Mattress

*How not to write a story. I join a soccer team during the summer and we go out of state for games. There are four girls to a room and only two beds.*

It was already 2:30 in the morning and I sharing the bed a girl who talks and kicks in her sleep. She had me pinned to the edge of the bed, next to the table with a lamp. Thank god  we had an afternoon game the next day. I had already woken up three times and accidentally walked into the bathroom door, thinking it was open because of the lack of light. I woke one of our other room mates as well, she wouldn't stop laughing before she went back to bed.After walking into the door, I went back to bed.

Unfortunately I was woken up too soon by my team mate, who was sleeping next to me. I looked over, seeing it was 3:30 now and she was wide awake.

"Where's Brad?" She asked out loud, not even thinking about our other friends in the bed next to us. "Where. Is. Brad!?" She asked louder and slapped her pillow.

I responded asking who Brad was, but she just rolled her eyes and fell back to sleep instantly. She didn’t' even move over, so I was still pinned.

The next morning, I was not only tired but frustrated because of the huge bruise on my forehead and finding out my team mate doesn’t know anyone named Brad.

It's Coming

There was a box being brought forward. The crowd split into two like the red sea. It was black, blacker than night, creaks streaked over its surface, while the piece began to fall. It was death, nothing but the fate of one citizen in the box. All the light in the people’s faces seem to always disappear when the box is brought forward. Although children don’t know what’s going on, they do know that soon, someone will be under a pile of rocks.

               

 Each paper was folded, holding the fate of that one citizen secret. One piece of about 100 papers had a little black dot printed in the middle of that paper. Each piece of paper was fate and the little black dot was the decider of who was going to die. No knew who it was going to be, but everyone knew that someone was going to die and it could be them.

The Angel's Half

*Author's note- After reading the series, The Mortal Instruments, I learned a few ways a life form these characters. One, demon try to kill us all everyday in this book. Two, it compares the lives between a human and Shadow Hunter, and finally three, Shadow Hunters aren't human. As always I'm going to prove you all wrong that Shadow Hunters are human!*

              

                The smell of rotten flesh smothers the room, once it appeared. Painful cries erupt from the dying demon as it crouched over, slow vanishing, leaving pieces of decaying flesh and thick, black blood. A normal person would run leaving all their sanity behind them, but these aren’t regular humans. These are Shadow Hunters, part angel part human. Having a life of isolation and death, Shadow Hunters never know if they’re going to live to see the next battle as they kill demon after demon. But, that doesn’t make them any less human. 

                Whole lists of emotions flood the human mind every day.  If it weren’t for emotions, we wouldn’t be considered humans. When someone dies the feeling of grief fills their chest because they are realizing that the person isn’t ever coming back. When a new child is born happiness and love bubble up inside the parents and family. Shadow Hunters have those feelings as well; the only difference between themselves and other humans, is that a Shadow Hunter is trained to not show their emotions. Many humans cover their emotions, but sometimes they slip. In the novel City of Bones Isabelle, a Shadow Hunter and Clary, a normal girl are having a conversation about Shadow Hunter life, when it turns from Clary asking “’Is Alec gay?’ Isabelle’s wrist jerked. The eyeliner skidded, inking a long line of black from the corner of Clary’s eye to her hair line.”(211) Shadow Hunters are suppose to be as emotionless as a statue and yet, Isabelle dropped her mask giving off the impression of how shocked she truly is. Then Isabelle completely loses yourself farther by yelling about the laws of Shadow Hunter life with tears streaming down her face, tears of fear for her older brother. 

                Not only do Shadow Hunters have feelings for one another, but they all have children and families. In America most people get married because of love, along with Shadow Hunters. They marry out of love and have children to prove their love. But one Shadow Hunter loving the other isn’t the only reason they have children, another reason they have children is because they want to keep their family name going. Just as humans, Shadow Hunters have lived for thousands of years, their family name staying the way it was, keeping to the principles of the old life; similar to the medieval times where humans idolized their family crest. Showing their family pride by parading around town swinging their flags, sewing it on their clothing, and even bragging about what each color and symbols within the crest mean, showing the emotions of pride and love for their families. 

                Although Shadow Hunters are ruthless killers, they still have their own social endowments. All humans have social endowments no matter if they are positive or negative. Humans brought up in a positive endowment have a high social status, are very accomplished, and mentally stable. Unfortunately, humans that are brought up with a negative up bringing are the complete opposite. The same goes for Shadow Hunter children, even though they have different standards to live up to. Jace’s up bringing for ten years was very hard: being abused emotionally and physically and constantly told lies by the man he believed was his father. Jace was described emotionless, not giving away what he was really feeling, only standing there wearing that cold mask, becoming a spitting image of his father. While Alec, Jace’s adopted brother, was brought up with love and affection. He showed his emotions and even the fear of the Shadow Hunter community finding out his sexuality. 

