Author's note: This was inspired by the book “A Mango Shaped Space”. I have never read it, but I know that a girl hasSynesthesia and she sees differently than everyone else. This piece is about how a person feels like no one feels or sees the world as they do. Everyone thinks they are different or even nuts just because they see things in a different perspective than they do.
You see clouds in the sky
I see free souls with personalities and stories
You may see a gray sky
I can see a rainbow
You see the sun I see a new start You see a broken heart I see how to fix it You see the tears streaking down their face
I see an emotion You see a flaw I see their talents
Author's Note: This is a piece about how some people’s words can really affect how you feel. Their words can really bring you down so you feel certain things about yourself that aren’t true.
I feel like I'm flying in the stars I'm as light as air The wind passing by me I feel free and limitless Those days you don't bring me down With your words you drag me down Throwing me off balance I am plummeting out of the sky Faster and faster I fall I try to bring myself up Some days I just can’t I don’t have the strength I don’t have the will Nothing I can do to stop it You’ll just bring me down once again
Author's note: This is a piece about how summer is almost here and how everyone is looking forward to it. We wait for summer as we look at the snow and go through spring. When it gets to the end of the year (like right now) everyone starts thinking about summer.
It was that time of year; it was almost summer vacation. Everyone was restless to get out of the cold, sterile school as they stared dreamily out the windows at the snow through the winter. Slowly the snow started to disappear and you could see patches of dead, light brown grass. The trees started to sprout flowers and everything regained it color. The weather got warmer and warmer by the day.
The people turned from being stiff and tired in the cold weather, to being lively and talkative in the morning. At the end of the year there was just more energy. People laughed more and everything was brighter for longer.
Days passed by like hours in that building. Everything was a blur at the end of the year. It was almost like I didn't remember anything at the end.
Before I knew it, it was the last day of school. The short hours ticked by as we said some goodbyes and made plans for the summer. Teachers tried to control us to make their end of the year speeches. Everyone was anticipating the ringing of the bell to unleash them into their break.
Chaos broke as we heard the one sound we were longing for. Screams erupted through the crowd as we took the last things in our locker and took off in our separate ways with friends. Finally, we were free. Summer was here at last.
Author's note: This is just a fictional piece about how I was looking around at the beautiful landscape around me. Also, to just let my mind escape to think about all the new things happening and to relax. Hope you like it and please comment! The hot sun and humid air left my skim feeling warm to the touch Late summer winds picked up the grass around me The wind picked up and brushed over me like silk It spun through the hot air around me It seemed as if it was dancing for me
Flowers were still in bloom around me in vibrant shades A few cedar trees were planted carefully in the yard lining the sidewalk I felt the newly wet dirt between my fingers The fresh smell of grass filled my nose
My life and surroundings seemed to melt away as I layed down in the grass As I closed my eyes, the world darkened I was left to think and grasp everything that was happening This was the first time in a while I had nothing on my mind to do Nothing had to be accomplished at the moment
I felt at ease with everything now Everything was fine I would just let my mind wander By laying here in the sun
Author's note: This is my piece on "The Hundredth Dove" District Assessment. In this piece I tell about the dove Lady Columbia and the symbolism behind the dove.
This piece was so powerful and had a greater meaning beyond what it appeared, such as Lady Columbia. The Lady Columbia is a tempting procession that the hunter had planted in his weak little heart. She seems as a striking human on the outside, but nothing is as it seems. Nothing is what anyone thinks. The hunter seems like he would do anything to please the King and his Lady. Nothing turned out as I thought it would. Every word wasn’t what I expected at all or why something was used. Altogether these pieces of the story, made something much darker with a meaning to it.
The Lady Columbia is not a normal human being, and not a dove. She is a quiet creature with dark eyes and shadowed secrets. In the beginning she seems human, but isn’t natural. A dove is a natural thing, but she isn’t just a dove. This woman holds many secrets that were never revealed to us. On the outside she may seem beautiful and human, but really she isn’t natural or beautiful inside at all.
A dove is a quiet, peaceful creature that holds many secrets in this piece and in this world. They are messengers that bring people warnings and signs of piece. This woman was a messenger to deliver a test to the hunter. He was prompted to bring doves to their wedding and was trying to catch a single white pigeon. She was a temptation brought to him, to test his character. More than that, she was sent to see how he could control his wants in life. He wanted to serve his master, while she wanted to sedate him and trick him. She was crafted in this field, but was outwitted by his good character. In the beginning she may seem peaceful, but this woman is secretive and quiet in a dangerous way.
