Dystopian World vs. Hell

Which is worse: a dystopian world which is basically a nightmare where you can escape or Hell, where you can never escape? Thinking about terrible, heart-breaking dystopian worlds reminds you of Hell. The heartache of unimaginable events in a dystopian world is just a grain of sand compared to Hell, but who said dystopian worlds weren't disastrous?

Dystopian world: a world where things are basically messed up. Some people may think our world is filled with tragic events which it is, but once they read all the books that have to deal with government control, society, fighting for freedom, and other unconceivable situations.  A book that sums up all of these problems and is an example of a dystopian is The Hunger Games.

Katniss doesn't like the world that she's living in. In fact, she hates it. "I never want to have kids." (Page 9) This shows that she doesn't want her kids to suffer the wrath of the Hunger Games. "Gale holds up a loaf of bread…it's real bakery bread" (Page 7) Panem, the Capital, starves others for their own good. Having food shows high class. You see, in the book, everyone else is poor but citizens of the Capital. They are wealthy and in need of entertainment. This book reminds us and gives us the reality check we need. One reality check we all need is the thought of a 50/50 chance of us going to Hell.

Hell: a place  all of us humans are frightened of. No one on this Earth knows what Hell is like, but we all imagine what it could be. What's the first image that comes up in your head when someone says Hell? Close our eyes. What do you see? Some imagine a fire-filled world: "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death."- Revelation 20:14. Others imagine darkness: "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgments."- 2 Peter 2:4. Both are correct.

These two "worlds" may seem alike to some, they do have similarities. Even in a dystopian world filled with hatred and heartless people and an indescribable, yet frightening place called Hell. Everyone is intimidated by Hell. The way it's described gives anyone the chills; darkness, unknown, death. While some are afraid of darkness and others are afraid of spiders, I for one am afraid of Hell. 

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Comparison

The piece "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and the short film were very different from each other. There were many similarities, but then there are things that were changed from the piece to the film. Personally, I thought that the directors didn't capture the true meaning of the story. 

When a story sets a setting or a mood, it must be shown as a visual to capture the watcher's attention and inform them how the character feels. For an example, the old man wasn’t sitting in the shadow next to the window. I thought that this was important because it showed that he was in the darkness. It would have made the mood and setting more intense. Some tweaks from the story to the film are normal, but I don't think the directors caught the main idea and the true meaning of the story. 

Mildred

A dystopian world is a place where you could call nightmare world or maybe even Hell. Feelings are forbidden in a dystopian world. For an example, in Fahrenheit 451, no one is to have feelings. In other words, emotionless. In this world, books are banned. One book found in your house and the next thing is your house burning down into massive flames, heavy black smoke polluting in the air, and shreds of wood and paper flying in the sky. Guy Montag was a fire man who enjoyed his job, but you’re thinking about the wrong firefighter. At this time, firefighters start fires in which they find books in. Every night, Guy comes home to his wife Mildred who has got quite an interesting personality.

An ordinary night comes where Mildred takes a whole bottle of sleeping pills. This isn’t any big news to the community. They get as much as 9 calls a night about overdoses. “We get these cases nine or ten a night. Got so many starting a few years ago…” (page 15) a careless operator said. Montag describes this machine making it sound creepy. “They had this machine. They had two machines, really. One of them slid down into your stomach like a black cobra an echoing well looking for all the old water and the old time gathered there….It fed in silence with an occasional sound of inner suffocation and blind searching. It had an eye.” (page 14) This dreadful machine brings Mildred back to life.

The next morning, Mildred acts as if nothing had occurred the night before. Montag reminds her, “You took all the pills in your bottle last night.” but she denies. “Oh [she] wouldn’t do that.” (page 19) This just shows that she is unhappy, but is acting like everything is fine. No one can forget the event when you tried to commit suicide. During the day she acts duplicitous, but at night, the true Mildred comes out. She told on her own husband that he was reading books and ran away from him.

Mildred is clearly unhappy. She fears for being caught and tries to act emotionless. Therefore, Mildred is a very mysterious character. Exposing her true self is confidential and she will never show her true colors. Out of anything, that’s the last thing that she would do: be herself.

Mildred’s actions and personality is based off this dystopian world or in other words, Hell. Is a dystopian world worse than Hell? A dystopian world is frightening and unusual, but there’s nothing worse than Hell.  Not even a dystopian world. “Anyone whose name was not found in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”- Revelation 20:15 

Pony Express

Author's Note: Here's a little cheesy love story with some research in it. I also used this for both my language arts and social studies. 

We were two peas in a pod. We were two love birds. We were in love. I would have never thought of a better way to leave this world. I would have not rather spent the rest of my life with anyone else but him. He was the one. He was my soul mate. And the story started off like this.

