Non-fiction Critical Analysis

              The article "2 of 3 Smokers Will Die If They Don't Quit, Research Shows" from HealthDay wants us to know that smoking can have a vast change on your life.  HealthDay quotes Emily Banks, scientific director of the Sax study and a researcher at the Australian National University, "we knew smoking was bad, but now we have direct independent evidence that confirms the disturbing findings that have been emerging internationally."  This quote shows that smoking is unhealthy for humans.  In addition HealthDay quotes the journal BMC Medicine, "compared with not smoking, having just 10 cigarettes a day double the risk of dying early." HealthDay quotes the journal BMC Medicine to portray how important your choices are in life.  Lastly HealthDay quotes Emily Banks again to show how smoking can affect the age that you pass away.
             HealthDay persuades you that smoking has an influence on your body's health and life span.  They achieve this by saying "we also found smokers will die an estimated 10 years earlier than nonsmokers."  Also they say that "it was long thought that smoking-related diseases would kill about half of smokers early, but newer research has put the figure as high as 67 percent."  Finally, there's always still time to quit smoking no matter you age or the amount of time you smoke.
             HealthDay has persuaded me that smoking is bad for your body and you should be thoughtful about your actions.  They quoted a couple of people to support their perspective on this issue.  In conclusion, smoking has a negative effect on humans bodies.

Reading Response On "Paper Towns" by John Green

        The message of the story "Paper Towns" by John Green is that, if you don't imagine things nothing will ever happen.  "Paper Towns" is about a boy named Quentin Jacobsen who has spent most of his life loving the funny, fascinating, adventurous neighbor named Margo Roth Spiegelman from a far distance.  So, when she climbs into his reality through his window, asking for his help to get revenge on a journey he'll never forget, he follows.  Once their journey ends the next day at school Margo becomes a mystery, but Quentin finds out that she leaves behind clues for him.  The more closer he becomes to Margo the less of her he sees of the girl he imagined he knew.
One of the things that Quentin imagines is Margo.  He imagines that Margo hates music, books, and popularity in general.  Margo is the total opposite!  When she leaves Quentin and the rest of her friends  on a new exciting adventure, he goes into her room with his two odd best friends Ben and Radar.  Her room is surrounded with stacks of vinyl records and a couple of books by Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman hidden in shelves.  Quentin thinks in his head, “I was distracted by Margo’s music collection.  She liked everything.  I could never have imagined her listening to all these records.” Later in the book, Margo says to Quentin that, “people love the idea of a paper girl.  And it seemed like a way to tell that paper girl who cared about popularity and clothes and everything else: You are going to the paper towns.  And you are never coming back.”  Margo explained earlier on in the book, that she imagined the towns in Florida as paper towns with paper girls and boys getting everything they ever wanted, and how she thought this wasn’t right.  Even thought when she was little Margo liked being a paper girl and still does.  This shows that Quentin didn’t actually know the real Margo, he only knew the Margo  that he imagined in his head.
Margo also imagines things in a certain way.  She imagined Quentin being this “superhot, superloyal defender of justice.”  She tells Quentin “but then- you know- you kind of were.    In addition, Margo loves to imagine going somewhere.  She says to Quentin that, “the pleasure isn’t doing; the pleasure is in planning it.  She could be planning anything from breaking into an aquarium to going to travel around the world in several days.  Lastly, Margo imagines in leaving.  Leaving to go somewhere to start a new life where she can just be her true self.  “Leaving feels good and pure only when you leave something important, something that mattered to you.”
“Paper Towns” by John Green is a tale about a young boy named Quentin who goes on an adventure to find out who Margo Roth Spiegelman, his gorgeous neighbor is.  At the end of the story, he discovers that, “imagining isn’t perfect.  You can’t get all the way inside someone else.  But imagining being someone else, or the world being something else, is the only way in.”  In conclusion, if you never envision things, then nothing will ever occur.     

