle Katsa eventually knocks him out. They finally reach the castle and Katsa takes Tealiff to her cousin Raffin, who is a expert in herbs and medicines. They then hide in a a secret chamber and keep him hidden to keep him safe. When that Lienid fighter that Katsa fought with earlier showed up at the castle Katsa then found out that the fighter was the grandson of Tealiff and that is a good guy. After Katsa has a meeting with the council they are very puzzled on why Tealiff was kidnapped, so Katsa and the Lienid fighter (Prince Po) set out on a journey to find out what is really going on, and all throughout the story Po and Katsa are getting really close and becoming this unstoppable team. All while Giddon is getting really jealous. Altho everyone knows about Giddon's feelings toward Katsa, Katsa seems blind to the fact that he loves her.

Overall, this book has been a challenge reading, due to the fact that there is big vocabulary such as words like formidable which means powerful and without fear. After you know what most of the vocabulary means than it becomes very explicit to what the author is trying to get across to the reader but at the same time the author is painting a clear picture. I really liked how Katsa was that even though she had the grace to kill whenever and however she pleased, I really liked how just because she could do it, it didn't mean that it was what she was supposed to do. For example, instead of killing every person that got in her way like many would, she would just knock them out or put them to sleep unless it was extremely necessary. 

Graceling summary/theme

This book starts off with Katsa trying to sneak into a dungeon. She is trying to get past guards but she eventually just knocks them out with her power. In this book only the lucky are born with a grace (power). Katsa's grace is to kill. With one simple touch, she has the ability to kill someone. For example, later on in the book, she explains how this one man tried to touch her, and with one punch to the face she shoved his nose to his brain and accidentally killed him. She is trying to save a man named prince tealiff from lienid. She is trying to save him because he had been kidnapped and she was on orders to help him escape. She then agrees to go with prince po to find out who and what actually happened that made them want to kidnap him.

Since I barely started off this book, I am going to predict on what the theme would be about the book. In the book people have many different powers some can be very useful and some can be useless. I am starting to get the picture of what the theme could be because throughtout the book I kept noticing that new people and new graves kept on popping up, and although people didn't believe that the person would be important, they turned out to be in the end. I would say that the theme would be not to judge based on what you see or hear about a person.

Nazi Hunters Summary/reading strategies

Continuing from my previous summary blog I talked about the one of two stories that go on in the book. In my previous summary, was the story of how the jewish people saw Eichmann and what he did and how he was a horrible and a cowardly man. The second part of the other side was when a brave young woman by the name of Sylvia Hermann had a boyfriend by the Nick Eichmann. A son of notorious and wanted man. Later on Nick started to boast on how his father should of finish the job and by that he meant that his father should of finished off the whole jewish race like he planned to. Since Sylvia was half jewish because of her father that they kept secret because there was still discrimination in Argentina, they wrote to a german prosecutor and then the whole pursue of Eichmann began.

Strategies I use during the book to get a clearer picture while reading is trying to make prediction in what is going to happened later on in the book but since this book is pretty predicable, I started reading articles on the capture of Eichmann just to get a little bit more background knowledge on Eichmann. This helped me throughout the story because it helped me understand why these teams were so determined to capture and bring Eichmann to justice. It made more sense to me why they were so determined on catching this man because it explain in the book why they wanted to catch Eichmann. Eichmann was a high ranking german officer that was responsible from the deaths the jewish race and other races too. Lastly, I occasionally write down words that I am not sure on what they mean because I tend to get lost in what the author is trying to explain when I don't even know some of the words definitions. Knowing the definitions of the words that I don't know help me because it helps me understand the point the author is trying to get across.

Nazi Hunters Summary/conflict

Continuing from my previous summary, the Israel team that is trying to capture Eichmann, it so close they can taste the glory of catching him. There has been rumors on that Eichmann had escaped to Argentina and the team is trying to figure out weather the old man living in a house that they suspect is Eichmann, or just a random old man. Later throughout the book it talks about how Eichmann gained trust from the Jewish while he was just playing with them. Making the Jews look like fools for giving him money and thinking that they can buy their way out of the Ghetto. Eichmann's was effective and was put into work. His first step was to strip the Jewish race of all their belongings and have them wear yellow stars. Secondly he planned on have them be moved to a much smaller and tighter space (ghetto). I last step was to put them in cattle trains and send them to death camps. While they were still in the ghettos, Eichmann would occasionally go the ghetto and explain that they would be moved to a much better place where the wives would stay home and the men would work while the kids went to school. Clearly this was a huge lie and the only mistake the jews made was trusting in this man.
The conflict in this book is clearly shown through out the book. The conflict in this book is in WW2 and how the German army and people despised and discriminated the Jewish race. This was an ongoing battle and effected many jewish lives. I know this because in the book it explains how the Germans plans was only to get rid of the entire jewish population. By first belittling them and bullying them to the point where many felt unwanted and was very hard to live. Although many jewish people stayed strong and dealt with it but no doubt that it did effect them greatly throughout their lives.