My legs felt as if they were about to snap off. It seemed as if we were walking for a million years. A 13 year-old girl shouldn't be walking so many miles in a day. A 13 year-old girl should be outside with her friends and gossiping about all the latest drama, not walking millions and trillions of miles a day. Why are you walking so many miles a day you ask? All of this wasn't my decision. None of it was.

It all started when my parents found out that our neighbors, Bob and Jill, were moving westward. Since they thought that it would be a “good idea and a new experience!” “Moving west would help us start new, on a clean slate.” Sometimes I question my parents’ decisions. Like having another baby sister. Do they really think that I want to be a “role model”? She’s going to be so irritating when we leave tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a new day. New place. New life. As ma and pa start to pack our belongings, a young man knocks on our shaggy, ancient wooden door. He claims he’s a rider for the Pony Express, but he looks too young and good looking to be a rider. I mean, I thought he was pretty cute. Starting to lecture my parents, he’s convincing them to take him with us. Do I mind? No. Looks like I’m going to have a new friend.

It was departure day. All five of us were not ready to leave our small town, but my parents were ready to clean off the slate and start new. Was I ecstatic? Not at all. We walk and the raging, steaming hot sun was showering me with sweat while walking. The only thing my mind was set on was crossing the finish line.  Knowing that Tom, the rider, was with me made me feel much more better than what it would be like if he weren’t here and what it would be like without him being here.

Our first pit-stop had come. Tom and I were sharing a tent together. That was no surprise. As the night was falling and the moon was rising, Tom would tell me all of his stories being a rider. All starting from history. I know that history is boring, but it helps you understand things more when they are talked about.

The Pony Express began on April 3^rd 1860.[1] I started my duty as a rider on April 4^th. They were looking for a young looking lad, like me, to go and deliver mail for others. Only 200 of us were able to get the job.[2] Jake, my best friend, didn’t get the job. Although I felt bad at first, I had to take care of my family and myself. First, they weighed me because there was a weight limit for all riders: 120 pounds or under.[3] I barley made the cut by 5 pounds. I had to ride more than 180 miles in a day; 1800 in 10 days to be more accurate.[4] Each of us riders had to go 60-120 miles.[5]  My monthly salary was anywhere from $120-$125.[6] I’ve been in St. Joseph, MO all the way to Sacromento, CA.[7] That’s 1900 miles of riding on a horse to deliver mail.[8] I would always get complaints of how a customer’s mail would come late. I mean there’s nothing I can do about it. Sometimes it would take 3 weeks to several months.[9]

He told me all about his adventures being a rider; the pros and cons. A few more weeks came as we traveled west. As he told me more and more about being a rider and what is was like working for the Pony Express,  I felt a connection with Tom. I felt as if we were meant to be. That we were destined to be together. Maybe that’s why he entered my life. We were meant to be together.

Our final miles were ahead of us. Tom pulled me aside. I was anxious to know what he needed to tell me. “Samantha, I have a confession to make.” He said terrified.

“Yes Tom?” Questioning him.

“Well, ever since we started to talk, I felt a special connection with you. More than friends and I was wondering if you felt the same?” He said with the most fear as a little girl seeing a rat.

“Tom, ever since I met you, I have never set my eyes on another man but you.” I said with much love and full-heartedly. He ran towards me and gave me a big kiss. I had never gotten one before, but I knew that this was the best one. From that day on, every single day I was falling in love with him even more.

The Indians came to attack a few weeks later. Tom and I stook together. If one of us died, so would the other. It wasn’t long until we were safe. Chief of the tribe found us hiding in the near-by barn. Pleading for a second chance and another chance of living, he had enough of what we had to say. BOOM. He was dead. And there was nothing I could do about it.

“Kill me.” I shouted.

“What?” The chief questioned.

“Kill me. We both made a promise. If one dies so does the other.” I said with no doubt.

BOOM. As he shot with no care and no heart.

Sometimes I question that day. I question what would have happened if I were still alive without Tom. There’s nothing I regret. A promise is a promise. But everyday, Tom and I are together in heaven. In love. We were two peas in a pod. We were two love birds. We were in love.

