To kill a Mockingbird Essay

A lot of characters deal with obstacles and powerful forces that affect their lives throughout the book to kill a mockingbird.  Like Tom Robinson in the trail, Tom was accused of raping Mayella.  Tom Robinson is a black man and he lives in a very racist town.  Maycomb puts him on trial for supposedly raping Mayella.  Tom goes against the court trying to say that he isn't guilty, but no one believes him because he's black.   In this book Tom is accused for something that he really didn’t do and no one believes him because of the color of his skin.   Mr. Ewell’s daughter Mayella was the one that was the one who brought Tom R. to court to get tried.  It is purely about racism.  

When Mayella was on the stand in court judge Taylor asks mayella “Just tell us what happened, you can do that, can’t you.” (page 240 )After the Judge asked her that Mayella started to burst into tears because she swore she would tell the truth but the truth is all lies.  Which means that all along even though she was  supposedly telling the truth all she said was lies.  

“ I said some here nigger, and bust up this chifferobe for me, i gotta nickle for you, He coulda done it easy enough, he could. so he’d come in the yard an i went to get him the nickle and i turned around and and for i knew it he was on me(pg 241). Said Mayella . This was all a big lie , because this didn't really happen. All the supposed truth that she was telling was not the truth at all it was all lies.

Old Man and The Sea Book Review

Old Man and The Sea

Ernest Hemingway

Scribner Paperback Fiction 1952

Fiction

Man vs Sea

The Old Man and The Sea is about an old man named Santiago who goes out to sea to try and catch marlins.  But he doesn't know that he will have such troubles doing such.  When he finally catches his prize marlin after a 3 day journey he has to fight off sharks while trying to bring in his great marlin.  When he gets back his precious marlin is almost no more, almost all bone.  So it’s almost like it was for nothing but it was something to Santiago.  

“The tale that is told is so clearly told that a very young child can understand it. It is so marvelously told that an adult can marvel over it. When my daughter was six, I read this to her, and he loved it”-Robert Moore

I like this part of Robert’s review because it actually tells about his daughter who is six and she loved it.  I thought the book was good and i would recommend it if someone liked this type of book.

A quote from “Usually when he smelled the land breeze he woke up and dressed to go wake up the boy.” I picked this quote because the writing style is very descriptive and I can tell that that is what the whole book was going to be like from that one line.

The book the Old Man in The Sea reminds me of the book The Cay because i tied the two main characters together.  They both had to fight to get what they wanted whether it be food a prize catch or even shelter.  

The quote from page 38 means that a man can be down or feels like he failed or broken but the true story is that he is never broken he keeps fighting.  

I rate this book a 3 paws because i thought it was good but i probably read it again.

RUNNER

Safe Haven

Nicholas Sparks

Runner

In the book Safe Haven, the main girl character Katie ran away from Kevin her abusive husband. Katie runs to Southport, North Carolina to get away when she had already tried to run before, but it didn’t work. Either she went back because she felt badly or because he found her. When she gets to southport she meets all different people on her journey to get away but one day, she meets Alex. Alex had two kids named Kristen and Josh, that he loves more then anything. Katie soon meets her new neighbor Jo who she tells her whole story to and doesn’t know why.

After Alex and Katie really get to know each other, Alex soon falls for her and surely lets her know that. Katie still feels that she can’t fall for him because of her past but when Alex talks to her gets her to realize that everyone has a past and that it was the point it was the past not the present or future. So after she finally lets her guard down , it happened her past came to the future Kevin found her , he was so abusive towards her . She didn’t want to go it didn’t matter if she was still married or what her would do to her she was going to stay in Southport. She was treating Alex’s kids like her own , Katie has been doing that since the first couple weeks into her moving to southport when Josh fell into the ocean trying to save his son Josh when Josh was trying to save his fishing pole. But more importantly she loved Alex, she loved his kids. she loved this town and she wasn't leaving.

I thought this book was very good, i would strongly suggest reading this book if you had the chance to because it is so good. I would give it five paws on the rating system.

