Thursday, October 19, 2000

Jesse, Lauren Z. Tyler W. Discussion Page

45 comments:

  1. Heyy there. My name is Jesse. I'm 16 years old and from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I like to play sports, basketball, soccer, badmontin, wrestling. I'm in drama and enjoy acting. my whole world revolves around horses, friends, and my boyfriend, Ryan. I love animals. I have 4 horses, 5 dogs, 4 cats and a lopp-eared bunny. Haha I have dirty blonde hair, hazel eyes and am kinda short. I like being creative and artistic and I absolutely love the Ninja Turtles. I like music. Favourite bands/singers are Nickelback and Tokio Hotel. A word of advice from a slow learner, don't run up the down escalator... unless you want a crazy scared up knees. Haha.

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  2. My computer had a malfunction. So if you get this again I'm sorry. Hi my name is Tyler. I am 15 and a half years old. I am in the 10th grade. I like to play football, basketball,and wrestling. I live in Salem, Wisconson. I can not draw to save my life and i can't spell that well eithor. I like country and 80s rock. A word of advice from the some what wise don't try to tackle someone who is twice your size. Hahahahaha. What type of music do u like to listen to?

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  3. Hey my name is Mike, and I attend Westosha Central High School.I live in Salem, Wisconsin and I am 16 years old. My hobbies are football, basketball, baseball, and maybe some badminton. I like pretty much all kinds of music besides the blues or jazz. I am very active and I try to stay healthy.

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  4. Hi. I'm Blake Pecha from Westosha Central High School in Salem, WI. I am currently a sophmore at my school. I like to play video games and listen to rock music. I also like to hang out with friends. I have 2 dogs and an annoyng brother.

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  5. Hi! My name is Alie. I love acting and drama too! What do you like so much about acting. I'm also a slow learner and have done the exact same thing with escalators and i know how that works. I like country and Nickleback also. I love animals but i only have a dog and cat. Other than acting and drama i love hanging out with my friends and boyfriend Eric. I'm 5'8" with brown hair and blue eyes. I'm 15 going turning 16 in April. I love traveling too.

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  6. Heya guys, I'm Rachel Green. I'm in the English honour class here at Central. Just thought I'd jump into this conversation. I'm 15. Sadly I don't look it.. But I love music. :] Most metal. Yeah! I have a boyfriend Curtis. He's an epic drummer! I love going to shows and I got my first record a week ago! The first Indian album! I also love reading. It's my one of my only hobbies. I mostly read horror amd fantasy. [Just read the Hunger Games and it was amazing!!] Hehe. So is Saskatoon pretty? What is it like?

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  7. Heyy everyone! Wow a lot of posts already... Whoot! It's nice to meet you ALL! :) Has anyone started reading the book yet? I've only read the first chapter. Sounds like it's going to be a difficult read. I'm not a strong reader at all. Alie, sounds like me and you have lots in common! When's your birthday? Mine's in April too, April 10. I don't know why I love acting so much. Maybe it's because I am an enthusiastic and energetic person and it comes so easily to me. Rachel, congrats on being in the honour class. That's great. Congrats on your record! Saskatoon is an alright city. I mean nothing really special, it's just a city. Actually i live on an acreage like 25 mins from Saskatoon and I hate the city life. What's your guy's city look like? Running up the down escalator was the first crazy thing I ever did with my goofy boyfriend. A drummer eh? Haha nice! Mine's an intense wrestler and a great football player. :p Happy reading everyone!

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  8. Hey whats up?
    Sorry it took so long to blog to you guys, my computer wouldnt send it. Anyways my names Lauren, I am 15 turning 16 in April, I have blond hair and blue eyes. I love sports I play volleyball and basketball, I'm 5'10 so my hieght comes in handy for sports.I have horses too! And 2 dogs and a cat. I live in a small town called Paris and live in a big yellow house. I have 2 brothers and 2 sisters. My favorite color is pink and I'm always out hanging with my friends, never at home. My best friends name is Lauren(same as mine)haha. Anyways its nice to meet you!

