Revised Reading Response

Nineteen Minutes

Boom! Boom! Shots were fired at Sterling High School. In my independent reading book, Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, a school shooting occurred at Sterling High School. I’m not so far into the book yet but, this shooting happened and it made me wonder, how does a school shooting affect people?  Will this make people uncomfortable everywhere they go?

In the book, many people were wounded or even found dead in the school after the incident. I feel that after this whole problem, the students and staff at Sterling High won’t feel safe, knowing that you don’t really know what is running through anybody’s head.  Peter Houghton’s mom said the same thing. She said that everything was just fine and that she would have never suspected this. This also made me wonder, how does Peter’s mom feel about this? How will everyone else react towards her? In the book, one of the detectives said, “She didn’t look like a person who’d created a monster,” (Picoult, 53). This shows how people are feeling towards her or that people will be giving her mean looks for giving birth to a son that was shooting in the school. But, who knew that was going to happen that day? No one knew, not even his mom.

The school shooting made me wonder if Peter was bullied in school. Did he hate somebody in the school so much that this incident occurred? On page 57, it stated, “He’s the only victim that’s been shot twice. Once in the gut, once in the head.” What did this person do to Peter that he was the only one shot twice? So many questions were flying through my head when I read this. Peter must have had something against him, or hated this him most of all.

To sum it up, an incident like this affects everyone that was there or lost loved ones. In the book, everyone was affected in a way, even the shooters mother. Even still lots of questions run through my head. What made Peter decide to do this? 

The Autobiography of Malcolm X Reading Response

Racism is a social issue that effected people back then and it still happens today. In the book, “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley, it shows how racism affected his life in many ways.  In the book it shows how black people were ignored, hurt, and treated unfairly.

            In the autobiography it shows, how Malcolm X and his family had to move around a lot because it wasn’t safe for him and his family to be in a certain neighborhood. For example, on page 3 it stated, “Ku Klux Klan riders galloped up to our home…Surrounding the house, brandishing their shotguns and rifles…the Klansmen finally spurred their horses and galloped around the house, shattering every window pane with their gun butts.” This quote shows how it wasn’t safe for his family in some areas because of the Ku Klux Klan or other violent people. This is just one of not being treated fairly.

            Malcolm X and his family were also ignored and treated unfairly in the book. On the bottom of page 5 and the top of page 6 it stated, “My father had shouted and shot at the two white men who had set the fire and were running away. Our home was burning down around us… I remember we were outside in the night in our underwear, crying and yelling our heads off. The white police and firemen came and stood around watching as the house burned down to the ground.” This shows that Malcolm X and his family were treated unfairly and how they were ignored. The firemen could have easily just helped them but, instead they just stood there and watched.

            All in all, racism affected Malcolm X and his family in ways that could have hurt him and probably did. Racism effected Malcolm X’s life from when he was born and to his untimely death.

Works Cited

Works Cited

Gurdon, Meghan C. "Darkness Too Visible." (2011): n. pag. Print.

Hopkins, Ellen. Crank. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2004. Print.

Second draft

“Like magic, a mirror and razor blade appeared. ‘You’re gonna love it. You’ll see.’ I watched him pour powder, yellowish white. ‘It will take you to heaven.’ Used the blade to chop the chunks fine, draw two crooked lines.” This is just one example of why the book, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, should be banned from middle school libraries. The book Crank is about a girl named Kristina, who does things that will change her life forever. Like taking drugs and doing other sexual things for the first time. Kids should not be reading about these topics at such a young age. The book Crank should be banned from middle school libraries because; there is graphic sexual content and drug use in the book.

            The book Crank should be banned from middle school libraries because, the sexual content in this book is brought up a lot and is also very graphic. For example , in the book it explains, “ Covered my mouth , rough, held my arms , strong , ripped my clothes, vicious , … Buttons burst , zippers opened , I closed my eyes , braced for the pain.”(Hopkins 114). This part of the text explains to the reader that Kristina is getting raped. I feel that this is a very serious topic, but also an inappropriate one. Also in the book it states, “And then he took my hand, “Put it right there.” Showed me how to make things right. “Yes, just like that.” For him. But what about me?”(Hopkins 168) In this part of the text, something sexual is clearly going on . Kristina is a bad influence on kids reading this book because she is making it seem like its ok to do the things she is doing.

