Love, like a river, will cut a new pathwhenever it meets an obstacle.
- Crystal Middlemas -
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Introduction paragraph
GO PHILLES SHOULD BE IN THE CONSTITUTION
To be an American. What does that mean? To be an American you must fight for security, but live for freedom. To be a American you must dream for the wealth, but care for the poor. And to be an American you must live for peace, but help in in times of war. And that is what I think is the definition of a true American. When I thnk of Americans I always think of one name, Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson was born a true American. He lived, fought, secured, the American dream.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
3rd annotation
Besides a biography i tried to look up accomplishments of the 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson. i found a website that gives a brief bio, but overall gives his accomplishments and his downfalls. here is the link that i got my info from sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/tjefferson.html. Thank you!!!
2nd annotation
I found a website called millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/jefferson. This webite shows me not only the actions of Mr. Jefferon, but also the actions of his cabinet. For example the site gave me the name, birthday, day of death, accomplishments, and deafeats of is attorney general.
Monday, October 27, 2008
How Memphis is like Thank You M'am
A TEXT TO TEXT CONNECTION
There are many stories getting created everyday. Some stories are original and unique, while others have the same morals.Recently I read two stories, "Thank You M,am" and "The Night I Won the Right To the Streets of Memphis" (Memphis). Both of these stories have troubled teens, female role models, and hash and violent settings.
In both stories there was a troubled boy. In "Thank You M'am", Roger was very troubled. In the beginning of the story he actually tried to steal a woman's bag. "...when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse". In the story Memphis there is a troubled male, Richard. Richard didn't know what to do in the story. He realized he had a big decision."I had the choice of being beaten at home or away from home".
Also in both stories there is a strong female role model. In the story "Thank You M'am" Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones helped Roger stop running from his situation. At one time in the story Mrs. Jones told Roger to behave himself as a mother would tell her son. In the story "Memphis" Richard's mom is a role model. I believe in the story she tries to get Richard to become a man. She tells him, "Take this money, this note, and this stick". This tells me that even though she was hard on Richard, she did it for good.
The last thing I think connects these two stories is the setting. I believe both stories have very violent settings. In "Thank You M'am", the story takes place in a dark neighborhood, probably around the 1920' s, when things were very violent. In the story "Memphis", the neighborhood is very violent. I believe the gang is what makes the setting explosive and harsh.
With stories being made constantly, there is alot to read. So the next time you read two or more stories you should compare them. Maybe the stories might have the same characters or settings. Try it.
There are many stories getting created everyday. Some stories are original and unique, while others have the same morals.Recently I read two stories, "Thank You M,am" and "The Night I Won the Right To the Streets of Memphis" (Memphis). Both of these stories have troubled teens, female role models, and hash and violent settings.
In both stories there was a troubled boy. In "Thank You M'am", Roger was very troubled. In the beginning of the story he actually tried to steal a woman's bag. "...when a boy ran up behind her and tried to snatch her purse". In the story Memphis there is a troubled male, Richard. Richard didn't know what to do in the story. He realized he had a big decision."I had the choice of being beaten at home or away from home".
Also in both stories there is a strong female role model. In the story "Thank You M'am" Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones helped Roger stop running from his situation. At one time in the story Mrs. Jones told Roger to behave himself as a mother would tell her son. In the story "Memphis" Richard's mom is a role model. I believe in the story she tries to get Richard to become a man. She tells him, "Take this money, this note, and this stick". This tells me that even though she was hard on Richard, she did it for good.
The last thing I think connects these two stories is the setting. I believe both stories have very violent settings. In "Thank You M'am", the story takes place in a dark neighborhood, probably around the 1920' s, when things were very violent. In the story "Memphis", the neighborhood is very violent. I believe the gang is what makes the setting explosive and harsh.
With stories being made constantly, there is alot to read. So the next time you read two or more stories you should compare them. Maybe the stories might have the same characters or settings. Try it.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
"The Night I Won the Right to the Streets of Memphis" by Richard Wright
..."One evening my mother told me that thereafter I would have to do the shopping for food. She took me to the corner store to show me the way. I was proud; I felt like a grownup. The next afternoon I looped the basket over my arm and went down the pavement toward the store. When I reached the corner, a gang of boys grabbed me, knocked me down, snatched the basket, took the money, and sent me running home in panic. That evening I told my mother what had happened, but she made no comment; she sat down at once, wrote another note, gave me more money, and sent me out to the grocery again. I crept down the steps and saw the same gang of boys playing down the street. I ran back into the house.