Everything may seem normal at first, until, you uncover your eyes to see the truth. This piece was just a story about a woman, a king and a Fowler. You think that until you see what Lady Columbia and the other characters are. She seems beautiful and elegant on the outside as a stunning human. Lady Columbia takes the form as a dove and you see she is secretive and maybe even wicked. Nothing just had a simple meaning in this story or even a single identity. Everything was abnormal, dark and had its own complex meanings alone.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Author's note: This piece is about life. The dark tunnel is all the things you have yet to discover about yourself. In life you look into it and don't know what to do or who you are. It seems dark, but you soon go in and try new things. You may get lost or even fail, like in the tunnel. In the end, you will get to the end of the tunnel and figure out who you are and things about yourself.
I step into the tunnel and look into it
The tunnel is dark in front of me
I know that there is light at the end
It will be a painful journey to get to the end
Good things come to those who wait they say
I just want to get to the end
I stumble and fall on the way trying to go too quickly
Soon I get caught in the middle of the dark tunnel and don't know where to go
I need help
I need someone to guide me
I think I am alone
I think I am lost
Idon't know how to get back
To get to the light
Who do I turn to?
In this dark tunnel?
What do I do?
How do I cope?
Do I give up?
No.
I will do my best and get to the end
I will figure out the way
In the end I will discover it
I will take small steps back and get lost again
But I know for sure
I will reach the end
Author's note: This piece is about how I feel right now. One day it is warm and I could wear shorts. The next day I had to wear jeans and a sweatshirt. In Wisconsin one day it is warm and it feels like Spring, then you wake up and it's snowing! This just tells about what I feel and what is kind of happening right now.
Everything was growing and producing
Spring was coming
Everything was turning from the gray dead colors into beautiful true colors
Winter has died
The colors of spring were ready to show
I watched the black ominous sky of winter form and change
Through the dead months every day the colors were grey and black
Then turned to greens and blues
They turned brighter and brighter every day
It seemed as if the world had a light turned on and everything was clearer now
Through the window I saw the flowers planted the day before
They were pink roses all lined up in rows
It looked like a delicate painting
It took my breath away
The next day I looked outside
I saw that the world was covered in a thin white blanket
Author's note: This is a piece on the DIsney movie Tangled. We watched it in Language Arts and had to discuss a topic in the movie. In the movie they are always talking about following your dream, so that is what I talked about in this piece.
Tangled was a funny, light story that is also about following your dreams. Throughout the entire story they are talking about dreams and following them. Rapunzel wants to see her magical floating lights in the sky in person. Flynn Rider is a funny criminal that just wants money in the beginning. Of course he wants money like most people, but he finds a new dream; which is Rapunzel. In the end, they both follow their hearts to fulfill their dreams fully in this sweet, humorous movie.
Both of the main characters are different, but both have different dreams. Rapunzel is a sweet, funny girl that only dreams of the outside world. When she escapes from her tower and is with Flynn Rider, he takes her against his will to see her dream. Then, Flynn is a different kind of person who wants to be powerful and wealthy. That’s his dream, until he meets Rapunzel and everything changes. He has a change of heart and gives up his treasure in the end, which was the one thing he wanted all along. This really shows his character on how he really cared for Rapunzel much more than money. He really seemed like a selfish guy, but he really was a romantic, nice person on the inside. The two characters really had different dreams, but they both in the end turn out to have one dream; which was each other.
Flynn and Rapunzel both had big dreams that were determined to follow. Flynn wanted possessions, while Rapunzel had sweet dreams of the outside world and of the floating lights. They both were told that they would never be able to do it, or just had things and people in the way of it. Flynn had a change, and his dreams were of Rapunzel. That dream became Rapunzel's and in the end it came true and their new dreams were for each other. These two characters both had dreams, and followed new ones together.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Author's note: For this piece we had to start it off with someone going off a bridge to an abandoned country. You may notice throughout this, there are some strange words put in. That is because we had to randomly put words in to make it work. Please read this even though it is kind of long(sorry about that). Comment and tell me what I should change!
