Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Tell Tale Heart Project

The Narrator speaks of his hearing a lot in the Tell Tale Heart. He says that a disease had sharpened  it, not dull, like other diseases do to people. He could hear heaven, hell, and everything in between. Now, I don't know about you, but normal people don't hear high up into the heavens. I think that  he was just ill.

These days you have a lot of people saying that they  get messages from a spiritual element, saying that they know exactly  what goes on in heaven and hell. I don't believe a word of it. I think that the narrator was one of those guys.  He had some idea, telling him to kill the old man, and from that point, he couldn't stop thinking about it, until he had done the deed .

Personally I think that the narrator was losing his mind, slowly, but surely. He thought that he could get away with the crime, but couldn't, because of that sense of hearing. The same sense of hearing that he thought was a blessing, but turned into a curse, putting him in jail. It just goes to show, Karma always comes back.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Hunger Games Research Paper

 In the Hunger Games, there's poverty, of course.  A good percent of people in district 12 are poor, including Katniss. The people in 12 die every day from hunger or disease, because the Capitol doesn't pay them enough to go to a doctor, or get food and the other necssities. Their government doesn't care, much less want to do anything about it. The only thing that the Capitol does is make sure that they get what they need and then leave the districts alone to fend for themselves.

In the U.S.  we feel like that we don't have a government that takes care of us, but we do.  4.6 million people are in poverty (Census Bureau Home Page).  Most of us think that our government does nothing to help us, but that's not true. They do help us, they give us stability and other things. They take care of the big, important things, so that we don't have to. When we're in trouble, the government takes the beef for it, we don't. They make sure that we avoid wars with people.

There are some similarities to the Hunger Games and U.S. poverty. The Capitol does nothing but support themselves and ignore the districts, which means that they get almost nothing. We think that our government just takes money to pay themselves, and ignore the middle man, leaving us even poorer than we already are. In the Hunger Games, the citizens of Panem work until they're dying. In the U.S. you have to work because if you don't, you'll go broke and live on the streets.  People in the districts trash talk the Capitol, and strip you of everything you own and punish you severely. We trash talk our government all the time, but there's no punishment for us for it.

There are differences too. First, the districts go to war with the Capitol, and lose. In America sure, we protest things, but don't just go to the White House and shoot it up. We try to trust our government, the districts don't.  The Capitol doesn't care how the people in the districts live, even if they have bugs and vermin, as long as they keep on providing for them. In the U.S. if your home isn't clean enough, they kick you out, and condemn the house.  When the war went on they obliterated district 13. When we go to war ,we don't drop bombs on countries (excluding WWII).

Poverty is defined as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. ("Poverty in the United States." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia) When people think of it, they think of people in Africa, or Somalia. Poverty is everywhere books, real life you can't escape it. There are 37 million Americans living below the poverty line. It doesn't matter where you come from or how you were raised, it effects everyone. People on the districts are always poor. The Capitol will always be rich. It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Could my life be that bad?
Works Cited
"About Poverty - Highlights - U.S Census Bureau." Census Bureau Home Page. 13 Sept. 2011. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/index.html.

"Poverty in the United States." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 4 Dec. 2011. Web. 06 Dec. 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poverty_in_the_United_States.

Harris, Paul. "37 Million Poor Hidden in the Land of Plenty | World News | The Observer." Latest News, Sport and Comment from the Guardian | The Guardian. 8 Feb. 2006. Web. 09 Dec. 2011. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/feb/19/usa.paulharris.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Hunger Games Final Blog Out Project

Okay, so I finished the Hunger Games, and it was amazing. First of all, Foxface died. She thought she would be smart and try to take from Peeta and Katniss' feast basket. Peeta had accidentally picked some poison  berries, but they didn't throw them out (so that they could possibly use them against Cato), so Foxface took them, thinking that they were safe. The only people left are Katniss, Peeta, and Cato.

The next morning, they decide to go after Cato. They try to replenish their water and whatnot, but the Gamemakers have leeched every source of water (except one) in the arena dry.  They get to the lake, but don't find Cato there.They rest for awhile,waiting for him. He bursts out of the woods, like he's been running for hours on end. It turns out that he has, because he was being chased by muttations. Katniss tries to take Cato out with an arrow, but he's wearing some kind of body armor. These muttations were wolves. Oddly enough, they resembled the dead tributes! You could see Rue and Glimmer, and all the other tributes. It was creepy, but we're talking about the Capitol, here, so its gonna be creepy. Katniss takes a few of the mutts out with her arrows, but there are too many. Cato has the idea to climb the cornucopia, so Katniss follows. As it turns out, the mutts can stand on their hind legs, like they're human they try to jump on the cornucopia, but it doesn't work. Suddenly, Cato grabs Peeta, like he's going to throw him over. Katniss wants to send him over with an arrow, but can't because then she'll send Peeta over as well. Peeta signals to Cato's hand, which makes Katniss realize that Cato's armor it from his ankles to neck and wrist. She shoots him in the hand, which makes him drop Peeta. Cato falls to the mutts, who tear him apart. When the mutts are done, he's still alive, so Katniss kills him out of pity, with an arrow.

