Blog Reflection!

Over the course of my 8th grade year, this blog has served the purpose of a lot of stuff (and to save the trees!). It is an interesting way to reflect on books that I've read, and also helped me look at books in a certain way, wether it be philosophical or in a social action lens.

I think I learned a lot about how I think by creating and using this blog. It allowed, I think, more freedom in a targeted area. Instead of just making us write a short story or whatever in our notebook or as a story, we were allowed to write our own way about what we were reading (something we'd WANT to write about), but targeting a specific thinking style (Social action, philosophical, etc.), and I think that made me think about how I think normally as a person.

I think an advantage of writing on a blog is it's faster, for one. I also like the freedom of being able to write a bit more freely and loosely than more "traditional" styles like I think is typical of notebook writing or storywriting. The only real disadvantage that I could see is WHEN we could do it- in school in a notebook is better than at home, I feel. I also think another advantage is that people do try to show their good qualities online, but even some of the qualities they don't want to show also appear in their writing. A lot of a person can be discovered by their writing, and I think the experience of this blog helped me realize that.

Personally, I don't think that I write anything that I couldn't say to another person normally, but I don't always think that's a good thing. Sometimes I think that it's not always bad to express yourself more in writing then you would in front of a person- I think that writing is a way to get feelings across in a less confrontational way, a way that is less mean and harmful to others' feelings.

I think blogs are a cool, more modern, aspect of an ELA class in the 21st century. I feel like I had a lot of fun doing this, even if it was only because I had to do it for school. I don't think I would continue doing this if I didn't have to, because I don't think I need to do it for anything else- I can't think of anything anyways.

It was totally cool to be able to have this experience, and I'm sure it will help me at some point in the future (as most school experiences do, after all).

Philosophical Blog Post for "The Matrix" [EXTRA CREDIT]

The movie "The Matrix" is about humans in the future who believe they live in a real world, but it it actually a fake world,created by the Matrix. In the real world, which only a few people know about, there is a struggle for freedom between the humans, essentially rebels, and the AI, which controls machines. Throughout the movie, many things connected to the idea of freedom, some more obvious than others. These parts of the movie were expressed by many of the quotes we learned in class.

        There were many parts in the movie where the idea of freedom came into play. For example, most humans, who believe they live in the normal world, are actually trapped by the machines in order to use the humans as a source of energy. The humans outside of the Matrix want to free the humans from slavery and a fake life. These both connect to freedom because the humans are caught believing that they are free when they actually aren't, and the humans outside of the Matrix need to free them. This also relates to a quote we learned in class, "You can only protect your liberties in this world by protecting the other man's freedom. You can only be free if I am free" - Clarence Darrow. This relates to the situation in the film because even the people outside of the Matrix aren't really free- they're still in constant danger from machines looking to destroy them, and so they can't do all that much, but if they were able to free the other humans from the Matrix, they would be able to destroy the machines and be free from their rule.

        Another part of the Movie where freedom is very evident is inside the fake world of the Matrix. Even though it might seem normal and fair, it is still controlled by "Agents", which are "people" in the Matrix with exceptional abilities that are unnatural. For instance, close to the start of the movie, Thomas, the main character, is taken to prison by Agents for commiting numerous computer crimes, but the Agents restrict his freedom beyond legality- not allowing Thomas to use his phone call, which you are supposed to have to give according to the law. In this way, this part of the movie connects back to freedom because inside the Matrix, freedom still isn't a given, the Agents keep a tight hold on even the fake people inside the Matrix. A quote that we learned in class that relates to this is "None are so hopelessly enslaved as those who falsely believe they are free" - Goethe. This relates to this part in the movie because the humans inside the matrix, who usually think they're free only realize that they're controlled more than they had thought once something happens to them. They believe they're free inside the Matrix until something or other happens and they realize that they have less control over their life than they thought. This is exactly what happened to Thomas in the film. Thomas is thinking he's free when he's controlled even inside the Matrix.

Freedom in "The Matrix" is a very important idea. Wether it's believing that they are free, or trying to free others, or faking freedom for someone, freedom is very prevelent in the film. When watching the film, I was enticed to consider some freedom questions, because of the nature of the film, which I think makes people ask questions. One question I had was "Can fake freedom, freedom you think you have, be real freedom for you, as long as you believe your fake freedom is what freedom is?" I aksed this because in the film, most humans live a normal life in the 1990's, doing everyday things and getting on with their life. That is the freedom they've known for their entire life, but, of course, it isn't real freedom. This is just one of many interesting questions. For this one, I think fake freedom can be a real freedom, because even though it was a fake freedom, the normal people could still think they were doing everything on their own impulse, because nothing else showed otherwise- so as long as they believed their "freedom" was real freedom, it was essentially their belif of freedom, no matter how twisted and false it was in the real world. Overall, the idea of freedom and the nature of the film raised many questions about freedom.

Philosophical Blog Post for "Life of Pi"

In Life of Pi by Yann Martel, Pi, the main character who is stranded in the Pacific after his boat sank crossing to Canada from India, has many things in his life that limit these freedoms. In order to survive, he has to remove the limitations on his freedoms.

There are many things that limit Pi's freedom in a lifeboat. First of all, there was fear. Pi was fearful of many things at first. One was Richard Parker, the Bengal Tiger also on the boat. In the text, he says "Richard Parker had risen and emerged... the hyena's end had come, and mine." This shows to the reader that Pi was very scared of Richard Parker, because he thought Richard Parker would kill him. This limited his freedom because he didn't want to be near Richard Parker.Another thing that limited his freedom was worry. Pi was worried about a lot of things on the boat, and that limited what he thought abou because he was worrying instead of thinking. In the text, he worries that he will never be saved or reach land. For example, he says "I was certain I wasn't alone. It was inconceivable that the Tsimtsum should sink without eliciting a peep of concern. Right now in Tokyo, in Panama City, in Madras, in Honolulu, why, even in Winnipeg, red lights were blinking on consoles, alarm bells were ringing..." This shows his worry for not being saved because he fantasizes about being saved, but he doesn't know that he will, so he worries if it will happen or not, and restricts his freedom because he isn't thinking about things he needs to think about to survive, but instead thinking about things he worries about. Pi fears a lot and worries about a lot. These two things greatly limited Pi's freedom while he didn't do anything about them.