“What’s the matter?” my mother asked.
“It’s those same boys,” I said. “They’ll beat me.”
“You've got to get over that,” she said. “Now, go on.”
“I’m scared,” I said.
“Go on and don’t pay any attention to them,” she said.
I went out of the door and walked briskly down the sidewalk, praying that the gang would not molest me. But when I came abreast of them someone shouted.
“There he is!” They came toward me and I broke into a wild run toward home. They overtook me and flung me to the pavement. I yelled, pleaded, kicked, but they wrenched the money out of my hand. They yanked me to my feet, gave me a few slaps, and sent me home sobbing. My mother met me at the door.
“They b-beat m-me,” I gasped. “They t-t-took the m-money.”
I started up the steps, seeking the shelter of the house.
“Don’t you come in here,” my mother warned me.
I froze in my tracks and stared at her.
“But they’re coming after me,” I said.
“You just stay right where you are,” she said in a deadly tone. “I’m going to teach you this night to stand up and fight for yourself.”
She went into the house and I waited, terrified, wondering what she was about. Presently she returned with more money and another note; she also had a long heavy stick.
“Take this money, this note, and this stick,” she said. “Go to the store and buy those groceries. If those boys bother you, then fight.”
I was baffled. My mother was telling me to fight, a thing that she had never done before.
“But I’m scared,” I said.
“Don’t you come into this house until you’ve gotten those groceries,” she said.
“They’ll beat me; they’ll beat me,” I said.
“Then stay in the streets; don’t come back here!”
I ran up the steps and tried to force my way past her into the house. A stinging slap came on my jaw. I stood on the sidewalk, crying.
“Please, let me wait until tomorrow,” I begged.
“No,” she said. “Go now! If you come back into this house without those groceries, I’ll whip you!”
She slammed the door and I heard the key turn in the lock. I shook with fright. I was alone upon the dark, hostile streets and gangs were after me. I had the choice of being beaten at home or away from home. I clutched the stick, crying, trying to reason. If I were beaten at home, there was absolutely nothing that I could do about it; but if I were beaten in the streets, I had a chance to fight and defend myself. I walked slowly down the sidewalk, coming closer to the gang of boys, holding the stick tightly. I was so full of fear that I could scarcely breathe. I was almost upon them now.
“There he is again!” the cry went up. They surrounded me quickly and began to grab for my hand.
“I’ll kill you!” I threatened.
They closed in. In blind fear I let the stick fly, feeling it crack against a boy’s skull. I swung again, lamming another skull, then another. Realizing that they would retaliate if I let up for but a second, I fought to lay them low, to knock them cold, to kill them so that they could not strike back at me. I flayed with tears in my eyes, teeth clenched, stark fear making me throw every ounce of my strength behind each blow. I hit again and again, dropping the money and the grocery list. The boys scattered, yelling, nursing their heads, staring at me in utter disbelief. They had never seen such frenzy. I stood panting, egging them on, taunting them to come on and fight. When they refused, I ran after them and they tore out for their homes, screaming. The parents of the boys rushed into the streets and threatened me, and for the first time in my life I shouted at grownups, telling them that I would give them the same if they bothered me. I finally found my grocery list and the money and went to the store. On my way back I kept my stick poised for instant use, but there was not a single boy in sight. That night I won the right to the streets of Memphis..."
“What’s the matter?” my mother asked.
“It’s those same boys,” I said. “They’ll beat me.”
“You've got to get over that,” she said. “Now, go on.”
“I’m scared,” I said.
“Go on and don’t pay any attention to them,” she said.
I went out of the door and walked briskly down the sidewalk, praying that the gang would not molest me. But when I came abreast of them someone shouted.
“There he is!” They came toward me and I broke into a wild run toward home. They overtook me and flung me to the pavement. I yelled, pleaded, kicked, but they wrenched the money out of my hand. They yanked me to my feet, gave me a few slaps, and sent me home sobbing. My mother met me at the door.
“They b-beat m-me,” I gasped. “They t-t-took the m-money.”
I started up the steps, seeking the shelter of the house.
