Chapter 20-25 - To Kill a Mockingbird

This case sure is something else! I love the suspension and...just the feeling! I'm sure we're going to win...how couldn't we? We have all the facts and evidence we need to bring that prejudiced heathen down! There is nothing I would like to see more than Mr. Ewell bein' brought to his knees before all of Maycomb. That son of a b- that cretin isn't even worth the foul words the Devil himself created. I hope that liar loses this case; them Negroes never get a break.

Gosh Calpurnia! Why did she have to come in right when it was getting good? Gosh! At least I got to eat; I was getting really hungry. I guess I'll forgive Calpurnia after all... At least I know she won't let me starve, 'cause us men need to eat our food. I need those nutrients whenever I can get them.

OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE WE LOST! THOSE HYPOCRITES! HOW COULD THEY JUST ACT LIKE THEY'RE GONNA MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE, AND THEN JUST BLOW IT UP IN OUR FACES! THOSE RACISTS! I feel so bad for Atticus. I know how hard he worked on this case. He defended Tom better than he would've defended a white man! Any white man would've got off the case, but they didn't ole Black Robinson, did they? I oughtta give 'em a piece of my mind. IT'S NOT FAIR! I thought we would win no problem, but we all have to face the inevitable: some people just can't put aside their personal beliefs for the sake of what's right. I appreciated it when the Blacks stood up for Atticus when he walked by; nobody else in Maycomb would have tried as hard as he did to prove Tom's innocence, and they acknowledged it regardless of the fact that he lost.

That vile, turd-brained fraud! People around the neighborhood were wondering why - if he had won the case - would he be spitting at Atticus? Well...I'll tell you why. 'Cause he's the one goin' around blaming others for his sins, and Tom was the only one he could pin them on without raising suspicion. Deep down, everyone in this here town knows that Bob's the one rapin' his girl, not a Black man. If everyone had temporarily dropped their prejudices and ruled the correct way, maybe Tom would have been shot down in pursuit of what was rightfully his; his freedom. It's mighty sad that's things had to end this way. Atticus was probably going to get him out anyway, but that's more possible than probable. I feel sorry for his wife, Helen. And he has two littluns. What was a thriving family is now a broken family.

Chapter 15-17 - To Kill a Mockingbird

I'm glad Tom was switched to the the Maycomb jail, but if he had been there in the first place, there would not have been any disputes. Now people have to adjust, and a lot of the other men are getting riled up about this whole thing. I understand that the lot of 'em are racists, but Tom is still the defendant in a court case! Even Walter Cunningham has dispelled thinking sensibly! I was also nervous when I found out that Tom was being switched, because I knew the kind of uproar it would cause. So, I prepared myself for what was to come and asked Heck Tate to back me up. Heck Tate is a fine man who is loyal to Maycomb and its citizens. I wouldn't want anyone else but him watch my back.

It scared the bejeezus out of me when I saw Scout run in. I felt even worse when Dill and Jem showed up as well. It was a very odd predicament; you have me, who's scared for the children, you have Scout, who's apparently oblivious to the hostile environment she's in, and you have Dill and Jem, who are studying every man in the room. I thought for sure the mob would eat us all alive (figuratively, not literally). The oxi-moron of the whole situation was that Scout was having a friendly everyday conversation with Walter! The way she was talking sounded like she really meant to have a friendly conversation with a hostile man! As I looked around the room, I realized everyone else was as taken aback as I was. Everyone in the room was gaping at Scout in plain amusement. It was funny how an eight-year-old encumbered an aggressive mob's advances. I was glad that Jem didn't go; he knew what would happen if he did. Those men wouldn't dare lay a hand on me with children present. I'm proud of Jem for standing by me; he's turning out to be a fine man. Scout is and always will be loyal, but Jem showed a massive amount of loyalty that night.

The court hearing is today! I'm excited, but not cheerful; those Ewells are a piece of work. I don't have to question one, but two Ewells. It's as if hell has walked through its own gates, and the Ewells were the key that unlocked it! I am so nervous, you'd think my body was having an earthquake what with all the twitching I'm doing.

Ha! I got Bob Ewell pinned right where I want him! Tate says the right side of Mayella's face was badly bruised, and Bob's left-handed! Sweet mackerel! I might actually win this impossible case. I bet my acquiescence after I pinned him scared him because when I questioned Mayella, he seemed to be on edge. I loved it when the court saw Tom's gimpy left arm, because they all started thinking 'maybe Bob really did beat his daughter'. I bet you my property that Bob did that do Mayella, and forced her to lie for him. That poor girl must be terrified of him for all he's must've done to her. I hope justice is done in this case, it's personal now.