In order to survive, Pi had to rid himself of the limitations on his freedom. For example, he stopped being fearful of Richard Parker. To do this, he had to stop caring about what Richard Parker could do. In the text, he described his decision by saying "You might think I lost all hope at this part. I did. And as a result, I perked up and felt much better... With a tiger on board my life was over. That being settled, why not do something about my parched throat?" He overcomes his fear of Richard Parker by not caring that he's there, and trying to survive instead. He decides not to fear so that he doesn't have to be weak and dehydrated, because he thinks either way he will die. Pi also overcomes his worry about being saved. In the text, he says "I also spent hours observing him [Richard Parker] because it was a distraction. A tiger is a fascinating animal at any time, and all the more so when it is your sole companion. At first, looking out for a ship was something I did all the time, compulsively. But after a few weeks, five or six, I stopped doing it nearly entirely." Pi overcomes the worry that no one will save him and that no ships will come by distracting himself with other things, and this helps him not worry. Overall, Pi helps himself survive  by not being fearful and not worrying about a lot.

Life of Pi is a book that has a lot of philosophical ideas built into it. I noticed a few were very prevelent. A big part of Pi's character is his beliefs. He believes in three religions, and also is a vegetarian. A good philosophical question that I thought of is "Should you go against your beliefs in order to survive?" This question comes up a lot in Life of Pi, for example when he has to eat fish, something he wouldn't normally do as a vegetarian, so he is very conflicted- Should he stay with his beliefs or help himself survive? Another question is "What is reality?" This comes up a lot in the book when Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba talk to Pi about his first story, the book, and the second story, one he tells them without animals or "unbelievable" things. Mr. Okamoto and Mr. Chiba both think that Reality is only what people have seen with their eyes, so they do not believe Pi was with a Bengal Tiger on the lifeboat for so long. These two questions are but a few of the many philosophical questions raised in the book.

Effect of Setting on Characters and Story for "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

Life of Pi by Yann Martel is a fictional account of a boy, Pi Patel, and his travels throughout the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a tiger after the boat he was taking to Canada sunk. The setting, the Pacific Ocean, has a great effect on the characters and the storyline.

The setting greatly influences character by affecting his state of mind, and how he feels. For example, the author wrote that Pi thought "Sometimes my heart was sinking so fast with anger, desolation, and weariness..." This shows he was in a bad state of mind. The author shows the Setting's effect on his state of mind when he writes about Pi's hope for finding a ship to save him: "Always the bitter emotion of hope raised and dashed... What chance was there that a ship crossing the whole great big Pacific would cut into such a tiny circle [The horizon he could see]?... No, humanity and its unreliable ways could not be counted upon." This shows that he lost hope in finding any ships because of the sheer size of the ocean, one way the setting affected him. Another, more benificial, way the setting influenced him is when Pi says "I looked around at the horizon. Didn't I have here a perfect circus ring, inescapeably round, without a single corner for him [the tiger] to hide in? I looked down at the sea. Wasn't this an ideal source of treats with which to condition him to obey? ... My panic was gone. My fear was dominated. Survival was at hand." This shows how the setting made him more hopeful and makes him feel a lot better. The setting influences the character in both negative and positive ways, but always makes him feel a certain way.

The setting influences the plot of the story, by creating the overall plot and how the characters learn in the story. For instance, when the boat sank, the author has Pi think "We left Manila and entered the Pacific. On our fourth day out, midway to Midway, we sank. The ship vanished into a pinprick hole on my map." This shows the setting influencing the plot, because obviously, without the ship sinking, the whole middle of the story would be non-existant. The setting influences how characters learn, for example when Pi thinks "At first, looking out for a ship was somethig I did all the time... but after a few weeks, five or six, I stopped doing it nearly entirely. I did not count the days or the weeks or the months. Time is an illusion which only makes us pant. I survived because I forgot even the very notion of time. What I remember are events and encounters and routines... My memories come in a jumble". This shows that Pi learned a lesson, at least for himeslf and how he was going to survive, becuase of the setting and its effect. Overall, the setting made him learn things for himself and affected the plot of the story.

All in all, the setting had a huge effect on Pi, the lessons he learned, and the story itself. It greatly influences the character, which influences you. The Setting is more than just why Pi is trapped, it's also why he is saved. In this way, the setting is very important to the story.

Critical Analysis for "Crimes Against Humanity", Upfront article by Patricia Smith

"Crimes Against Humanity", an Upfront article by Patricia Smith, is about a new U.N. report showing that North Korean leader Jim Jong Un is responsible for many more horrible things than previously known in his country. The main idea of the article is that the world hasn't been looking deep enough into what North Korea has been doing, and North Korea was able to do many bad things to its people without anyone knowing.

One example in the text that supports this idea is when the author says "kinappings, public executions, starvation, thought-control, religious persecution... A new United Nation report reveals in grim detail how the North Korean government terrorizes its people". This quote shows some of the horrible things done by the North Korean government, and backs it up by explaining the source and what it means. Another example is when the author says many more examples, such as "Kim ordered the execution of his uncle... for allegedy plotting a coup.", "Ordinary citizens have no internet access and TVs and radios receive only government channels...". All of these examples show the horrible things done by the North Korean government, which supports the main idea of the text because it supports that North Korea has been doing terrible things.

When people read the article, I think the author wanted readers to think about the comparison between North Korea and other countries that are better off, and the author wants you to feel bad for the people who have to deal with this every day. To support this, the author uses several techniques. For example, the author uses a table to compare North Korea with its neighbor, but amazingly different country of South Korea. The table shows differences in things such as population, per capita GDP, and miles of paved roads. This table shows readers how underdeveloped and unfair North Korea is compared to its sister country. For example, the miles of paved roads in South Korea is 52,000, compared to North Korea's 453 miles. The amount of money per person (Per Capita GDP) is $33,200 in South Korea, compared to $1,800 in North Korea, a startaling difference. This table, which has bars to compare each thing, shows a reader how bad North Korea is, and makes the reader think about the comparisons between the two countries. Another technique used by the author is inserting a political cartoon. In said cartoon, people are depicted being served the "Pigeon Torture", in which the punished are hung by their hands, which are tied behind their back (imagine THAT position). The caption, which is in part a quote for a former prisoner who endured the punishment, and said it would be "better to die" rather than endure the punsihment. The caption also says the prisoners would be hung like that for days, so they could not sleep or sit at all. I think putting this political cartoon and caption really makes readers aware of how bad it could be in North Korea, and makes people feel bad for people who have to endure the terrible horrors inflicted upon them.

After I read this article, I felt that people have to do things to stop this from happening. The U.N. report said Kim was also guilty of crimes against humanity. Tens of millions of people have to endure this, but others who live in much better situations do nothing, and that seems unacceptable.