Works Cited

Pony Express. (n.d.). Retrieved from Plains Humanities: http://plainshumanities.unl.edu/encyclopedia/doc/egp.tra.024

Pony Express Debuts. (n.d.). Retrieved from History: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/pony-express-debuts

Pony Express- History & Culture. (n.d.). Retrieved from Nationl Park Service: http://www.nps.gov/poex/historyculture/index.htm

Pony Express Trail National Back Country Byway. (n.d.). Retrieved from Utah: http://www.utah.com/playgrounds/pony_express.htm

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[1]  (Pony Express)

[2]  (Pony Express)

[3]  (Pony Express Trail National Back Country Byway)

[4]  (History & Culture)

[5]  (History & Culture)

[6]  (Pony Express Trail National Back Country Byway)

[7]  (Pony Express)

[8]  (Pony Express Trail National Back Country Byway)

[9]  (Pony Express Debuts)

Shimmering Shining Sunshine in the Summer

Author's Note: Summer, most enjoyed, fun-filled time of the year. Why not write about something you adore and are craving so much while adding some fancy word choice? Hope you enjoy :)

Summer: heat, water, swimming, sunset, sunglasses, and swimsuits. As the winter wind blows through my hair, I feel the summer breeze waking me up from hibernation. The adrenaline-pumping breeze whispers to me that summer is knocking on the door. It's almost as if I can hear the waves crashing. I look up and imagine the crystal blue sky and the cotton-filled clouds reminding me of the picture I see when I tan. Music bursting in the frigged air, gives me deja vu of all the long summer nights. As I look out my cloudy, ice-cold window, all my mind can wrap around is the thought of summer slowly approaching. The thought of staying up until 2:00 AM, sitting on the steaming hot sand at the beach all day, and friends coming over everyday doing the wildest things, makes me want to take summer with my hands and place it in Pewaukee. As I fall into dreamland, summer tags along with me. Tomorrow is a new day and another day closer to summer. Summer: long nights, dreams, risks, friends, tans, and summer flings. 

Belly vs. Conrad

In The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly falls head over heels for her brother's best friend, Conrad. As she starts to see the "bad boy" side of him, her attention draws her closer. They both eventually grow feelings for each other. The story is written in Belly's point of view. From this perspective, a lot of events and characters are described in a way that creates hatred towards Conrad. During the beginning of the book, it describes Conrad as a rebel. He does what he wants to do. After a while, his feelings towards Belly grow, but there is another person that gets in their way of their relationship: Jeremy. 

One way that Belly's point of view influences the reader's interpretation is how her perspective describes and shows you her relationship with Conrad. In the beginning of the book, it reveals Conrad a bit of a "brat" the way Belly describes him. While reading, this gives you an opinion of Conrad and not such a good one. When Belly and Conrad are at the fair, he ignores her and treats her as if she were his little sister. When I first read that, my first impression of him was not a pleasant one. I thought that he was going to be like any other teenage guy in high school: cocky and selfish, but as the book goes on and he dates Belly, you start to see the softer side of him. 

However, the reader would feel a lot differently about Conrad if the novel was written in the point of view of Conrad. You would understand how he feels and what he's going through more. His intentions might not have been what he was going for. For instance, the reader wouldn't think that Conrad was soft hearted before Belly stepped into his life. If the book were to be in his point of view, much would change because in a relationship, both people see things in different perspectives. 

As you can see, the point of view of the story forces the reader to see just one side of the book. In The Summer I Turned Pretty, you have to be patient with some characters. For an example, Conrad, he has an attitude in the beginning, but redeems himself. Belly's perspective makes the reader have strong opinions of each character, main or minor. When reading this novel, you have to understand the characters. Imagine what it's like to be in their shoes and situation. 

Roles In Family

Author's note: Here's a theme piece with three different types of books. The Summer I Turned Pretty, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and The Hunger Games. All have the same theme: roles in family. 

Family is the only group of people that will stay with you when you're going on the roller coaster of life. Whether you're going down or at the very top, you can always rely on your family. There are some members in our family who enjoy being leaders or obnoxious. Others may be protective, or maybe even shy. Roles in our families are quite important. Personally, my role in the family is to behave and not cause stress to my parents. However, my parents' role is to be protective and to watch out for their kids. The role of the parent is a very important theme in many novels.

In The Summer I Turned Pretty, Belly's role in her family is to fit in. She has a brother, Steven, who she wants to always be with. Whenever Steven's friends would come over,  Belly wanted to play with them. Almost as if he were her teddy bear; she was clingy. Belly was so clingy because she looked at Steven as a fatherly figure. Since her father had died, she had no one to look up to as a fatherly figure. 

Another person who looks up to their father is Hugo Cabret. In The Invention of Hugo Cabret, his father runs the clocks at a local railway station. Hugo learns so much from his father; he teaches him to mechanic and how to invent robots and run clocks. He looked up to his father, but when a tragedy occurs to his father, he is left alone. While his father's duty is in his hands. 

