Good-Bye...

I don't want to say it, but I thought I might well say good-bye on this last post. I talked about how I was really accepted and how I felt so loved, when I came here...and I can't thank people enough for how they treated me here. I am truly thankful to everybody here...and want to tell anybody that doesn't already know that I am moving. I am moving to Indonesia next year, so hope I get to see you guys enough before school ends. I don't know why I wrote this...especially in the english blog section, but I thought I might as well say good-bye someway...





so yeah...thanks...and bye...

Lyrics to Growing Pains by Ludacris

LUDACRIS LYRICS"Growing Pains"(feat. Keon Bryce, Fate Wilson)


[Fate Wilson]Okay, I remember the daysHigh rights, low lefts, Even Stevens and FazeTroops Lotto and BK's those was the daysHigh tech boots spray paintin' wit'cha nameT-shirts airbrushed that read the sameThey carry long chainsOne gone but yo we miss ya'Harris photos school shots can you rememberBury him told his bitch go to the prom and dieDidnt lie shot his-self in the head with the 4-5When she disobeyed hand off clated crazeJust to reiterate dog those was the daysFo' da invasions of hatas I aint cool to mile aroundUse to get down at True Flavas bumpin Key LoWalkin' damage cross colored and PacoWhile play more step than talent showsProm nights tux and cane know its so coolFuck them new model cars we ridin' old school (old school)


[Chorus - Keon Bryce]We were tryin so hard Hard to surviveCause eventhough we were youngWe had to stay strongNo matter what we went throughIt was me and my crewAnd thats how it wentWhen we were kids


[Fate Wilson]In 3 months we stayed in JamestownHamwood and DiplomatsPlayed with Transformers, G.I. Joe's and ThundercatsWe was lovin' thatBefore to started jackin jacksFor notes from Red Oaks had folks scared to come throughCollege Park after darkCrown Victorias police unmarked carsBe aware... Wayne Williams was out thereBut we didnt care kids was gettin' stabbed and ditched out thereTo busy playin'...Double DareYou touched shorty on the ass that's a betWant ya Kool-Aid and sugar smack ya hands and say sweatIt's mine now place it in my Louie Vaton pouchThump a nigga on his knuckles make him say ouchSlout socks box Chevy CapriceHot knees cut da holes Disturbing Tha PeaceWit no conscience broke niggas call em nonsenseNo com-mission this is lil fate payin' homage to College Park


[Chorus - Keon Bryce]We were tryin so hard Hard to surviveCause eventhough we were youngWe had to stay strongNo matter what we went throughIt was me and my crewAnd thats how it wentWhen we were kids


[Ludacris]I had a Long John but no SilverNo gold or platI was simply red from the years I been holdin' backWith 2 sides to a book I lick stamps and light matchesAnd set fires in garbage pales and cabbage patchesA child of the corn been wild since I was bornClimbin' over barb wire clothes got tornShoes got muddy and my clique turned cruddyWherever I go they went they my buddiesI brush teef brush naps and cause treatsDreamin' of Cadillac with wood wheels and plush seatsCats with gold teeth and raps with such beatsMacks with no grief and some sacks of green leafWhen I loaded my cap gun I was ready for ACTION!Starin' at beer cans and a moment to crack oneWanna hang with the big boys and play with the big toysAnd be with the people makin all that goddamn noise


[Chorus - Keon Bryce (x2)]We were tryin so hard Hard to surviveCause eventhough we were youngWe had to stay strongNo matter what we went throughIt was me and my crewAnd thats how it wentWhen we were kids





This song is truly well made and fits the situation in the book, but please don't just pay attention to the bad words in it.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=crGYQJ4XGvU&feature=related

Book #2 ----- Post #6

How did the settings in this story make you feel?

