"Malala's Mission" Reading Response - Social issue project

In the article, "Malala's Mission", the author (Alessandra Potenza) wants the reader to know more about Malala and why you hear her name all around the world.

In this article, the social issue that it is focused on is women's rights. In the article, it states "Life changed forever for 15 year old Malala Yousafzai on oct.9th 2012. On her way home from school that day in Pakistan, two members of the Taliban flagged down her school bus, and one of the men shot her in the head. Why? Because Malala had been speaking out for girls rights since 2008…" This quote shows that Malala speaks out for women's rights to be able to have an education. The article also says that the Taliban banned TV, Music, and girls' education. This also shows how, despite these bans, Malala still speaks for her beliefs and her and other girls' rights to learn in school. " I realized girls' education is something important, and thats why the terrorists are afraid of it- because they do not want women to be empowered. Thats why I started speaking for it." Says Malala. This quote shows that Malala is a girl with a very strong opinion on why girls should be able to learn. This article has made me realize/ learn that if you believe in something, or if you think that something is wrong, you should take a stand, not just go along with everyone else.

This article made me feel angry. This article made me feel angry because don't know why the taliban would shoot a girl just because of what she believes in and what she thinks is right. I think that people should have the freedom to stand for their rights and what the believe is right and wrong, and in my opinion, it is wrong to discriminate someone for their beliefs. I think that Malala had a right to stand for the girls in her school. 

The Perks of Being A Wallflower Essay: Topic- Should this book be banned???

It seems that many kids these days think it's okay to drown their blood in alcohol and mess up their mentality with drugs. In the book, "The Perks Of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky, it has many questionable themes and content that some adults may think is harmful to children and young adults such as drugs and alcohol abuse and rape. I disagree. I think that it is important for kids our age to be well educated on this topic so that they are aware of the dangers in the world and are "prepared" when the issue comes into play.

One of the main themes in the book is the issue of drug abuse. In the book, charlie is a teenager who is excluded from society and because of his social status, he feels like there is nothing that could ruin his life at that point, so he does drugs. For example, on page 101 of the book, Charlie takes LSD which is a hallucinogenic drug that is very dangerous to the mind. "And my mind played hopscotch… my brother… football…Brad… Dave and his girlfriend in my room… the coats…the cold…the winter… 'Autumn Leaves'…don't tell anyone you pervert…Sam and Craig…Sam…Christmas…typewriter…gift…Aunt Helen… and the trees kept moving…they just wouldn't stop moving… so I laid down and made a snow angel. The policeman found me pale blue and asleep." This quote shows how Charlie is having hallucinations and they have taken over his mind. He wasn't in complete control of his body so he laid down in the snow and almost freezes to death. Another part is on page 34 and charlie takes a pot brownie.
                                                   "Are you seeing anything Charlie?"
                                                         "Light"
                                                   "Does it feel good?"
                                                    "Uh-huh"
                                                     "Are you thirsty?"
                                                       "Uh-huh
                                                        "He's stoned"
This quote from the book shows how Charlie is high and he can't correctly use his mind. These parts of the book teach the danger of drugs to kids and teenagers, which is a reason why this book should not be banned.

Another main theme in the book is alcohol abuse with friends and at parties. On page 158, Charlie gets drunk with Patrick. "We were getting pretty drunk.
                                 'So Parker and Lily come up here one night. And they are so in love! He even            gave her is thespian pin… or something'
     " At this point, we were spitting out wine between sentences"
This quote shows how Charlie and Patrick get so drunk that the start to talk nonsense to each other. Another part in the book where Charlie has a hangover
         "It seems like every morning since that first night I wake up dull and my head hurts and I can't breathe. Patrick and I have been spending a lot of time together, and we drink a lot."
This quote clearly shows how often Patrick and Charlie get drunk when they are together. This book should not be banned because it teaches kids the medical and physical danger alcohol abuse can be.

One other theme in the book is rape and molesting. On pages 30-31 of the book 12 year old charlie innocently watches a a girl is raped in his bedroom. "He kept on touching her, and the girl says no. The more she says no, the more clothes come off her body." This quote clearly shows that the boy is doing something against the girl's will, which is rape. This scene in the book haunts Charlie throughout the course of the story. Another example is on page 204 when Charlie is lead to believe that his aunt had been molesting him when he was a young child. This terrible memory comes back to him when he was about to have sex with Sam, but then felt sick because the memory came back to him. "My brother and sister and I were watching television with my Aunt Helen. Everything was in slow motion- the sound was thick… and she was doing what Sam was doing to me." (Page 205) "I'm starting to believe that what I thought Aunt Helen was doing to me was true." These quotes show how Charlie's Aunt was taking advantage of him at a young age but he chose to block the thought out of his mind. I think that this teaches young readers to be aware of serious issues in the world.