Tryouts

    Alarm goes off, monday morning, get up go to school the normal routine. But today was different, it didn’t feel right to her.  She couldn’t figure out what but she knew something was wrong.  As she was walking down the long narrow hallway to her next class you could hear “Hey Alissa wait up!” She turned and she saw her best friend Taylor was running toward her with her lacrosse stick.  “Hey taylor! what's up?” “Nothing really but i’m going to my dads so i had to bring my stick so i can practice at his house. I still don’t know how i’m going to get you to tryout this year.” “Well that is probably not going to happen because i don’t even know how to play or what any of the rules are so thats not going to be a good plan.” Taylor laughed.  “It will happen i am sure of it.” Taylor assured Alissa. Good luck on that one.” said Alissa nervously.  At the end of the day Alissa, Taylor and sam met up at the end of the day as usual, and talked for a while before leaving the courtyard at school.  The courtyard was there spot, thats where they met everyday after school and talked.  Taylor brought up lacrosse again trying to convince Alissa to try to learn.  “Alissa will you let me atleast try to teach you?” Taylor said begging.  “Okay, Okay you can teach me, but if i don’t like it i am not going to do it.”  Alissa insisted.  Taylor was so happy that she finally said yes.  “So you're really going to let me teach you?”  Taylor said with excitement. “Yes as long as you don’t go crazy”. Alissa said.  then there was a long pause between all of them.  “when are we gonna start?”  Alissa asked. “Tonight! comes to my dads with me tonight i have an extra stick we can start then. Ok?” “lets do it!” Alissa said with excitement but still a little nervous.  They went to Taylor’s dad’s house and as she taught Alissa, she began to realize how much she loved it.  Alissa really loved it more than anything.  At the end of the night Taylor asked if she was going to try out. She of course said she was but only for the freshman team, because she didn’t think that she was that good enough.  So thoe next day Alissa went to Dick’s Sporting Goods to get her own lacrosse stick, little did she know that the lacrosse coach worked there and helped her find the stick that was right for her.  When she bought it the coach, coach lea gave her a student discount, after that Alissa’s mom picked her up from the store and they went home.  Taylor came over that day and practiced with Alissa for the rest of the day.  After a full day of practice the two of them went inside to eat dinner and talked all night of what tryouts were going to be like, considering they were in a 2 days.  
      Alissa has been playing non stop to be her best for tryouts, but then the day of tryouts she froze.  She forze infront of everyone, including coach lea.  Tryouts had to continue.  After everyone left coach lea called over Alissa. "What happened?" Coach asked with curiously. "Honestly I don't know." "Well show be now" coach requested. "What do you want to see?" Alissa stood there wondering.  "Why don't we just pass for now. Is that ok?"  So the two stayed after practice and passed ran plays and did what ever Alissa knew how to do.  And coach tought her things to.  They stayed for and extra five hours.  Practicing.  Just practicing.              
  So the next day coach put up the roster.  Alissa was really nervous.  Taylor and Alissa went to to look at the roster and they were extremely surprised.  "Yeah I made JV" Taylor said with joy.  Alissa was sad she didn't find her name on the JV or freshman list.  They were about to walk away before coach lea stopped Alissa and said "great job I'm so proud of you" "For what?" She said with confusion.  "Check the list again." Coach said with happiness. As Alissa checked again she was scrolling down all three of the lists she found her name. Not on the freshman team.  Not on the JV team.
   "Varsity! I made varsity!" Alissa said with complete joy and not able to comprehend what had just come out of her mouth.  "Wait how you froze?" Taylor was questioning coach leas thought.  "I stayed after practice and she said that she would help Mr and actually see what I was able to do.  Which turned out to be a lot I guess."  Alissa said feeling excepted by her coach and her team.  After the two girls found out about Alissas great achievement Taylor however felt cheated and not put up to the challenges that she could do amazing things.  So Taylor was a little upset that she didn't make Varsity but she couldn't say that to Alissa it was her moment.  It was her time to be happy.  She coudln't ruin it for her.
    So in two days they had their first game of the season Taylor had hers first because she was on JV.  Alissa was after.  Taylor played center and she was good to but not varsity good.  That thought kept running through her head.  I'm not good enough for varsity.  I'm not good enough for anything she would think to herself.  Alissa knew something was wrong but she didn't know what and Taylor wouldn't tell her. She said it was no big deal.
    The season was almost over. Everyone was sad about lacrosse ending.  Something was still wrong with Taylor but she wouldnt  tell.  Taylor just told her to consentrate on lacrosse.  So she did. The last game of the season was coming up and everyone was preparing. Freshman JV and of course varisty they needed to the game was against one of the hardest teams. Longmedow.  It was game day everyone was nervous except Alissa. She was ready she knew she was.  They finally arrives at the field and coach lea was looking for Sammy one of the best centers on varsity.  No one could find her anywhere. After an hour of searching coach lea ran up to Taylor and pulled her over to the group. "Ok girls today is the day. Are you ready? I hope you all are." Coach Lea said.  Wait what am I doing here this is varsity?" Taylor sounded confused.  "This is where you belong.  This is where you should be." Coach said. Taylor looked up at coach then Alissa then back to coach. "NO WAY!" Taylor yelled with excitement in her voice.  "Lets win this girls.  We have to.  I know we can.  I know." Coach said. "What should we say?" Alissa asked coach "team?" Coach asking the team. "I have an idea. You Count and on three I got it." Taylor said with a smirk on her face.  Alissa start the count" coach said. "Ready guys?" "Ok one two.."  "Wait wait"  Taylor rushed to say before the number three came out of her mouth. "What?" Coach was really confused a long with everyone else.  "I think I have an idea.  Ok on three we all say....together now and forever" "perfect" coach said. "Ready? One two three"
     That year they led on to state champs! Alissa was the best captain on record.  Alissa and Taylor ended up getting lacrosse scholarships to the same college and played all the way through.  They had a lot of fun.  And now after coach lea retired Taylor and Alissa are the coaches for all three teams and they love it every single day.        