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  9. In chapters 1-3, Maycomb seems like a poor town that is small. It seems like the poorer people live in Maycomb. Maycomb is kind of like my town because it is small and everyone pretty much goes to the same school and you know everyone. The Radly's keep to themselves and don't talk to many people. The rest of the town seems friendly. In the story there is a separation in race, the blacks are the inferior race. Boo Radly sounds like he is kind of scary, but I think he might have done something wrong so thats why he is never heard from. To be an outsider means that you don't fit in with the other people. The outsiders are the Radly's because they don't socialize with other people and nobody knows there full past.

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  10. I read chapter 4-7. The thing that I thought was funny was when Jem said that thing about the hot streams, I remember when I was a kid we always had stupid sayings like that. I would say that the reason why the kids are so obsessed with Boo Radly is because they want to know who this guy really is and if the stories they here are true. I don't think I’m really obsessed with anything. There aren’t any myths where I'm from because our town is pretty boring. Boo Radly I think now is really scary but also smart, he knew that somebody would come back for their pants so he sewed them up and folded them. I think that Harper Lee doesn’t think education is a big deal. I don’t think it similar to my feeling of education at all because I think education is a big part in kids lives, even though I’m not very smart. It’s different because they didn’t have kinder garden and there education system was different, but it’s the same because we still got put in the corner if we were bad.

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  11. Alrighty chapters 1-3, Maycomb sounds like a small town, where everyone knows everyone. I thought this because when Scout is at school she mentions that Walter was a Cunningham, which inferred that he was poor. She said that Miss Caroline would eventually get to know everyone. Some social issues in the first couple chapters would be when Jem tells Scout that she can not hang out with him while they are at school. Jem tells her that she must stay with the first graders and he’ll stay with the fifth graders. I predict that Boo Radley will come into the story by Scout going to his house and talking to him. Scout seems like a confident girl and I believe that she will take the initiative and talk to him. Boo seems to be a outsider, someone who keeps to himself. They imply that he’s more of a monster. Being an outsider means that you are kept to yourself and other people may frown or look at you differently. People are treated as outsiders because they are different. People have sceptical ideas of others who act, think, or look different.

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  12. Okee dokee chapters 4-7, I agree with you Lauren. When I was a lil’ kid I also used to make up crazy make-believe things kinda like hot steams. I used to think things were always after me. The children are so absorbed with Boo Radley because he’s different and there are so many different stories about him that send the children’s imagination into a whirlwind. The stories keep them scared and then they’re curiosity takes over and that’s what they think about, hence all the games and role playing. Yes there was a story about a goat man roaming around Pike Lake. I scared my best friend with this story.

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  13. What do you think Harper Lee was trying to say when she had Scout get into trouble with her teacher?

    Who do you think is courageous, and why?

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  14. Focus #3
    1.Consider Chapters 8-11.
    2.Explore Scout's narration. Imagine the novel narrated by Dill or told from Boo Radley's point of view. How might it be different? It would be way different if Boo Radley told the story, I don’t think it would be much of a story if he did because he would be the creepy guy that nobody knows about and there wouldn’t be an interesting person in the story.
    3. Atticus explains to Scout that "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it" (36). Consider what the quotation means
    - What is the speaker trying to explain to his daughter? That she needs to get to know the person better before she judges them. That you don’t judge a book by its cover

    • Why might Harper Lee tell the story from an adult perspective, narrated by a child many years after the fact? So more people understand it and it gives the book more of a story because it’s when she is growing up
    • What is the role of perspective in understanding a novel? You have to understand that she is telling her story from when she was a child and now she is grown.
    • What makes a good work of historical fiction? A good work of historical fiction lets you know what it was like to live in this time period

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  15. Hey, I was lucky enough to be able to mark your guys focus one discussion. I gave you a 3 for self-Reflection of Learning, 3 for Connections to novel, self, and world and a 2 for contribution to the learning community. Good job!