The setting that truly spoke to me was the Battle School. It was when he first arrived there that made me feel truly close to the story of Ender and his life. As I was reading the description of the school, I almost felt that I was talking about my own dorm, Stone Dorm. This is my first year in a dorm, and I still remember the time I first arrived here and how I felt. I think I could really relate to Ender, because I knew how it felt to be in a place that I didn't feel like I belonged. His whole life at the school was like my life here. I am away from my parents, even more now, because they moved to Indonesia and all. I almost felt bad for Ender, because I knew what kind of things he was going through. I knew he was feeling nervousness mixed with the sick feeling of loneliness in his stomach.

I thought I was going to be blown away from anybody, being isolated from everybody, like Ender, when I first came here. I was so scared, unaware of what would happen at a place called a dorm. I have never been away from my parents for a long time, and I was never just left to count on my friends to be able to lean on them and receive help from them. I couldn't believe the trust and heart warming love that I received from the friends here at TCIS. I know it really does not sound like me, but it is really me, John Song. I still believe that the setting still speaks to me from the book. This book actually seems to relate to me in so many ways. The setting was disturbing and sad, but mostly because I felt like I was part of it.

Book #2 ----- Post #5

What is the mood of this novel?

Ender's life throughout the book was surrounded by pain and sorrows. He was isolated and felt alone over and over again. He was unable to find out what true joy was and how it really felt like in his heart. He's been pretty much alone his whole life, unable to find anyone, who could help him in anyway possible. He had felt this way throughout his whole life from when he was born as he was tormented by his brother, Peter to days in the army, when so many people were plotting against him to find out how to take him out. The whole book was just something that nobody should ever see or live through. Whether it be yourself or your friend, this kind of life is unbearable to feel or see. It is just a nightmare that you wake up from sweating all over. He keeps having to overcome so many challenges just to live through his life, which was actually not worth living. His life was almost worth nothing in the eyes of some, and in the eyes of himself. He realizes that his days are just repeating over and over again, unchanging of mind or heart anywhere.

This mood of the story makes me sad, because it sort of relates to my own life. To tell the truth, for a few months or weeks now, I wasn't sure what I was truly living for. It almost seemed like my life was worthless, like Ender's in the book. I couldn't find anything to comfort me or make me truly happy anymore. I just wanted to be happy once more in my life. My life was surrounded sorrows and joy. It was almost like a roller coaster of emotions, success, and failure. My life was covered with problems concerning family, friends, relationships, and much more. I actually just wanted to give up on life itself, just to live in peace. As I thought about this, some of my friends being a strong christian and all, told me about the tests that God will put us through to see if we are worthy to enter his kingdom of Heaven. I could see this kind of ting happening right now, and realized that I needed to wait for that one sign or gift that God will send me in gratitude of what I've been putting up with. I will never give up again on life or anything, and go for every chance I get towards true happiness in my life.

Book #2 ----- Post #4

What is the climax of this novel?

How do the events make you feel?

I believe that the climax was when Ender realized how he was tricked by the whole military and realizes that he has done wrong to the Buggers. This part of the story is the climax, because this was when Ender finally snapped back to reality, and found out what he was doing to these poor Buggers that really did nothing to them. If he didn't find this out in his mind, he would've become whatever the military leaders wanted him to be, a non-stop killing machine. No human being should ever be like that ever in their life, where they are bloody thirsty, because of the way they were risen up. He finally gets over the way he was trained to become, and his humanity comes back to him and heals him of all this terror and scorch in his life. He was finally set free by his own mind that was created by the military on their terms by the innocent child still left in him. It showed that no matter what he was told and what he was made to believe, he could still keep his inner child and innocence deep inside him somewhere.

I was pretty moved and effected by this, because this is what I've been searching to do my whole life. In the story when this happens to Ender, he realizes himself that he has changed from before. He has definitely matured, but he had almost become a young adult. It was his whole transformation from a child to an adult that I was jealous of. I really did not want to go through the things he went through, but I wanted to become a mature adult as well. He had almost surpassed the people that tried to make him that way. The military heads and leaders tried to turn him in to what they wanted, but he has overpowered and surpassed them to believe what he knew was right.