Chapter 12-14 - To Kill a Mockingbird

I'm glad Calpurnia still took Jem and Scout to church when I wasn't there. I think it was good that they saw the black church, because I know that they'll both immediately see the difference between theirs and ours. Maybe Scout will notice another example of how the blacks are treated with far worse care than us. Scout told me she saw Zeebo, Calpurnia's son. I was surprised that Calpurnia told them he was her son; she doesn't really reveal facts about her personal life. I'm impressed by Calpurnia and Zeebo because they're included in the small group of blacks that are literate in Maycomb.

Alexandra has always been a bit bossy and judgemental, but she's taking it overboard! She's my sister and I love her to death, but my Lord! Will the woman ever stop prodding my children about their maturity? Jem has already started to mellow out on his own, partially because he's starting to go through puberty, but I think it's mostly because his eyes are adjusting. I don't mean physically, but the way his eyes see things has changed quite drastically. He asks me more serious questions now, and he doesn't like playing with Scout anymore. Scout seems to be getting along fine. She's has a head on her shoulders, and isn't afraid to use it. I'm fine with how she dresses, but I guess it's about time she started dressing like a lady. At least then Alexandra won't always be pestering her about her looks. All I want Scout to change is her aggressiveness. I understand she doesn't being bossed around or her family being made fun of, but she has to stop fighting over everything that comes up. But she has gotten better at not fighting, so there's a major improvement!

I know there are a lot of things that need to be changed around here, but Alexandra is going over the top. She may be an adult, but that doesn't make it right for her to consistently badger my children. I would tell her so myself, but I only like to argue in court. Arguing with Alexandra is like trying to take a banana from a monkey; they don't budge or subdue.

I really am tired of Jem and Scout's constant bickering, but I thought it amusing when Jem, a twelve-year-old, got beaten up by his eight-year-old sister. Those two light up my life while at the same time give me grey hairs. I wonder how many more I got when Jem told me Dill was hiding in Scout's room... I'm glad to have Dill over, but he really shouldn't have run away from his folks. They must be worried sick.

Chapter 10 and 12 - To Kill a Mockingbird

Them Finches used to be fine people, but that Atticus just lets them run wild! I kind of feel sorry for the man, his wife was a real lady. She not only was a real lady, but she was also a wonderful, loyal wife. It's so sad she had a heart attack. That woman went to heaven, I'm sure of it. If not, then I'm not a Dubose!

That Atticus sure has turned his life for the worst. He lets his kids run wild, he's defending a nigger in court, and he treats that Calpurnia like white folk. White folks ain't the same as black folks, PERIOD! I don't care how religious they are, or if they've never been accused of a crime; niggers are niggers. The sooner Atticus and his kids learn that, the better. When he walks past my house from town, he has the nerve to tip his nigger-defendin' hat at me! How dare he! If it were not for the fact that I'm old and sick, I would give him a peice of my mind.

Scout is the nastiest girl I have ever known. Even them Ewells are better! At least they know about farming and gardening. That Scout is oblivious of plants, because if she wasn't she would have stopped her idiot of a brother from destroying my Snow-on-a-Mountains! I can't believe that young man! Didn't Atticus teach him any manners? I saw the way he man-handled Scout; I know she needs a good beatin', but Jem stepped way out of line right then! It was good he came back later and apologized. I bet Atticus put him up to it, 'cause his apology was definitely not sincere. But he said he would nurse my flowers back to health, and he's gonna read to me for a month every Saturday.

The doctor said I only have a few more to live. I want to make sure I die clean. I'm tired of being a morphine addict. Jem has no clue how much him reading to me helps me, but I'm not gonna tell him that. Maybe I'll send him a gift before I'm gone...

Chapter 8 and 9 - To Kill a Mockingbird

Scout and Jem grow more like their father every day. It's so sad what happened to their mother, but Atticus seems to be getting along fine. Scout may not dress like a lady, but she sure is as well-mannered as one. It was kind of odd that Scout started showin' up at my house, when we were basically just acquainted with each other before. But I understand; she's being booted out by the boys, and there are no girls she would want to play with in the neighborhood, so she comes to me.