Reading Response on "looking for alaska"

        In the book “looking for alaska” by John Green the message is that we are greater than the sum of our parts.  This book is about a young adult named Miles “pudge” Halter, who has an irksome life with a compulsion of famous last words.  Pudge is looking for the “Great Perhaps,” so he decides to go to this boarding school called Culver Creek which is exhilarating.  At Culver Creek he meets this beautiful, clever, interesting, and suicidal girls named Alaska Young next door.  She reels Pudge into her own world, brings him into the Great Perhaps and buys his heart.

For Pudge he had one issue in his life.  He had a non-fascinating life at home with his parents in Florida and had no friends.  When he went to Culver Creek everything changed.  Pudge becomes friends with his room mate named Colonel who is strong, and smart, Takumi who is shy but weird, and Alaska who is intelligent and nice.  He ends up doing pranks with them and going on adventures sneaking behind the Eagle who is in charge of Culver Creek.  Pudge gets to know Alaska for who she really is and falls in love with her, even though she has a boyfriend who she barely sees named Jake. Pudge is thinking to himself “she taught me everything I knew about crawfish and kissing and pink wine and poetry.  She made me different.”  Then  Alaska and Pudge kissed in a truth and dare game, but Pudge loved her even more after that.  To conclude at the Pudge’s issue is resolved at the end of the story.

For Alaska her problem is that she wants to escape her labyrinth, her life.  Alaska had her own perspective on life.  She says to Pudge “Jesus, I’m not going to be one of those people who sits around talking about what they’re gonna do.  I’m just going to do it.  Imagining the future is kind of nostalgia.”  She loves to read books, and smoke.  Alaska tells Pudge while they’re smoking with Colonel and Takumi “Y’all smoke to enjoy it.  I smoke to  die.”  In the book they give clues on what’s going to be the climax.  In “looking for alaska,” you get to know Alaska’s clever side and her mature side.  The climax in the story is when Alaska gets into a car accident and passes away.  Alaska finally leaves the labyrinth but leaves Pudge in it all alone.

The main idea of “looking for alaska” is that our soils are superior than what we contain.  “looking for alaska” by John Green is a tale about a boy name Miles “Pudge” Halter who’s reality becomes intriguing when he goes to this boarding school called Culver Creek and goes on a journey with his new friends.  At the end of the story Pudge finds the Great Perhaps, he realizes that we are indestructible.  “We cannot be born, and we connote die.  Like all energy, we can only change shapes and sizes and manifestations.  In conclusion live in the present not the past.

Reading Response On "AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES"

     In the book “AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES” by John Green the message is that you can’t stop the future from coming.  This book is about a child prodigy, who enjoys anagramming, named Colin Singleton.  When it comes to dating, Colin’s kind is girls who are named Katherine.  Every time he has dated a Katherine he’s gotten dumped exactly nineteen times in a row.  Colin Singleton and his chubby, religious, best friend named Hassan go on a road trip far away from home to take a break of from their issues.  On the road trip they go to Shotgun where there are no Katherines.  Colin’s goal is to validate his theory called the Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability.  Colin believes that this theory will predict any relationship between a girl and a boy depending on their characteristics.

Formerly, there is one issue that Colin is dealing with in his life.  Colin Singleton is heart broken.  The last Katherine that Colin dated was Katherine nineteen who just dumped him.  Colin tells his parents “she’s just- she’d had enough of me.  She got tired.  That’s what she said.”   In addition, Colin tells Hassan “all I ever wanted was for her to love me and do something meaningful with my life.”  Colin loved Katherine nineteen.  She had long eyelashes and pretty blue eyes.  Katherine was a kind person and had a friendly heart in assisting people.  Following that, Colin discovers that relationships don't always last for a reason because he can't predict them.  It's not the memories of Katherines that matter, it's the stories.  Colin thinks "because like say I tell someone about my feral hog hunt.  Even if it's a dumb story, telling it changes other people just the slightest little bit, just as living the story changes me."  In a minuscule way.  To conclude, Colin determines that we all matter, even in a small amount.