This book should not be banned because it educates and makes young audiences become aware of the issues of drugs, alcohol, and rape. Some parents may think that it influences young readers to go out and do drugs, for example, but they are 100% wrong. Banned books such as "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" By Stephen Chobosky makes kids not want to misuse drugs and alcohol because of the terrible outcome as shown in the book.
   
        

The Perks Of Being a Wallflower Synthesis page for Charlie

The Outcast- The outcast in the perks of being a wallflower is Charlie, the main character. In the book, Charlie is excluded by society and cant fit in with his classmates or sometimes even his own family. Charlie is constantly being beat down on whether its his sister screaming "I hate you" and calling him a pervert or his friends calling him a cruel name. Whether it's Charlies own fault that he is getting called these names or not, regardless, he is still being beaten down.

One example from the text is when Charlie kisses Sam because Patrick dared him to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, even though he is already dating Mary Elizabeth and told her she was pretty. "What the f**k is wrong with you?" (Sam) This quote shows that Sam is upset at Charlie for doing something stupid even though it was (in Charlie's mind) an impulsive decision for him to make. Another example of Charlie not being able to fit in is when he is walking down the hallway in his school and some kid exclaims '"God that kid is such a f******g freak" I heard one of the boys whisper as i was halfway down the hallway." The fact that Charlie heard the comment shows that his classmates most likely want him to know that he is a freak and doesn't belong in the school.

However, towards the end of the book he changes a little and people start to recognize Charlie for who he is. One example of this is when Charlie's sister tells him a big secret. "So, I hugged her back. It was weird, too, because I've never hugged my sister. Not when she was forced to anyway... That's when she told me she was pregnant." this part of the book shows how his sister shows Charlie that she loves him for the first time. Another part of the book that shows how people in Charlie's life cahnge is when his mother comes into his room and says to him "I really do love you, Charlie."

The Fellowship Of the Ring

Some characters are born brave, but others have to work to gain it. In the book "The Fellowship Of the Ring" by JRR Tolkein, the main character, Frodo, learns to become a leader, and becomes more brave throughout the course of the story.

In the beginning of the book, Frodo wasn't very brave. His uncle leaves him and he leaves behind his old ring which tempts you to the point where it turns you against your friends. When Gandalf tells Frodo that the ring his uncle had was the ring of power, or the "one ring to rule them all" he becomes very anxious and in denial that he has to deal with it. An example from the book is "I wish it hadn't come to me, I wish it need not happen in my time." This quote from the book shows that Frodo doesn't want to have to be responsible for the ring. This quote also shows that he is in denial of reality when he says that he wishes that the ring didn't exist in his time, even though in reality it does and he has to cope with it. After Frodo says that, Galdalf the wizard tried to give him more courage through wise words."So do I , and so do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." I think that this quote gives Frodo a little realization that he has to try to be braver. This quote also shows that he is not alone in this case and a lot of people are afraid.

In the middle of the book, when Frodo is on his journey and his friends are nervous about never coming back he says, "'It's a dangerous business going out your door, Frodo' he used to say. ' You step into the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.'"
Now, in this case, Frodo is the one who is giving words of wisdom to his friends. This shows that he has learned that he needs to learn to deal with his fears and try to be more brave.

Towards the end of the book, Frodo is leaving his Fellowship (which he is reluctant to do but must do it for the sake of his friends live's) and Sam comes with him. They about to go into Mordor (evil society) and Sam is afraid. "How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand, there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some things that go too deep… that have taken hold, but my dear Sam, we must be brave." What I get from this quote is that he is telling Sam the many doubts and worries that he had (or still has some) and is saying, in despite of that, they must go on and be brave. This quote overall shows how Frodo has changed from a anxious, naive, hobbit, to a brave, mature, "soldier".

2014 Summer Reading: To Kill A Mocking Bird By Harper E Lee

One book that I read over the summer was To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper E Lee. To Kill A Mocking Bird  follows a young girl named Scout Finch whose father is a lawyer. Scouts father (Atticus) is assigned to a case that involves a black man that is accused of rape. In the book, people are reluctant to believe this man because the color of his skin.

Scout Finch, who is a very curious girl wonders why people don't believe his case. Scouts father says that some people make quick judgements because of their ethnicity. scout then asked her father if he believed his client and her father said yes.

This book also made me rethink my perspective on society. One reason why this book made me rethink my overall perspective on society has to do with on character whose name is Boo Radley. The story behind this man is that he supposedly killed his family. However, this man is greatly misunderstood. "Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained—if you ate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped, and he drooled most of the time."   

This quote from the book shows that Jem thinks that Boo is a dangerous man. This quote also says that Jem judges Boo by his appearance. Scout and Jem (Scout Finche's brother) are always daring each other to see who can get the closest to his house; which is across the street from them. Scout and Jem think that this man is dangerous, although he ends up saving them in the end when they are attacked. So, overall, the myth about Boo Radley is untrue (in the end of the book Atticus reveals that Boo's real name is Arthur Radley).

This book changed my perspective on society because it taught me that you should never be so quick to judge someone by appearance because they might end you who you would least expect them to be.