            Another reason why Crank should be banned is because of the drug use in the book. For example in the book it writes, “He pulled a bindle from his pocket, tapped the sparkly powder inside. “Cooked up fresh yesterday.”  Mother Kristina said no. The monster stormed Bree’s door.”(Hopkins 161). This part of the text shows the use of drugs in the book. In other parts of the book, Kristina has been taking drugs and she was explaining how the drug makes her feel inside. In the article, Darkness Too Visible by Meghan Gurdon, states, “These books deal with topics kids shouldn’t have to deal with.” Kids shouldn’t have to read about issues like drugs, because things like this make the world seem cruel. Kids shouldn’t being seeing the world that way at a young age.

            Some people might say that, topics like this happen in real life and those kids can learn from these topics. But, in the article it states, “If books show us the world, teen fiction can be like a hall of fun-house mirrors, constantly reflecting back hideously distorted portrayals of what life is.”(Gurdon 1) This part of the text states that yes, these books show us how the outside world is but, shows us the dark side of it. In books like Crank, it shows us how life is with the effect of drug or sexual situations.

            All in all, the book Crank should be banned from middle school libraries because,  Kristina is a bad influence to kids and the book is graphic and explains situations kids shouldn’t know about yet. Books like this can negatively affect children. This book contains issues older people go through, and kids shouldn’t have to worry about drugs or anything else related to the topics in Crank.

           

First draft

               The book, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, should be banned from middle school libraries because ,  the main character Kristina is a very bad influence on kids . Also , the book is graphic and explains situations that kids shouldn’t really know a lot about yet . Sexual content and the use of drugs are  brought up many times in the book.  These topics are very inappropriate at times and kids should not be reading about these topics at such a young age.

            The book Crank should be banned from middle school libraries because , the sexual content in this book is brought up a lot and is also very graphic. For example , in the book on page 114 (Hands), “ Covered my mouth , rough, held my arms , strong , ripped my clothes, vicious , … Buttons burst , zippers opened , I closed my eyes , braced for the pain.” Explains to the reader that Kristina is getting raped. I feel that this is a very serious topic, but also an inappropriate one. Also on page 168 ( So I Said ), it states , “ And then he took my hand, “Put it right there.” Showed me how to make things right. “Yes , just like that.” For him. But what about me ?” In this part of the text, something sexual is clearly going on . Kristina is a bad influence on kids reading this book because she is making it seem like it’s ok to do the things she is doing.

            Another reason why Crank should be banned , is because of the drug use in the book. For example on page 161 (So of Course I did a Really Stupid Thing ), it states , “He pulled a bindle from his pocket, tapped the sparkly powder inside. “Cooked up fresh yesterday.”  Mother Kristina said no. The monster stormed Bree’s door.” This part of the text shows the use of drugs in the book. In other parts of the book, Kristina has been taking drugs and she was explaining how the drug makes her feel inside. In the article, Darkness Too Visible by Meghan Gurdon , states , “ These books deal with topics kids shouldn’t have to deal with.” Kids shouldn’t have to read about issues like drugs , because things like this make the world seem cruel. Kids shouldn’t being seeing the world that way at a young age.

            Some people might say that, topics like this happen in real life and that kids can learn from these topics. But, in the article , “Darkness Too Visible” , it states , “ If books show us the world, teen fiction can be like a hall of fun-house mirrors, constantly reflecting back hideously distorted portrayals of what life is.” This part of the text states that yes , these books show us how the out side world is but, shows us the dark side of it. In books like Crank , it shows us how life is with the affect of drug or sexual situations.

            All in all, the book Crank should be banned from middle school libraries because, Kristina is a bad influence on kids and the book is graphic and explains situations kids shouldn’t really know about yet. Books like this can negatively affect children. This book contains issues older people go through and kids shouldn’t have to worry about drugs or anything else related to drugs.

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