I feel almost bad for Ender, because he had been twisted and tricked to do something he did not want. He was somehow made to kill other beings, whether it be Buggers or humans. He did kill the Stiltson boy and many Buggers, so he felt so bad as he was realizing what he had really done.

Book #2 ----- Post #3

Who are the main characters and do you like them?

How are they special in revealing truths about the universal human experience?

I believe that there are 4 main characters and many sub characters that were important in the success and process the main characters went through.

Ender- He was the main character of this whole story. He is the younger brother of Valentine and Peter. He is considered a Third in his society, which makes him automatically unwanted and not liked by others. He has to overcome all these hardships in almost every aspect, including all the isolation he had to deal with. He ends up going to Battle School, and living his life just like before, until he gets promoted over and over again, until he grows powerful enough to destroy the Buggers. He had been chosen by the human military to be the one they needed in order to defeat the buggers. They monitored him for years in the beginning of Ender's life. they finally realize later that he is ready to begin his reign over the armies in order to save humanity itself. he shows that you can not think that winning is everything, the theme of the story.

Peter - He is the older brother of Valentine and Ender. He is the one that started to call him a Third and to abuse him throughout Ender's whole life. Peter felt that he was no good enough, and that was why his parents had another son. I do like Peter, because if I look at him in one way, he looks as if he really hates Ender, but in another way, it looks like he loves Ender the most. Peter even said words of love to Ender in the end of Chapter 2. Peter whispered in Ender's ear, " Ender, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I know how it feels, I'm sorry, I'm your brother, I love you." In saying this, it proves that Peter knows that he is hurting Ender, and it almost seems that he is doing it on purpose. It seems like Peter is trying to show Ender how it might become, when Ender is enrolled in the army. It shows that Peter does truly care, and he wants to show that there is no gain without any pain.

Valentine - He is the older sister of Ender, who tries to protect Ender from their abusive brother, Peter. She says that she truly loves Ender and she means it very much. She even sends Ender a letter, while he is in the army to get him under control from his insane way of handling things. She symbolizes the true love anybody can have for anybody in the story. She loves him from the beginning all the way to the end. She shows that the only true kind of love is an unconditional love that never fails no matter what.

Graff - He is a military Colonel. He is the one that comes to get Ender as he was living his normal life to take him to Battle School. Ender first sees him as a truly friendly man, but later realizes the truth. Even though he does care about Ender in his own special way, he doesn't really show it much. He shows that tough love is a kind of love towards each other to show compassion and caring thoughts.

There were not BIG main characters, but there were groups of people that were important in the story like...

Ender's friends like Shen and Petra - This group of people seem to become friends of Ender's in the story. Most of these people end up being in Ender's army in the end to help him by his side to defeat the buggers. This group of people show that you can't always do everything by yourself, but will need help from others from time to time.

Ender's enemies like Bernerd and Bonzo Madrid - This group of people seem to become Ender's enemy in the story. They either try to mess him up or even hurt him to stop his progress in the Battle School. They show that there are some barriers and barricades in life that you must obstacle through in life.

Book #2 ----- Post #2

Related current situation in the world? How?

Over my life, I've had a couple of friends that had been abused by their parents and mistreated by others. This book, the story of Ender's life, and the lives of all the kids at the battle station brought back all those horrible memories back in to my head. While I was reading, I couldn't believe how the students were being treated at the Battle School, but then I remembered my old friends in America, who used to go through the same things these kids went through in their own homes. In the past, I almost wanted to scream at the abusive parents of my friends to make them stop hurting my friends like that. I felt so bad for them that I even sometimes told them to run away, when I knew that nobody should run away from home or their problems. Even in just the story, the people that go to the Battle School were kids, and none of them over the age of 14. How could anyone, especially 'responsible' adults, treat kids of that age in those ways? I saw that Ender was the kid I was mostly worried for, because of all the abuse from his brother, Peter, in his past life at home, and the continued abuse of the students and teachers there to him.

