Post 8 : Limiting Beliefs

A splinter in the Heart:

By Al Purdy

I believe Patrick is restrained from leaving his ordinary world because of acceptance and disapointment. Patrick hears his mother talking to their neighbour about her son Kevin. About how great of a runner he is. I believe that Patrick is jealous of Kevin, and he is scared that his mother is dissapointed in him because he is not as great as Kevin. Perhaps Patrick starts running just like Kevin everyday just so he can be accepted. Though he denys it so many times.

If I could talk to Patrick in person, and I were to give him advice, I'd suggest that, he should just be himself. He shouldn't care if he cannot run as fast as Kevin. Or if he cannot do great things like others. He should be happy doing what he wants. If he really wants to start running, then he should. He shouldn't do things because other people are doing it.

Post 7 ; Hero Study

A Splinter In The Heart

By Al Purdy

Lately, I've been reading the book "A splinter in the Heart". It is based on a time in 1918, about a boy named Patrick who isn't as great as his neighbour Kevin. Kevin is great at running, so Patrick decides to run as well. Training himself. I belive Patrick is the hero in this book, though he has not done anything great in the book yet. I believe Patrick has the qualities of confidince, determination to continue his running and kind-hearted. I belive that these are heroic in nature, if Patrick is determined enough and confident to save some one he cares about, then he'll follow through. Since he is kind-hearted, he couldn't stand to watch them suffer.

I believe that it isn't super powers, the skin tight outfit, or the bravery that makes you a hero. But your determination. Heros are determined to save anyone from anything because they like the job they have. If they didn't like their job on saving people im sure they wouldn't be doing it. A hero would be a firefighter, they actually sacrafice their lives to fires or gases to save others. From this, I see that other qualities of a hero is 'self-sacrafice' and 'family-oriented'. From what I have read in the book, Patrick is not self-sacraficial, but he is family oriented. Taking in, how he lives with her mother and they get along well.

Family Oriented : (After Patrick and his mother are having breakfast, his mother is telling him to eat more. She dosen't want him fainting from running to much.)

She said, "I want you to take two teaspoons of sulphur and molasses every morning. My mother used to give it to me on the farm. And greens, you should be getting more greens.".

He glanced up from his cereal, smiling. "Just look at me. Don't I look healthy?".

( They continue their talk about the world and about his health )

= Al Purdy, A splinter in the heart, The Canadian Publishers,1990, 99

__________________________________________________

Determination : (Patrick meets up with Uncle Wilfred while he is jogging)

"What ye up to, boy?"

"It's my long-run day, Uncle Wilfred" Patrick said. "Im going along the tiver toward Frankford".

"Don't see any use for it," the old man said chidingly. "If the good Lord wanted people to run everywhere they went, he'da given them wheels instead of feet."

"Maybe he did both."

"Harr-rr - what ye mean?"

"Well, those ford cars have got wheels. So do carts and buggies from farms. The lord gave people wheels when he saw that feet weren't going to be enough. Isn't that right?"

(Patrick keeps up to his activity. Even if other of the villagers think it is odd. Most people would ask Patrick why he was running. He dosen't let others discourage him).

= Al Purdy, A splinter in the heart, The Canadian Publishers,1990, 59

Double Identity : Post 6

Double Identity : by
Margaret Peterson Haddix

This week I have chosen the character Bethany. Bethany is the main character of this book and she is very different from many characters. Unlike other characters, she is brave, yet she is struggling. For archetypal types, I think Bethany is a hero. Even though, she does not go around saving people or fighting of bad guys, she is the main character and the hero is usually the main character. I also think she is the hero because Bethany is left to live with her aunt for awhile and she has no idea why. During that time, she is brave, confused, willing to stay there, but at the same time she is showing recluctant to staying at her aunt's. Though as she stays there longer she learns to accept her aunt and cousin Joss, learning to cooperate with them, to figure out what her parents are hiding from her. She is very atypical from the other characters in this book.

Some archtypal characteristics she has are innocent and determined, Bethany has no idea what is going on with her parents. She dosen't even know why she was dumped at her aunt's. She is clueless of her situation and is determined to find out why!

Bethany is also brave and willing, her mother continues to call the house out of the blue and is talking about a girl named "Elizabeth". She is willing to go through the pain and obstacles of finding out who she is and what she has to do with her.

Over all, I do think Bethany is a hero type, "Only one survivor." I mutter, which probably makes Myrlie think I've lost my mind. " You mean Elizabeth died before I was born.". Though this says so little of Bethany, it explains how she figures out who Elizabeth is and how she is dealing with her exsitence.

Blog Post 5: Narration

I am close to finishing 'Lord of the Flies' and I find that it included tons of excitment... For this week, I have to write about the main character, which was mainly Ralph.

After being stranded on an island, Ralph and other children have been forced to fight to stay alive. Ralph, in the beginning was voted "Cheif". I think he was a decent cheif, he is eagar to get off the island alive. So he would stay on task, cheer others on, and he was very strategic. On Page 170, "After all we aren't savages really and being rescued isn't a game" explains how serious Ralph is.

I predict that that they will get off the island, I think this because of how responsible and on track Ralph is. Since Ralph knows well enough, to get off the island, they need fire, and they need hunters.


