Non-Fiction Reading Response #2

The article "The Natural" by Mike Tierney is of a special basketball player, Zach Hodskins. He is a senior from Milton High School of Atlanta. He was born without a lefthand and forearm. Even with this disability, he has amazed many people with his basketball playing skills. He has gotten 4 million views on youtube, and has gained lots of respect. However, it was a little difficult to get to where he was, but he was very determined to live his dream, and so he did.

This article is a very life-changing article. It shows that anyone can make a difference, or live a dream, if they put their mind to it. For Zach, it wasn't always easy. But he tried and tried all throughout high school, and into college. He was determined and wanted to prove himself to the world. He is like a symbol of motivation. He believes that everyone should be proud of who they are, and live the way they want to, because even they have the power to prove something.

In conclusion, this article made me really appreciate Zach, and all that he has done. I think that his parents are very proud, because I sure am. I believe that his story will inspire many others to do big things, whether it's playing a sport, making inventions, or composing music, it is possible to do it. I think that if I, or anyone, wants to be something, Zach's example would be very good to use. I mean, look at where he is now. He's a very well-known basketball player, and on top of that, he's doing what he loves.

Reading Response (Literary Essay) on Poetry

Poetry is art and has different styles and techniques. It can describe a person's view on many things by using these tools. For example, in "The Starry Night" Anne Sexton uses tone, symbolism, and imagery to show her attitude towards death, in her own unique way. She based it off a famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh. Death is a very deep subject to portray, and her poem really showed what she thought.

The tone that she uses really plays throughout the whole poem. In small meaningful sentences or in long strands of her thoughts. In the text she says, "Oh starry starry night! This is how I want to die." This was said in the first stanza as well as the second. This shows how passionate but yet depressing the poet's tone is. It's depressing, because death is a depressing topic. Her tone emphasizes her view on death well in this way.

The poet uses symbolism to show how the starry night represents death to her. Throughout the whole poem "the starry night" is this representation. In the text, it said, "into that rushing beast of the night". This shows that the starry night means much more to the poet. She believes that death is consuming. The starry night is like a world of its own, that represents life and death.

Also Anne uses imagery to describe her perspective. In the text, it said, "It moves. They are all alive." This shows how death itself is alive and moving to her. It's how it draws her to it. The starry night is "like a god, from its eye". With her careful wording, she seems to show how she cherishes death rather than seeing it as a burden. She describes it vividly using imagery.

In conclusion, poetry itself is a tool to show a poet's true feelings on broad subjects, like death in this case. Poetry for Anne Sexton helped her channel her feelings on it. It must've been an important topic for her to write about it so passionately. In reality, Anne Sexton had suicidal tendencies at times. And Vincent Van Gogh had a mental illness and had commited suicide himself. So perhaps they had they're reasons for their art. Art can sprout from many things in your life, and poetry is just a special way of showing it.

Poetry Writing Prompt

Yellow

I shine bright
In a rainbow
You see me
In the light
Of the sun
And the fruits
A banana
A lemon
A golden delicious
I lie in the fur
And the skins of animals
In the hair
Of those we call blonde
I am in the plants
A sunflower
A dandelion
I am everywhere
Like every other color
I am special
And I spread
Like wild fire
Burning
I am too much
For one to handle
Yellow, yellow
Everywhere
Delicious
Blinding
Beautiful
Icky
And bright
I am a color
The world needs me
It has me
Like every other
In a rainbow

Independent Reading Response - Mockingjay

The book Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins is an inspiring book, and the inspiration sprouts from an important symbol. In the first book, Katniss, the main character's found a mockingjay pin. She gave it to her sister Prim before the reaping. And when Katniss ended up attending the Hunger Games, Prim gave it back to Katniss. Katniss kept it with her the whole way, to have Prim (the only thing she ever loved) with her. Katniss soon wore it on herself. To the people it was a symbol of hope, a chance to fight back for the ones they love, and that's all Katniss ever wanted to do.

In this book, she is the mockingjay. She's a role model to all the rebels. With that strength she fights back as a symbol of inspiration to protect the ones she loves. In the text, she says, "Fire is catching! And if we burn, you burn with us!" She's leading a war, and she's determined to win. She wants everyone to understand that they have the power to win. It's how powerful a symbol can be when used correctly, and Katniss understands this.

The reason the mockingjay is an inspiration is because of what it represents. It represents all the young teens and weak people that Snow tortured and killed. Snow created the Hunger Games to show the power they have by killing off thousands of humans. Mockingjays repeat musical whistles they hear, and Rue a contestant in the games whistled it, but died too quickly. She was important to Katniss, and the ones who loved her. It quickly became a symbol of hope. In the book, Katniss and her team put the rebellion to action with this. In the text, Fulvia said, "Little Rue from Eleven or old Mags from Four. The idea being that we could target each district with a very personal piece."

In conclusion, the mockingjay is a very important symbol in the whole series. The author really wanted us to understand this because it is constantly mentioned. Since the very beginning of the series, to the very title of this sequel. I also notice that with each book cover, the mockingjay becomes free to fly, healed from a deep wound of an arrow. I don't know how this book will top the depths, that the other two books went to, though. Hopefully this symbol will help Katniss and everyone win the toughest Hunger Games right now, the fight for a safe future, free of poverty and problems with power.