I know what Scout wants to know about Athur is good natured, but I'm still debating on how much I should tell her. That girl has a mouth on 'er, and isn't afraid to use it. Scout's a good kid though. I think I'm gonna have to hold back on this whole sharin' time about Arthur; it's none of her business what his secrets are. I don't mean to point fingers, but I bet it's Scout and 'em that have been sneakin' around the Radley house. I heard Atticus yellin' at them about it, but I didn't want to make any assumptions; everyone seems to think it's a Negro sneaking through his yard. If it is a Negro, if I were him I'd stop snooping around the Radley place; Nathan said the next time he would shoot right at whatever was in his patch. I'm perplexed by who in their right mind would go around the Radleys at night; everyone in town is either a "Boo" fanatic or Nathan's shotgun, so it makes no sense why someone would willingly go over there.

I can't believe my house caught on fire! I wonder what happened... Thank God for it though, I hated that cow barn. I'll entrust the dirt to blend in with the ashes, so my yard doesn't look so bad. It's surprising the adjacent homes barely burned. I'm sorry about the Finch's place, but it barely took a beating. That Atticus sure is a nice man; he saved my beloved rocking chair. He's doin' all right with those kids, and that Calpurnia sure is helpful to his family. Calpurnia is the best darn Negro I gone ever met! She cooks wonderfully, she makes sure the children don't get into mischief, and she knows how to read! It's not often you come across a Negro who can read.

Jem is a good boy, but his ingenuous schemes to get Arthur out of the house tire me. I know he doesn't mean to pester him, but anyone would get tired of having children crawling around their house. If Arthur had wanted to come out, he would have done so a long time ago. I personally don't think someone should isolate themselves from the rest of humanity, but it would be hard for him if he did come out. Everyone in Maycomb is so judgemental and feet-washing religious; you can't step out of line once and have it be forgotten. Why, I remember Arthur when he was a young boy! He was quite nice to me, and was raised properly; he just made bad decisions that ended up ruining his life. Gang banging is not the ideal lifestyle his father had pictured for him; he had wanted him to pursue the profession that would provide him the money he needed to start and support a family. Evidently, that lifestyle was not fulfilled...

I absolutely do not enjoy snow. It's pretty, but it ruins my plants. I hate having to warm the plants and tryin' got revive them when I know they're long gone. I work hours on end every day on my garden, and it ends up gettin ruined by a fire, and the snow! Bless-ed!

Chapter 4-7 - To Kill a Mockingbird

Thank the Lord school is over! I hated sittin' in that mindless classroom with those kids. Some of 'em were okay, but most of 'em were dirty. I know Atticus says to not judge those that aren't as fortunate as me, but they smell like like they never showered. Not as bad as them Ewells though. Hopefully one of 'em ain't in the second grade; I only met one, and I wanna keep it that way.

I can't wait until Dill gets here! Considerin' we're "engaged", I should be sweeter to him. Sometimes he just gets on my nerves though. He and Jem are always making me feel bad and making me go off by myself. What's up with them this year? Last summer, the three of us were inseparable, but now it's like it's just the two of 'em...

I like playing the "Boo Radley game, because we can add our own twist to it. Jem does a good job of Boo though, the way he walks all decrepit. Dill does a great job! No matter who we say he's supposed to be, he does a good job of interpretin' that person. He even shows their physical characteristics. Even though he's a mighty small boy, he can make himself look bigger'n Jem.

When Atticus caught us that one day, I knew we shouldn't play our game anymore. But no...Jem had to keep on goin'. So of course he hatches a plan to stick a letter in the Radley place's window. At first I thought it might work, but then the fishing pole wouldn't reach the window and the letter got all torn up. I told them we should stop, but them boys just don't listen to us girls no more, and of course Atticus catches us. So I ended up getting in trouble because of dumb Jem! I wanted to tell him I told him so, but I didn't want to get Atticus any more upset than he already was.

Jem is the stupidest person I gone ever known! I can't believe that, once again, I have fallen into one of his and Dill's schemes! I gotta stop doin' that! They must've known I was gonna want to know what they were whispering about, and them resistin' just made me want to prove them wrong even more. So at night, we went over to the Radley place to look in the windows. We went the back way, through they're patch. Jem went up the stairs to get a better look, and Mr. Nathan came out and shot at us! I'll bet Mr. High-and-mighty Jem almost pissed in his britches, 'cause I sure as hell almost did! I have never in my life seen Jem run so fast. He held up the gate for me and Dill, but when he tried to get through, his pants got snagged on the gate. So Dill slipped out of his pants and we got away. That sure was a close one!