Here is the video that I believe represents Ralph the best:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I believe this video best describes Ralph's CONFIDENCE because, it's about, even if things get bad, you just gotta keep moving on, don't let the worst get to you because it'll be okay. In the book, Ralph is always encouraging others to keep believing that they'll be saved from the island. This also explains most of Ralph, because Ralph tries to be there for everyone, even if they did split apart and join another tribe. He even offers to them that they can rejoin his trible once more. Even with the fire they built from Piggy's specs, he believes they must keep it going during the day for a signal fire.

Lord Of The Flies - Post 4~

From what i've read so far of "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding, I can relate to how Ralph feels, "how pressured he feels that he has to do a good job since he is chosen as cheif, being in charge of their group and making decisions...". "I also can relate to how he feels when everyone starts to disobey him and he starts to feel frustrated. ". Such as when chores are to be done at home, and to help out my mom, I try to tell my older brothers they should start their chores. Instead of agreeing they put up a fit and put it of towards later. Which really frusturates me. Another reason why I feel pressured to complete things or to make descisions are because, when some one needs my opinion or needs me to choose something. I want to give out good opinions and I want to pick the right thing. It would bother me too much if I picked wrong answer. So I see where Ralph is coming from, and how he feels being in charge of something so big, the lives of many people.

~ Rebekah

Myths & Motifs - Blog 4

Motifs and Myths~

Questions:

• 6. How do myths survive the passage of time?
• 7.Why do people in the 21st century still know, study and use ancient stories like myths?
• 8. When will myths cease to exsist?

Myths are an extrodinary thing, they hold exciting and breath stopping stories! Myths are stories that are either fictional or non-fictional. They anwser questions that people question at most, such as 'Why is the sky blue?' or 'why do we have water on our planet, how did we get it?'. They even explain religion. That is how myths survive the passage of time. They are used for so much, answers to questions that are not answered, they give out entertainment, they also answer religion... Mythology could be used to answer things, like I said earlier. Religion and unknown things. People still study and use ancient stories such as myths to verify things! Not only that, they could enjoy the stories that myths hold. Myths will cease to exsist, when things are answered thouroghly, no questions or answers needed, also while technology tends to keep growing and expanding.

-Rebekah C

Post three: Sister Wife

I have already finished the book Sister Wife.
Written by Shelley Hrdlitschka.

Here is the rest of the summary!

My Summary:
Now Celeste's father finds out about Jon, punishing her by locking in her room. She is assigned to the man Nanette wants to marry! Jon invites Celeste to run away with him, but she refuses. Marrying Mr. Nielsson. Jon's father. Nanette doesn't get what she wants. So she holds a grudge agistant Celeste. Taviana found a home with a bunch of other guys, she starts a great life again.

My Review:
At this part of the book, I was shocked. I did not exspect Celeste to go and marry Mr.Nielsson! I expected her to run off with Jon! Which made me upset and confused. I was also shocked to find out that Celeste did not run off with Jon.

Recommendations:

I recommend this book mainly towards teenage girls, also teenage guys. This book shows how different some communities are different from others. It would show boys and girls to be respectful and thankful for the life style they have now!

Post two: SISTER WIFE

The book I have been reading for the past while, is Sister Wife.

Written by Shelley Hrdlitschka.

My Summary

This book focuses mainly on three girls named Celeste, Taviana and Nanette. Each girl has problem of their own. Celeste who is turning fifteen, is forced to marry an older man since she is to become a sister wife.Though secretly Celeste loves a boy named Jon. Which causes troubles for Celeste. Taviana moved in with Celeste and Nanette because her mother could not handle her in her condition. Now Taviana is forced to move out because of her actions. Nanette, being a pure daughter. She is wanting to marry a man already. Though she is only 13.

My Review:

I thought this book was extremely well done. I loved the twists and turns the author had put in the book. I enjoyed reading about how Celeste and Jon end up together or not, or how Taviana is going to manage on her own. I also thought that the book was well detailed, I could imagine very well, myself in the places of Celeste, Nanette and Taviana.

Recommendations:

I would recommend this book to the group age of female teenagers, because in this book. As soon as you turn fifteen you are assigned to an older man to become one of his wives. It would show female teenagers what life would be like if they had been forced to become a Sister Wife, working around the house all day with a bunch of other women. Married to the same man. We should be respectful of the advantages and freedom we have.

Books, I found had found the power to make time stand still, retreat or fly into the future ~ Jim Bishop ~

Most people feel that when they are invovled in a novel, that it is a relaxing and comfortable activity to do. I feel that when you find your spot on the couch at home, and you just let your muscules relax. You start reading and soon enough your driffted into the book. I also belive this defines the meaning of the subtitle "Books, I found had found the power to make time stand still, retreat or fly into the future. By Jim Bishop. " , meaning how when you are reading a book, and you are too interested in the book and you sort of just drift off into the scene and everything around you does not seem to move. Because of how invovled you are. It seems as if time had stopped or as if you had been invovled in the novel as one of the main characters. I chose this because I belive that this quote is true, for many people of course. I belive it also describes me alot aswell, when I read a novel. I am amazed by the story line and I imagine myself as the main character. Last year, I did very well with reading many novels, all sorts of types. I enjoy reading books and just cuddling into the couch driffting off into the story line.