I was sick and tired of people telling me what to do and who I see. Everything I did and saw was controlled. Not a single thing I wore or even said was chosen. The world had turned into a place where I could not say or do what I wanted. In fact, no one could. There was no free will in my world, well everyone was like this. Maybe if I dove off this bridge into the next country I could escape to. Would they catch me? Would I live? I would risk it. The cool waters called to me, I knew I could do this.
I threw off my sweater that was assigned to me and jumped into the water into the next country over. As I landed in the water, I spotted land. Maybe it was closer than I thought. Right away I spotted an anteater on the dry, black earth trying to find ants from it to feed on. In school I had only seen pictures of these, I had never seen one in real life.
There were many homes along the river with shattered widows and broken off doors. The only life present was the anteater, me and the wind. It blew violently against my body and on the homes. One shook and crumbled right next to me as I stepped out of the way.
Strange objects littered the dirt. I picked something up and studied it. Not in my whole life had I seen anything like this. People many years ago would cook with these before we had assigned meals brought to us. This must be a..barbeque something..I forgot what it was called. My parents would have known, or if I had an older sibling they might have known this from their childhood.
Then I realized I was hungry and parched from today. I pushed past a door and walked into a home. This must have been a majestic house back in the days. A rusty remains of a chandelier sat on the ground smashed into tiny shards of glass. Maybe it must be in the..I also did not know what this was called. Maybe a kitchen? Yes that is what they had called it. So, I ran into the kitchen and rummaged through the cabinets. The only thing I found was a well-preserved carrot. Biting into it I was ready to grimace from the taste. It really wasn't too bad with its crisp, fresh taste gushing through my mouth in a single bite. After I finished it, I took off out of the kitchen and saw a bunch of stairs. Could they hold my weight without me falling through? I was doubtful, but put half of my weight on them. Some rusty nails moved around, but I believed it could hold. Quickly, I half ran up the stairs and into the upstairs hall. Did people have their rooms here or was this just for nothing? Ahead of me I saw a light from a strange source. It was from a little glass bulb on the ceiling. I only saw these in the storage rooms because they were scarce and expensive. No one could ever find them because the material to make them was gone. Only the eccentric leaders and some lucky people could own enough to light a home.
The light cast long shadows across the dusty floor and the old curtains. Nothing even had color here, the earth was black, the homes were grey and the dust was grey too. The sky was even a hazy gray blue with a hint of black swirled across the clouds. Even the people had black personalities as dark as coal. Especially my teacher Mrs. Floofy had been a wicked soul. If a child got an answer incorrect in the front of the room, she would beat their hands until they were bloody and blistered. All the children were greatly scared of her authority and respected her in constant fear. Everyone was a perfect student or you would pay the price. Everyone with authority here was dark, but a few.
None of them were kind or thought of others. Everyone had to go to school no matter what every day for ten hours. Then after do designated chores and go to bed when the bells rung. If you didn't, these people of power would control your life even more.
My life was so..how could you say it? To describe my life would be trying to say something about a rock. It isn't interesting and no one would care about it. Every day of my life I daydreamed of other places and what I would do. Someday I wanted to do to the Galapagos and do what I pleased. Not what these evil people expected me to.
Lost in thought, the wind blew through the window and shattered it inside a little. Blinded for a second the whole window came out and crashed on the ground in front of me. I dove down and held onto a pillow to cover me. When it was done, I got up and looked around at the mess. I guess it matched the creepy abandoned look going on here. This place was no safe at all, and I needed to get out before the whole house was destroyed. Walking through the door I looked back at the window one last time and hopped downstairs to the yard.
An old train station was a few hundred feet away from the edge of the yard. How did I miss that? I shook out my thoughts and went to the tracks. It seemed almost normal with the train parked right on the tracks and the booths inside.
"Of course it wasn't normal, I thought as I looked up to the the roof and saw a shadow cast across the gravel road.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Author's note: This is just about the jungle and how some people just destroy it. In this piece I tell about my feelings on it and the scenery. I really haven't been to the rain forest, but this is how I think it looks like. It isn't that long, but has a lot of emotion. Please comment on your thoughts and how I should change it! Thank you!