“Don’t you come in here,” my mother warned me.
I froze in my tracks and stared at her.
“But they’re coming after me,” I said.
“You just stay right where you are,” she said in a deadly tone. “I’m going to teach you this night to stand up and fight for yourself.”
She went into the house and I waited, terrified, wondering what she was about. Presently she returned with more money and another note; she also had a long heavy stick.
“Take this money, this note, and this stick,” she said. “Go to the store and buy those groceries. If those boys bother you, then fight.”
I was baffled. My mother was telling me to fight, a thing that she had never done before.
“But I’m scared,” I said.
“Don’t you come into this house until you’ve gotten those groceries,” she said.
“They’ll beat me; they’ll beat me,” I said.
“Then stay in the streets; don’t come back here!”
I ran up the steps and tried to force my way past her into the house. A stinging slap came on my jaw. I stood on the sidewalk, crying.
“Please, let me wait until tomorrow,” I begged.
“No,” she said. “Go now! If you come back into this house without those groceries, I’ll whip you!”
She slammed the door and I heard the key turn in the lock. I shook with fright. I was alone upon the dark, hostile streets and gangs were after me. I had the choice of being beaten at home or away from home. I clutched the stick, crying, trying to reason. If I were beaten at home, there was absolutely nothing that I could do about it; but if I were beaten in the streets, I had a chance to fight and defend myself. I walked slowly down the sidewalk, coming closer to the gang of boys, holding the stick tightly. I was so full of fear that I could scarcely breathe. I was almost upon them now.
“There he is again!” the cry went up. They surrounded me quickly and began to grab for my hand.
“I’ll kill you!” I threatened.
They closed in. In blind fear I let the stick fly, feeling it crack against a boy’s skull. I swung again, lamming another skull, then another. Realizing that they would retaliate if I let up for but a second, I fought to lay them low, to knock them cold, to kill them so that they could not strike back at me. I flayed with tears in my eyes, teeth clenched, stark fear making me throw every ounce of my strength behind each blow. I hit again and again, dropping the money and the grocery list. The boys scattered, yelling, nursing their heads, staring at me in utter disbelief. They had never seen such frenzy. I stood panting, egging them on, taunting them to come on and fight. When they refused, I ran after them and they tore out for their homes, screaming. The parents of the boys rushed into the streets and threatened me, and for the first time in my life I shouted at grownups, telling them that I would give them the same if they bothered me. I finally found my grocery list and the money and went to the store. On my way back I kept my stick poised for instant use, but there was not a single boy in sight. That night I won the right to the streets of Memphis..."
8 questions and answers(on the line)
1) What happened after Richard's mom gave him the stick?
After Richard got the stick he had a choice. A choice that made his fate. Would he get beat a home or would he be beat away from home?
2) Who was it that told Richard to go get the groceries?
Richard's mom was the one who who told him to get the groceries.
3) Can you tell me why Richard had to keep going back to the store.
Richard kept going to the store because his mom wouldn't let him go out like a punk like that. She tried to teach him how to step up and be a man.
4) Who kept taking the money from Richard?
Richard kept getting his money taken by a gang. this gang was mean and vicious until Richard hit them with a stick.
5) Can you find the meaning for the mother in the story and where?
Yes, I can find the purpose of the mother. In the story it says "I'm going to teach you this night to stand up to fight for yourself". The mom is teaching the boy how to step up.
6) When does the climax happen in the story?
I believe the climax is when the mother locks the door. By the door being locked Richard has a choice to be made.
7) Can you tell when this story took place?.
Yes, I can. Since the story took place when Richard Wright was little, I would have to guess that this story has taken place in the 1950's or 1960's.
8) Can you tell me two conflicts in the story?
Yes, I can tell you two conflicts in the story. One conflict is Man versus Man. This conflict happens in the fight between Richard and the gang. And the other conflict is Man versus Fate. This conflict happens when Richard has to make a choice, whether to be beat at home or away from home.
Monday, October 6, 2008
1st Annotation
Dear Ms. Thompson,
For my first annotation i found a biography for Thomas jefferson. This bio can be found on monticello.org/jefferson/biography. This website tells me everything about Thomas Jefferson but his falls. So i believe for my next annotation i will try to find hat Jefferson accually did wrong instead of right. maybe i will try to find a book instead of a website.
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