During the freshmen geography classes a few weeks ago, the teachers had us learn about Africa and its problems in the past. We looked at articles, worked on worksheet, and watched movies about Africa. I learned something about Africa from before in middle school, but didn't realize what it really meant, until in high school. I heard that the kids in Africa were being tortured, not abusively, but in different ways. Many kids in Africa were being forced not just to work for people, but work for the military. I couldn't believe in the beginning as I heard that small kids, even at the age of 7 or so, were being forced to take arms in the army. I mean who could ever make little kids sacrifice their small and fragile lives to fight in a war or battle? Who could bear to see them suffer like they would? Who could even just imagine their innocence decaying away as they held an AK47 in their small hands? I think people of this world need to understand that not all people in this world are what they are supposed to be. That is partly the reason i put those quotes on the work responsible, when I talked about responsible adults. In society, we learn that as you grow older and become adults, you are SUPPOSED to mature and be responsible for your actions and such. If that is supposed to be true, then how could the government and people of Africa let this kind of thing happen, when they have to see their own kids holding a gun shooting at people in intention of harming and even killing others? Just like Ender and the kids in the Battle School, the kids' innocence is being twisted and turned in to hatred and anger for others. Their sweet little hands, made for arts and crafts, would be forced in to killing and taking of others' lives. Just like the story, the kids are growing up to become tools of destruction for others.

Book #2 ----- Post #1

What is the major theme of this novel?

How is it important to the teens of 2008?

This book really spoke to me in many ways, because it was directly related to me pretty much. In my life, I've grown over these times thinking that if I could just win at something, and be better than someone at something, then I would be the best friend, son, or brother anybody can have. Throughout my life, I had a inspiration to want to win, whether it was while I was playing football or just playing a friendly game with my friends. I believe that it is true human instincts to want to beat each other in everything we do. Everybody wants to feel that they succeeded at something int their life, so they try to be better than someone or even the best at something in their lives. Especially in the games we enjoy in life, we are hoping, whether it be showing or hidden deep inside of us, to win and beat the ones against and around us.

This related to me so well, because Ender seemed to be just like me in these ways. His whole life as it seems was overwhelmed and filled with games. We have been grown to think that all kinds of games are fun and for our enjoyment, but Ender's thought in games in his life was much different. From the beginning when he played Buggers and Astronauts, he was forced in to play. It never once states that he actually wants to start playing this game with his violent brother, Peter. I saw no point in the game, I guess, when I saw that Ender could not win in any way in that game, but Ender thought differently, but not much. He did think there was a goal in the game, but it was only to escape from the pains caused to him by Peter. All he could do was run from his dear brother as he was scared half to death. In his idea of games, I believe that his win or lose situation can be explained as a smaller scale of life or death kind of way. Since he was raised in the idea of games as he was risen, he could not see the true enjoyment of games in his mind. So when he started to play games at the Battle School, he could not just enjoy the fun of the game, but had to win in his mind. Winning to him was almost living in his mind. It says on the cover of the book, "For Ender Wiggin, it's not a game anymore..."

There were many themes in the story, but I believe that the main theme is centered around the idea he had of games. Many of you have heard this theme before. The theme says that winning is definitely not everything in a person's life, because I do not think that anyone should end up thinking the way Ender thought.

Post #6

Are there any settings in the novel you found beautiful?

Or disturbing?

Or memorable?

There were two settings that apealed to my thoughts in the story. The first one was the sidewalk, where Montag met Clarisse. I found that setting to be very beautiful and memorable. I had this kind of feelings towards it, because of what happened between the two and what opened in the mind of Montag, because of that. I mean Montag meets this stranger on a sidewalk and starts to talk to her randomly without any fear. Then, this stranger starts to talk about the past, the thing Montag was destroying in the first place, and how wonderful it was. I thought it was beautuful, because by Clarisse saying all this to him, he has the chance to open his mind and think true and deep about the world and its worries and wonders. I thought it was so memorable, because I mean if this could happen to Montag, couldn't it happen to anybody in the world maybe. One person might meet a random stranger on the sidewalk, and start to discover one huge fault of our society today, which might be the end of the world as we know it. I mean just thinking about the possiblities of what could happen in the world just today scares me, but also gives me hope. I fear the one thing I hope for, the future. Another setting that stuck with me along the book was the old lady's house, where Montag took the book. This struck me for two reasons, because this was the climax of the story, and this scene was disturbing to me. It was the climax simplay because it was the point of no return as he grabbed the book that came to him. The reason behind it being disturbing to me is much more deeper. I see it so disturbing, because of what the old lady had to end up doing. She actually sacrificed herself in order to not get the chance to see the books burn. She treated them as children, like when they say "I don't want to be shown the horror of seeing my children get killed before me". As she dropped that match into the kerosene around her, I almost turned away from the book, like a movie. I just couldn't and didn't want to imagine that sort of horrifying image in my head.