Critical Analysis for "Fields of Honor" by Edwin Bearss

Fields of Honor by Edwin C. Bearss is a book that shows in great detail many important battles of the U.S. Civil War. In the book, the main idea is that the battles shown influenced the outcome of the Civil War or were important to make the outcome what it was. One example in the text that shows this is when the author writes "perhaps as many as 28,000 of Lee's 75,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured. For the moment, Lee's invasion of the North had been a costly failure." Here, the author is writing about the battle of Gettysburg. The author shows how Gettysburg helped make the outcome be what it was by showing how costly Gettysburg was to the Confederate cause, by showing that around a third of Lee's army was killed, wounded or captured. A second example is when the author says of the battle of Antietam: "Five days after Antietam, taking advantage of the Union victory, Abraham Lincoln issued his peliminary Emancipation Proclamation... The war to save the Union was now also the war to free the slaves." In this quote, the author shows the importance of the battle of Antietam by saying how it allowed Lincoln to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation. Lincoln being able to do so affected the outcome of the war because it changed the war from the goal of preserving the U.S. to that as well as emancipation of the slaves.

In the book, the author wants you to think about how important the battles were to the Civil War, and wants you to feel like you were there, in the battle. To accomplish these goals, the author uses several techniques. First of all, he uses a certain organization and uses information to make it more evident that these battles were the most important. For example, the author selected only certain battles, generally in which important things happened, to go into the book. As for organization, they are chronologically ordered so it makes more sense to the reader. To show the importance of battles, the author gives many facts and statistics. For example, in the text, the author writes "By sundown more than 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers are casualities in what had become the bloodiest day in American history." Facts and statistics like these help the reader understand the importance of these battles. By saying the number of dead and the fact that it was the bloodiest day in American history alerts the reader to the importance of the battle (In this case Antietam). To make you feel like you're in the battle, the author uses a variety of methods. For example, he uses the present tense and future tense to explain what's happening in the battle. One example is when the author says "The Sunken Road is a natural trench for the Confederates, but if the Yanks can gain and hold the high ground overlooking the right flank here... the Rebs are going to be in deep trouble." Quotes like these make you feel in the battle more because it sounds like it's happening at that moment, or will happen in the future, not in the past. This makes the reader feel like it's actually happening to them, instead of making them feel like it's already done. Another way the author helps the reader feel like they're in the battle is by providing maps with captions. This shows the reader more accurate views of the battlefields and troop positioning and movement, so the reader better understands what's going on, if the text is harder to understand. The visual of the battlefield helps a reader know where everything is, so when a place or unit is talked about in the text, the reader understands what's going on with it and where it is. These examples help readers think about the importance of the chosen battles, and feel more like it's happening in the moment.

When I read the book, I felt like I was learning a lot, and was thinking about what I was learning. The book is very detailed, so it gave me a lot of information about some battles that I definitely didn't know before. I think the author did a good job of making me feel in the moment and thinking about the importance, too- I definitely saw those while I was reading.

Romeo and Juliet Literary Essay

In William Shakespeare's famous Romeo and Juliet, two themes, decision making and punishment, affect the characters both individually and both together.

Decision making is important in Romeo and Juliet because it affects the characters' futures. One example of this is when Romeo decides to go to the Capulet party. When Romeo agrees to finally enter the party, saying "Direct my sail. On, lusty gentlemen" (1.4.120), he changes his future, and the future of others, as well. The decisions each character makes is important because it affects them, and others. Another example of this is when Romeo decides to marry Juliet. When Frair Lawrence says "For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone/ Till Holy Church incorporate two into one" (2.6.36-37), and Romeo agrees to marry Juliet, their futures are drastically changed. Any decision made by the characters makes a change in that character and other characters' futures.

Punishment is an important theme in Romeo and Juliet because it serves as an important detterant that affects how characters act. One example of this is the warning of punishment made by Capulet when Juliet doesn't want to marry Paris. Capulet says "An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets"(3.5.204). This affects Juliet, becuase she knows if she doesn't please her parents, they will be extremely enraged. This threat of punishment leads Juliet to fake being obedient about the wedding, to please her parents, and therefore avoiding punishment. A second example of this is the warning the Prince gives to the Montagues and Capulets after their fight: "If you ever disturb our streets again,/ Your lives shall pay the forefiet of the peace"(1.1.98-99). This affects the actions of the characters later in the story, for example at the party, when Lord Capulet stops Tybalt from going after Romeo at the party. Becuase of this warning, the Montagues and Capulets are much less inclined to fight. Warnings, and punishments that lie inside them, act as detterants, which change how characters act later on.

In Romeo and Juliet, the themes of punishment and decision making combine because characters make decisions based on their knowledge of the consequences. For example, Romeo makes the decision to kill Tybalt, even though he knows that the Prince forbade Montagues and Capulets from fightng. Benvolio attemps to stop the fight, saying "The Prince expressly hath/ forbid this brandying in Verona steets" (3.1.89-90), but Romeo fights him anyways, killing him, so Benvolio says "Romeo, away, begone!/ The citizens are up, and Tyblat is slain"(3.1.138-139), telling Romeo that he should quickly go away before people catch him and discover that he killed Tybalt. In this part, Romeo has to make the decision of killing Tybalt to get revenge, and face the punishments (or try to avoid them), or not kill Tybalt. Even though he knows the punishment is supposed to be death, he still tries to kill Tybalt. Another example of characters making decisions with knowledge of possible consequences is when Romeo and Juliet decide to marry. They both know that their families are enemies, and that this would obviously be forbidden and would come with punishment if caught, but they still decide to marry anyways. In this way, the characters in Romeo and Juliet make decisions, which affect their future and others', and this effect is sometimes due to the punishments set.

Overall, in Romeo and Juliet, the characters' decisions are made usually based on a judgement call from the characters. They ask themselves if it would be better to do something they want to do and face the consequences or try to avoid them, or not do what they want to do. This is a choice that is very evident not only in Romeo and Juliet, but also in the everyday lives of normal people. And like the characters in the play, normal people have to do what they think is the best option for them in the moment. This can sometimes, like in the book, lead to worse-than-intended conflicts and problems, but this is not always true- the opposite is just as common and normal.