Fatherly figures are important in everybody's life, but so are motherly figures. In The Hunger Games, Katniss acts as if Prim were her daughter and she is her mother. Katniss and Prim's mom is struggling with supporting two kids and being a single mom without a job,  she neglects her kids from all the stress she has in her life. Whenever Prim needs someone to talk to or to look up to, she can always rely on Katniss. 

Whether it's a fatherly figure or a motherly figure, everyone needs a role model in their life. For me, my parents are my role model. They taught me to never give up and dreams do come true. When you work hard, there is always something good coming out of it. We will all go through failures and accomplishments, but without these and our role models, we wouldn't be who we are today. 

Twist In The Games

Author's Note: Everyone has their own predictions of stories. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is a very popular series, but I have only read the first book. There can be many predictions to this story. My prediction you may ask is right here. Enjoy! 

I held his hand for the last time. To show Panem the two victors of the 74th annual Hunger Games. Although our love was just a fraud, no one knew besides Peeta and I. It is almost as if I had deja vu; seeing all the citizens of Panem and wild sense of culture. Right as I stepped out of that train, I immediately knew President Snow was not happy with two victors coming back, but not Panem and District 12. 

Heading back to District 12 was a sigh of relief, I thought that I would never  return home and see mom, Prim, and Gale ever again. Not just the title of being the winner of the Hunger Games, but being able to hold the three most important people in my life in my arms when I arrive. District 12 is looking the same; abandoned. Peeta on my right and Haymitch on my left, I felt isolated. Right when I was going to let out a peep, Haymitch says "We're here." 

As I step out of the car, I see a little girl running towards me. It's Prim. I give her a hug as if I will never give her one ever again. Following her is mom. She looks the same; bags under her eyes and scrawny. She's looking like she hasn't slept or ate in days. Then again, that's how she always looks. 

While everyone gathers for the ceremony, I feel as if I had cheated in a way. As President Snow places both Peeta and I's metals on our necks, it is almost as if I had been hit by a train. I ignore my conscious and act as if I hadn't felt anything at all. Zoning out while President Snow was giving his speech, all I could think about was Gale and Peeta. Gale knows me best, but was I falling for Peeta?

"Congratulations to Peeta Malark and Katniss Everdeen. The 74th Annual Hunger Games victors. Would you like to say anything Katniss?" he said with no emotion and a blank face. 

Heading to the podium, I'm as frozen as an ice cube. I must show no fear. "I would like to thank President Snow for this award and this ceromoney. Also, I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me and cheering me on. Lastly, I would like to thank Peeta, for being there when I was struggling. I could rely on him and he was the only one I could trust. Thank you." I walk off next to Peeta. 

After the ceremony ends, I return to my old, ratty, shack house. Everything about it made it look infested with unknown species and the house looked ancient. Entering the almost falling apart door, Buttercup tries attacking me once again. If that devil tries attacking me again, he's dinner. Returning home wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be. I was shocked coming home. Never did I ever think that I would survive the Hunger Games. Nor did the fact that Peeta and I both were the victors. District 12 was very diverse from Panem. Wild sense of culture there; abandoned and deserted here. They are like hot and cold. Wet and dry. Entertaining and lifeless. Both are so different. 

I care for Prim as if I never left. Mom enters the room looking dreadful. "President Snow has to talk to you. He's waiting for you in the living room." I start to worry. Am I in trouble? Is he planning on killing me? Had he found out that Peeta and I's love was a fraud? All these thoughts were going through my head. Maybe I was just over thinking. The living room had a serious and suspenseful atmosphere. Taking a seat on the abandoned chair in the corner, President Snow is investigating every inch of the room. It's as if he is looking for something. He takes the seat opposite from me. 

"This year, the Hunger Games had two victors. Opposite of what the tradition is. 73 years of one victor, but not this year. I am discusted on how we broke a tradition. In my family if there is a tie, we don't have a tie breaker. Do you know what happens when there's a tie in my family?" President Snow states.

"No." I said confused but worried what he'll say next.

He gets up and starts looking around. I start to think that he has a tendency to look through other's things. "Hm. Well, if there ever is a tie in anything in our family, we fight until there is only one victor." 

This conversation isn't going as positive as I thought it would be. The atmosphere starts to turn awkward and frightening. It's almost as if he can smell my fear and look through me flaws. I was speechless. I had nothing to say to him. I mean what was I suppose to say? "Too bad." 

"Well, I'm sorry to sound like the bad guy, but you and Peeta will have to have a rematch so there is only one victor." He said with no sincerity. 

A train had hit me. I felt as if my heart fell out of my chest. Was this a feeling that I had for Peeta? Did I really fall for Peeta? It was final; Peeta and I would have to fight for there to only be one victor of the 74th annual Hunger Games. 