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  16. I gave you guys 4, 3, 2. Good work! :)

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  17. Final Post-Focus #4
    So i think that the antagonist in the story was defiantly Scout's aunt, because she is really mean and nasty to Scout and Jem. Also Scout's aunt thinks she needs to become more lady like, so it's making her feel bad about herself. I didn't really like these chapters because I thought they were kind of boring in a way. What do you think?

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  18. Hi this is Eric Spangler and I am from Westosha Central High School. I like volleyball and baseball and I play at the school and out of school clubs. I am just stepping in on the conversation about how Harper Lee was showing how Mrs. Caroline was mad at Scout for reading. The reason that Harper Lee describes on how the teacher Mrs. Caroline was angry at her for reading was showing how Scout's temper and anger can be called apon quickly by herself. It also shows how Scout will fight for her self respect and the respect of her family. This is very coragous becase usually when someone talks back to the teacher they will get into more trouble than a little hat and sitting in a chair. My prospect of the "fight" was that Mrs. Caroline was telling Scout that it was going to be her way or nobody else's. The other prospect was that she is just trying to gain her dominance of the classroom since she was new.

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  19. Hi my name is Jason G. and i go to Central High School and I would like to contribute to your discussion and I am pretty sure I can answer Lauren's questions. With question one, when I read chapters 8-11 I really started to notice the abuse that Atticus, Jem, and Scout had to take from the town for Atticus defending Tom Robbinson. It also states at the beginning of chapter 10 that Atticus is startinng to get feeble, old and weak. For question two I believe if the story was told by Boo Radley it would be told in a kind gothy death mood and it would be very dull and boring to read and I wouldn't have enjoyed the book. For the last question I believe Scout is narrating in an adult way because it shows that Scout has matured a little and it allows the reader to read literature and not a picture book. Now i hope I answered Laurens question.

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  20. Focus #3-Extend

    -Why might Harper Lee tell the story from an adult perspective, narrated by a child many years after the fact?

    >I think Harper Lee told the story from an adult perspective because kids may sometimes misinterprate things and over exaggerate. Scout may have misinterprated some of the events/ situations when she was a little girl. Now that she is grown up it's easier to look back and see things how they really went and not through the eyes of the child.

    ~ What is the role of perspective in understanding a novel?

    >Scout explaining the novel and telling the story is good because she was actually there and knows what had happened.

    ~What makes a good work of historical fiction?

    >A good work of historical fiction is made up of accurate information, an interesting event ad gives us a sense of what it was like in that particular period of time.

    Sidenote: The only thing I find confusing about the novel is how it's written in Scout's first narrative. Sometimes it's just worded funny and I find it hard to undersand. But so far I like the novel.

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  21. Jesse I believe the novel is written in the slang version in order to give us more of a feeling of the southern folk and it really gives you tones that cover the sense of hearing with imagery and it gives you the feeling of being there. It is like if anyone reads a book held in Britain, it would be very difficult and confusing to understand why a red coat said, "Yo what up Mister Louie. Low five." So it is just natural for the book to have that southern tone and all of those confusing slang words that look like something else.

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  22. I think the antagonist is the Radley house. Alexandra wants Scout to be more lady like. What are you thinking of the book so far?
    Who do you think the antagonist is?

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  23. Ok Jason, I never said that I didn't understand the tones all I said was it was worded funny at times. I just prefer a book to not be written in first narrative. I do understand whats going on though.

    Heyy Tyler, you haven't blogged in along time. Where have you been?

    Focus Four:I agree with you Tyler I think the Radley house is the antagonist also. It has the little ones so obsessed with it and has them consumed their imagination.

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  24. ~The exploration of the mockingbird sheds light on the other elements because earlier on in the story Atticus said that “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird”so the light shedding could be refering to the others sins or the mistakes in the novel.