Critical Analysis for "Putin's Power Play" by Patricia Smith

Putin's Power Play by Patricia Smith is an Upfront Magazine article about Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent movement of troops into the Crimean region of the Ukraine. In this article, Smith's main idea is that this move is an interesting one, being that it is risky and frowned upon by most of the world, but other countries have done little to prevent it. One example of this is when the author says "Vladimir Putin seems to have squandered all the good press Russia recieved from the [Winter Olympic] Games... by sending troops into Ukraine. It's a move that calls to mind the Soviet Union's agression during the Cold War." This quote shows that the author thinks that this move is undoubtably risky. The author states that it cost them a lot of the good imput from the media because of this, and many people are remembering the Cold War. Another example is when the author states "Despite all the moves to pressure Russia, most experts say that the U.S. has little leverage". This means that the U.S. is doing some things to try to stop Russia, but they can't do much more, and obviously what the US has done so far hasn't been enough. These connect to the main idea because in the article she talks about the limited actions of the US and the risky agression of Russia, both of which are central ideas in the passage.

In the article, the author really wants the reader to agree with her point of view- that this move by Russia could be potentially hazardous either to Ukraine or to the rest of the world, depending on if anyone decides to not help or help, respectively. The author also takes a fairly blatant pro-Ukraine and anti-Crimean takeover by Russia. The author gets the reader to think and feel her side by using several craft techniques. For one, she uses a political cartoon. In this cartoon, a Ukranian person standing next to the grave of the USSR is held by the hand of Putin, coming from underneath the grave. This cartoon agrees with the author's stance on the issue because she doesn't like what Russia is doing, and this cartoon puts Russia as a very pro-communisim and pro-USSR country, and puts them in a bad light. Another craft choice made by the author is organizing the article into sections that answer a specific question. For instance, one section is called "How has the US responded?" The author goes on in that section to say "When Putin sent in troops... the US imposed sanctions on high-level Russian officials and suspended military ties and trade talks". By doing this section organization, the author is able to answer specific questions that relate more towards what she wants the reader to feel and to think, and also match her point of view.

When I read this, I thought that Putin made a risky move, much like the author. However, I feel that the author was wrong to say that the US cannot do more to aid Ukraine. More cooperation with the United Nations and the EU, who Ukraine was considering joining, could help put more influential sanctions on Russia that could hurt their economy and force Putin to remove soldiers from Ukraine. He recently achieved what he said was his goal- the annexation of Crimea, but there's no telling what he'll do next. The U.S., as the world's leading superpower, has the obligation to defend the intrests of smaller countries, and stop Russia from making the USSR again.

Critical Analysis for Cat Sense by John Bradshaw

     Cat Sense by John Bradshaw is an interesting book about cats, their behavior, and their relationship with other cats, and people. For example, the author writes "Cats come to realize that human beings do not aways pay attention to them, and so often need to be alerted with a meow. They learn that purring has a calming effect on most of us..." This example is of how cats interact with their owner. A second example of this is when the author writes "Family life provides oppurtunities for cats to learn from one another, rather than working everything out for themselves". In this example, the author is explaining how cats are involved in family life. This example shows how the author writes about cat behavior and family relationships. A final example is when the author talks about how cats were originally domesticated, tracking back to ancient times. Overall, the author provides a lot of information about cats and their relationships with other animals in the text.

I think the author wants you to think about what your cat (if you have one) does compared to the actions the book says cats often do, and lets you feel how you normally feel about cats. The author uses some craft moves to explain some actions and things that cats do. One thing the author uses is a textbox. In this textbox, which talks about a topic similar to that being discussed in the normal text, but in higher detail, the author is able to talk about certain things in detail. For example, one textbox, labeled "The Rumble: How Cats Purr", is about how cats purr, and what it means. In the textbox, the author says "Purring is an unusual sound for animals to make; although it appears to come from the region of the vioce box, it is (almost) continuous". In this example, the author goes into great detail to explain what the purr is, and how it is made. This is one example of how the textboxes help explain things about cats. Another tool used by the author is pictures with captions. These are extremely beneficial when trying to show something somewhat complex to explain in just text. The captions help to explain the picture, making it easier overall. One good example of this is a picture of kittens in several "play" stances, the captions describing the name of each stance and what is happening. This helps show the reader what each stance looks like, rather than describing all of them in the text, which could be confusing and hard to understand. The tools used by the author help you think about how your idea of a cat, or your pet cat, compares to the actions shown in the book because the author can use more detail about certain actions in textboxes and describe actions in imagery with pictures and captions. Overall, these tools help make the reader think and feel certain things more effectively.

When I read this book, I compared my cat to the cat actions described in the book. I thought about if my cat did some of these things. Also, the book had tips on things cats like more, like talking to them in a higher-pitched voice, for example, so I tried to see how much my cat liked those things.

Literary Essay Blog Post

The Return of The King, the third book in the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R Tolkien is a book about how Frodo, a hobbit, and his companions (The Fellowship of the Ring), destroyed the evil power of Mordor, and the One Ring of Power that helped create Mordor. In this book, justice is served to those who do wrong, but is not perfect, nor is it simple. This is very similar to how justice has worked in the real world.

In the book, justice is destroying Mordor so that others may live peacefully, and it is served by the Fellowship of the Ring. To achieve justice, Mordor must be destroyed, because they are threatening the well-being of everyone else. In the text, it says "and to them Mordor had been from childhood a name of evil... a legend that had no part in their simple life"(Tolkien 886). This means that Mordor had always been something evil and threatening, even when they were young, and it affected them even when they lived simple lives. Justice is served to Mordor by the Fellowship of the Ring, and this is done by destroying the One Ring in Mount Doom, the volcano in which the Ring was formed. This would bring about the destruction of Mordor. In the text, the author says "He held aloft the ring... he stepped too far, toppled, wavered for a moment on the brink, then with a shriek he fell"(Tolkien 946). This is the Ring being destroyed, as it fell into Mount Doom. The effects of this are later described by the author: "The Towers of the Teeth swayed, tottered, and fell down; the mighty rampart crumbled... 'The relam of Sauron is ended!' said Gandalf"(Tolkien 949). This text shows that because the Ring was cast into Mount Doom, Mordor was destroyed, and justice was served, because Mordor was gone. The Fellowship needed to serve justice to preserve the well being of others, and did so by casting the One Ring into Mount Doom, destroying Mordor.