I wonder who's been puttin' all of those treats in that tree. That gum sure did taste good though; I love mint. Jem tried to tell me to spit it out, but I had already been chewin' it quite some time, so I didn't see the point. I didn't feel any sick, and I didn't die...but I spat it out anyway because he threatened to tell Calpurnia. I didn't feel like a spanking anyway. Those soap figures was nice. Whoever made them is a mighty fine artist. Jem was gonna tell me who he thought made them, but he decided not to. It's frustrating when he keeps stuff from me.

Chapter 1-3 - To Kill a Mockingbird

That Scout sure is somethin' else. She never listens, and she's constantly getting me all worked up. Hopefully that'll all change when she gets older n' gets her head screwed on right. Scout makes me so stressed, I'm surprised my hair hasn't gone completely grey yet. But she needs someone to point her in the right direction, what with school 'n everything. I know I'm hard on her, but I'm not going to let Scout grow up to be a soft little gal that can't think for herself. I'm gonna make sure that don't ever happen. There's already too many of them people that think they can get or do whatever we want. God forbid that happens to Scout.

I thought I would be happy now that Scout's gone off to school, 'cause then I would finally have some peice and quiet around the house. But I'm just too used to poppin' a blood vessel screamin' at that girl. The house was too quiet. I got very lonesome. I was happy when Scout and Jem came home for lunch! I had missed them both so much! I was happy to see that Scout had made a friend at school. What was his name...oh yeah, Walter. I feel sorry for that boy, him bein' poor and all. It was nice that Scout and Jem thought to invite him for lunch; we don't get company that often. Scout needs to learn how to shut her dang mouth though! My goodness! She embarrassed poor Walter; you should never point out others' misfortunes, it's rude. When I told to treat everyone with the same respect, she had the nerve to say, "he's just a Cunningham." It don't matter if your guest is rich or poor, they're still a guest! Scout knows better than to judge others.

I know Scout's mad at me 'cause I taught her to read and write, but I don't want her growin' up to be illiterate. I don't think them white teachers teach everything. It never hurts to be a little ahead. I'd rather have Scout go to school with pre-knowledge, than have to build it around kids that don't care. Them Ewell kids are nasty. Thank God they only go the first day of school. They might distract my Scout! Anyway, Scout already knowing how to read got her a whipping on her first day of school; I wanna make it up to her. I know she's down, but she's got to go back to school.

Immigration Project Reflection

The immigration project consisted of reading literature circle books, blog posts, artistic expression, and interviewing an immigrant. This cycle of lit. circles was different from the others, because this time we did all of the meetings on our blogs. The book I read was Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat. The book starts off in Haiti, and talks about how Edwidge's uncle and father dealt with their chronic illnesses as Haiti crumbled before their eyes. I enjoyed reading the book, because of how heart-warming the unconditional love that circulated in Edwidge's family was. Since the book was an autobiography, the elements of the book seemed to jump out more than those of a novel. This book greatly reminded me of my own family, and I believe that is the main reason why I enjoyed it so much; my parents would sacrifice the same for me as Edwidge's parents did for her. This book taught me that no family is problem-free and picture perfect. Every family has issues, whether they are big or small, and in order to survive they must count on each other. I like the new blogging system for literature circles, but it is not always convenient because not everybody has a functioning computer. Also, with the hand-out sheets you can do the homework wherever; with the blogging system, you can only do it where a computer is accessible. Most of my group members appeared to do their blog posts on time, but I believe one or two of them misunderstood the book. In their quotes, they would either ask completely irrevelant questions, or questions that were clearly answered in the section we were supposed to read. It made it made harder for me to do my second job (replying to blogs).

We also had to artistically express the book. The way I chose to express the book was by painting a theme from it. It was basically a red heart with Edwidge's family as bathroom figures surrounded by a black background, with blue teardrops that contained words that described major elements in the book. I also added a yellow lightning strike to symbolize the evil and anarchy that was striking Haiti in Edwidge's childhood. I think the words in the teardrops were what helped my classmates understand the theme of the book. It was supposed to be a loving family of six that is surrounded by darkness, prejudice, and violence. I believe I did an adequate job of reaching that goal, because at the in-class gallery walk, all of my classmates that looked at my painting said they loved my idea. This was my favorite part of the project simply because I got to put my artistic abilities to work.

