Blog Post
     My book, The power of Six, by Pittacus Lore is about these aliens from a planet named Lorien. They look like an everyday teenager, except they have special powers, such as fire resistance and invisibility.  In this book, John decides that he wants to split up with Six to go and get his chest back. I disagree with this decision because as a result his friend got captured and he almost died. I think that he should've went to Santa Maria with Six to find the others so that they could team up and come back for it later.
     I disagree with John's decision. I feel like he let his personal views get in front of doing what was right for getting back to Lorien and rebuilding it. If he went to Santa Maria with Six, then he would've met number 7, Marina and Ella number 10. Then he would've gone with them to Africa and found number 8. Also, by going into the cave, he knew it would be near impossible to get back back out of the cave because of all the traps. When they did get into the cave, it took them almost all the time to find the chest when it was in the most obvious place. It was where the monstrous beasts were. If they had found it sooner then I would've been ok with their decision because then they would have been able to get back out safely and meet up with Six at the designated location. John should have cleared his head and realized that this was a bad decision. It was his fault anyways, because he's the one who wanted to go back to Paradise and that's where they lost the chest.
     Another reason why I disagree with this decision is because in the process of finding his so important chest, he let Sam get captured by the mogs. Now they're gonna torture him for information about John and the others location when he has no idea where any of them are. He is going to torture that could've been prevented. And John didn't go back in for Sam, because 8 thought it would be too dangerous. It was an ill-advised decision and  now they might never see Sam again.
     They never should've gone into the cave, they should've gone with six to find Marina and Ella. Sam was captured in the process and they went in without a plan. They went in recklessy and as a result Sam is being tortured. John should think more about what he needs to do next time.

http://meganwatersblog.blogspot.com/

I read Megan's blog post about "Should Athletes Be Paid?" Veronica Majeral, and I thought it was great. I thought it really went into how the author felt about the topic, and how she showed it in her article. It was also informative and was clear about what the author thought. The article is about a debate on whether or not college athletes should be played for playing in college athletic programs such as basketball and football. Most people would have wrote about the two sides and which side they agreed with, but Megan told us about the author and which side she sided with.

I found it interesting how she found pieces of evidence that proved that the author sided with the side that says that they should be paid. She uses a piece of evidence that says "There are nights that I go to bed and I'm starving," and then she starts to talk about how this piece of evidence is surprising and is something that you wouldn’t expect a big time athlete’s life to be like. I agree with Megan, I do believe that this fact if life threatening and that if I heard this I would say that they should get paid because they spend their college careers bringing glory to their school and making them proud. Yet, they don’t have enough money to buy food so they’re not hungry.

Megan also writes a paragraph about how the author tries to persuade us to the side that college athletes should get paid. She comments on how popular athletes bring millions of dollars to the colleges along with new recruits and increase alumni donation. I like how she included this piece of evidence in her post because it makes the reader feel resentful of the colleges because the athletes go home starving, while the colleges get all the money and all the benefits of having a good athlete inside their athletic system.The least they could do is give the athletes some money to get food and other necessities.

Megan also puts in her own opinion on what colleges should do and how her point of view changed after reading this article. Her opinion is that they should get paid, but the money should go into trust funds made for the athletes. The players aren’t being treated fairly for all the benefits that they bring to school. I also agree with her thoughts about trust fund because the athletes might blow all their money in one night, this way they can’t.