The moon beams touched down on the earth, gliding off the tears of water on the leaves onto the earth of the jungle. Many strange unnoticed animals and creatures called out into the night forgotten about in the tangled mess of time littered with vines, leaves, trees and bushes. No body saw them in my group as they impatiently moved on ripping apart everything in their path to get through. They didn’t notice the simple beauty of the jungle that nourished us so well. Earth needed the trees to cover the animals for shelter. Humans needed it to have oxygen to survive. All the animals needed it as their habitat to hide themselves from us. Humans destroyed the trees and plants trying to save their own or to take the precious life from it to make things of our benefit. It made me sad to see that even they didn’t see this as anything but trees and bushes. As I looked forward, the man in front led us on occasionally telling us about the trees or different species of animals. Usually he just looked forward on with an iron mask of unfeeling thoughts keeping silent. Most of the rest picked at the trees or even kicked at the flowers and bugs. In the far back I walked slowly ,breathing in the foreign smells, all of them strange to me. At the same time I loved it all. Why would you destroy this? They thought they all had power over everything, which I did not understand. Sighing deep in thought , the jungle sounds lulled me on in as I walked on with the group that night.
THEY ARE INNOCENT ANIMALS THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTED!
PLEASE DO SOMETHING...........
<3
Thursday, March 3, 2011
The gentle waves flowed from the rocks with simplicity and great power.It all pooled up at the bottom forming intricate rivers and lakes extending from it.Willow trees lined the area guarding me from my enemy.Running from my home to find somewhere, I found this place.All I could say was that is was absolutely beautiful.Flowers were just in the bloom and the life was ready to show through the petals having the scent fill the air and trees.Secrets stirred here.It seemed perfect, but something dark was leaking out from the flawless beauty plastered on top.Like a dark black charcoal smeared upon a canvas and having light beautiful colors on top to try to cover it to make something perfect.
I sat on the granite rocks formed and curved perfectly matching the essence of beauty here.Coming through the cracks of the rock was a single flower squeezing itself outtrying to grow and reach for the sun.Carefully, I picked it up through the crack and out of the soil then brought it out by the water.The soil was easy to pick through.It was coming up loose and easy at the touch.All of the roots of the flower were wilting and curling up at the edges like an ancient document.A few petals were turning a light brown color already.Quickly, I precisely put the roots in the middle of the hole and put soil on top of it.This flower was dying here. Now I was alive but the flower was too until it was being choked. It wasn't safe here or anywhere to be exact.
Something moved in the bushes.I spun around just to see something dark and tall run away.
"Was it an animal?"I thought.Whispered sounds came to my ears. Hushed words were in the air.It frightened me.Fog filled the open air blocking the sun.Something was very wrong.
So I picked myself up and ran as if it were the only thing I knew how to do.Away from here and my very own life.
Life at the farm was simple and no one questioned anything.Every animal did their share of work and got a share of some of the crops and food. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were the humans that ran the farm and controlled the animals to do what they pleased.Then took what the animals worked for.This wasn’t a fair cycle, but this was never questioned ever. An animal’s life was just like this and all of them never thought that they could be in control.Major inspires them all to rebel and take over what is rightfully theirs.Animals could roam free and do whatever they wanted, not bound by the humans to labor for their own wants and pleasures.Soon Old Major is dead.The animals were truly inspired by his living idea of rebellion.That truly wasn’t dead in their minds so new leaders step up to make that reality.All of them were harsh and persuasive, as mean spirited and cold as Jones.Now a simple life was in the far past now when the pigs wiped away those thoughts and dreams.
In the beginning Snowball, Napoleon, and Squealer were all normal, powerless pigs under the authority of Jones.It seemed like they just wanted to be free as the other animals and thought they were better than them, so they took the job.As time progressed, they all became hungry.The three had tasted the power they had and wanted to gorge it all down to consume it all for them.Since the beginning of the rebellion, they have thirsted for the power.A lot of it was in their hands and so they kicked a member out of the group to have more control.Meanwhile, the rest of the animals just followed their every command to do their will.They didn’t get to choose what they wanted.Power was more immense and prominent in the trio of pigs.Rights were taken away from them.No more meetings to discuss what they all wanted, no choice and the leaders sneaked in what they wanted so the rest couldn’t even see it.This is a lot more than leadership among them.The power has grown into dictatorship.Soon enough the animals won’t even be able to go where they want when they want to and no one will be able to have anything if the leaders don’t give it to them.Power has grown from a spark of inspiration, to this mess of leaders once powerless.