    ~Atticus- On the internet it said that Atticus was a roman emperor, or a saint.
    -It kind of fits the character in the novel because Atticus is all formal and sophisticated.
    ~Jem- a symbol of growth
    -Jem grows and changes his values throughout the story.
    ~Jean Lousise/ Scout- means to listen
    - This definition contrasts with the charater in the novel because Scout doesn’t listen. She doesn’t like listening to aunty Alexandra.
    ~Calpurnina- means “uncertain meaning”
    -I don’t have a conection for this name and it’s meaning.

    No I don’t think the character of Atticus because in the novel Scout was comparing that he doesn’t do anything that the other kid’s dads do. The only thing that fits the stereotype is that Atticus is a really good shot. He could be more masculine but theres nothing wrong with the way he is.

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  25. Final post_Focus #5
    In the mob scene it helped you realize how bad people can be and how they can act like animals. I think that Jem finally realized that Atticus's case was more important then he thought, and that even if people act like they're your friends they can turn on you any minute. I thought that Atticus was really going to get beat up, and that Jem and Scout saved him.

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  26. Hi. I'm Alie Donnan and I'm in one of the honors classes. I don't believe that Atticus could be more masculine because of the era it is in. He is a single parent who has a high position in society with being a lawyer and is trying to stick to what he believes in. I do agree that the Radley House is the antagonist is the Radley House. The kids are trying to contact Boo in a way but they keep getting in trouble or scary incidents happen that cause them to stop or get caught.

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  27. I blogged in the wrong spot.

    Focus Five: I agree with you Jesse. That Scout says that Atticus doesn't do anything like the other kids father. That all he can do is shoot a gun and have the deadlist aim in Maycomb. But Jem told her not to tell anyone because if Atticus wanted them to know then he would have told them.
    What do you think of Dill running away from home?
    What do you think will happen if Dill returns home?

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  28. Hi everyone, my name's Ashley. I am from Ms. Johnson's English Honors class, and I would love to contribute to your conversation.

    I think that Dill running away from home was a cry for attention. I think that even though he gets basically whatever he wants at home, he craves attention. He may get material things, but he may not be getting the love and attention he needs.
    I think that if he were to return home, his parents may scold him for a while, but I don't think that there will be any major consequences because his parents don't really care.

    How do you all think that the lack of attention and/or love in Dill's home affects his growth and development in the story and as a person?

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  29. Final post_focus #6
    I do think that the mockingbird relates to Tom Robinson, because he is innocent and being accused of something he didn't do. To be an individual in society means that you stand out and you don't follow what the rest of the crouds do. I think that Atticus can't really be more masculine becuase he has to be both parents, becuase they don't have a mom.

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  30. Focus #6
    I think that Tom Robinson is like the Mocking Bird because he is inicent and and they said that he was guilty. And now they have to surfer with the dicision they made because killing a mocking bird is a sin.

    To be an individual in society means that you are not like anyone else. It means that you do what you think is right and not do what everyone else thinks is right.

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  31. Focus #7
    Why did they say that Tom was guilty?
    Why would they accuse an inicent man?

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  32. FINAL POST_FOCUS #7

    I think that the adult that changed his mind had to be Mr. Tate. When he started talking about Mayella getting beat on the right side of her face he seemed to change his mind. I think that Mayella changed her mind after Atticus questioned her, it seemed like she knew what she was doing was wrong, and I think she is just afraid to tell the truth because, she actually likes Tom, mostly because she isn't used to people treating her nicely . I think that Mr. Ewell beat Mayella and is covering it up because he doesn't want to get in trouble with the law or be embarrassed about Mayella liking a black man. Tom defiantly did not do anything to hurt Mayella and I think that Mayella wants to tell the judge that but is to afraid of her father.

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  33. Sorry that I haven't posted in awhile....