I chose to interview my mom's friend Jenny, who is a Chinese immigrant. She owns her own workout business and it has been thriving for the past six years. Since I already knew Jenny, it was a lot easier to interview her. I didn't have introduce or talk about myself, because we already knew each other! I think the in-person was the most awkward for me, because I had to look at the person while I was interviewing them. On the phone you can do other things, but in person you have to sit there and intently listen to the person you are interviewing. A unique thing I learned about Jenny in our third interview is that when she and her family still lived in China, her father was a doctor and her mother was a housewife. Since I interviewed Jenny at my house, I had to spend the afternoon helping my mom clean the house and my room. That is another hassle on its own, because not only did I have to clean my room, I had to swiffer the entire house including underneath the couches (on top of my normal everyday chores). But it went smoothly and Jenny brought her dog Reba, who is a Sharpay/Pit puppy. So afterwards, I went in the backyard and played with Reba and my dog Rambo. I had to think a lot before I called Jenny for the first inteview, because I wanted to know what I was going to say ahead of time to avoid stuttering. An important fact from the first interview is that she has three brothers, which I did not know before. The second interview was a lot easier, because I already had a good idea of how the interview would go. Another interesting fact about Jenny is that all of her family lives in America. Normally, immigrants still have family members in their homeland. I got to know Jenny a lot better because of these interviews, and I now have a better understanding of what it is like to be an immigrant. My current understanding is that it is hard to adjust to the new cultures, but not nearly as hard as it is to fit in with the country's occupants. If I were to go to China right now, it would be hard for me to get used to the culture; even if I am already used to Chinese culture, I still would not fit in with the average Chinese person, because they are familiar with their territory. After we had completed all of our interviews with our immigrant, we had to make a final product as a gift to them. I chose to do a painting. The format is in the American flag, only altered. The blue rectangle with the stars was changed to the Chinese flag, and I wrote Shanghai Province because that is where Jenny had lived in China. The red and white stripes were changed to black and white stripes, and in two of the white lines I wrote "Land of the free...home of the brave" to symbolize the US. So I mostly just combined the Chinese and American flag. Although I did not give Jenny the painting yet, I know she'll love it when I do. I greatly enjoyed this project, because I got to paint and that is one of my stronger points. I would love to do more projects like this one.

6th Lit. Circle Mtg. - Brother, I'm Dying

Quote #1
Quote by the Narrator
page 232

"Vomit shot out of his mouth, his nose, as well as the tracheotomy hole in his neck. The vomit was spread all over his face, from his forehead to his chin, down to the front of his Krome-issued overalls. There was also vomit on his thighs, where a large wet stain showed he had also urinated on himself."

Significance: This could affect how much longer Uncle Joseph has to stay in Krome because the medic seemed to think Uncle Joseph was faking. He was being unreasonable because nobody can force themself to vomit, and if they can they would not be able to vomit that much. The medics did not take Uncle Joseph seriously when he said that he needed his medication.
Personal Connection: In elementary school, when I got sick, I used to throw up at least once a year. I do not know why, it just happened every time I had a bad cold. Maybe it had something to do with having bad gagging reflexes, but that is the closest connection I can get to this quote.
Question: Have you ever heard anything similar to this happen?

Quote #2
Quote by Edwidge's father/Edwidge
page 236

"'No', my father told the doctor. 'I don't want to be kept alive by machines. There's already been enough suffering.'"

Significance: Edwidge's father is tired of feeling helpless and only wants the pain of suffering to stop. Not only for him, but for his brother and all of his relatives in Haiti. It seems as though the big reason he doesn't want a DNR is because he doesn't want to be around if his brother dies. Right now neither of them are in good health and both of them do not want to alive when the other dies. So at the moment, the title of the book can go many directions. (From Mira to Joseph, Joseph to Mira, Joseph to Franck, and Mira to Frank)
Character Judgement: Edwidge's father has a very strong personality. It is a big choice to decide whether or not you want to be put on life support. You may want to because of the condition your family members will be in if you don't, or you may not want to because of your physical, emotional, and mental state. But Edwidge's father firmly stated which he wanted without asking for his family's input, knowing they would all say to get the DNR.
Question: Do you think Edwidge would want her father to get the DNR, or do you think she would only want her father's suffering to ceise.

5th Lit. Circle Mtg. - Brother, I'm Dying

Quote #1
Quote by the Narrator
page 187

"Walking the slippery incline that separated his house from another small courtyard, he kept his face down, his chin as close as he could to his chest without blocking his tracheotomy hole. He did not dare look back toward the church as a new wave of looters brushed past him, heading there. He might have been tempted to follow them, to try to stop them, reason with them. He thought about all the wounded who might be lying somewhere dying. He thought of their mothers, fathers, standing over them unable to do anything but watch."