Although necessary, justice in The Return of The King is cruel to everyone and imperfect. In the book, to achieve justice being served, the characters go through enormous physical and mental struggles. It isn't easy to serve the justice, and it takes its toll on everyone. In the text, the author writes "His white fangs gleamed, then snapped as he bit. Frodo gave a cry... but Gollum, dancing like a mad thing, held aloft the ring, finger still thrust within its circle"(Tolkein 946). This shows how justice is cruel because it doesn't just affect those it was meant to- Frodo was physically injured trying to serve justice. This shows that justice was cruel to everyone, but it was still necessary. Secondly, justice in the book is imperfect. It doesn't turn out as well as it could have. For example, the the text says "But many others were hurt or maimed or dead upon the field. The axes hewed Forlong as he fought alone and unhorsed; and both Duilin of Morthond and his brother were trampled to death... the full count of it no tale has told"(Tolkien 849). This part of the text shows how imperfect the justice was. Trying to serve the justice cost an untold number of lives, and many others wounded. This means that the justice was not simply served, it took many casualties to allow it to happen, meaning it was certainly imperfect, but necessary to occur. In the book, justice cost many lives, and affected many people physically and mentally, so justice was not perfect, but was cruel.

Justice in The Return of The King can be compared to real-world events in which justice was served. There are many similarities. In the The Return of The King, justice is cruel, imperfect, and hard to achieve, yet completely necessary. It took difficult events and many lives to achieve, but it was done for a good cause. In the text it says "there rose a huge shape of shadow... terrible but impotent: for even as it leaned over them, a great wind took it, and it was all blown away, and passed"(Tolkien 949). This shows the end of Mordor, and the shadow which was above it moving away, signifying the evil being destroyed and not there anymore. In the real world, justice is often served as well. One example of this is World War Two (WWII). In WWII, the Allied Powers were serving justice to the Axis powers, something necessary to do to prevent thousands of Jewish people from being killed, and protecting the well-being of conquered nations such as France. These two are similar because they both involve dealing justice to protect people- Conquered countries and other people in WWII, and everyone else in The Return of The King, and in both, it was cruel: The extermination of Jews in WWII, and the physical and mental effects on the people, both important and unimportant, in The Return of The King. Finally, they were both imperfect. Millions upon millions of people died in WWII, many of them innocent, along with the destruction of cities and the economical and political effects after the war, and in The Return of The King, many people died to allow justice to be served. In both, the task was complicated- Fighting through France and the Pacific Islands in WWII, and going through Mordor in the book. All in all, there were many similarities between this real-world event, and the events described in the book.

In conclusion, the book shows examples of serving justice, and how that can be cruel and imperfect, and the justice in the book is very similar to how justice in the real world sometimes works. The Return of The King is a great example of how justice can work- and it shows that it isn't perfect and pretty, which helps readers in the real world, when many things are imperfect, and have to be dealt with.

Link to original blog post: Click here.

Critical Analysis for "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

Cosmos by Carl Sagan is a book which has the main idea that the universe is very complex, but humans are beginning to understand more and more about it.
This is a theme very evident in the book. For example, in the text it says "We will have the will and the resources and the technical knowledge to go to the stars". In this statement, the author is saying that although we don't currently have the technology to go to other worlds, we will eventually be able to. Another example of this is when the author writes "Will we ever come to an end in our understanding of the nature of matter, or is there an infinite regression into more and more fundamental particles? This is one of the great unsolved problems in science". When the author wrote this, he is showing to the reader that humans do not know everything about the universe- in fact, we still have a ton of things to learn. We are beginning to understand some of it, but not even close to all of it. One final example is when the author talks about elements. He talks about the 94 stable elements, but notes that there are still many elements that are yet to be discovered. This shows humans' partial understanding of our universe. We know some, if not many, elements, but there are still more to be discovered.

When the author wrote the book, I think he intended for the audience to be amazed at the vastness and complexity of the universe, but also amazed at how far humans have come. One technique the author uses is images, with captions. One image the author shows is of a painting of the Milky Way Galaxy. Although it is just a painting, it seems extremely realistic, and has the same effect- it shows how big, and powerful-looking, the universe is. It makes the reader amazed at the size of it. Another technique used by the author is the use of diagrams. Diagrams are especially helpful in this book for understanding concepts visually. One example of a diagram of Kepler's second law: All areas a planet travels between take the planet equal times to travel. In the context of the book, it may be difficult to understand. But with the diagram (3 equidistant pairs of points, with a line from each point to the sun, and shading inside the lines), and the caption (which says that the shaded areas are equal and the travel time between the pairs of points are equal), it is very easy to understand. This also shows the complexity of the universe, but it is simplified by the diagram to be easily understood.

When I read the book, I thought about how interesting the universe really is. I thought about how it isn't just stars and planets, it is individual atoms making up giant stars and even us, and the human race is becoming more knowledgeable on the subject, and doing more things to learn more about the universe we live in. I think the book really promotes that idea.

SA Inquiry #3 For Lord Of the Rings 3: Return of the King

When I was reading The Return of the King, the third book in the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, I noticed that there was a theme of justice involved in it, and it can relate to the real world. I think the theme that includes justice is that justice can sometimes be cruel or violent, and not perfect.

In the book, "justice" would mean the destruction of Mordor, an evil power, and getting the ring of power destroyed as well. In this case, this would Mordor would be blocking justice from being served because it tries to prevent its destruction and the destruction of the ring. In the book, there is a circle of people and places blocking, protecting, or serving justice. Frodo, the main character who has to destroy the ring, is the person who brings justice, by destroying the ring, and therefore destroying Mordor as well. The Fellowship of the Ring, the people protecting Frodo, are protecting justice. They don't serve it, but they help block people trying to block justice. The kingdoms of Gondor and Rohan also are protectors of justice because they also try to stop Mordor from having an effect on Frodo. The theme relates to this because it was a very violent justice being served- the destruction of nations and many people. It doesn't just come easily and smoothly.

When reading the book, it appeared to me that the people had wants that made them on the side they were on. Mordor, on one hand, wanted power, so they were the antagonists, who would not want justice to be served upon them. Rohan, Gondor, and the Fellowship want to protect their land, so they end up protecting justice, to make sure it can be served. Frodo wants more than anything to get over the whole war and to live in peace, so he is an unlikely candidate to carry out the justice, but he ends up being the one to serve justice in the end- which changes his character. This shows that their wants influence their purpose when it comes to who serves justice, and who tries to block it. Also, because the antagonists are very successful, doing a lot of damage to many people, the justice being served is harsh in turn.