    Focus #7
    ~Yea Lauren I see what you're saying. I agree with you. I believe that Mr. Ewell also beat up Mayella and is covering it up because Mr. Ewell doesn't want to get into trouble or he could have even threatened her into keeping quiet. The whole thing is about Tom being black. I think she's experimenting and teasing Tom so he was scared. Is there anything anyone isn't understanding so far? I think I'm following.

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  34. Hi i'm Eric and i am going to come in on your conversation. I also believe in your verdict of the trial. I can also see where all the evidentuary suppost was as well. Atticus used the technique of repeating very important and extremely informational facts over the whole trial. The point that he kept repeating that why didn't anyone call a doctor, or that how Tom Robinson had a crippled left arm. Then that Mayella was beaten on her left side while her father was a left handed person.

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  35. Final post_Focus #8
    Well first off at the end of chapter 24, I was not expecting Tom Robinson to get shot for trying to break out, i would think he wouldn't give up. I also understand why he would though, winning a case against a white man is pretty impossible if you're black. I'm not to sure about the turning points but i think that Tom getting shot is one. Another might be when Scout and Jem really got scared for Atticus when they found out about Mr.Ewell's threat towards him. I think that Scout is finally learning how to become a lady, and i think she's getting sick of people making fun of her about dressing like a boy(another turning point).

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  36. Final Post:Focus #8
    Atticus called up Tom Robinson, Mayella, Bob, and the Sheriff up to the stand. Yet the jury convicted Tom on cirrcumstancial evidence. Tom was the only one on the stand to tell the truth.
    I believe that Tom was tired of white people's promises and took matters into his own hands. It's terrible that they had to shoot him 17 times im mean once or twice is fine but 17 times when you're shooting to kill is way to over the top.
    I do believe that Bob told Mayella to lie or he would kill her. I believe that Mayella was just really lonely and now she is scared so she has to get rid of what will remind her of what she did. but getting rid of Tom she will not have to face what she has done ever again.

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  37. Focus 8:
    When Everyone had entered that room for the rail they already knew the verdict before talking at all. Atticus had very strong points that were correct when he was interrogating each person. It showed how bad the racism was in Maycomb. Bob had never called the doctor after his daughter was beaten and raped. This makes you wonder truly who did it. Tom had being telling the truth during his whole witness trail but when he had said he felt bad for Mayella that made a lot of the jury angry because they thought why should a black man feel bad for a white woman.
    I think this was a turning point in Scout's and Jem's life because they finally realize how badly the racism is and how one man can't change it. Scout sees it very black and white. She doesn't understand it as much as Jem who is very affected by it. He finally realizes how bad the town and world is. He was so sure that his dad was going to win Which he had every right to because Atticus had extremely good points and was right on target. If it had been a white man he would have been off but since he was a black man he was automatically guilty. It was a white man's word against a black man's word.

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  38. Focus 8 Extend:
    There are so many turning points that can be listed from TKAM, but a few that i think are very substantial are listed below.

    1. One of the first big turning points in this story are when the children first find the trinkets in the knot hole of the tree. This is a major event/turning point because it gives them the idea that Boo Radley is really alive and is a real person. It shows that he is compassionate and wants some human connection.

    2. Another early turning point goes hand in hand with the first. This is when the knot-hole is sealed up. It confirms the kids' belief that the gifts were being left by Boo, and Nathan didn't want them to have an contact or connection with Boo. This only makes the children more inquisitive.

    3. One of the largest turing points in the book is when the jury gives the verdict of the Tom Robinson trial. It is not an all bad situation, though. Because of it taking so long, it means that they had to think about their decision. It means that they actually questioned a white man's word against a black mans. If you think about it, it is a huge step for such a prejudiced society. It also is a turning point for Jem and Scout, because it shows them that the world at the time really is black and white. That not everything in life is fair, but you have to live with it and stick to your own morals. That no matter how solid your argument is, no matter how right you are in a situation, if people have preconcieved notions of the problem or the people involved, there is usually no changing their minds.