Then, of course, Claudius Templesmith announces that the rules have been reverted back to their old ways, so their can only be one winner. Katniss and Peeta argue over who will kill who, until Katniss gets an idea. She takes the poisonous berries out of their pouch. Just as she and Peeta are about to eat them ,Claudius Templesmith stops them. They've both won.
Once that they're out, the surgeons operate on Peeta's leg, which leaves Katniss alone. Thinking that she's still in the arena, Katniss goes ballistic. She's soon sedated. When she wakes up, her ear is perfectly fine, along with everything else. When they land in the Capitol, Katniss reunites with Cinna, Haymitch, Effie, and her prep team. The prep team takes her up to get her ready for the recap of the Games. She meets Haymitch, who tells her to be careful. This is because of the berries. They were a rebellious move on her part. If she and Peeta had both died, the Games would blow up in the Gamemakers faces.

During the interview, she finds out that Peeta has gotten a new plastic leg. The entire time, she plays it as though she was just a desperate girl in love. She knows that she will get some kind of punishment from the Capitol.

On the train ride home, the train stops for fuel. Katniss and Peeta get out, to walk. They start to talk about how things will be when they get home. Haymitch tells Katniss that she did fine. Katniss finally explains things to Peeta. Peeta then thinks that her love for him is fake. She feels that Peeta is slipping away from her.

 This book was amazing! I felt that I was right there with Katniss I felt sad and mad right there with her. I'm glad that she outsmarted the Capitol, but that's dangerous. The Capitol could kill her family and friends. Worst of all, that could affect Peeta too. The berries were a sign of rebellion, which if you remember, the districts and Capitol got into a war about. I'm afraid for Katniss, and it would be broadcast all across Panem, if President Snow decided to react. It just might fall on the Gamemakers, though, they would also get publicly humiliated.

 If I had to endure all of that, I would be insane. Lucky for Katniss, she's had experience with trying to survive. I'd be like a..a.. lazy wealthy person compared to Katniss.It scares me to think that our society could be like that. No freedom of speech, no rights, no anything. Always to be controlled by someone I despise with a passion. I'd hate to have to conform to a society like that. I'm glad that I have the freedom to express myself.  I suppose that if I were a Capitol person, it wouldn't matter to me anyway. I would be a conformed citizen, because anything else would scare me. Having to compete in deathly Games would shock me witless. Of course, if I were a Capitol person, I would probably be ugly, because of all the goofy things I would wear or do to myself. This book has really made me think about my daily life and what I think are "hardships". For those of us who read it what do you think about, when reflecting on the book?

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Hunger Games Response

Chapters twenty-one and twenty-two are contradictions. Chapter 21 is about the feast. Luckily, Katniss survived. Foxface was the first one to get her pack. She was sneaky as per usual; she hid in the cornucopia. She snuck up on the table and just snatched up her pack. It was smart, and she didn't have to fight anyone. Katniss decides to go next, but is ambushed by Clove. Katniss tries to take her out, but Clove threw a knife to her head. Clove was just about to finish Katniss off, but Thresh saves her. Thresh thinks that Clove killed Rue, and before Clove can tell the truth, Thresh makes a huge dent in her head with a rock. While Katniss tries to figure out what has just happened, Thresh takes Cato's bag and runs off into the woods. Instead of going after Katniss, Cato takes off after Thresh. Katniss finally gets back to Peeta and finds medicine in her bag (duh).

Chapter 22 is really played up. The romance between Katniss and Peeta is heated up. They talk about the first time that Peeta sees Katniss, and his love for her. Haymitch sends them a feast of stew, rolls, fruit, and cheese. The more romance that they show to each other, the more they get. They really play off the Capitol's emotions. Also, Thresh has died.

Chapter 21 is really intense. There's fighting and killing and almost everything. It's really exciting, while chapter 22 is really slow. It's like coming off a sugar high. I really liked both chapters, but 21 was my favorite, because things really moved along, and it was exciting. I know now that there are only about four tributes left. Katniss, Peeta, Foxface, and Cato. I wonder who's going to die next......

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Hunger Games Summary

To start off, Katniss finally found Peeta. The gash that Cato gave him is very serious. Lucky for him, Katniss has the first aid kit from the District One tribute's bag. She has to bathe him first, because he's covered with camouflage. Currently, he has fever and blood poisoning. She's trying to break the fever, but its going unsuccessfully. She has nothing for the blood poisoning. Claudius Templesmith has announced that there's to be a feast, with backpacks containing what each tribute needs. This means that there's medicine for Peeta. He doesn't want Katniss, to go, but if she doesn't, the blood poisoning will spread to his heart and kill him. Haymitch sends Katniss a vial of sleep syrup, so that she can attend the feast and get the medicine he needs. She's on her way to that same feast now.