Post #5

What is the mood of this novel?

Do you find this novel saddens you in anyway?

Why?

The way I think it, I think the novel has many moods and many mood changes. It starts out as if nothing was wrong and it was just any old life of a working man. The beginning didn't have much of a mood. There might have been very moody and weird people in the beginning, but no mood for the first section of the story. I think the strongest mood came out in the middle, as Montag was discovering the ways of his mistakes in burning books. The mood in the middle becomes almost depressing, dramatic, and even sometimes suspenseful. He finally finds out about all the truths of the world he has been lied to about so many times over his life. He discovers that his life has all been just set up right in front of him. All these moods and emotions hit him so hard that he starts to wonder what else about his life is a lie and he starts to search for those answers. This books did somehow sadden me. I first didn't realize that I was sad or how it happened, but later I discovered that the book was actually making me scared and upset at the same time. I think that while I was reading it, I was thinking of my own future, and how it would turn out. I mean if the perfect little world we live in today can become a monstrosity like the one in the book, I mean what could happen to the fragile and such valuable life I have that God as given to me. I know that God will always love and protect me, but I was still afraid of something. I was afraid of forgetting who was the one who created me, like how there was only one bible left in the world. I was afraid that if I forgot, my life would go down the drain with no hope of ever coming back to the sane reality of it right now. I wish I could shake off this feeling of fear I have in me from this book to my future, but it's hard to just push it aside. So as I thought about it, I realized that if I truly believe in God, then he won't even let me fall enough to not know him or forget about him. I know that God has always wanted me to be there with him in heaven, so he will never let me fall under the pressure and temptations of the devil.

Post #4

What is the climax of this novel?

What happens?

How to the events of this novel make you feel?

I believe that the climax of this novel was when Montag decided to steal or take the books from the old woman's library. He sees the old woman just waiting there next to her books, as he's standing there burning the books in to ashes. They soon had to push her aside to get to the books, and thinking that she would get out of the attic in fear of the burning, they started to pour their kerosene. She still wouldn't leave even after being threatened to be burned with the books if she didn't get out of there. During all this happening and chaos, a book falls in to Montag's hands like a gift from heaven of something. He doesn't even thinks about what to do with it, and just slides it under his coat trying not to be detected by anyone. As Captain Beatty starts to light the books on fire, not caring about the old woman and her life at all, Montag tries to stop the captain, before he kills this woman. So, he tries to convince her to leave and not waste her life for these books, but soon later they have to decide to burn the books and the old lady and her pride in those books with them. As they were leaving in guilt of having to kill this woman, they didn't see well as the old woman lit a match herself. She threw the match down, burning all the books and herself with it. The whole house goes down as the firemen are forced to leave it. The firemen are left speechless, because they just witnessed the length of her pride in those books and how far she would go for them. As they returned to their station, they remained speechless and quite. I felt a little weird after reading this section. I was left speechless as well with the characters, after I read of the old woman and how she killed herself just for the books in her life. I felt partly sorry for the woman, because in the end she still had to see her loved books burn in the flames of death. I didn't know in the first place that the firemen would go as far as to kill someone to get through to burning the books as Captain Beatty almost did.

Post #3

Who are the main characters in this novel?

Do you like them? Why or why not?

What is special about them?

What do they reveal about the universal human experience?