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis #2
     The article "The Sixth Extinction," by Elizabeth Kolbert in the Upfront Magazine is about a possible extinction occurring now. The author gives a little background about the earlier extinctions such as the dinosaur extinction and then explains why a sixth extinction may be happening. She also adds a timeline showing all of the earlier extinctions. The author's purpose of writing this article was to inform the reader about animals that are facing extinction right now.
     Elizabeth Kolbert goes into some detail about earlier  extinctions. She talks about the oldest extinction saying "The first one took place 444 million years ago, when creatures like trilobites, which resembled horseshoe crabs, and conodonts, which looked like eels, roamed the ocean." This quote gives the reader a picture in their minds about something that lived before us and what the general idea of them was. She also explains the most recent one, the dinosaur extinction. She quotes "The most recent of the big five was caused 65 million years ago by a six mile wide asteroid that was traveling at 25,000 mile per hour when it hit earth in what is now the Gulf Of Mexico." This explains to the reader that extinction will happen more than once and that even the biggest of animals can become extinct. She explains why the sixth extinction may be possible. She says "This time, a giant asteroid isn't to blame. We are, most scientists agree. Because of human activity." She then goes on to explain what we are doing to cause this mass extinction. I think she wrote this article to bring attention to all the harm that we are doing  to the world without knowing it.
      I don't like that we are causing species to become extinct. We are developing too fast and because of this animals are dying. We need to find a better way to develop without harming the animals. We could make energy efficient cars, or stop using tree made paper and reuse the paper we've thrown out. There are many different solutions to stop this and I think we should take action.

     In my book Scat by Carl Hiaasen, justice is served by many people, some who i didn't expect and some whom I didn't expect to serve it. There were also two people who were blocking the way for justice to be served. Scat is about a boy named Duane getting framed for arson and a teacher disappearing and illegal mining in a state park.  The author's purpose of writing this book was to show injustices in the world and bring attention to it.
     The injustice in this book is the Red Diamond Oil company doing illegal oil drilling on state property. On the day of a school trip to the land which is also a state park, they light a fire to keep the kids away from their illegal operation. During the fire, Nick's teacher, Ms. Starch disappears. When the firemen launch an investigation they discover that the fire was arson. The cops suspect Duane of the arson because he previously lit a billboard on fire. However, I feel that lighting that billboard on fire was justified because it was the plane that his mom flew away on without telling him. And also, after the fire he turned himself in. The people who serve justice are Ms. Starch, Twilly, Duane, Nick, and Marta. The people who block justice is the Red Diamond Oil Company, they drill on state land and separate a mother panther with it's cub. Twilly's mission is to reunite the panther cub with it's mom and the Red Diamond oil company tries to shoot the panther. Twilly disrupts the Red Diamond Oil companies project by taking there pipes and messing with the drilling site. He reunites the panther with its cub and bring the Red Diamond Oil Companies operation to light and gets them arrested.
     I didn't expect Duane and Ms. Starch to serve justice because Carl Hiaasen depicted them as bad people in the beginning of the book. Duane gave the teacher attitude and Ms. Starch was a really strict teacher. However MS. Starch ended up helping Twilly save the cub. Duane was an expert tracker and he was the main cause for reuniting the cub with its mom.
     The social injustices that this book brings to light is hunting and the greed of our current world. The Red Diamond Oil Company was willing to kill a panther and its cub just make some money. They hunt the panther and try to get it out of the reserve. In real life the panther is an endangered animal and they are precious. This book brought light to this issue and taught valuable lessons.

