First Quarter Blog Reflection

          During the first quarter I have already learned many things. One of the things I learned being how to be a better organizer. Especially in books, I learned from my social studies teacher how, when I pick up my book I can set a specific amount of pages I want to read, or to the next chapter. This helps me be organized and to be time efficient because sometimes I would stay up late reading, so this helps me get more sleep. In order for me to be more active in school.

          In Mrs. Larson's class I've also, as always been learning more vocabulary. Which in term makes me more smarter and it makes my option of words to chose from more open. For example, a vocabulary word we had last week was "Incredulous", in a sentence before I had learned this word, I would have put "The man is skeptical," now that I have learned the word, I can say "The man is incredulous." This is one of many examples, based off of the new vocab words I have learned from just this quarter.

          In my 40 book challenge goal, I'm not that far. I've only read about four to five books just this quarter. I'm a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to homework, so I end up doing it late at night which doesn't give me time at all to usually read. However I try to catch up on weekends by reading all day on, for example Saturday or Friday night. I'm honestly trying to do my homework faster, so I can read, because I love reading very much.

Blog for 10/16/15 Thirteen Reasons Why

• What special way did the author write (for example, flashbacks, told in first

person, multiple voice narrative, foreshadowing, lost descriptive words that

create visual images in your mind, etc.)? Did that make reading it better or

worse? Explain.

* How does the way the characters act affect the theme of the story? Explain. 

          One of the main writing styles in the book Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is that when ever the main character, Hannah Baker is talking she italicizes her words. She does this because the book is about the main character, Hannah suiciding and leaving 13 tapes, one side for each person that "causes" her death because of this she italicizes her writing to show that it's her talking or the tapes talking. An example for this is in the book on page 166 it said, "So Zach, How many notes did you take?". The author does this every time Hannah is talking (which is almost the entire portion of the book).

          Another main writing styles in the book Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is that when Clay, the other main character is talking, its in a regular font, which makes it easier to read the book. For example, in the book on page 166 it said, "I glance over my shoulder. Tony's still there, chewing a french fry and pumping ketchup on a hamburger." You can tell the difference between italics and regular font, which in my opinion makes it easier to tell whos talking. I think that the author specifically made it like that to try and help readers understand how to read it without getting confused, so they can understand the actual main topic (which is about the 13 people/reasons why Hannah suicide).

          The entire story revolves around how all these "sub characters" act towards the main character. As to why she committed suicide. These people that have been put in the tapes have all done something to her, maybe not knowing it, that pushed her ever so closer into ending her life. One of the main characters, is the one that currently has the 13 tapes, (each person has to hear all of the tapes before sending it off to the next person.) Which is how these characters affected the theme of the story, by doing all these little acts that made the theme of this story what it was. Which was that little things can affect a person in ways you don't know, so always try to be kind.

"Home is Where the Heart is" ~ A OBAA Poem

I must leave now. 
My community, my people, 
my family, my wealth, 
the status that I have earned
 through decades of service 
I leave all of this 
behind. 
I go to join the millions the refugees 
in Sudan

Would you go to paradise 
If it meant 
knowing 
no one? 

Would you give up
everything
You had ever
known? 

Please Remember
your country
Remember us
Your people

We entered a plane, 
First from Khartoum
Then Athens
And from there, 
Amerikha 
And there
A New Life 

When we arrived,
My father had told us
Tewolda and Salamawi,
Get your shoes on. 
We need to Adventure 
Outside
In our new home