                Even though Shadow Hunters slay poisonous demons, weld enchanted swords, and have extra abilities they are still human: leaving to go on family trips, learning about not only their world but the human world as well, mourning over the loss of a fallen comrade, and loving their families with all their heart. Everyone has a little angel in them, but for Shadow Hunters, the human side dominates over, only letting glimpse of that angel appear.

Thought Process (deeper analysis)

“Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.” Means that life isn’t and shouldn’t be easy and for the mother her life was easy. “It’s had tacks in it.” The mother scolds lovingly as she explains all the challenges she faced as the challenges being the tacks in her stair. “And splinters.” She didn’t stop going after she stepped around the tacks she also stepped over the splinters. “And boards torn up.” And when more challenges came her way she always found her way around them. “And places with no carpet on the floor.” Nothing warm was there to help her through, she continued when she was by herself even though it was hard. “Bare.” There was no protection, only herself and the world around her. “But all the time I'se been a-climbin' on.” But although life threw itself hard at her, she kept going through life, not giving up or sitting down. “And reachin' landin's.” When she received awards and gratitude she didn’t let it blind her but she kept climbing until she got closer to the top. “And sometimes goin' in the dark.”Not knowing what will happen to her only made it more possible for her. “Where there ain't been no light.” Still not knowing nor getting knowledge about where she was really heading. “Don't you set down on the steps.” Don’t give up on what your heading for, if you do you’re only going to get farther behind than where you already are. “Don't you fall now.”Don’t let the challenges bring you down, don’t let your foot get caught on those torn up boards. “For I'se still goin', honey.” She is still walking over the challenges and not looking back and neither should the son. He should keep going and follow in the better footsteps of his mother.

Weakness

*Author's Note- I'm about 3/4 ways through the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. So I might have

gotten to everything yet. But this is my opinion on what's going on and why my title is Weakness.*

It drips, sending shock waves through the pond. Not only do the people not understand that they were only a link to the chain, but that they started the chain to begin with. Not only did the words sting through the girl, but they left scars. Just walking through the halls of her high school, Hannah Baker didn’t feel safe. The novel Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher follows the story of a girl who committed suicide and recorded her story for those who caused her the marks to know the truth and realize their mistakes. But, was Hannah Baker really alone, or was she so caught up in the pain of what others thought that she just ended it?

                

 Sexual harassment is not taken lightly anywhere in America. But hormonal boys will be hormonal boys. Not only are they just boys, they are high school boys. Yes, Hannah was a virgin and her innocence was the only thing left, but being slapped in the behind shouldn’t be such a large reason for ending your life early. Very little suicide cases of sexual harassment were reported in the last six years. The last case was about a man who was constantly attacked by two females. Although the whole student body was unknowingly deepening the gashes and scars Hannah could have asked for help.

               

 Being an outcast doesn’t leave you alone, because there are other outcasts out there. Also, when you’re an outcast it means you aren’t trying to make friends or find people to care about you. It’s not that one action doesn’t make the person hated with passion. Hannah Baker is not Melinda Sordino from the novel Speak. She is actually the complete opposite. Living her life somewhat to the fullest, where as Melinda was hiding from her problems and shutting the world out completely. Melinda lost interest in the world around her, while Hannah still worked hard in school and tried to find ways to save herself. Hannah even tried to hide the signs from the people who did pay attention (not that many people did though.)

              

  After turning into that outcast, Hannah really started believing that ending it would be her best option: not that she couldn’t have talked to her distant parents for help. Just believing that your parents don’t want you isn’t true. No parent would deliberately ignore their child. But Hannah was encouraging it, if she would have demanded more attention from them or even just went out and saying: “My life sucks, I need help!” It would’ve caught and grab the most ignorant and distant parent from the herd and send her to the help she needs. Hannah describes her family working hard just to get by, therefore leaving her last on their priorities. Why didn’t Hannah ask? Repeatedly through the novel Hannah complains how no one noticed or that no one figured it out. How can she blame them if didn’t give and signs? Messages? Or even giving Clay, the boy she connected with, a clue. Maybe telling was more terrifying than death.