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Shown here is what I predict what will happen next after the novel The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. There are things that I would like to point out that I specifically showed in this piece to express the similarities and differences through both my prediction and the book. Representing these things through what Katniss went through, President Snow being his cold personality, and a reading image in your mind from The Hunger Games. 

Notice how the story starts when Peeta and Katniss are returning home on the train ride, returning to Panem. This is just a transition from the ending of the book. I felt the need to add this because it reminds the reader of what happened at the end and sets the setting. The train ride was just a small detail to introduce the setting and have a prologue. 

The scene changes to the car ride where Peeta, Katniss, and Haymitch go back to District 12 for the victor's award ceremony. There's a ceremony for every victor that is the winner of the Hunger Games. Or shall I say the victors. During the ceremony, President Snow is obviously disappointed and discouraged because there is two victors. He never liked the idea of having two victors in the beginning. Nor did he agree to this rule. 

As Katniss returns home everything is the same. A small detail that I added was Buttercup, Prim's cat. I thought that this would be a nice touch to my prediction. It's kind of a flash back of the beginning of the book. When President Snow is in her house, that gave me the inspiration while he was watching the games and how unhappy he was when they twisted the rules. 

Overall, there were some details where you could tell that they related to the novel, but there are also some details that I added to make it original. What will happen in the end? That's in your hands now. 

Solving Problems

Author's Note: As we all go through change and try to fight our problems, just remember, you're not alone. 

Many people go through change. Whether someone changes them or an event impacts their emotions. I for one have gone through change. There was a point in time where I was going through the same phase as Haymitch; lonely, hopeless and careless. My family was there when I was struggling, that gave me so much more encouragement. Just like how Haymitch gained hope for Katniss and Peeta.

Haymitch was the only District 12 victor in The Hunger Games. He takes advantage of being the winner; he uses the wealth carelessly and is drunk most of the time. I know this because towards the end of the reaping, he fainted and embarrassed himself. The mentor of all tributes of District 12 is Haymitch, including Peeta and Katniss.

Haymitch was a depressed man. You can tell that he is depressed is because he uses his wealth and alcohol to cover up what he was going through. He has no family, no friends, and no one is there for him. Just think, what if you didn't have anyone that you could go and talk to them. Or if you were actually forever alone. That's how Haymitch felt. As he grows a relationship with Katniss and Peeta, he starts to feel the love that he had not felt in a long time.

Katniss comes out a little bit bitter when she first meets Haymitch. Peeta is interested in Haymitch so he knows some strategies to stay alive. As he starts to notice that both of them have potential to be the winner, he supports them and wants them to win. They influenced him to be a more generous and caring person. While the games come to an end, it is almost as if all three of them can taste the victory.

Haymitch obviously wasn't the most prettiest flower in the garden, but you can't blame him. He had no life besides drinking and wealth. You start to notice that he finds hope because there was something different about Katniss and Peeta. They had that "thing" that other past tributes didn't have before. During the games, he starts to gain sponsors for Peeta and Katniss. That was a sign of him caring and wanting Peeta and Katniss to survive. He finally found his heart.

Haymitch from The Hunger Games and Kate from My Sister's Keeper are two similar characters. Although their situations are different, their feelings are quite alike. When Peeta and Katniss first meet Haymitch, they think that he's a drunk, scruffy, old guy, but really, he's depressed. As the games start approaching, he starts to find and gain hope. You now ask how are these two related? Kate, from My Sister's Keeper, was also depressed because she had leukemia. Once she meets Taylor who is just like her she starts to feel like a normal teenage girl. She gained hope by meeting someone just like her.

Kate, Haymitch, and I were all in the same phase. So are other people in this world. We all have our own problems. Whether it’s a problem that is important or not as important, no problem is too small to solve. There is a solution to every problem.

“When the solution is simple, God is answering.” – Albert Einstein 

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

Author's Note: Here is an essay that is about a quote that Helen Keller recited. "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Enjoy :)


"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Helen Keller was the inspirational individual who said this. To me, this quote is saying without adventures, life would be so uninteresting. It would be like a picture with no colors. It would be like a singer singing a beautiful song in monotone. It would be like a delicious plate of food tasting stale.  If life wasn't enthralling, it would be as dreadful as a history book. 

An adventure is all about having a thrilling experience. Some people go on small adventures; say like exploring the woods. Others may go to a whole different level and go skydiving or bungee jumping. Going on adventures at a small age is important because it teaches kids about what's really out there in the real world and how different it is from just a computer screen and a tv. Kids should have real adventures instead of fake ones, like Dora the Explorer. Even going out to your backyard and finding things is an adventure. 