Guy Montag: Main character of the story, who indeed is a fireman in the terms of the book, who burn books to destroy the knowledge of the history of the past. I like Guy, because when he discovers that there is an unknown section of the world he has not yet seen, he searches for it with all his might. His life starts to feel so empty, and he starts wanting to see why he was even burning the books of the past, and what was truly hidden in them. He's so special, because he stands alone, but strong with his independent mind, while others try to bring him back down to the fake world they are living in. He reveals that nothing can really happen in the ways you want it, unless you change it yourself, even if you are standing alone.

Clarisse McClellan: She is a seventeen-year old girl, who first meets Guy Montag as they are walking down the streets. I like this character, because she's so mysterious to Guy and to everybody, including her ownself. I believe that she is very special by being the one to actully get Guy to start wondering about that empty space in his life he had always felt, but never had done anything about. She reveals that random stangers can open up the worst, best, and unknown sides of you.

Professer Faber: He is the old professer, who Montag comes for help, after he has met Clarisse, because he can not figure out that empty space all alone. I don't like Faber all that much, because he's always putting himself down calling himself a coward, and blaming all of this tragedy on his cowardness, while he always proves that wrong by being so fearless and brave. He's special, because he owns some old ancient books already from the pasty, but wants more even though society denies of that kind of behavior. He reveals that anybody can be a hero by just helping others along their paths even if you do not think you are not worthy enough.

Post #2

Are there any current situations in the world that relate to the novel?

What are they?

How are they alike?

Does the novel shed any light on how the current situation could be resolved?

I believe maybe that the situations in Iraq relates to the novel. The theme of this novel is what I believe that connects these two situations. Others might not see it this way, and think that these are the farthest thing from one another, but they are alike if you look close enough. The theme of this novel talks about something that we need the past in order to be living as if we are at least sane. Without learning from the events from the past, we will end up just like in the book as none of us are truly happy inside of us. Well in Iraq, they have some people acting like savages around the country. They are unable to stay stable and constantly safe, because of all the dangers lurking around the paths they walk everyday. I could see that they were partly insane as I saw a picture of a small Iraq kid held up by two other Iraqi kids with guns up to his head.

Please don't be alarmed, but this is seriously the picture I found when I searched up about the Iraqi kids. I couldn't believe what I was seeing as I saw picture with kids holding so many guns. I knew that the people there were in poverty and desperate, but this just shocked me as I saw the frightened look of the small kid in the center. I believe that just maybe they could come out of this kind of desperation if they just looked at the past of the world. If they looked at the problems we had before and our solutions, just maybe they wouldn't have to go through things like the ones you see in the pictures. I'm not sure if the novel does actually solve the problems in Iraq, but I believe that it will help in some way or another. The novel shows that they should look at the mistakes of the past that strike close to home and see how they fought through it. Whether watching others fail or succeed, it will help your chances none the less.

Post #1

What is the major theme of this novel?

Why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?

The major theme of this novel is very hard to detect. I believe the major theme of this novel to be that the future holds many things, but we absolutely need the history of the past to survive as humans and not like wild savages. This stresses the importance of books of history is the story. As the firemen keep burning away the books chained to the histories, Guy Montag starts questioning the idea of burning away history. This happens, when he meets a 17-year old girl, Clarisse McClellan, and she introduces to him the idea of the beauty of the past. He wants to believe that he is doing nothing wrong, but he realizes that he needs to learn more about what the girl has said, so he goes to Professor Faber in order to ask him questions about the books of the past.

I believe that this theme is very important to the teenagers of 2008, because it shows much depth in what teenagers have been neglecting. These books shows the importance of reading and of preserving history, while we, as teenagers of today, have been ignoring these concepts of life. Normal teenagers of this century would be acting as the firemen in the book act. They would be the ones just feeling as natural as they destroy important prints of everything in the past. We as a whole world these days have just want to look to the future and the best we could afford as we moved on to a new world order. We should really be looking at the past to make not the same stupid mistakes our parents had made before our time.