Non-Fiction Reading Response: Upfront Magazine Article

The debate "Should Boys and Girls Be Taught Separately?" there are two sides to the issue. One being 'yes', single-sex education is effective, and the other being 'no', single-sex education is not effective. Both sides are based on research, surveys, and some bias. The debate was based on there being 400 co-ed public schools already offering single-sex education.

The 'yes side' is on how there are developmental differences in boys and girls, and how that can affect how they learn. So the way their brain works can depend on their gender, and studies have shown that attitudes on subjects and participation change when they are in a single-sex class. Some parents have also seen the changes. They say there are benefits to being taught this way. The 'no side' is on how the developmental differences aren't based on gender, but on the students themselves, because every kid is different. It counters that theories and studies of boys and girls working better in single-sex education, haven't been proven with evidence. Although there are biological differences, there is no need to separate their classrooms or teaching styles.

I noticed that the whole 'yes side' was based on research that this professor found. She strongly believes that boys and girls working separately has benefitted and will benefit just as much if there were more schools that offered these classes. She believes that their gender will change what they like or dislike, and how they act or react in class or in life itself, I'm guessing. And then I noticed that practically the whole 'no side' was countering things that the 'yes side' would claim. It talked about how there is no difference between boys and girls, and the way they act, because in the end they're all kids with different personalities. And then they counter it with a source of their own.

In conclusion, I think the 'yes side' could use a little less research, and a little more elaboration, while the 'no side' could use a little less countering. I also wonder, if the debate had continued on, how would the 'yes side' rebuke all of the 'no side's counter arguments? And who would win? In my opinion, I think boys and girls don't have to be taught separately, because, well I get taught in a school with both genders, and I think we get along pretty well. I think education performance isn't based on gender, but more on how dedicated one is in their work. I believe dedication is possible in all students, no matter their sex.

Revised Reading Response

Q: How does this text address the points of view (perspectives) of other groups, especially those who usually don't get to tell their side?

The book Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos addresses perspectives of groups that usually don't get to tell their side, by showing the side of a young girl who was raised by parents that were illegal immigrants. It was a hard and difficult time for people like them. The book took place after 9/11 where being Muslim means being a suspected terrorist and dangerous.

In the book, her father was sent to jail, because he was accused of these things. For example, it said he was "being held in conjunction with an investigation of religious organizations that may be sponsoring illegal activities." (Budhos 131) This perspective shows what Muslims at this time have to go through. However Nadira (the young girl) stands up for her father when no one else could, because her family and close friends had all practically given up. Nadira wasn't ready to give up though. She used as much hidden brainpower she could gather up and freed her father. She of all people proved that he was never guilty, and that really shows how much an overlooked character can be worth in a story.

For years, their family had relied on Nadira's older sister to keep their family together. But after her father was sent away she finally starts breaking apart. She was losing all hope in everything, up to the point that she didn't believe anything she could do would work anymore, to get their rights back. Nadira was shocked, sad, and scared, because her sister never acted this way. But it had also made her become determined. She believed there was hope, and that's when we saw more on this young girl's point of view and how she had much more potential then people had let on. For example, she states, "For the first time I feel like I can run, fast." (Budhos 119) This shows how she changes from this fat girl in the background to this determined girl who wants to make change.

I think that the perspectives in this book are important to know about. I am glad that Marina addresses them in her book. Nadira is a relatable character and an inspiring one. I think that she is a great way to address these perspectives that do not usually get addressed.

CTQ Reading Response - Ask Me No Questions

Q: How does this text address the points of view (perspectives) of other groups, especially those who usually don't get to tell their side?

The book Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos addresses perspectives of groups that usually don't get to tell their side, by showing the side of a young girl who was raised by parents who were illegal immigrants. It was especially hard, because it was happening in a difficult time. This book took place after 9/11 where being Muslim means being a suspected terrorist and dangerous.

In the book, her father was sent to jail, because he was accused of such things. For example, it said he was "being held in conjunction with an investigation of religious organizations that may be sponsoring illegal activities." ( This perspective shows what Muslims at this time have to go through. However Nadira (the young girl) stands up for her father when no one else could, because they had all practically given up. Nadira wasn't ready to do that though, so she used as much brainpower and love for his father she could gather up and freed her father, and proved that he was never guilty.

For years, their family had relied on Nadira's older sister to protect their family. But finally she starts breaking apart after her father was sent away. She was losing all hope in everything, up to the point that she didn't believe anything would work anymore, to get their rights back. Nadira was shocked, sad, and scared. But she had also become determined and believed there was hope. That's when we saw more on her point of view and how this young girl had much more potential then people had let on. For example, it states, "For the first time I feel like I can run, fast." This shows how she changes from this fat-ish girl in the background to this determined girl who wanted to make change.

I think that the perspectives in this book are important to know about. I am glad that Marina addresses them in her book. Nadira is a relatable character and an inspiring one. I think that she is a great way to address these perspectives that do not usually get addressed.