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.