This scenario of justice can be seen in the real world too. In World War Two, the roles of the Axis and Allies are quite similar to those in The Return of the King. The Axis, like Mordor, look for power. They are the antagonists who started everything. They also do cruel things, so that's why justice is supposed to be served to them. The Allies have both the roles of protecting justice and serving it. They protect justice by fighting off the Axis powers from their lands, and serve it by finally attacking and winning the war. The main difference in this is that there is no "Ring", it is more of a collective effort. Obviously, the post-war effects of WWII were devastating to many people- with extreme casualties and the destruction of towns, cities, and economies. Even though it isn't a clone, this shows that in the real world, there are scenarios that show things close to this scheme of justice from The Return of the King.

Overall, there is a lot of justice at play. It is harsh, and not simply delivered. It also has many real-world scenarios that have similar roles of justice involved. This makes the book enjoyable- it isn't obvious and simple to understand, and it is very relate able.

Blog Review for Non-Fiction Critical Analysis on "After Mandela" by Pietro Costa

While reading Pietro's blog post about the Upfront magazine's article "After Mandela", I noticed immediately that it was both engaging, and gave very good information.

It was really engaging, first of all. It talks to the reader a lot, like when Pietro writes "Why after all these years of Mandela's praise for fixing the country, will presidents return to become corrupt?"  This makes the reader think a lot about what Pietro is writing, which is very engaging. It makes the reader concentrate a lot on what the writing says, and also makes the reader try to answer questions presented to them, or at least have some feelings about the questions or statements put at the reader. In the post, Pietro also talks a lot about how he felt. For example, he wrote " I personally that the country seriously needs to be put into shape."  When the author talks about himself, it allows the reader to connect with those feelings, and makes the story more relate able to the reader. This makes the story more engaging for the reader because they can actually connect with someone with the ideas presented in the book, which allows the reader to think more and spread their ideas, along with combining the ideas with the ideas that the author has. Overall, Pietro used many engaging techniques that helped the reader think about the text while still being engaged.

Secondly, it gave me a lot of information. Pietro tries to show how the author thinks that South Africa is still not completely good. For example, he writes "Jacob Zuma has been suspected of corruption and accused of rape." This is one example of Pietro adding in information to prove his point. The information he used was also very on-point, being only about things pertaining to the article, and his main idea, which means the information was helpful, and specific. Another example is when Pietro writes "Smith uses according examples and quotes that trump the thought of the 'utopian' country after Mandela. Even after apartheid, of all blacks, only 15% aren't poor." Not only is this a good quote, which helps the reader understand the main idea and help prove the Author's point, but it is good information too. It includes a statistic, which makes it very obvious to the reader, and very easy to understand, which helps make the information even better. In the end, Pietro used great information that easily told readers why his point was correct in visible and logical terms.

Here's a link to the blog- enjoy!
Pietro's Blog

Critical Analysis for "El Clasico"

El Clásico by Ryan Fitzpatrick, is a book about the famous Barcelona v Real Madrid matchup in Spanish Soccer. The main idea of the book is that the rivalry between the two clubs runs deeper than just the soccer itself. One example of this is when the author says "A giant Catalan flag was spread out over the pitch while a 58-person choir sang the Catalan national anthem". This is running deeper than just the soccer because the Real-Barca game, being that Barca is from Catalonia and Real from Spain's capital, brings back the essence of the Spanish Civil War, in which Catalonia bore the brunt of the war. Catalonia is still a part of Spain that would like independence, so the Real-Barca matches reflect the peoples' feelings on the subject- in this case, the match was at Barca, so there were many Catalan flags. Another example is "There's a sense that the tension between Catalonia and Madrid can never be resolved, which feeds into the eternal nature of the Real-Barca rivalry". This means because of the political struggle between Spain and Catalonia, the Soccer matches are much more important to the people there. A final example is when the author talks about what fans would do at games. They will sing songs from the country, wave flags, and insult the other sides. These games can get so heated that some fans decided to boycott Catalan goods! This means that in this matchup, fans will go to extreme lengths to support their side.

In the book, the author wants the reader to feel like you are in the midst of one of these games. He wants the reader to think about how this would compare to other soccer matches in other countries, or other games. He gives comparisons to English soccer to show that it's not even close, and leaves you to think about that. The author uses several craft techniques to make the reader think and feel what the author wants. One example of this is the author's use of stating facts, including Head-To-Head wins for real, Barca, and draws. The author also includes Titles won by each club, and information about their managers. A second technique used is quoting people that have experienced something talked about in the book, or an expert on a subject in the book. For example, the author quotes Charley Rexach, a youth academy director at Barca. Rexach said "Historically, the... seleccion [Spain's national team] hasn't got... spirit. Here in Spain, if you ask someone "What's your team", the first answer is Madrid or Barca." Rexach was an ex-National Team Player for Spain. The author quotes experts to make the book more authoritative. It makes the book seem right, so when you think about things the author says, you know they are correct because experts have said the same thing.

When I read the book, I felt more sympathy for Real Madrid, being that my family are all fans of Madrid. I think that if you are a supporter of one side and read this book, the book allows you to keep supporting that club throughout the book, even if it lets you see the other side,  too.

Critical Analysis for "China Puts Up Green Wall to US Trash"

"China Puts Up Green Wall to US Trash" by Peter Ford is a text about how China is cutting down on the trash it receives. The main idea is that the US will have to be creative, doing new or different things, to get rid of trash if less of it goes to China. One example of this is when the author quotes Jeff Powell, publisher of the Resource Recycling magazine saying "The new Chinese policy... will force US recyclers[sic] either to sort recyclables more carefully, or to recycle more materials in the US, or both." This means that because the US cannot give so much trash to China, it will have to do new and/or different things to get rid of its waste. Another example in the text is when the author quotes Micheal Schipper, a scrap trader with International Alloys saying "We are going to find ourselves forced to be much more innovative". The author then says that he means being innovative with our waste. Schipper goes on to say "We will have to find ways of processing that material here in a much more cost-effective way." Because we cannot give as much trash to China, a lot of the work will be done in the US, so it will have to be done, effectively, and cheaply. A final example is when the author talks about what has been done so far. He explains that people are being more careful, and trying to find the best way to solve the issue. This means that people in the US are looking for new ways to solve this issue.

