- We can learn about humanity that, parents almost always will try and help make/form their kids into somthing better, or take the blame for things and they do. You can also learn that life is basically based on the reward/retribution principle and that good things will happen to good people and bad things will happen to bad people.

- We can learn about God that they way he ”operates” is a little different than we may think. We learn that God does let bad things happen to good people so they can learn from it and grow. God is trying to use suffering to allow us to change and be closer to him.

- We learn about relationships that somtimes people don’t always agree and you have to learn from it. People don’t always have the same opinions and feelings about the things that happen to them and basically no one is right or wrong. Especially when you come to religion.

- We learn about Job and his family that, he cares a lot about them and their future & relationship to God. His Wife isn’y exactly happy about the way he reacts to the situations he is faced with and she isn’t as strong and close to God as Job is.

I don’t really have anywhere in my life where I am constantly being subjected, but I do somtimes feel like I have to go along with people somtimes just to fit in. Especially since I am at a a new school. I know a few people who are always followers and always will be. Im not going to mention any names. But I feel like these certain people need to try and find a mind of their own and stop using someone else’s. There’s no reason to start smoking or drinking just because someone else does. I guess that’s a reason Im afraid for my little sister’s. They follow their friends and they are only 10 & 8. What’s going to happen when they are 15 & 16 and start getting asked to do drugs and sneak out?

Being a follower isn’t always a bad thing though. Maybe some of your friend’s go to Church. It’s more than a great thing to follow them there (as long as it’s for the right reasons.) But you do need to think with your own mind. Your parent’s should always influence you, but there is a point where you need to think on your own.

There really is no solution to the problem. I mean, is it really even a problem? Because as I just said, Not all following is bad. You can’t force people to not be influenced or to not follow. You have to let people learn from their mistakes and see where they went wrong. 

Our American Dream trial was in my opinion, pretty crazy. It was one of the coolest, most difficult, interesting school assignments I have ever received. Being new here at Charter, the Trial really gave me a chance to see first hand how much this school had to offer me versus others here in Vero Beach. I didn’t realize how much work it was really going to be. But I am personally so happy that my team was able to pull their weight and we won! I would really love to do another assigment like this. The only down-side to me was the amount of time we received to do this whole Trial. But maybe that’s the beauty of it.

Fight Club and The Jungle were 2 books I never even would have thought about reading, but Im glad this trial gave me a chance and an oppourtunity to explore. At Westwood, my old Teacher’s would probably never done anything like this…and it was really cool that we had such a different assignment to work with and that it was basically (when you think about it) up to us wether we won or not. 

Overall, this trial was a really great experience for me and I would love the chance to do it again. Next year, Mr.Amico should do the trial again with the new Freshy’s and have some of us be on the Jury or in the Trial! I would love to see if they choose the same books as us, use the same characters, or if they even bring up some of the same points. That would be cool.

THE AMERiCAN DREAM iS ALiVE <333 ! 

Part 1- Tom and Mayella are a lot alike in this book.  Both of them seem to be unwanted in Maycomb County. She’s poor and lives dirty and He’s Black. They have the same ranking to their fellow population. People in Maycomb constantly have a way of reminding Tom and Mayella of why they are so excluded.  What make’s their situation’s sad is the pure fact that they cannot do anything to change it. Tom will always be black and Mayella will always be a poor,dirty Ewell. Tom might have found some common ground with Mayella because she wasn’t rude to him and even offered to pay him when she didn’t have to. 

Part 2- Tom and Mayella are also very different as well. Tom is black and Mayella is white. Even though they both basically are treated the same, Mayella will always be “better” because she is white. Everyone in Maycomb knew that even if Tom was innocent and hadn’t layed one hand on Mayella, she would always be victourious because she has the upperhand race wise. Another difference in Mayella and Tom is that she let’s the abuse get to her more than Tom. She has been brainwashed and that clearly shows during the trial. Mayella never once stands up for herself and lets the world know her Dad abuses her. Tom knows what he didn’t do, and will not go along with the lies that are being said by 2 people who care more about themselves than whats right and just.

Part 3- I beleive that Mayella and Tom are more alike than they are different. They both end up being thrown under the bus by their fellow peers. They are both being abused in more ways than one and I think that they are both innocent through-out the book and trial. Mayella probably told the lies out of fear of more abuse and Tom told the truth because he wants to take a stand and show everyone he is not a stupid “nigger.” 

I agree with the fact that it is beleiveable. I mean, outrageous things go on in the book that I never im 1 million years would have thought of, and what Scout does goes completley with the pattern of the book. I think the author wants to portray Scout as being just one little girl who isn’t aware of how much power and knowledge she really posseses.  My little sister is only 8 years old and she is totally obsolete to the things and crisis’ that go on in the world and our lives, with this fact of my own, it makes what Scout does only that much more real.

 Another reason why Scout’s character in Chapter 15 is so real is because Scout talks just like she’s an 8 year old to the men. I think her main purpose of going up to the mob of men is maybe because she felt Jem’s fear. But she doesn’t talk to them as if she’s persuading them to do anything, its not like she said “Hey Guy’s, can you please leave so my Dad doesn’t die and im without a Father for the rest of my life?” ; She just talks about random things that other 8 year old’s would talk about. [Maybe not entailements though.]

The last reason why Scout’s character is beleiveable is because of the fact that she doesn’t really know what’s going on, that she ask’s about Mr.Cunningham’s Son. I think she feel’s the tension and that’s why she has a bit of stuttering…But other than that, I think she is trying to lighten the mood. Scout is very innocent and you can just feel that innocence come through as if your there when your reading the book. It’s hard to imagine and 8 year old girl going up to a group of men surrounding her father knowing what’s going on. With what she says to the men, Im surprised she doesn’t have “Blameless” written on her forehead.

i LOVE THiS BOOk <3 

I think mockingbirds are a central point of the book because a lot of the lessons learned by Jem and Scout have to do with hurting people and she says…mockingbirds never hurt anyone. i think Scout and Jem will learn that their way of life isnt the only one around and they will grow and mature and eventually learn, its a sin to kill a mocking bird. (i didnt really understand really why that a was central point of the book…maybe they will see one later in the book.)

in chapter nine, francis and scout get into a big argument because francis calls aticuss a nigger-lover. Uncle Jack gets involved and whips scout because she sass’ him and before she can even explain. I think Uncle Jack gets a big wake-up call when he finds out that francis isnt perfect. I think the point of view is important because its scouts side of the story and it is really what happened, but if it were maybe from francis’ point of view..the story could have been totally switched around.

i LOOOOVVV3 THiS BOOk MR.A =] 

I really must say that there relationships are quite interesting..and weird. I think It’s really neat that they can become such good friends just by peering over a fence. I think Boo is going to open eyes for the 3 other children. I think he represents the future of the town in a way. I think Dill is going to take Boo under his “Wing” persay, and help him find his trueself as he gets older. Boo stabbing his Father was just NOT a normal activity, but I think his inner “Physco” will disappear =]