If only we could be like kids going on little adventures; taking risks everyday. Life is all about taking risks, making it colorful and beautiful. As most people are familiar with, many people call it "Y.O.L.O". You only live once. This has made such an impact on many peoples lives; even celebrities. Drake's song "The Motto" has Y.O.L.O. in it. Y.O.L.O has almost inspired everyone to be a risk taker. 

Whether it's Y.O.L.O, an adventure in life, or even skydiving, those are all adventures. Without adventures in life, there would be no color in picture, a monotone song, and a stale piece of food. Inspirational quotes make you think about life; what is this really talking about? Am I adventurous? As Helen Keller said "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." Or is life....nothing?

Patriots Pen Essay

Author's Note: This is my patriots pen essay. I didn't try my hardest, so don't take this essay too seriously. Don't worry, I didn't submit it. 

 Appreciation. The definition of appreciation is thankful recognition. We should be grateful that our founding fathers started our country. Although they made some mistakes, they started off outstanding. If we didn't have our founding fathers, our country wouldn't be the same as it is present day. To the founding fathers of our country, I would like to say thank you. 

Saying thank you to our fathers is important. The founding fathers of America made our constitution well, with some things that have changed now. One thing that hasn't changed since our founding fathers signed that piece of paper was freedom. Freedom of anything. Freedom of religion. Freedom of speech. When America was first found, Europeans weren't allowed to have freedom of religion. They had to believe in what their family believed in or how their lifestyle was. This was one of the main reasons why people came to America.

Another reason why people wanted to settle in America was because there were more job opportunities when America was first found. Since America was a new country, there were a ton of job opportunities. Back where other people came from, there were so many people that settled in Europe that they didn't many job opportunities. Jobs were important because that is how people make a living, support their families and survive. Jobs are still the #1 thing concerned present day. Since the election is coming up, people are going to vote for the candidate who offers and creates more jobs. 

Jobs and freedom are two of many reasons why many people decided to come and settle in the U.S. As some people enjoy life as it is, they should think about what life would be like without our founding fathers. Without their start, we wouldn't be where we are today. To our founding fathers, once again, I would like to say thank you.

Sunsets In Paradise

Author's Note: In Language Arts class, we were told to write a descriptive piece about the beach. Here is mine!


As I watch the sunset, I enjoy my cookies and cream ice cream. I feel the warm summer breeze going right through my hair while slowly placing my head on his shoulder. It were as if a dream was coming true; me and my dream guy watching the sunset together. Hearing the waves crashing makes the moment even more special. Turning my head to the right, I see an old couple walking on the boardwalk. Thinking to myself "I want to have that kind of a relationship when I'm older." When I turn back around I see that he's gone. "Had someone come and kidnapped him?" I thought? Looking around, I was so confused. He had left me. I sit down on the sand trying to hold back the tears while watching the sunset by myself. Soon, I couldn't take it anymore. I started balling in my own arms with my head to my knees. As someone taps me, I look up and there he is. Standing there singing me a sweet sweet song. I couldn't help but to put a smile on my face. After hearing his harmonious voice, he gives me a speech of how are relationship has been for the past 2 years. As he gets on one knee, I couldn't believe what was happening. Then came the big question "Will you marry me?" Immediately, I start crying and screamed yes. The sunset made my ring look even more stunning than it really was. It's been 5 years since that special day. 

Society

Author's Note: Here is a conflict/resolution piece that I wrote for language arts. It's about the book, The Hunger Games, and what the conflict was.

Some people are so grateful to be living in the society we live in right now. Others may not be as grateful. If our society was like The Hunger Games, life would be so different compared to now. In this book there is 12 districts. Every year, 24 tributes fight for their lives, only one will survive. Every child, from each district, 12-18 years old's name will be placed in a glass bowl. Katniss and Peeta both get picked to represent District 12. As the news hits them like a ton of bricks, they only have a couple of minutes to say their goodbyes. They both head off to training camp where the other 22 other tributes come together and learn how to win and be the last one standing. 

The main conflict in this book is person vs. society. Society in this point of time, is very different then present time. President Snow forces a boy and girl from each district to fight for their lives in "The Hunger Games". This lesson is suppose to toughen up children 12-18 years old. How this government is arranged, leaves me a little disturbed.

This reminds me of how other countries in this world have a dictator. Alike from President Snow. It's different from our world because our country has freedom. People of our country choose to fight for us: the tributes fought for their life and for entertainment to the Capital. Knowing about other countries that have dictators helped me understand what it was like living in that point of time.