In the text, the author makes the reader think about how bad the conditions are in China- both for people handling the garbage and just citizens in larger cities. The author makes readers feel bad for them, but a bit happy because this will end up not only helping China, but the US as well. To do this, the author uses some craft. One example of this is using facts that look really bad. For example, the author says "Chances are it [Your Garbage] ends up in China- like 75 percent of Aluminum Scrap that are the United States exports. Or 60 percent of its scrap paper exports. Or 50 percent of its plastic." This shows that we give a lot of trash to China, and it also seems really bad- which it is- but also makes it so it is probably more than the reader expected. A second craft move is quoting experts. This makes the text seem very authoritative, and definitely not having false information. One quote is "Also in 2011, the US exported 23 million tons of scrap... two-thirds of it went to China, according to figures from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries in Washington." Here, it cites and expert source, so that the reader believes the facts stated beforehand. This gives credibility to the facts, and makes the text sound more authoritative.

When I read this, I felt that the US relied to heavily on China for its export of garbage- but we can change this and become more independent after this "Green Wall" was put up. I also think that we could cut down on having so much waste in the first place with better recycling.

Social Action Inquiry Question #2 for Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham

In the book Pride of Carthage, by David Anthony Durham, several perspectives are left out of the book to put the reader more into the shoes of the Barca family.

One way this is accomplished is by not giving perspectives of the Roman people. The Romans as a whole people, the poor and rich, of all jobs, do not have a perspective in the book so far. This is a point of view that I think is often represented, but I believe the author chose not to include it in Pride of Carthage to make it more in the shoes of the Barca family. For example, Hannibal would not know how the people would respond to his victory at the Trebbia, because he was not in Rome. By not showing the perspective of the Roman people, you are led to be in the shoes of Hannibal because you are forced to come to your own conclusions about what is happening inside of Rome and her cities at the time.

Another way that the author puts you into the shoes of the Barca family is not showing very much of the Roman Army. This is a perspective I think is used very often. When the author chooses not to include it very often, the effect is that the author limits your knowledge to about the same as what the Carthaginians knew at the time. When the author includes a Roman perspective, it's always when Hannibal is always near the army, or the intention of the army is clear. Because this perspective is not very prominent whatsoever, you are forced to listen to the perspective of Hannibal and his army more often. For example, one time where the Roman perspective is used is at the battle of Cannae. In this situation, Hannibal knew everything the author revealed to readers about the Romans- so you are put into the situation where you essentially have to think "Hannibal already knows this- I don't really know anything more than he does about the situation".

In the book, there are many perspectives. There are 3 or 4 from Hannibal's army, 1 or 2 from Carthage itself, and 1 or 2 others depending on the time in the book. This is an interesting craft move, and when none or 1 out of 6 or 7 perspectives at any one point is a Roman one, you really see how the author wants to "black out" what the Romans are doing. This really becomes evident when the other perspectives have so much variety- There are perspectives from Hannibal, soldiers in the army, camp followers, generals, and family, so you are sucked deeply into the perspectives of these Carthaginians. You are allowed much more time to connect with the characters on one side, and very little time at all with the Romans. The effect of more Carthaginian perspective than Roman is that you end up in the Carthaginians' shoes.

All in all, the multi-perspective craft in the book forces you into the Carthaginians' shoes. The Roman people are deprived of their perspective almost completely, and the Roman army only has enough to show you what Hannibal already knows. The fact that you're in Carthaginian shoes almost all of the time is put their to force you to emphasize with the Carthaginian Characters, who the book is based on.

SA Inquiry Question #1 For Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

     When I read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, I noticed a some complex ideas and themes in the book.
   
     One of these complex ideas is isolation. In the book, Ender is often isolated from most people. In the text, it says "He [Ender] recognized they were isolating them again..." He knows that the teachers isolate him, but that leads to more questions, like "Why are they isolating me?" Isolation in the book often forces Ender to think about who his "real" friends are. The fact that he is isolated means he has contact with few people- but since is isolation is controlled, he wonders if the people he does know are really his friends or not. In the text, it says "But Ender wasn't sure Dink was his friend anymore". Since the issue of "real" friends is caused by Ender's isolation, it kind of loops around infinitely.

     Another complex idea is bullying. In the story, Ender is confronted by bullies multiple times, but it is more layered than that. He knows that the teachers will not help him confront the bullies, so he faces this issue: Should he try to beat them once, and hope they don't come back, or defeat them, permanently? In the text, Ender says "Knocking him down won the first fight. I wanted to win all the next ones, too. So they'd leave me alone". He doesn't want to continue attacking people, but he realizes it's the only way to keep himself safe.

     One final complex thing is morality. Ender is forced into being cold-hearted and what others around him consider a "killer", which is not what he wanted to be like. When it comes down to destroying another alien race at war with the Humans, Ender doesn't want to, because he couldn't bear the weight of genocide on his shoulders. The question Ender is really thinking, in a deeper meaning, is "Is killing a race because they've killed humans moral?" Because Ender thinks that there isn't, he essentially asks "Is there another way?" He eventually is tricked into killing all but one queen of the race, but he finds a way to escape the genocide linked with the murder of the species by bringing the queen to another planet to start their race over for them. In the text, it says "And always Ender carried with him a dry white cocoon, looking for the world where the hive-queen could awaken and thrive in peace".

     In Ender's Game, the complex ideas of morality, bullying, and isolation are very present and form challenges that help make Ender's Game a complex book. It is also a book that many people can relate to- issues like bullying are common in many places. Issues like the ones mentioned make the reader think about how Ender reacts to them, and that could lead to the reader thinking about how they would react to a similar situation.

Argument Essay

YA fiction, according to many students, parents, and teachers, is becoming increasingly darker in recent times. This "Dark YA" is also very popular. Because of how dark the books are, people are asking: Who should limit (or not limit) the accessibility to dark YA for children? Parents should decide what books are accessible to children, because they are their childrens' guides, and parents know what they can or cannot help their children understand.

Parents know what they can help their children understand. In the article "The sick-lit Books..." by Tanith Carey, child psychologist Emma Citron is quoted as saying " 'It's OK [To read dark YA] as long as parents are talking to them [teen readers] about these books and what they are thinking and feeling.' " This quote is saying that if parents don't, or can't, help their children in reading books with dark topics, it's probably not a good idea for them to read the book. In the same article, Citron is quoted again, saying " 'Parents should be vigilant if a child is reading a lot of these books.' " Carey then writes, "So next time your teen is curled up with a book, ask them what it's about, says Emma." These to quotes are showing that parents need to be on top of what their children read, so that they can know what they're reading, ultimately to make sure that it's not something so outrageous that they cannot be of service if necessary. If parents can't help teens understand the books that they read, they won't be able to help them with any troubles they are having while reading the book.