ELA READING RESPONSE
     In my book, Scat, by Carl Hiaasen is about a kid named Nick. His teacher Ms. Starch goes missing in the middle of a field trip to the Black Vine swamp. She goes missing while there's a wildfire and there's a whole investigation to find out what happened to her. The day before the trip she gets into an argument with a student named Duane Scrod Jr. aka. Smoke. The police believe that he's an arsonist. During the investigation the firemen find out that the fire was man made and was an arson. They immediately expect that it was Duane because he tried to burn down a billboard a long time ago. They just assume it was him without any actual evidence, which is unfair. Duane's opinion is not voiced in this book, no one knows how he feels.
     In my book Duane Scrod Jr. (Smoke), is suspected to have created the wild fire in the Black Vine Swamp as payback at Ms. Starch. No one has any actual evidence, but everyone assumes it's him. This is unfair to Duane, and we don't hear his opinion on what he thinks. He tells the cops that he didn't do it, they act like they believe him, but they really don't. Duane already doesn't have a chance because of what he did in the past. When he was younger he tried to burn down a billboard. Nobody will believe Smoke because everyone is scared of him and the cops think he's a bad one. A man who works for the Red Diamond Oil Company gives false evidence to cover himself up because he started the fire. The author gets the reader to feel sympathy for Smoke because he not a bad guy at all, it's just that nobody knows who he is because he keeps to himself. Carl Hiaasen doesn't voice Smoke's opinion because then there wouldn't be any mystery in the book. The reader wouldn't want to know what happens next because they would already know. Until the end of the book the reader expects that Smoke was the one who started the fire, but it takes a turn and the reader gets interested. If Smoke had a voice then we would know who he was and the mystery around him would disappear. This is why Carl Hiaasen doesn't give Smoke a voice.
     This book also shows injustice because the police suspect Smoke when he hasn't done anythings wrong. It just goes to  show that if you do something in your past then it will come back to bite you later on. Smoke is a different person from who he was, but nobody believes that he has changed so he's the prime suspect in the arson case. I think it's unfair that Smoke is being suspected of comething he didn't do.
      The social problems in this book are exactly like problems in real life. There is injustice to Mike Brown who was shot by a cop and the cop was not prosecuted. I think that people really just need to understand each other in order to be friends. For example, nobody knows Smoke and that why nobody believes him when he says he didn't do it. Understanding is the key.

Zach Gee

Class 805

             Why are people trying to get young adult books banned? Many people believe that YA books give the teens who read them a bad influence and cause them to do unacceptable things, but they are wrong. YA books are helpful and do much good to teens. YA books give scarred teens advice for their lives and how to cope with it. They also give teens something to relate to and it gives them a voice. It tells people what the lives of these scarred teens are like. YA books teach teens what not to do in life and they give abused teens something to relate and talk to.

            YA books give teens who have been bullied, witnessed murder, and teens who cut to cope with their lives something to relate to. It makes them feel like there’s someone waiting to talk to them and someone they can trust. YA books also give these teens a voice so they don’t feel unaided. In Meghan Gurdon’s article “Darkness too visible” she says “they validate the teen experience, giving voice to the tortured adolescent who would otherwise be voiceless.” If YA books didn’t exist, there would be many teens without a voice. No one would know what these teenagers have to live through everyday in order to survive. The horrible, disgusting things that their live force them to live through. YA books get teens to feel supported. If YA book didn’t exist, these scarred teens would feel like there isn’t anyone to help them and support them so they might just give up on life. Sherman Alexie says “I wrote my YA novel as a way of speaking to my younger, irredeemable self.” He wrote his book to release the emotion that he felt, he wanted to speak to his younger self who did things that he now regrets. He wants people to know that he realizes that what he did was wrong. This was his way of feeling better. Many teens are going through the same things that he had gone through and his book is a book that scarred teens can relate to. Not only are they relating to them, they’re also learning from them too. These books let them voice their conflicts and gets them feeling that there’s someone watching over them and guiding them.

            Aside from giving teens something to relate to, YA book teach lessons to teens and give them advice about their lives. YA books show teens things so horrible and gruesome that the teens will realize that they’re wrong. By reading these book teens will realize that what the characters are doing is wrong. YA books teach teens the difference between right and wrong. Sherman Alexie says “I read books about monsters and monstrous things, often written in monstrous language, because they taught me how to battle the real monsters in life.” He read YA books not to get influence, but because they taught him ways to fight the bad things that were happening in his real life. They gave him lessons in ways to fight the bad things in his life. He learned to cope with the violence around him, to not be scared, but to put on a brave face to get through it. YA books have the power to teach teens and people how to cope with the lives that they’re living. Alexie later says “I write to give them weapons-----in the form of words and ideas-----that will help them fight their monsters.” He writes metaphorically to give teens the power to fight the monsters in their lives, the bad things that are inside the lives that they’re living. YA books provide teens with a valuable weapon that can be used in their lives.