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  39. Final Post_Focus#9
    I believe that the quote on page 323 means that Atticus used everything in his power to save Tom Robinson but there are people who will take a white person's statement over a black person's statement. That is just the way some people are.
    Who are the other mocking birds in the story?
    I know that Tom Robinson was one. But what I don't get is why they had to shoot Tom seventeen times? Can someone explain that better to me, please?

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  40. Final post_Focus #9
    Harper Lee's theme of social injustice is still relevant today because there are still people who are innocent getting accused of something they didn't do. It doesn't show so much in my community as in some others but it still happens. I have seen hypocrisy in my school every day, it's mostly when people act like they don't like another person when there around different people, but they are really best friends with that person. I think people act like this to fit in and they want people to like them. I think it happens mostly with kids not as much adults, but I've seen adults do it too.

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  41. Focus 9:

    I agree with Lauren. Harper Lee's theme of social injustice is relevent today. People are being accused of crimes they did not commit, like what happened to Tom. But in my community, the social injustice is not as present.
    There are some examples of hypocracy in my school. Students say that they will turn in an assignment, but they do not. All kids act differently around their friends than they do with their parents.
    People most likely act this way so they can give attention to themselves and to fit in with their peers.

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  42. I messed up in sending Focus 8 so sorry that I backtracked.
    Focus 8:

    The major turning points in the book were that Dill and Jem how bad racism is. Dill realizes racism is bad by saying that Mr. Gilmer treated Tom badly during the questioning. Jem realizes racism is bad after all 12 jury members convict Tom guilty even after Atticus basically prove that Tom is innocent. This really shows that the children of this era did not understand racism.

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  43. I agree with Lauren. It happens everyday that people are discriminated. Now-a-days it's not even because the color of one's ckin, but people's social aptitude. If someone is more popular than another, they some how feel they have the right to make another feel inferior. I see this happen EVERYDAY! I'm so happy that Atticus stood up for what he knew was wrong, no matter how much he was harrassed for it. Most of us say if that was them, they'd do what Atticus did too, because in their minds it's wrong. But, how many of us find people getting harrassed or someone saying something mean about someone else and say nothing? We stand weak and voiceless. This is one of the worst discriminations and sadly happens everyday. I believe it occurs even more than racial discrimination.

    I think people, besides parents disciplining their children, are hypocrites mostly because they feel the need to be better than others. They think if they set such expectations no one can live up to them, and it makes people feel better about themselves. For example,one day a girl I know was making fun of another girl about her clothes because she was a little heavier. "My friend" herself wasn't too skinny either. But, when making fun of someone it raised her self-esteem. This girl, in a sick, demented way felt better about herself, while making fun of someone else. Things like these happen everyday! It's not the first thing that would come to mind when thinking of hypocrisy, but it's the thing that most everyone has experienced in life.

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  44. Final post_focus #10
    I think the hero in this book is Atticus he is always trying to make his children understand for example he says "climb into someone’s skin and walk around in it." In the end of the book Scout finally got what that ment, it took her a while but she understood and that’s something that would stick with her for the rest of her life. Atticus always wanted his kids to stand up for what’s right and be an individual. Some people may say that Author Radley was the real hero, but being a hero isn’t always about saving someone physically. I'm not saying that Author wasn't a hero I'm just saying in my opinion Atticus was a bigger one. Even when Atticus's own son, might have killed someone and Atticus could have lied and said Jem didn't he was still wanting to do what’s right. In the end he knew that saying Bob Ewell killed himself was right.

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  45. Final Post_Focus#10
    Why did Harper Lee write the book in almost backwards order?
    Did Aurthor Radley ever come out of his house again?
    Did Jems arm fully heal?
    How did the new school system turn out?
    How did the rest of Jem's and Scout's lives go?
    I feel that there should be more of an ending and tie up more loose ends.

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