Earlier, there is one major problem that Hassan is handling in reality.  Hassan doesn't want to go to college.  He says he’s taking a “break” from school, but Colin thinks Hassan is just taking a vacation to relax at home and watch his favorite TV show Jude Judy.  Later in the book, Hassan experiences a realization, that the main problem is that he doesn’t do anything because he is lazy.  Furthermore, Hassan tells Colin “I never did anything that helped anybody.  Even the religious things that involve doing.  I don’t do.  I’m a total non-doer.  I’m just sucking food and water and money out of the world, and all I’m giving back is, ‘Hey, I’m really good at not doing!  Now I’m going to tell you some jokes.”  This issue of Hassan connects to my claim that you can't stop the future from coming.  Hassan is going to have to go to college sometime if he wants to get a good paying job.  In order to earn what you desire, you have to work hard and not think about the future unless it's necessary.  As you can see, Hassan just has to decide on what he wants and live in the present.

“AN ABUNDANCE OF KATHERINES” by John Green is a story about Colin Singleton, who is really smart, only dates one type, girls who are named Katherine.  Towards the end of the story, Colin falls in love with this girl named Lindsey in Shotgun, his first Lindsey and they start dating.   Hassan  decides on what he wishes to do with his life, and signs up for college, for two classes in the fall.   Also, Colin becomes aware that the Theorem of Underlying Katherines doesn't work because the future is unpredictable. The future is "infinite and unknowable and beautiful." In conclusion nobody can block the future from approaching.

Reading Response on Regan's Blog posts

             This weekend, I read Regan's blog posts on Dr. Bird's advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos and I thought they were great.  The first blog post on this book was descriptive of how the main character felt and his problems.  Regan's second blog post on Dr. Bird's advice for Sad Poets talked about the main character's primary relationship.  This book is about a young adult named James Whitman who currently is in high school and is coping with depression.  His sister Jorie got evicted from their home by their parents and is now living in a nasty apartment by herself with no cash. 

             I found it most fascinating when Regan described James's problems.  When James asks his father if his sister Jorie could return home, the writing draws you into the story.  Regan uses very clever vocabulary and the way her sentences flow is just incredible.  Then she talks on about, how after James's father answers his question, it creates a bigger issue, which leads into him figuring out how he has to resolve it.  I agree with Regan, that James’s problems only increased when he asked his father if Jorie could return to their home.

I also enjoyed how Regan described James’s relationship with his parents.  His parents are negligent to James’s issues.  James’s parents hardly accept his existence, they are unconcerned about him.  Regan states “I don't think his parents really realize how hard they are making it for James and for themselves.”   I believe Regan is right because the parents don’t seem to be aware of how badly they are treating their only child in their home at the time.  James’s relationship with his parents is precarious.  

Overall, I think Regan did a fantastic job on her two blog posts, they were well-detailed, and had a nice structure to them.  I like how her second blog post only talked about the most meaningful relationship that James has.  I would like to try this method next time I do a blog post.

This is a link to Regan's Blog:http://reganhockenberry.blogspot.com

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis

          The article "Substance Abuse and Homelessness" by the National Coalition for the Homeless wants us to know that a large amount of homeless people suffer with substance abuse and need special treatment and therapy in order to defeat it.  One thing that the National Coalition for the Homeless does is they quote Didenko and Pankratz to show how substance abuse is “a cause and a result for homelessness.”  The National Coalition for the Homeless also quotes Fisher and Roget to portray how homeless people have difficulties recovering from drugs.  Lastly the National Coalition for Homeless quotes the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health to show the amount of homeless people using drugs in a certain length of time.  These examples demonstrate the relationship between homeless people and substance abuse.