            Some may say that YA books give teens careless influences with careless writing. They believe that teens will mimic the things that they read. I agree, YA books to contain atrocious themes and gruesome content, I understand why they think that these themes will make teens have the urge to do them themselves. In Meghan Gurdons article she says “Books focusing on pathologies help normalize them, and in the case of self harm, may even spread their plausibility likelihood to yound people who might otherwise never have imagined such extreme measures. “ However teens are smart enough to decipher the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. YA book teach teens the wrong things in life. They’re smart enough to figure it out themselves. Mary Elizabeth Williams says “reading about homicide doesn’t turn a man into a murderer; reading about cheating on exams won’t make a kid break the honor code.” YA books may have disgusting content, but they won’t have such drastic effects. Reading about homicide won’t make a teen have an urge to go and murder someone. Sherman Alexie says “Does she believe a dystopian novel will frighten a kid who already lives in hell?” If a teen already lives horribly then they won’t be frightened by a book because they’ve already experienced much worse. By reading these novels they may even learn how to cope with their lives.

            Ya books shouldn’t be banned. Teens can learn a lot from these books and they can also relate to them. If YA books were to be banned then some teens wouldn’t know how to live their lives. Although there are some teens who don’t need relating, what about the teens who do? Without YA books no one would be able to see the lives of the lower side. I used to think so what if some books get banned, but now I can see the importance of these books. If YA books were banned then some teens would feel alone with no one to talk to. Do you really want to make them feel alone?

Reading Response
     My book, Erak's Ransom, by John Flanagan is about a viking like character named Erak. who is captured during a raid and is held for ransom. He is the oberjarl (president) of the Skandians. His ship crew travels to Aruluen, the Skandians allies for help. Will, Halt, and Horace agree to rescue Erak, but they encounter many emotional and combat situations that they have to get through. Will, Halt, Horace and the Skandians have to face many conflicts and I am writing about the emotions masked inside the characters.
      In my book, Erak and his crew are surrounded by Arridi soldiers during a loot raid. The Arridi demand that they put down their weapons or they'll shoot. Erak's men are willing to fight if he gives himself up. If he gives himself up, his crew may live and travel back to Skandia safely. Erak doesn't want to see his crew die trying to protect him so he gives himself up and his crew travels to Aruluen to get help. The emotions felt in this part of the book are anger, protection, and acceptance. Erak is angered that he got his crew surrounded because of his own personal greed. He feels protection for his crew and does not want to see any of them die so he gives himself up. He accepts that they're surrounded and agrees to give himself up in order for his crew to live. Erak is seen by his men as brave and powerful.
      Another part of the book where emotions are felt is when Will loses his horse, Tug in a sandstorm. He tries to go after Tug in the sandstorm, but is stopped by Selethen. After the storm he goes after Tug. The emotions felt in this part of the book are guilt and fear. Will feels regret because he is the one who lost hold of Tugs reins and that is why Tug got away. He thinks that he failed Tug in the moment where he needed him the most. Will fears that Tug might be dead, however he is willing to take the risk to go find Tug because he cares so much about his horse. Throughout his training he and Tug had created a bond so strong that Will thinks that he and Tug can have conversations. This part of the book really shows the care and love that Will feels for his horse.
     Lastly, when Will goes out to look for Tug, his mentor, Halt is worried that Will won't come back alive. Halt really cares about Will because before Will became his apprentice, there was no joy in Halt's life. Halt grew to care about Will and even though he acted like he was always aggravated at Will, Will knew he cared about him. The emotions felt in this part of the book are fear, proud, and admiration. Halt is fearing that Will won't come back alive because they've never explored the desert and they no close to nothing about it. Halt feels proud of Will because he sees how he trained Will. This shows that the training that Halt and Will did, worked. Halt feels admiration because he sees how much Will cares about his horse. He realizes that most people wouldn't care so much and would just wave it off and take a new horse. Will on the other hand tried to go out in the middle of the sandstorm and search for Tug. Tug was something that Will really cared about and Halt realized this.
     There are many emotions felt throughout this book and this is only a glimpse. John Flanagan did a great job in conveying emotions throughout this book. He made the side characters as well as the main characters feel emotions in many different parts. This book really showed me how great bonds can be.