Significance: Even though all of these people in the mob are stealing from him, he still believes he can save them. That shows what a good person Edwidge's uncle really is, if he wants to help those who want him dead and are stealing from him. I am glad that he is getting away though, because that mob was going to tear him limb from limb if not for Anne.
Character Judgment: I like Uncle Joseph because of his uncanny kindness. Though in this quote I think he should be thinking the opposite and want to hurt everybody in the mob, I think it is good he remained calm because if he had not he might have been dead already. His kindness kept him alive when he was surrounded by a ravenous mob.
Question: If you were in Uncle Joseph's position, would you do the same thing?

Quote #2
Quote by the Narrator
page 206

"Worried about my uncle, he hadn't slept the night before. His voice was so hoarse from coughing that he could barely speak when I called. His excema and psoriasis had returned and he'd completely lost what little appetite he had."

Significance: The fact that his brother is in trouble has deeply troubled him. When that happens to a person, they tend to either lose sleep or break down. That seems to be what Edwidge's father is doing.
Character Judgement: Edwidge's dad is a good person because he worries a lot when a family member even has a common cold. He always keeps in touch with his family, to make sure they are happy and safe. Those are the types of qualities I would like to have, because it makes that person more likeable.
Question: Have you ever had a sibling that was sick or in danger? If so, did you feel the same way as Edwidge's dad?

4th Lit. Circle Mtg. - Brother I'm Dying

Quote #1
Quote by Uncle Joseph
page 154

"'She was my friend, my wife, the woman who stood by me both when I could speak and when I was silent,' he said."

Significance: It is a hard thing to go through to lose a close family member like that. Even a family friend's death would be hard to cope with. I think medical conditions like diabetes and strokes are the worst way for someone to die, because at first they're expecting to die but when it does not happen when they want, they want to die. Which is the worst feeling in the world; to be in such bad condition that you want to die. It must have been especially hard to Uncle Joseph because she had stood by his side when he was thinking over the decision of getting a laryngectomy and when he completely lost his voice. They were not the perfect happy couple; they went through too many hardships together.
Personal Connection: My mom's best friend, Todd, died when I was six. I do not remember what he died of, but I do remember sobbing so that the heavens could hear me. Todd had been a close friend to me too, because he was almost like a fun uncle. But the day before he died he came over to my house on a wheelchair, but my mom wouldn't let me see him. I believe it had something to do with the fact that he smoked. He never smoked around me, because my mom hates it when young children are closely exposed to cigarette smoke.
Question: Did you ever have a close relative or friend that died? How did you react to it?

Quote #2
Quote by Edwidge
page 161

"Sometimes, however, he would get a craving for take-out fried chicken and plantains, and either Bob or Karl would stop at a nearby restaurant and pick them up for him before coming over to the house to bathe him."

Significance: Edwidge's father cannot even drive himself to go get some food or bathe himself. That lets me know how sick Edwidge's father really is, and how frail he has become. Now I know that Edwidge's father likes fried-chicken and plantains.
Personal Connection: My nana had a surgery and my mom had to drive her home because she had reacted badly to the drugs and she was still only half-conscious. My nana always cooks her own dinner, but she was too groggy and tired to cook so my mom, sister, and I went to go pick up some pizza. After she ate she felt better, but it was kind of sad seeing her so gray and quiet, unlike her normal active self. My favorite dinner she makes is pork roast with red beans on rice and tostones. Tostones are a Puerto-Rican dish that are made out of plantains, which is what Edwidge's father was eating.
Question: Have you ever eaten tostones? If so, where did you eat them and who made them?

3rd Lit. Circle Mtg. - Brother I'm Dying

Quote #1

Quote by the Haitian Doctor
page 99

"'These children,' he said, glancing momentarily at Bob and me,'appear to have tuberculosis.'"

Significance: Edwidge and her brother Bob now know that they have an infectious disease that destroys almost all of their body tissue. Tuberculosis can also badly affect the lungs, which causes people to cough up blood. Edwidge does not believe the doctor because she has not coughed up any blood.
Personal Connection: My great-aunt has cancer but nobody actually says 'cancer', because cancer is sort of labeled as the disease of death. Since nobody actually said the word 'cancer', I did not believe my nana when she told me. I knew my great-aunt was sick, just anything but cancer. She also has to go to the doctor often to get shots and be examined.
Question: What do you think showed up in the tests that let the doctor know Edwidge and Bob had tuberculosis?

Quote #2
Quote by Bob
page 117

"'I'll tell you a secret,' Bob whispered back to Kelly in the dark. 'We're really spies from space.We have spy stuff inserted in our heads.'"