Power is a main problem among these animals.It’s like an unstable balance being tilted favorably toward the pigs and the animals are way up high not being able to make their own choices with no weight on their side.How can a community like this work if the power is not divided as once promised?The pigs say something and all of the animals work trying to please their leaders once like them all.All of the animals were once humble and with no power.The authority was Jones, and once he was gone they could do what they pleased.All the animals were unsure what to do with themselves and the pigs all promised them assurance that they would make through it all together.Lies were filled in those very words.No equality is present in these “great” leaders just thirsting for what they never could have.
Speak was just an ordinary book.Honestly it was just a normal book that I read from cover to cover, through the chapters and took in all of the words in black ink across the pages.It was fairly short and unordinary from anything else.It didn’t stand out, nothing bright or spectacular looking. What truly I thought was extraordinary about it was the characters and events scrawled across the pages telling the amazing story of an ordinary girl that did a very powerful thing.She had this dirty secret that was binding her to it and didn’t want to get help or talk to anyone.But, against the odds she stood up and wasn’t afraid to speak out.She told her friend that didn’t have one love or passion in the world but herself and let her down.Even though that friend left her once again, she didn’t back down.If no one cared about her life then she was going to do this herself. Then no one could leave her alone in the dark again, but herself.
Life can be depressing. It is so realistic that it stings because it is what it is.We can sit in the dark and just complain about how horrible life is.For a while Melinda just sat in the shadows like that isolating herself from others and not stepping out and getting help.Eventually she figured out that she can’t always rely on other people all the time for her security.So she stood up and spoke.I believe that the theme was to speak out when you are hurting.Standing up for yourself when everyone fails to meet your needs and secure you so you feel safe in your own little world.During the whole book I thought that the author was just pretty much telling this depressing story of a lonely, misunderstood girl.Not only is it about that, but it has a deeper meaning of strength and courage.Life may be dark, but Melinda stood up against the odds.
“Write about the emotions you fear the most."Honesty that is true and Melinda had to speak about what she feared most.Throughout this book the author gives you this pinch of reality that says to you that this is real.It is realistic and that is frightening.This ironic book starts out bad then twists and turns into darker, deeper things and you think that nothing could go right.Then the plot seems to rise up and light shines onto the characters and things seem to be okay in the end.The author is trying to say that things may be bad but if you do something about it, then it may turn out alright.If you fear emotions and then your voice comes through and write about them, then it won’t be as frightening.
Fear, strength and reality are the things that the author addresses throughout the story.The author also wrote other books and they are all the same type as this book. All of them are ironic, truth based and dark.I guess she doesn’t want us to get caught up in a colorful, happy book that we can escape to.No, she wants us to say that we understand what the characters are going through or that our life isn’t that bad.Fear teaches us things and makes us understand the world a little through character’s mind and hear t before we do.
Have you ever felt that something simple was amazing?I did when I picked up this book.Honestly I didn’t really want to read it.Someone said that it was an amazing book and wanted me to read it. Now I understand this.Speak was a book that really touched me.The characters seemed to reach out and tell a story so different yet realistic. Melinda had an extremely lonely year and everyone feels alone at least once, or out of place and maybe even unwanted.Personally I have never had to deal with the situation that she was in.But, many have and the author is just reflecting on other people’s lives and secrets making up characters just to line the story to make it fit together.The author weaved this story together making it so complex, yet simple and sweet making the story something I have never read in my entire life.
Author's note: This was from a stream of consciousness. We had to look at a picture of a Ferris Wheel and write a piece about it. I wanted to write about how I went to a park and went on rides with my friend. Actually this is based on true events that really happened! What happened on both rides actually happened to me and my friend on the same day!
The squeaky rusted ride slowly stopped to a halt. Getting off I felt dizzy and got off the gray walkway down to the concrete ground. My best friend hobbled over to me to discuss the next ride we were going to go on. "Let's go on that!" I exclaimed pointing up to the giant drop ride. "Ok, " She sighed a little nervously and walked over to the long line twisting around the fences to the ride. There we sat for a while impatiently leaning up against the rusting peeling paint of the ancient poles holding up the fence from collapsing. All of a sudden I heard screaming. Looking around I spotted that the car to the drop ride was stuck up on top, not coming down. My friend looked at it wide eyed and staring at the people's dangling limbs off the ride. People started to part from the line frightened and amazed that the people were stuck on top of the ride. Without a word we departed from the line side by side still shocked.