                 

Hannah Baker was weak. Saying “I need help,” takes more courage than popping a bottle of pills. She was strong for the first part, but when the wheels began to turn faster and harder Hannah was nothing. She was a speck on one of the wheels that couldn’t do nothing but smudge the appearance. Hannah Baker’s life was horrible. No person wants to be touched inappropriately, have incredible rumors spread about them or even being left in a room all alone after a make out session, but she wasn’t alone and she was weak for giving into the challenges and stopped climbing the rotten, broken up staircase of life.

Life and Its Colors

*Author's Note- I'm currently reading the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. Only half way through the book, I have learned about the way colors, nature, and life is easily corrupted by the world around us. Also, how people miss so many obvious signs and only notice the smallest details that will soon lead to the largest reason. But only being too late to help. While reading, page 175 caught my eye. The last paragraph stating "Did the poet use red to symbolize blood? Anger? Lust? Or is the wheelbarrow simply red because it sounded better than Black?" Now looking down at my writing, can you figure out what I'm trying to portray? Each line means what emotion each colors means. Figure it out. Have fun.*


Red-
A sword with a glistening liquid at its tip.
A child on Christmas morning.
Burning pain. 
Love for something so deep.
Once the fight begins, it will spill.

Purple-
The income stream.
Higher than the highest family.
Book worm of colors.

Blue-
A snail in sand.
Quiet place of peace.
The strength over your opponent.

Black-
The 12 districts from the novel The Hunger Games.

White-
Clean and clear.

Yellow-
Soft heat.
Lights the path.

Green-
New, lively.
Growing of life.

Beautiful Joy

Bright and colorful
Full of joy
Until that neighbor comes
And your mother makes you share
Oh Gummibears
They ate them fast
And now they are gone
That kid better run, run, run

Thought Process

 *Author Note- This my analysis of Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. The words that are italicized are what I'm thinking about what each phrase means to me and what the mother is trying to teach her son.*  

Well, son, I'll tell you:
Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.- Life isn’t something you clear that you can see through.
It's had tacks in it,- Challenges that you must over come.
And splinters,- Something that will take a while to get over.
And boards torn up,- Watching what you do and say to protect yourself and others you love.
And places with no carpet on the floor – Poverty with no warmth or love.
Bare.- Cold and lonely.
But all the time
I'se been a-climbin' on,- She hasn’t let any of the bumps of life hold her back.
And reachin' landin's,- When she reached good points in her life you kept reaching forwards
And turnin' corners,- When something tired to stop her she kept walking
And sometimes goin' in the dark- Going into something not knowing what will happen.
Where there ain't been no light.- Going places that hasn’t been good for anyone.
So boy, don't you turn back.- Don’t stop walking you need to keep going through your life even though there is bumps.
Don't you set down on the steps- Never go back down.
'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.
Don't you fall now –Don’t let the challenges push you down into a point where you can’ get back up.
For I'se still goin', honey,- She is still going, why can’t you?
I'se still climbin',- She is still wondering through life not knowing
And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.- her life wasn’t easy of handed to her.

Clarisse's Love

Skipping as gracefully as a gazelle, Clarisse's hair a wild hair hurricane. Her smile brightening up the room. Green eyes glistening gleefully as the scent of flowers flowing into the spaces faster than a fan. Just her presents in the room brought joy to others.

Three Lives, Same Situation

*Aurthur Notes- I wrote this essay about the way all different novels, all with the same theme: government control. The three novels "The Giver," "The Hunger Games," and "City of Ember" all deal with the same problem, but different situations.

Dominating the weak and killing the strong, they regret nothing; they just enjoy the suffering of those around them as they live in luxury. The government of Panem causes life or death situations for the citizens of its twelve districts in the novel The Hunger Games. Meanwhile, another government keeps the people of Ember in the dark about a dangerous secret in the book City of Ember. A third government in the classic The Giver runs everything about the citizens' lives and it’s complete normalcy for them. Having a government with too much control never ends well.

The government in the three novels has gained so much authority that no one is safe from their ascendancy. In “The Giver” the citizens in the Utopia have no clear thought about their government controlling their whole lives. In the citizen’s and Elders eyes, their community is perfect, no death, no pain, and not many differences. Not one person really knows the pain and suffering that the world around them is dealing with because the Giver hides the truth from the Elders and citizens. Unlike “The Giver” in the novel “The Hunger Games” the government causes all the pain and suffering by creating an arena where two children from each of the twelve fight to the deaths, with only one survivor. While the government creates the death and poverty, the governor of the classic “City of Ember” hides in luxury, while his citizens are slowly starving and rushing to conserve their resources to remain living. But not only are they in the dark about the room of desirable and “rare” foods that the governor has been living off of for years, but that they are living in a hole that no one can find a way to escape.All three governments are causing the downfalls of their communities.