Even though this or any dictatorship isn't right, there always is a resolution to the conflict.  Towards the end of the games, the Gamemakers decide to throw a twist and change up the rules. If both tributes from the same district were the last two to remain, they would both be able to survive and be victors of the games. Overall, this made me think a lot about dictatorship. What do you think about it? 

Minutes Until Death

Author's Note: This piece is a cause and effect piece we were assigned in Language Arts. It's about the book The Hunger Games and the climax and the cause and effect of the book. I wrote this to demonstrate my understanding of climax. 

Peeta and Katniss both get chosen from District 12 to fight for their lives in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games were an annual event for the Capital's enjoyment. As they go through training and convincing the people of the Capital to sponsor them, they start to try to impress everyone so they can survive. They get a major makeover and also do interviews live everywhere. Only one survives every year, but this year, there's a twist. 

First, the climax in the story was all 24 tributes going into the horrifying Hunger Games. As they all try to put a poker face on, they are all terrified of dying. The beeps of anticipation gets the tributes heart's racing. Right after the rambunctious beep, they all run towards to all the survival things: water, food, sleeping bags, etc. While the games go on for a couple of days, more and more tributes start to die and alliances start to form. They forgot to remember not to trust anyone. 

Before all of this chaos, all 24 tributes had to go through a process. They all had to go through painful makeover to look impressive to the public. As the training process goes on, enemies start to form and get stronger. The training teaches them how to keep themselves alive. Each district gets a mentor. There has only been one successful man who has won the Hunger Games in District 12; Haymitch takes so much advantage of the wealth, that he becomes an alcoholic. Peeta and Katniss are apprehensive and timid about going into the Hunger Games and dying. 

If Peeta didn't have Katniss and Katniss didn't have Peeta, the story wouldn't be the same. This could relate to the real world. Some people may not be able to live without a certain person or maybe just friends or family. To me, my family and friends are really important for me because I know that they will always be there for me. That they would catch me when I fall. Just like Katniss and Peeta.

Inspiration

Author's Note: In class, we were told to write a personal narrative that is a "seed" instead of a "watermelon". The "watermelon" is the big picture of a story. A "seed" story is the main message without any unnecessary details.

Some celebrities are an inspiration to individuals. Others may say someone who has made an impact in their life may be an inspiration to them, such as a family member or a very close friend. One person that has made a tremendous impact in my life,  is my grandmother. In 2008, when I went to South Korea, it was the last time I had seen her. Korea was a whole new experience for me. I learned so much and had such an amusing time. 

As I look around my grandmother's house, the first thing that draws my attention was the giant window that captured the city lights. I am so amazed how my own grandmother lived in this spectacular apartment with a breathtaking view. It was as if it was pulled out of a movie. My sisters and I were escorted to our room that we would be staying at for about the next couple of weeks. By looking around, this was nothing like home. No bed; just an empty room with a couple of blankets. 

Right as we arrived at the apartment, my grandmother wanted to go sightseeing around where she lived with my sister's and I after dinner. I wasn't so psyched about going. After all, I was jet lagged. We went to a local grocery store and she bought us all ice cream. When I was eating my ice cream, there were thoughts running through my head "What a cool grandma! Buying us ice cream at 11:30 PM!"  As we would sleep, she would wake up at 2:00 AM to cover us with blankets and go back to sleep. 

Some nights she would just watch us sleep. I thought that it was a little creepy that she would just sit there and wait for us to shut our eyes and have sweet dreams. Whenever my sisters and I wanted to go somewhere with my cousin, she would always want to tag along as if she was our bodyguard. The reason why she did this was because she wanted to spend every moment with us as if there was no tomorrow. Even when we wanted to go on a walk around the neighborhood or go to the playground, she would always follow us. By this time, I was so sick of her following us around and always tagging along.

Honestly, I thought that my grandmother was annoying when I went to Korea. I then realized that she wasn't try to irritate my sister's and I. My grandmother wanted to show how much she loved us by caring for us and pouring tons and tons of love on us. She was like a friend who listened. A friend who understood and comforted you. No matter what. If we were half way around the world, or if she was in the middle of doing something, she would be there. Family first was really first for her. She thought this because no matter what, us as a family would be for her whenever. She didn't need anyone else as long as we, as a family, were there for her. 

The Help

Author's Note: In class, we were given an assignment to give a quick retelling of a book that we have read. I did my retelling on The Help. Enjoy! 

The Help is a group of African American women who worked for White families, as maids/housekeepers, for a living. A girl named Skeeter wants to write a book about what life is like being part of The Help. This book explains how they were treated, what they had to go through, what it was like working for a white families , how they were treated and all of their stories.

Grandmother

Author's Note: In language arts, we were given an assignment to write about any topic that came to our mind. I wrote about my grandmother. As you read this piece, you will get to know my whole family.