"Those poor people..." I muttered as we came across a bright sign. Inscribed in the sign, it only said V2 on it. "OMG that sounds like fun!!!! " my friend screamed. "Wow that does look awesome!! " I yelled. Talking we went up to the line and waited forever to get to the front. Finally we were second in line. Excited we waited until the cars came for the people in front of me. Mumbling my friend nudged me. "WHAT? " I asked because it was so loud I couldn't even hear her when she was standing right beside me. Then she pointed her finger at the line next to us for the other cars in the ride. A kid that looked to be about a fifth grader was standing there hunched down and looked like he was spraying a water bottle through the gates. But what I soon realized was that it wasn't water!! Some workers just stood there and looked at him with eyes filled with disgust and just disbelief. The station went quiet wondering what was happening. Some other workers came and quickly tossed some nasty yellow powder at the ground and had the others scoop it up cleaning up the mess. Everybody was shocked and didn't even know what to say. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!! THEY ARE SHUTTING DOWN THE RIDE!" my friend angrily cried. "Why are they shutting it down??" I cried. "It is a bio-hazard so they have to shut it down for like twenty minutes, " she sadly answered. "Aww...well we can wait, " I sighed.
There we stood for twenty minutes waiting to finally go on the ride. "THIS IS TAKING FOREVERRR!!! " She exclaimed leaning up against the bars of the gate. "THE RIDE IS CURRENTLY UP AND RUNNING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME." the speakers crackled down to us. The crowd sighed, shifted around,chattering and cheering. Clanking the ride stopped in front of us. Silently the gates opened up releasing the people at last and had them hurrying to get on. Both of us go into the seats and pulled the metal harnesses over us. But neither of us were prepared for what was about to happen. We were pulled forward having gravity taking over and pressing us up. Then giving in and bringing us back down to the ground and pulling us up once again. After a few more times we halted to a stop at the station. "WOW that was awesome!!" we both smiled. "But freaky in a way."my friend pointed out as she steadied herself on a post. "I want to go again!" I cheered. "The line is so long..." she answered looking at the long curling line. "Yeah.. maybe we can go on that?" I questioned pointing to another. "OK!" she laughed as we got into another line waiting for what was next.
Author's note: You might not think that this has to do with a scene in the book that relates to real life. But the entire book is reality and people have to deal with others not being there for them when they are going through a dark time and that is what I am saying in this piece. People are unreliable and being lonely and rejected by some people is reality and Melinda is dealing with that in the book.
Everyone feels alone once in their life. Alone. Lost, rejected and unloved. This isn't an uncommon or strange emotion for anyone. It happens all the time all around us, even if we don't realize it. Melinda was all alone and people didn't even seem aware of it, maybe eventaking advantage of it. Both of her parents were blinded of the situation having not a clue what was happening in Melinda's life. Her friend's hearts were filled with hate not caring what really happened to her. They don't want to be there for her at all. I could honestly pick a lot of scenes in the book that can relate to real life because this whole book is reality. Nothing is made up, fake or flawless Every single person has dealt with these same feelings and situations being alone and rejected as Melinda did.
It's the first day of school and Melinda is all alone. Not one person to hang out with. Knowing she won't be accepted by anyone but her best friend, Rachel she looks to her. Without a word they eye each other and Rachel silently screams,
"I hate you."
A strong emotion with so much hatred and dark feelings. Melinda was just standing up for herself and trying to do something to help a situation. It only made it worse just because her so called friends didn't support her and later on didn't even believe her when she told them the truth!! Friends are supposed to be there for you. But the thing is in real life the people you love most can take advantage of you and hurt you the most. She knew them so well so it hurt her even more in her heart when they left her all alone. Everyone knows this also. Friends can take advantage of you or in Melinda's case really hurt you by leaving you all by yourself. For standing up for yourself and being strong her friends leave her alone..who deserves that?