No matter how much a person hates their government rebelling against their government will always have its consequences. Such as the event The Hunger Games, the 13 districts rebelled against the Capital for their hatred of their control. Only to lose the war and cause the Capital to gain more control than what they already had. Creating The Hunger Games was a symbol that no matter how much you hate us, we will always win and kill along the way. Even though The Giver has punishments, they aren’t as severe as killing one another or wiping their backs until they pass out; but more subtle, gentle punishments, such as slight public humiliation or getting slapped in the leg is a thin, plastic device that corrects mistakes by children. From all the novels, City of Ember has no intense punishment what-so-ever. Aside from the soon living their lives in darkness until they all die from accidents and no light. Until the main characters Lina and Doon are caught finding the truth about living in a hole, they are chased and in hiding from the government holding their lives close and the secrets closer.

Once the control has affected the lives of everyone, a revolution is needed. Once Jonas, the main character from The Giver, has figured that his new little brother was going to be Released, Jonas knew he had to do something. Escaping with Gabriel was his only option, causing the government to panic about another two children being lost and never to be found, proving they can’t always control and protect the citizens of the community. Escaping from the Capital isn’t an option for any of the district people because the Capital will always find them. But when Katniss pulled the out the fatal Night Lock berries, she became the Mockingjay that was meant to defy the Capital. The Giver and The Hunger Games all have life or death mission, City of Ember holds the current lives of their city in their hands. But defeating the governor and getting all the citizens out into the light and real world, isn’t an easy task and if the governor keeps getting in the way they will never make it out alive.

All three novels display a knowing stand point of an overpowering government that has taken too large of a step into controlling. The people of any novel with a over ruling government know that they must take a stand to show they aren’t afraid and won’t let them kill the people they know and love. Although there are different types of a controlling government, there will always be suffering and the one person who will take charge and crash them down!

Ugly

Grey

Blank

Blandness

Nothingness

No color for life

As Jonas lives no real life.

Giver

One of the main characters is The Giver. He is known to give information about the world now and past. He is quiet and contained because his occupation requires him not to explain anything to anyone, including his daughter and wife. He keeps everyone in the dark, aside from Jonas because he is the Receiver in training. His role in the community is the most honored and most secretive. If he told what he knew, he would not only breaking the law but also ruining his perfect community.

Never Will Stop

*Author Note- This a poem I wrote for action steps. I tried to write a haiku, but wrote it backwards. I want to know what your idea about my topic is.*

Water poured from everywhere

Drowning all the life

Rise up high, all the life dies

Uncertain

*Author Note- This a poem I wrote after reading a tragic story. I want to know your interpretation on what my poem is really about.Let me warn you, it's not what you this it is.

Dangling only by a slim thread.

Weaker than a child without any bread.

Each word stung as a knife piercing through her skin.

Words of abuse spewed out his mouth like air bursting from a balloon pop by a pin.

As hugs and the water works start.

No one will know that their relationship is finally falling apart.

Sudden Change

*Author Note- This is a creative piece I wrote from one of three sentences. I want to score high for voice.*

Worst day ever, not only did my baby sister find her way into my school bag and destroy all contents that were my homework. But also, my twin took our car before I could get ready for school, and it was raining. Luke is going to pay. Walking is the worse! With it pouring ice drop soaking through your shirt within seconds. At least I keep extra clothes in my locker. My hair clung to my face as the gusts of wind accelerated.

Every time a car zoomed past me, I would get drenched for the puddles next to the street. I bet they’re laughing at me right now. Groaning, I continued stomping towards the school. Finally when I reached school, I was already late for first period. Sighing I stalked to my locker, avoiding all the bystanders. I couldn’t deal with them, especially when I was already chilled to the bone.

As I was getting my extra clothes from my locker, I felt someone staring at me. Turning around, my breath caught as I saw him standing there, eyes sparking with curiosity. My face heated up as we made eye contact. Not only was the hottest guy is school staring at me, but he was probably texting everyone else about the dork who couldn’t drive herself to school and had to walk.

At once, something warm wrapped around my shoulders. I spun around, only to slap my face into his chest. I looked up to the sparkling blue eyes, rough jaw line, and perfect nose, just staring at him made my heart stop.

“I just thought you would be cold.” He mumbled, his manly face as red as a tomato. I smiled and zipped the sweatshirt up. Warm enveloped me as he walked me to our next class.

Turns out when you’re having a horrible day, just think something will happen and sometimes it really does.