    The National Coalition for the Homeless persuade you that substance abuse is more of a result than a cause.  They achieve this by saying that homeless people frequently “turn to drugs and alcohol” to manage with their surroundings.  The National Coalition for the Homeless quote Didenko and Pankratz, “additionally, some people may view drug and alcohol use as necessary to be accepted among the homeless community.” Finally, the National Coalition for the Homeless say that, “in reality, however, substance dependence only exacerbates their problems and decreases their ability to achieve employment stability and get off the streets.”

  The National Coalition for the Homeless has persuaded me that substance abuse is more of a result than a cause.  They quoted several people to support their opinion.  In conclusion substance abuse is a result of homelessness.

                    

Reading Response On "Pay It Forward"

             In the book "Pay It Forward" by Catherine Ryan Hyde the message is that people have the ability to change themselves and the world around them.  "Pay It Forward" is about how a twelve year old boy, named Trevor McKinney takes on a challenge to create a plan to change the world, that his social studies teacher Reuben, gives his class.  Trevor's plan is to do a nice deed for three people and ask them to "pay it forward to three others who need assistance in their life.  He imagines an immense motion of sympathy spreading from his town in California to around the world.  I believe that justice is served in this story in several ways.
            For Trevor, justice is served towards the end of the book.  First, Trevor helps three people, Jerry, Ms. Greenberg, and Reuben his social studies teacher.  He asks these three people to pay it forward, but Jerry ends up being in jail, Ms. Greenberg dies, and Reuben fails to pay it forward.  Trevor becomes miserable and thinks he didn't do anything right.  Trevor thinks "what if the world really changed because of my project? Wouldn't that be the coolest thing?"  Then his plan really does work, and Trevor doesn't know, until a reporter finds and tells him about it happening in different places across the world. Reuben and his mom are both lonely and Trevor thought Reuben would pay it forward by getting married to his mom and that eventually this happens.  When they tell Trevor they're engaged Trevor jumps up and down and screams "Yes! I knew it.  I told you!"  Next, after Ms. Greenberg passes away she asks three people to pay it forward in her will.  She accomplishes her deed and this spreads through LA to Chicago.  Once Jerry gets out of jail, he too spreads it forward.  Justice is served for Trevor because his plan ends up being a success and everybody is helping each other.
         For Reuben, justice is served close to the end of this story.  In the beginning, Reuben is lonely and is a new social studies teacher at this middle school.  He decides to give his class a challenge to come up with a plan to change the world.  Trevor, one of students chats with him everyday after school talking about his plan.  Reuben ends up loving this kid.  When Trevor sets up his mom Arlene and Reuben on a date, Reuben thinks this child is crazy.  Reuben then realizes that him and Arlene are alike, they are both defensive and stubborn.  Trevor ends up helping Reuben not be alone.  Reuben and Arlene end up being engaged and then when Ricky Trevor's real father comes back to their house Reuben leaves and Arlene realizes she made a mistake.  Arlene kicks Ricky out and goes over to Reuben's house and she says "I know you don't forgive me, Reuben. I don't expect you to. But some little part of you must miss me, right? God knows I miss you."  Then Reuben forgives her and they get back together and get married.  Justice is served for Reuben because he finally gets a family and becomes happy.
           "Pay It Forward" by Catherine Ryan Hyde is a story about Trevor McKinney, a boy who gets assigned a challenge in his social studies class to make a plan to change the world.  At the end of the book he gets invited to the white house and meets the president with his mom Arlene and Reuben.  When he's in Washington D.C. he tries to help two men getting beaten up by two other men, but Trevor ends up getting stabbed and when he and his mom and Reuben get to the hospital they tell him he's in critical condition and they have to do a surgery on him.  After surgery, Trevor passes away the day before his fourteenth birthday.  There is a funeral and twenty thousand people come to honor Trevor.People keep on paying it forward, even after Trevor is gone. In conclusion humans have the power to make the world a better place.