I'm shocked. I would have never lasted as far as them in these Games. I'm surprised that she even found Peeta, considering the circumstances that he's in. I really want Katniss to go to that feast, besides, the backpacks contain things that they need, so that means medicine for Peeta. It was cruel to leave him knocked out like that, though she had to. If she didn't, he would have followed her and gotten hinself killed, especially with that bad leg of his. I really hope she survives that feast. The only ones left tokill her are Cato and Clove (district 2) and Thresh (district 11). I can't wait for Chapter 21.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

In the Hunger Games, a lot has happened. First Katniss has been stung by tracker jackers .Those stings hurt.  She was hallucinating for two days. Also, Cato has greatly injured Peeta. When she finally wakes up,  she makes and alliance with Rue, the tribute from district Eleven. This proves to be pretty handy, since she can help with Katniss' stings. Katniss can also help with Rue's burns.  Katniss then devises a plan to get rid of the Career's supplies. Their supplies are booby trapped with bombs. Katniss then decides to cut open a burlap bag of apples. The explosion is deafening. She loses hearing in her left ear which damages her severely, because she wouldn't be able to detect tributes coming from that direction. She walks back to where she and Rue decided to meet up. When Rue doesn't show up Katniss goes to look for her. She finds her in a mesh net, with a spear in her stomach, then dies. Katniss kills the tribute who killed Rue, this is her first kill. After a few days, the announcer for the games tells the tributes that two tributes from the same district can win.

This is crazy. I understand why Katniss would make an alliance with Rue, she useful. I also think it was a bad idea because she reminds her of Prim. This is bad because they could have gotten too attached to each other and then had to kill each other. It proved good in the end. At least Katniss didn't have to kill Rue. I was so happy when Katniss destroyed the Career's supplies because now everyone has an equal opportunity to win. I'm also worried about how Peeta is doing, I hope he doesn't die I'd be heartbroken. When Katniss heard that two tributes could win, she wants to win with Peeta, which makes sense, because its better than having to kill him. I wonder whats going to happen in Part Three. Hmmm....

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Hunger Games Response

Currently reading the Hunger Games, all I can say is, this book is crazy. So many wild things happen. You have romance and danger and suspense. I kind of have some responses to these things.

Its a sick and sadistic Game. Things have to happen or the Capitol makes it happen. You can never be boring. You can look as cocky as you want, but that might just get you killed. Sure you can put on an act, but you have to be careful about it. Getting things from sponsors all depends on how good and likable you are. The Hunger Games themselves aren't about beauty. They're about survival. You have to be strategic about these Games.

As bad as it is to kill people, you have to remember, killing them insures your survival. Either you kill, or get killed. Katniss is being strategic about the way she goes around the Arena. She tries to avoid killing people, unless she has to. She's spent almost her entire life in the woods, so she knows how to get around. She can  hunt, find game, and get whatever else she needs. When you think about it, Katniss is almost a sure to win. If only she could avoid the killing . The Hunger Game sare pretty intense.

I feel mad and sad and happy at the same time. I'm  mad because the Career's are using Peeta to get to Katniss. Sad because I know one of them will have to die. Happy because they're both survivng in the Games. Theses are my responses to the Hunger games.

Friday, October 14, 2011

To Change Or Not To Change

If you went to a place where everyone got plastic surgery, would you, even if you stretch your face so much, you're grotesque?

My answer is no. In my own opinion, God made you the way you are. You're never ugly in his eyes, you're beautiful. No matter what, you have to keep getting it done again and again, because it dissapates.

People in our society want to look at pretty things, not ugly. Some people will get it done so much, it gross. People will go to such extremes for beauty. It's not worth it. You're beautiful just the way you are.
My perfect world would be a world without pain or suffering. You wouldn't have to drive down the street and see someone in rags, homeless. No one would have to file for unemployment, because we would  have enough jobs for everyone to feed their families. When someone went to the bank, they wouldn't have to take money from their savings account, because their account was in the green, not red. More doctors and nurses would be available because more people would be able to afford college, therefore costs would go down on certain things.

In a perfect world no one would be made fun of because of the way they dress or talk or the strange things they do.  When someone wanted to express religion, they wouldn't get shot down by people who are against it. We wouldn't have massacres because no one would hate on one another and decide that the best thing to do is to kill everyone who thinks differently from them.

In a perfect world, no one would die in  a war. Our  military wouldn't have to risk their lives everyday, just because one bad person did the wrong thing. We wouldn't have famine, drought or World Wars, because everyone would get along and help everyone like family.

The sad conclusion is, we don't live in a perfect world. There will always be hate and war and disasters. The only thing that we can do is hope. Hope that eventually, we can and will turn into a perfect world.

Friday, September 30, 2011

World Beauty

 The media (mostly), and the world both have twisted views of beauty. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", ever heard that? It means that what you think is beautiful, is beautiful, not what someone else thinks. We all watch T.V and listen to the radio but, do you really listen/watch  those commercials? They want you to lose weight, wear designer clothes, and plaster girls with make-up.

If you ask me, the world is wrong. Beauty is someones perspective on it. You could wear rags, and still beautiful. Only your opinion matters when it comes to this.