Trip Refelction

Our class, 810, went on a trip to the Museum of The City of New York. While there we experienced the photography of New York. The main purpose of the trip was to see the activists section. We looked at many section. It included the bike lane, gay rights, and Religious Beliefs. The section I looked at was the gay rights section.
The gay rights section stood out for me. For example, it had a brief background of the gay people in the early 1900s. It was thought that being gay was a grave sin, and that those people don't deserve what the normal people had. They were shunned from society and were heavily abused and even killed. A protest was also shown, it was about how gay fathers wanted to be accepted by the society. The protesters however  didn't get the respect they wanted, instead were teased by society and were hated against. I feel that this was unfair because you're abusing someone just because they are something else. I think that the government at that time should've token a step toward gays, because to those who were gay shouldn't have gotten all the hate. In all, the gay rights section stood out to me because I thought it was unfair.

The Contender Essay

In the book, "The Contender" by Robert Lipstye has a debate in whether the book be banned. Suggested evidence displays that this book should not be banned. Throughout the book it has issues as peer pressure, bravery, and bullying. Some of these may sound bitter, but the book shows how you can counter them.
For example, one the issues are peer pressure. Alfred in the book has to undergo peer pressure. He has to go Donatelli's gym to practice his boxing skills, but this was his first time. As he enters the gym he looks around to see professional amateurs practicing with ease. Alfred doesn't know what to do, many people were also looking at him, waiting for him to start. Alfred starts to shake, and with no choice he decides to do sit-ups, only failing to do so. But, he ignored them, and did his thing until he got the hang of it. This shows how Alfred dealt with peer pressure but still countered it by simply ignoring the remarks of the pro's.
Also, another issue in this book is bravery. Alfred is an amateur boxer who doesn't know much, He has to fight boxers that know more than him. For example, one of the fights Alfred has to face a boxer who is doing really good in the brackets. He has to fight that person and he had the choice to not fight, But he was brave enough to say yes. He eventually loss the battle but won one round against. This shows how Alfred became brave, he lost the fight but it was impressive to beat that person in a round.
The other issue in this book is bullying. For example, Major who is a highschool dropout and an all-time gang member bullies Alfred. Throughout the book                                                                                                   

The Contender by Robert Lipsyte *Revised*

The Contender by Robert Lipsyte

Alfred's archetypes:

Warrior-because in the book Alfred is an amateur boxer. And he has to face boxers that are stronger than him.

Mentor-because he tries to persuade James to not smuggle in drugs. He tries to tell him but James doesn't want to listen and  claims that Alfred wouldn't understand.

Shapeshifter-because at first Alfred was reluctant of being a pro boxer. But then he enjoys practicing, and eventually tries to become one.

Herald-because Alfred determines that he has to be a boxer in order to be something "big". He then starts to practice and face many difficult challenges along with it.


Claim: In my opinion, Alfred just wants to be known as a 'big' person. He wants people to know him as a professional boxer, not the kid that dropped out of highschool and now works as a grocery boy.

RR respnse to The Fault in Our Stars

    In the book, "The Fault in our Stars" by John Green is about a girl named Hazel who is diagnosed with lung cancer. She has to go through many hardships until she met a boy named Augustus. Hazel was sitting in Support Group, a group in which cancer kids go to express their felling's with on another. As she sat down next to Isaac who had some sort of eye cancer, she notices Augustus staring down on her. That is when Hazel starts to meet a new person, which changed her personality, and overall, her whole life.
    When Hazel first saw Augustus she felt a bit attracted to him. For example, she said, "Let me just put it this way: He was hot. When a nonhot stares at u relentlessly and it is, at best, awkward and, at a worst a form of assault. But a hot boy...well." This shows that Hazel didn't mind that Augustus was staring at her. Also before Hazel even met Augustus she wasn't as happy as many other people might have been. For example Hazel states in the text, "Cancer is just a side effect of life, just like me and the many others". This shows how Hazel felt like when she had cancer, a "side effect", which refers to her as nothing. Also Hazel seemed a bit depressed before she meet Augustus, like stating her as a side effect and didn't want to go to support group. She felt like she was worthless and how she thought she didn't belong her.. When Hazel first started to talk with Augustus she started to like him more. For example, she said, "His voice was drop dead sexy,  and made me wanna be with him". Also when Hazel was invited to Augustus's house she felt flustered.
    In the middle of the book when Hazel started to know Augustus better she started to like him a lot more. For example in Amsterdam when they were traveling she kept thinking about him, how hot he was, and how she might've end up without him. Also in Amsterdam, when she had an "encounter" with Augustus she said she didn't want to be without him. Also Hazels personality changed from being moody to talkative and joyful. For example, Hazel said, "We were in Oranjees, and being with Augustus, I couldn't stop talking and admiring this food". This shows how Augustus made her want to talk, which she never really wanted to do. Hazel normally wouldn't agree to go on any type of trips, but Hazel was inspired to go because of Augustus, and her loving book An Imperial Affliction.
    ln the end when Augustus unfortunately dies she kept thinking to herself that this was meant to happen. Normally Hazel would cry her self out, but she didn't. Augustus inspired her that life only happens once and you should be able to live it with no regrets.
    In all, the main thesis of this story is that Hazel felt from feeling from lonely and worthless, to probably a bit misunderstood, and then Augustus come along to make her life filled with happiness, hope, and excitement.

   

   

       In the book Runner by Carl Deuker it is about a boy named Chance Taylor who is one step away from being homeless Everyone assumes he is rich because he lives on a boat but that's not the case at all . His father is a no good drinking addict, gets barely enough money for them to survive. Chance goes to high school getting many insults on how his father was kicked out of the army for not being eligible. Chance thought that this was it he would have to live his life in poverty and shame. However he gets pulled over by the security guard. The guard tells him that he'll give him $100 each time he brings a package by the shore which most likely would've contained drugs. In this book it shows what Chance has to do for him and his father to live.
        Chance was skeptical at first but he and his dad needed the money. With this money he was able to pay the moorage fees. Chance knew that these packages contained something highly illegal, but he had to do it. He tried hiding it from both his father and his friend Melissa. His father eventually found out, but the good father he is he didn't care. However his friend Melissa sees him one day going over by the shore on his daily running route to pick up this package. She questions him about his and he says that its a nest of rats with their mother. She believes it and carries on. One day the security guard pulls him over again telling him that he needs to keep the package in his boat, until he tells him to give it to him. Chance agrees but then realizing that the packages were much different than they were. But he hides it away from his father. Marcus was now getting double the money and was being able to pay the moorage fees much faster than they would have.
       Chance's father finally then starts to being skeptical about these packages. He told Marcus to open of them. The packages weren't drugs, they were Semtex. A highly explosive sticky substance mainly used by terrorists. Chance's father tells him to contact Melissa's father who was also an ex-soldier. Then they both hear footsteps on their main gate but don't see anything. Chance then runs to Melissa's dad only to see the boat being ransacked by terrorists. Chance's father did as much he could've until the boat blew up. Chance  was dumbfounded not knowing what to do. Melissa's father then offers him to stay with them for the meanwhile. Chance then kept blaming himself that he was the cause of his fathers death.
      I agree with Chance. It may sound harsh but it was his fault that the boat blew up. If he hadn't followed the security guards offer the this wouldn't have happened. What Chance could've done instead was either ignored it or told the police right away. In the money case Chance could've looked into a job getting the money in a safer way.