Motorboatin' & Music

Karley Bey
1/9/13


          This is my value essay. And I’m supposed to go on and on about, basically me and my life. And if you care enough, keep reading if you don’t then goodbye. My music is so important to me and if I didn’t have it in my life then I wouldn’t be who I am today. The Pioneer Valley Ski Club In south Hadley on the Connecticut River, is one of my favorite spots in the whole world. Every summer, thats my spot I never move.

My music. If i didn’t listen to it as much as i do or enjoy it as much as I do, I might be going completely insane. Music to me is a different language, it compares to nothing else. It’s a place for me to get away from the world and all my problems and actually relax. “Now i use music to pray with no word” by Emblem 3. Its one of my favorite lyrics because of the meaning of it. It means so much to many and a lot to me. When i’m trying to do something important or anything really and its quiet, i will just turn on the radio or put music on my phone. When i’m for example writing an essay such as this one i would put in my headphones to block out the outside noise to concentrate on this and only this. It gets me into “the zone” as some people might call it. Music is just my way to get away for the day and just be me.

You really have to know who I am to really know the real me. The Pioneer Valley Ski Club is a place that i have been going to since i was born. Everyday of every summer rain or shine I’m there. This is the place where i’ve learned so much like swimming, wakeboarding, how to drive a boat, fish and in the winter go sledding down a hill. It’s a place of many firsts. The PVSC (pioneer valley ski club) only allows members and the only way that you can be family with only some exceptions. And if someone does try to join they have to be very good friends with the family and everyone who is a member has to okay it. And it has only happened two times since we have been down there which i believe is four generations. Every day in the summer I’m with my grandma and grandma Norris. Grandma Norris isn’t really my grandmother she is just such a good friend of my grandma and has been for so long so she basically is a part of the family. I am with them every day except mondays or tuesdays. On those days i go up river with my aunty Lisa and we spend the day together. And if she brings friends i get to bring friends so its a win win situation. When we go up river we meet so many people and make so many new friends it’s kind of surprising on how many we have made. The PVSC is my second home in the summer. My real second home is my family friends house the Calkins’ but i will get to that another time. The PVSC has so many different things like eight campers, nine boats, two sheds, a swingset, a sandbox and a dirt road full of a kids dreams.

My two values are not that much the same but if I Didn't have them in my life then i would be where i am or be who i am today. And yes i have said that a lot but it is incredibly true. I have been listening to music and at the Ski Club for as long as i can remember. Almost all of my childhood has to do with music and or the Ski Club. There are only a handful of people that know the real me.

My music and my boat are similar but they are very different for the real thing. I obviously listen to music more than i go down the Ski Club because i mostly go down in the summer and not the winter. The Ski Club is very important because its what I’ve grown up knowing. That all i have ever know as a child and if i didn't have the ski club i would probably be one of the laziest people that you would know. I get up before eight in the summer to go down there. Yeah you read that right eight in the morning. But that is my life. My life consists of me being a “river rat”. If you don’t know what that is then i will gladly explain it.

The Ski Club and my music have always meant so much to me and they always will. If i ever lose one of them then my life would never be the same. That is how much i value them. Also the Ski Club means so much more to my 80 year old grandma. Her whole life has been down there literally. She grew up on Alvord street, which is along the river. She has put in so much in to the Ski Club and she can’t wait to pass it off to her grandkids. Her mother started brunelle’s Marina. The Lady Bea was named after my great grandma Beatrice. My whole family grew up on the river along side of me learning my way to life. It’s all i've ever known. And thats okay with me.