Sad, alone and hurting in an lonely solitary cell of your heart and mind trying to be strong but having no one their to support you if you fall down. Melinda is living in that without a friend to be their beneath her to support her from falls. She is falling down faster and faster going darker and deeper making it harder to hop back up to the light. Ex-friends, situations, teachers and parents are pushing her deeper not doing anything about it to help her. Every single person has dealt with a dark time being alone. It is a hard time and may feel like no on is there. People don't always help you or build you up. They can use you, abuse you, hurt you or leave you all alone to fend for yourself. People think that Melinda is a freak and can't seem to step out and care for her. She stand up for herself not relying completely and surely on someone but climbing up and reaching toward the justice and light of the dark silence and speaking out clearly. Many have dealt with these dark problems but can't stand up and do the same that Melinda did.
The scary part of this book is not just that Melinda is suffering or the kids in it are horrible. This isn't a fictional story, this is true to life and that is the horror of it. High school is a true thing, a real place that you have to attend to have a good future. Its like you are trapped and Melinda feels like that, too. It isn't like this fairytale world that no matter what you do everything is fine. This inspiring story is all reality. The events and everything could happen.It could happen to you and honestly that is frightening.There isn’t the comfort of this being a fantasy world and it's a made up thing.People act this way, do these things and this has happened in the past.It will keep happening in the far future as well.Reality is a chilling, scary thing and Melinda is living right in the middle of it.
Melinda is standing in the lunch room awkwardly waiting to see if anyone will accept her.She finds one person who even later on fails to be there for her.People are unreliable.They can be cruel and not accepting of others for their own twisted reasons.Some people just don't fit their standards in high school and don't even have a friend to count on because no one wants anything to do with them.The setting is the perfect place for this story and the characters because either you are accepted in high school or you are just not.She isn’t and people aren't very reliable to be your sturdy foundation to make mistakes with.Whatever she does no one even wants to look at her.As I said the setting is the only place that would work for this and embraces the story well.High school is not always as grim but the author made it a very dark thing.High school can sometimes be the start of a young adult life but the author made the characters misunderstanding and had the high school a dark, dead place.If the plot and characters had a different past then maybe Melinda would have had a place to sit at lunch and friends.
Reality is the shadowy thing we live in and it has always just been.Melinda goes to a high school that fits that very description.The high school was made into a scary thing to fit the book.She is a lonely girl in a dark high school with misunderstood people that don't want to be kind or reaching out.Her story and the characters would be very different if the setting was different. It is essential and a main piece of the book. Change one thing and you have a completely different story.Make it happy and nothing would have happened the way it did.The setting was chosen because of the reality clinging to it making it a real thing with realistic characters with normal human actions and emotions.High school is as real as it could be which makes it frightening.
Melinda is a girl with many thoughts and emotions running through her mind, but doesn't express it. This quote is significant in this book. It is fairly short, but it is powerful and has a lot of emotion. Those words aren't significant or even special, but the character is talking and telling her feelings to others. It's like color is being painted on her as if she is a lifeless, emotionless canvas. The truth is coming out and Melinda's voice is being heard. Not a small whisper, but a strong voice that has colors and inspiration. Strong, true and wise. Suffering through so much in silence, she speaks and that is what everyone is trying to make her do through the entire book; To simply speak. Then finally, she is and it’s a golden moment of truth and strength for her. If that one little piece of the story wasn't in there, it would have turned out so differently. It is, and makes everything different for her. If Melinda didn't have this moment of her speaking, she would have died inside of her and suffered through it the rest of her life not expressing anything to a single person.
Monday, January 17, 2011
The streets were covered in quivering light being reflected off the carlights. It smelled like gasoline and smoke as I walked out of Starbucks. People walked quickly from all directions bunching up at corners waiting to cross the busy street. I heard shouts from behind me, but I was used to it and pushed it out of my head. Water sloshed around me seeping into storm drains being carried away from people's sight. Looking around I slipped off the curb and tripped into a murky puddle. Wincing I got up and silently looked around casually to see if anyone had saw me slip. Everyone was hurrying to get out of the rain. When I didn't want to be noticed no one saw, and when I wanted so badly to be seen I was looked past. Zoning out an impatient person shoved me out of the way and onto the concrete again. Sighing I got up and dragged myself home to my grubby little apartment and just sat there in the dark not rising to turn on the lights....(to be continued....)