Significance: It was kind of funny because Bob is teasing Kelly and Karl, but they do not get it. Kelly and Karl were saying Bob and Edwidge seemed to just drop out of the sky, and so Bob got into the alien/spy joke. I laughed when I read this in the book.
Personal Connection: When my little sister was younger, I used to say things that were obviously not true but she believed. She knows now when I'm lying, but I used to have a lot of fun confusing her and making her believe that I was an alien. Most of the time she believed me.
Question: Why do you think Kelly still believed Bob even though he is already seven years old?

2nd Lit. Cirlce Mtg. - Brother I'm Dying

Quote #1
Quote by Edwidge
page 55

"Two years after my father left, when I was four and Bob was two, the one-month tourist visa that my mother had applied and been rejected for several times was finally approved."

Significance: I now know when and why Edwidge's parents left for America. Her father was afraid of being shot and her mother was in very bad money trouble, but was too proud to admit it. Both of her parents were scared so they left to set up a better life for their children when they finally made their way to America.
Personal Connection: My parents are divorced so I know what it is like to be with one parent, while separated from the other. My sister was two when I parents divorced, so like Edwidge I was stuck with a two-year-old sibling all the time.
Question: Why would Edwidge's mother's tourist visa be denied so many times if she has a four-year-old and a two-year-old waiting for her in Haiti as a reason for her to want to come back?

Quote #2
Quote by the female bank clerk
page 66

"'Ta fille?' Your daughter?"

Significance: Edwidge has become so close to her uncle that everybody automatically assumes she is his daughter. When a person becomes very close to anything, people will assume that they care a great deal about that person, object, or thing. Even though it is a common misconception, it is easy to tell when two people are incredibly close to each other.
Personal Connection: My sister and I have different colored skin. She has the same dark tan as a Mexican or Asian while I appear to be Black. When my sister and I go somewhere a lot of people do not immediately guess we are sisters, but when they hear how we talk to each other and notice the resemblance between our faces they ask if we are sisters. Sometimes it can get annoying but the whole point is that people can tell when two people are siblings simply by the way they address each other.
Question: Why do you think the bank clerk thought Edwidge was her uncle's daughter if all he did when they were at the bank was nod?

1st Lit. Circle Mtg. - Brother, I'm Dying

Quote #1

Quote by Edwidge
page 21

"I was eight years old and Bob and I were living in Haiti with his older brother, my uncle Joseph, and his wife."

Significance: Now I know that Edwidge's family lived in Haiti before they moved to America. I also know that Haiti is in the Caribbean right next to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Cuba. So not only is Edwidge's family from Haiti, they're from the Caribbean. People in the Caribbean mainly have dark skin.
Personal Connection: We had to stay at my mom's aunt's house when we went to the family reunion in Virginia. I was nine when we went, so I was almost the same age as Edwidge when she lived in Haiti. I have always wanted to visit the Caribbean.
Question: Do you think Edwidge had been born in Haiti, or that she and her family went to live with her uncle for awhile?

Quote #2
Quote by Edwidge
page 31

"Each time his father left for a campaign, my uncle worried that, like the thousands of Haitian guerrilla fighters who were killed by the Americans and whose corpses were dumped in roads and public parks to discourage others, his father might never come back."

Significance: Edwidge's grandfather was part of the guerrilla resistance. Last year, I read a literature circle book that talked about guerrillas, so I already know who and what they are. In Pan's Labyrinth there were guerrillas, so I got to see how they clothed themselves and what they did to get the medication they needed for their numerous wounds.
Personal Connection: My dad is a firefighter so I know what it is like to worry if your father will come home. Firefighters have died just doing fire training. So imagine how dangerous it must be for the firefighters who are fighting a real fire.
Question: Why would Americans think dumping bodies in roads and public parks would discourage people? If I were in Haiti when this happened, that would have only made me madder at America.

Field Trip Reflection

Children of Immigrants-

1) The image that struck me was by Jason Magabo Perez. I couldn't tell where he was, but it looked as if he was in a coffee shop with other people. The reason why the picture struck me was because a street full of cars was reflected off the window of the coffee shop, so that let me know that he was inside and that the picture was taken outside. Another thing I liked about the picture was that he was on his laptop and he was dressed in a suit. A lot of people nowadays do work and school assignments in coffee shops.

2) I chose this quote because I can relate to having been judged by my skin, because a lot of people have expected me to be dumb and lower middle-class. I also have a very loving family that supports and cares about me. My mom said that when she and my father were dating, they would always get dirty looks because my mom is Latina and my dad is Black. Usually when people think of a couple, they think the couple should be the same race or same color. I know I have done that before, but I try not to because it is unfair to the person I am judging.