Nazi Hunters Summary/Reflection

My book Nazi Hunters take place in 1960. It starts off with a group of Israeli spies that are trying to capture a Nazi fugitive by the name of Adolf Eichmann. Adolf Eichmann was the head of the Final Solution and responsible to the death of millions of jewish men, women, and children. There has been clues and rumors that Eichmann has been living in a small apartment in Argentina. The team goes to investigate and their main objective to capture Eichmann and bring him back to Israel for his trial. It has two separate stories that they are telling. One on how Eichmann made it out of Germany and fled to Argentina with his family and is in hiding. The other barely started and it explains how they plan on getting Eichmann and what they plan after they capture him.
Overall this book did have a dry beginning in which I mean that it was a bit boring because it kinda sounded like a documentary but gets more interesting as it goes on because it explains how they plan on getting Eichmann and gets you pulled in because you want to know how it ends up. I also felt very angry on how Eichmann fled like a coward after being responsible for many deaths and not feel the need to just take his punishment like a man.

Mockingjay summary/reflection

Continuing from my previous summary, Katniss is still confused and is very unsure of her feelings towards Gale. She is also very worried about Peeta because he was taken by the Capitol. Katniss is under a lot of pressure because now that she was rescued from the arena along with Finnick and Beetee, she need to be Mockingjay and lead the revolution. Katniss is very unsure if she can carry out the expectation of the other leaders and doesn't want to disappoint them. She is also very worried she will do more damage than good. She eventually decides to be the Mockingjay but only after she sees Peeta on television announcing a cease-fire which she is pretty sure that President Snow made him say. She then make a list of demands that she wanted in order for her to be the Mockingjay and one of them is to Peeta to get rescued. While Katniss is working and planning she is growing wary of Coin and noticing that District 13 is somehow connected.
I am really connected with this book and I am interested in reading more books like this because this book has constant action and a bit drama. I am getting more and more into this book because the author is always leaving you wanting to read more. I like how the author is very distributive in her writing because it really draw a clear imagine of whats going on. I also like how she write in a way that helps me connect with the character and kind of feel what they are feeling. For example, when Katniss is pressured to be a great leader, it reminds me of the pressure I have to have A's in school and the pressure of getting into a good collage after high school.

Mockingjay summary/reading strategies

This book starts off with Katniss wandering around in the ashes of district 12 thinking about how everything is now in rebellion and trying to make to sense that she is now safe after shooting an arrow at the force field of the arena and blowing it up. She is now hidden in district 13 underground tunnels run by President Coin. Although Katniss may not trust him she is still part of the group. Katniss felt very guilty for those who died in the bombing in District 12 and wanted to go back to mourn for those who died. Although Gale lead many including her Mother and her sister in to the meadows, Katniss still feels a great amount of guilt.
A strategy that really helps me with understanding and reading this book, is when I try and inferences or predict what will happen in the future. By practicing this strategy, it helps me understand what it going on and what the author wanted me to know. Also if I try and predict what will happened in the future it keeps me interested in the book and wanting to find out more. Using these strategies it helps me stay into the book and focused to what is happening in the book. I can really tell the difference when reading a book without using strategies than when using. When using without, you easily lose your train of thought about the book and what is going on.

Newsela's "NASA's Curiosity finds a key that may unlock a Martian mystery"

This article in newsela is about how NASA suspects that there used to be life on this red planet. They also found signs of great lakes and oceans that could of been around for tens of million years. With the lengths of over 96 miles long. In order for this great amount of water to last then there would have to have a much thicker atmosphere than it has currently. "The climate system must have been loaded with water, to sustain a lake at Gale Crater for millions of years." Ashwin Vasavada said. Ashwin is Curiosity's deputy project scientist.
I really liked this article because it showed their experiment and their theories into detail and that really gave a me a clear picture what they are trying to accomplish and what they know already. I also like this article because this whole operations has been a huge mystery is there has been any life on Mars and keeping up with the daily science news really expands your knowledge in other topics.

2015 Goals

I want to maintain a B and above grade this quarter and make honor rolls. I want to achieve this because I want to extend to my full potential. I will achieve this goal by studying to every exam and set smaller self goals. I will also get on time to my classes and pay attention.
A personal goal that I want to achieve is reading more books. I want to achieve this goal because I also want to expand in my vocabulary. I will achieve this goal by reading more and reading about other books too.