Speak is a story of different people, a regular town with a painfully dark high school. Melinda is an ordinary high school girl with a dark secret wrapped in her brain, printing itself on her,leaving a dark smudged spot covering up parts of her life. She finds a friend to count on, going to her house and in silence hanging out with her. But, at school, she doesn’t talk to anyone except to herself or maybe to Heather. Even then Heather does most of the talking. Then, at home, Melinda’s parents are usually spending their time obsessing over their job or yelling at Melinda to get her grades up or to just simply speak. Every place she peaks in at or goes into she is frightened and doesn’t want to talk to anyone. If the world was a frightening, unfriendly place every single day you live and everywhere you go, would you want to even look into the eyes of the people you come across? No. You wouldn’t. This is a story is a normal book with pages and chapters about the characters living sadly everyday lives in an everyday place. This isn’t one of those pretty books with pictures and a perfect world with flawless, happy people;it is a scary, dark reality of what life can throw at you.
Speak is a book of many emotions, people and memories. Dark, memories festering in Melinda’s mind driving people away from her. This secret keeps her from sleeping at night, causing her emotional pain scaring her heart and physical pain to her. She is always in a deep, depressed pain every day. The hole ripped through her heart is unraveling from the edges and widening every day. Her mind keeps her in a closed in little world all alone in a solitude jail of her own secret wrapping around her, tightening and keeping her captive. High school is hard already, and her dark secret occupying her mind makes it even harder. No one wants to be her friend, yet even look into her eyes processing the truth of the lies spreading and being turned into darker things against her. The Ironic emotions of this book are depressing. Nothing is expected or good in this book. The memories of Melinda and the people filled with hate and lies just get worse and worse throughout the book no matter what is happening then and in the memories of the past.
Author's Note:I wrote this on the theme of Tom Sawyer enjoying his youth.
Sometimes, I think that kids take for granted being young and blow it off. But, adults may miss being young and innocent, being able to make mistakes and correct it without the consciences in the world of reality. So, adults always are telling you memories of their childhood. Their minds are filled with memories of their distant past disappearing and wearing away as the reality of adulthood creeps into their life. They tell you stories of their past friends and want to be in your life to relive the life of a child. As they tell you the stories or think of the past, there is a distant look in their eyes reflecting back on you giving you a glimpse of what adults are really thinking. Shouldn’t we enjoy not having the responsibilities of an adult when we still have the opportunity to be able to make mistakes in a friendly environment and figure out the world? Tom Sawyer appreciates being young in the story, being a pirate, playing and figuring things out for himself with some guidance still. He knows that his time of being of kid is running out, the timer of childhood is running out catching up going faster. Knowing this in his heart, he lives up to being one for as long as he possibly can.Tom Sawyer is still a kid, but thinks that he has the freedom to do whatever he pleases, which is true. Yet, if he does something horrible, he may get a small punishment or slip out of its clutches.
Tom Sawyer definitely acts like a kid. He doesn’t try to act older or definitely more mature than his age. When he beat up the wealthy stuck up boy that was bothering him, he didn’t think of the consequences he would receive if he was an adult. If he was older and had responsibilities of acting mature, he would have to deal with the police or even worse. As a young boy he can grasp what is right and wrong to figure out what he should do in the real world.
Of course Tom Sawyer, being a normal child, likes some girls. Amy Lawrence, was his first crush in the book. Then, he sees blond Becky Thatcher and since he is a kid and doesn’t have a true commitment to one person, he “breaks” Amy’s heart and flirts with Becky. Since, again he is a child he has the freedom to be able to make mistakes with relationships like that and not ruin his life if he was truly married.
Tom also as a child has the gift of imagination. With his friends he escapes to the world of pirates or even Robin Hood. Almost every adult has to be contained in the lifeless world of work. They always have to be doing something that is worth the time and take all the extra time they can to relax. As they grew up, their imagination grew weary, weakening in their brains. They don’t play robbers or escape to their dream world during play. Adults don’t have that luxury. Children of course do. Why don’t they use it when they can? They just want to grow up too fast.
Tom Sawyer is a boy that likes to have fun and embraces his youth. He doesn’t try to act like he is an adult, either. Why would he? Throughout the book he tries different things and figures out how to act and what to do in the real world. He is in the perfect environment of friends and family to experiment in. How could he not take that chance and grasp it? Childhood is the shortest part of your life, after all. So don’t blow of the blessed gift of youth like some people did and they regretted it.