"The greatest thing I hope for in my life is to become a successful person and to have a family and friends to support me, not to be looked at by just the color of my skin but who I am inside."

-Samira Durakovic, Yugaslavia

Field Trip Reflection

From Haven to Home-

The purpose of the exhibit was to learn about Jewish history, the hardships they went through, and how they helped shape American history. The most surprising fact I learned today about Jewish history is that Jews invented the Barbie Doll. I had no clue who made the dolls; I only had known what they were. A few important Jews are Dr. Seuss, Ernstine Louise Rose, Jerry Seinfield, Bess Myerson, and Albert Einstein. Dr

. Seuss is the world-famous author of the books The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Horton Hears a Who. Dr. Seuss is also known as Theodor Geisel. Ernstine Louise Rose was a woman who rebelled against traditional arranged marriage. In order to be considered married, a couple required a marriage contract. Jerry Seinfield is a famous actor; Bess Myerson was nominated Miss USA in 1945. Albert Einstein was the man who discovered Energy=Mass*Speed of Light2 (E=MC2) Albert Einstein was famous for his amazing understanding of universal forces. Jews were also very active in the Civil Rights Movement (they boycotted with MLK Jr.), because they wanted a better life for everyone, not just themselves.
Instead of having a bible, Jews have a torah.In the 1800s in presidential elections, candidates had to swear on a Christian bible which outlawed Jews. But in 1825 the "Jew Bill" was passed which meant that instead of declaring themselves in belief, they had to take an oath to serve the US. Jews have a calendar called the Omer calendar that marks the seven weeks between Passover and Shavu'ot.


Jews went through a lot of hardships that people are unaware of. Since Jews are on kosher diets, they have to buy kosher meat. But the Jews were paying twice as much for kosher as the Americans were paying for their meat. So 20,000 Jewish women broke into kosher butchers' shops and burned them to the ground. Jew

s also went through religious persecution, grinding poverty, and violent attacks which were called pogroms. When the Ku Klux Klan showed up, they only made life harder for the Jews because the Ku Klux Klan were a "secret" organization that hated Jews, Catholics, and African-Americans. And in the 1930s, Adolf Hitler popped up and turned the Germans against the Jews by saying they were the reason for the economic woes and their loss in World War II. When that began, concentration camps started to be built so that Germans could freely torture and kill Jews. That's just part of the stuff Jews went through. The Jewish community has helped build America, and in the process has taken life-changing risks.

Immigration Reflection

An immigrant is a person that has left their country and is living as a resident in the country they migrated to. Most of the immigrants in the US come from Latin American countries such as Mexico. People migrate from all over the world, but when they don't register as legal immigrants they fall under the category of "illegal aliens". "Illegal aliens" is a very biased and disrespectful term, because humans are not aliens. Illegal immigrants are not little green extraterrestrial creatures with bug eyes.

All immigrants come to America for their own reasons, but I'll tell you a few of the reasons I think they might want to come live in America. If the level of crime in their country is high is a good guess, because who wants to be afraid to go outside because of the level of crime? Maybe even the the environment; what if somebody did not like living in a humid rain forest? There are plenty of dry places they could go to, such as San Diego. San Diego has great weather and does not get so humid to the point where a person is uncomfortable.

The US is a great place to take advantage of opportunities. We have a wide variety of culture, food, ethnicity, music, and jobs that other countries may not be able to offer because of their government and economy. If you drive down any street in San Diego, you will see at least one restaurant that is derived from another country. Some of the job opportunities that you can't get in another country is being a humanitarian or an author that is known world-wide. If an immigrant were to become a humanitarian, they could help their family if they were living in bad conditions and also children in Africa. They could change the world. Being an author could inspire and change the lives of children and adults that are less fortunate than others. All of the job opportunities in the US are life changing, and you can get that in other countries but not nearly as much.

Because so many people have migrated to the US, we have great diversities of culture and religion. Immigrants from continents all over the world bring their accents, cultures, religions, appearances, languages, and much more. Because of all of the "new people" entering the US, we have had to adjust by making amendments that protected them. For example, the 13th and 14th Amendment both protect people from racism and degradation.

My life has not changed that much in 13 years due to immigration, but the 20th century has shaped my life. If not for the Civil Rights Movement, the Brown v. Board of Education case, and other occasions where minorities have tried to bend the rules for the better, I might not be on the computer typing up a blog post. I might not have been going to a good school or having white friends. Immigration has shaped my life, not changed it.