Parents have known their children for the entirety of the teen's life- parents are there to guide their children in the way they think is the best. In the article "Teen Fiction Plots are Darker and Starker", by William Porter, the young adult specialist at Standley Lake Library, Jenna Obee, is quoted saying " 'The parents' job is to help children decide what they should read." This quote is tells the reader that a parent's obligation to their children's reading life is to help them choose what books to read. Because parents have known their children for so long, they are in a unique position to do this. They can use books to help guide their children to the best path possible for their lives. Also in "Teen Fiction Plots are Darker and Starker", the article says "Librarians and Booksellers insist the responsibility is up to parents...Jefferson County Public Library System's policy is stated on a brochure..."We provide alternatives. You make the choices." This quote says that the people who are giving teens the Dark YA books know that it's still up to the parents to make sure  it's a good book for their child- and if it's not, the parents can have alternatives that may be better to help the teen in his/her future. Overall, Librarians and booksellers say that parents have to be the ones to have a final say on books; parents need to choose books that will lead their children in the right direction.

Although letting teens make choices on their own and letting teens become more independent can be a good thing, with books there can be consequences. In the article "Darkness too Visible" by Meghan Cox Gurdon, it is stated that letting kids read whatever they want "depends on your [the parent's] philosophical outlook." However, there are flaws to letting kids read what they want without parents' knowledge. In "The sick-lit books..." by Tanith Carey, the text states "Child Psychologist Emma Citron urges parents to keep a careful eye on their children if they find they keep reading these books." This is telling readers that having teens read a lot of Dark YA without parents watching them is strongly advised against, which means it might not have a good ending. Parents should watch over their kids' reading, even if it means taking away some independence, because it is advised against, and could lead to consequences.

All in all, parents have an obligation to guide their children, and help them understand anything that they might have a hard time understanding in the child's reading life. Parents always should be there for kids, and their kid's reading life is no exception.

Critical Analysis: "Fields of Honor" by Edwin C Bearss

     Fields of Honor by Edwin C. Bearss is about the key, pivotal battles of the Civil War, and what made them so important to the outcome of the war. One example of this in the text is when its' stated that "Gettysburg proved to be the bloodiest battle of the Civil War... Lee's invasion of the North had been a costly failure." This shows that the author is explaining why Gettysburg was very important- it was bloody, and it was very costly to Lee. Another example is "Lee's incursion into the North had been decisively turned back. Five days after Antietam... Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation... The war to save the Union was now also the war to free the slaves." In this quote, the author explains why the battle of Antietam is important by telling the reader that it led to the Emancipation Proclamation, which changed the purpose of the war. Finally, every battle has a explanation at the end proving why the battle is important. These examples connect to the focus by proving how each battle explained is pivotal in the Civil War.

     In Fields of Honor, the author wants you to feel like you're at the battle, so that the information that is given seems like you're getting it when it happened in the Civil War, and it helps to see how important some battles are. One way the author makes you feel like you're in the time is by writing in the present tense. For example, he writes "Chamberlain orders his men to fix bayonets and to sweep down on the Confederates..." This is an example of the author's use of the present tense. This makes it seem like it's happening in the moment. Another thing the author uses is statistics. An example of this is "the Yankees have about 28,000 me on the line... the Confederates have perhaps 20,000 engaged..." This is an example of a statistic, which would help make it seem like you're there by giving more of an image of the size of things in a battle. Overall, the stats and tense make you able to get an image of what it may look like at the time, and make it feel like you're there.

     When I was reading this book, I did feel like I was in the time period, mostly because of the tense. I really liked the way it was written, it was really engaging and fun, and it covered a wide range of topics and information, with understandable and deep content.

Critical Analysis: "Why The Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood" by Sherman Alexie

     "Why The Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood" by Sherman Alexie is an article defending the necessity of "Dark" YA Fiction. The main idea is that from Alexie's personal experiences, and experiences he's had with teenagers that have had dark experiences in their lives, dark YA fiction can be a tool for teens experiencing dark issues to help deal with the issues and stop them from occurring again. Alexie supports this with anecdotes within the story explaining his experiences. One anecdote he writes is about himself: "When I think of the poverty-stricken...self-loathing Native American teenager that I was, I can only wish, immodestly, that I'd been given the opportunity to read "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian..." Aside from anecdotes, Alexie uses other ways to support this claim. Near the end of the article, he says that he writes to give teens that have to deal with these issues a weapon, not to make sure they never experience these horrible things, because they already have, but to help them fight their "monsters". Finally, he states why people would read such dark fiction. He says "there are millions of teens who read because they are sad and lonely and enraged. They read because they believe..that books-especially the dark and dangerous ones-will save them". These supporting details all connect to the main idea because they follow a similar thread. Since, as the anecdotes tell readers, Alexie grew up the way many teens who might want to read dark YA did, he understands why teens read YA, what benefits it will give to them, and how it will help them. This is why he is able to put himself in the teens' shoes. In his own words from the article, "I write in blood because I remember what it felt like to bleed". The other supporting details mentioned, the tools and why teens read dark YA are easy for Alexie to understand, so he can slip into the shoes of people he understands and write about it for them.

     In this article, Alexie makes readers feel empowered, by the effect that the reader's  mind has on the reader's life, but also sorrowful and frustrated at how little control others have on their lives. He really makes people look at their life compared to the peoples' lives that he looks at in the article, and really makes you believe that his argument is superior to opposing sides' arguments. He uses a lot of techniques to accomplish these feelings and thoughts in the article. One technique he frequently utilizes is the use of anecdotes. This gives the reader an insight into Alexie's mind and past, and so the readers can really see how bad some of the lives described can be by looking into Alexie's life as a teenager. This makes you feel for those people, and put your life in perspective. Another technique used is how Alexie criticizes things in a mocking way. An example of this in the text is "When some cultural critics fret about the "ever-more-appalling" YA books, they aren't trying to protect..."  These mocking parts of the article make Alexie's point sound much better and formal, while making opposing arguments sound weak and unorganized. That makes you start thinking in the same way as the article.

     When I read this article, I felt that Alexie made me think even more on the side of dark YA being beneficial. When I read over the anecdotes and quotes from teenagers, I really felt that the article was very well balanced. It had the perspective of the people who dark YA fiction would affect- the teenagers. It had firsthand experiences from the author, who understood the life that some of the quoted teenagers were living, and that really made for a strong argument. The presentation of the article was also very good. It made me feel bad for the experiences of some people, then understand how this type of book would really be a tool or "weapon", as stated in the book, for these teens- or any, to get through dark events in their lives. It really got me thinking for quite some time on the matter of dark YA in a deeper meaning than in other articles I read.