My grandmother is such an inspiration to me. She was so strong, brave and courageous. If only I got to know her more and I had more time, I could have admired her more than I do now.

A numbing day in February was like any other. Waking up in the morning and my mom driving me to school. After school, I was waiting for my mom to pick me up, just like every day. Our silver Buick car pulls into the pick-up driveway. I see my mom’s eyes, red and puffy; both my sister’s looking glum and concerned. I start to wonder what was going on. Was it something I had done? As the car pulls up in front of me, I open the door shaking and intimidated. The drive home was silent. No one spoke a word.

When I entered my house, there was a gloomy atmosphere.  I see my dad trying to hold back tears. That was the first real time I had seen my dad be so emotional. I see him approaching me for a hug. I accept and wrap my arms around him like a little girl squeezing her teddy bear. After, my mom sits me down and  tells me to listen to what my dad had to say. At that moment, he had told me that my grandmother, who lived in South Korea, had passed away. While I was digesting the news, it made me think back to all the memories I had with her when I went to South Korea in 2008.

Every night she would tell us she loves us and in the middle of the night, she would come in and cover us with blankets. Whenever we went to the grocery store, she would always buy us ice cream or anything we wanted. My dad was also thinking of the memories he had with her. 

A couple of weeks later, my dad took a plane to South Korea to go to my grandmother’s funeral. My dad’s side of the family all went to the funeral. When my dad came back from Korea 4 days later, he changed as if he was a whole different person. He was more understanding and lived every second of the day as if it were the last.

My grandmother was really a special person. She had Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s is a disease when your brain loses function. It affects the brain’s memory, thinking, and behavior. Although she had a popular disease, that didn’t stop her from loving us. Every day we spent with her, she would show how much she loved us. At the time, I never really understood why she would do such admirable and charming things for my sister’s and I.

She was a very strong Christian woman. Every Sunday in Korea, my grandmother would make us all go to church even though we didn’t really understand what the pastor was saying. Going to church was important for her and wanted it to be important to us too. Even though she had this disease, I never thought of her like that. I thought that she was just a normal, healthy human being. 

After her passing away, our family never felt so united.  I’m so thankful to have her in my life. My grandmother was such an inspiration to me and a marvelous role model. She taught me to be more caring to others even though they don’t show any affection towards me. It amazes me how even though she had Alzheimer’s, nothing stopped her for being herself. No one lowered her self-esteem. As long as she had her family, she was blessed.

One Of A Kind

Author's Note- Here's a quote that I really liked and picked out. This piece is about what I think of this quote and what it means to me. 

"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." -Pooh's Little Instruction Book

We are all different individuals who have different personalities. Some people may be shy, others may be outgoing. No matter what, there is no one like you. Personally, I tend to be shy near people that I have never talked to or haven't talked to a lot. On the other hand, whenever I am with my close friends, I am an outgoing person. This quote is saying that we shouldn't be in the corner when everyone is mingling or when everyone is talking. This is also is referred to the "loner". It's not saying that people that would rather be alone than with others, but that they should sometimes step forward. Being the bigger person and stepping out of your comfort zone may be nerve racking, but the outcome of it  is so much greater. 

My Hunger Games

Author's Note: Here is the Hunger Games, but in Rue's point of view. Hope you enjoy!

I am the smallest one out of the 24 and be the first one to go. My plan is to go straight to the highest tree and hide there. 5....4.....3....2.....1 Go! I ran off into the woods. Not thinking about anyone or anything behind me. The number one thing that I am considered about is myself staying alive. I know it sounds selfish, but I have a family back at home waiting for me. Obviously, I won’t stay alive for very long. All the other tall, strong, powerful tributes are ready to fight and kill others so they can stay alive. I find the tallest tree I’ve seen so far. I climb to the highest point. As I climbed, I saw Cato running. Clearly, he was the strongest one, besides the blonde boy from District 12. As I am at the highest point, I start to think about the two district 12 kids. They seemed pretty nice in their interview. Wait Rue! You can’t fall into any traps. That will just leads you to death.

One Direction Day

Author's Note- Here's a short paragraph about one holiday that I could make up. Anything and I chose One Direction Day. Hope you like One Direction!

A holiday that I would create would probably be One Direction Day. On this day, school or work would be out for the day. For the day, we would all go to one specific location, hosted in a different location every year, and listen to One Direction. Every other year, they would come and perform and host a concert. This would just be a U.S holiday because it would be hard for others to come and participate. People who wish to not participate in this holiday do not have to. This is just for the people who would like the day off or enjoy listening to One Direction.  Personally, I would love to have this holiday. Would you?