Response To Literature- WOW :]

     Our group- Jennifer and Anna - chose the story “The Wise Old Woman” by Yoshiko Uchida. It is a short story that tells a lesson- or moral- about ageism. The theme of the story is: Don’t judge people based on their age. Treat them with honor and respect, because that’s what they truly deserve.
     “The Wise Old Woman” is a story that takes place in a village in China. There was a cruel young lord that ruled over the area. He commanded his villagers to send away all the people who are older than seventy- one years old to the mountains and let them die there. He thought that all the old women or men have no strength, and that they are useless. Years passed; soon there were no old individuals left.
     There was a young farmer who lived in that village. He had a mother who reached the age of seventy- one. The farmer loved his mother; therefore he broke the rules and kept his mother in a small room in secret. Days passed, and Lord Higa of the town beyond the hills threatened to control the land if the villagers couldn't solve the riddles he gave them. The cruel young lord told his people so solve them, but they couldn't. The farmer came to ask his mother for help; and after three tasks, she solved them all easily. The young lord found out about it when the son told him, and canceled the mean order he gave. He figured out: even though old people didn't have strength, they still have the wisdom that most young people don't.
     The theme “Don’t judge people based on their age” tells people that we shouldn’t mistreat people just because they are too young or too old. That is what ageism means: regarding aged persons as unworthy, and unsuitable for attention. Elderly people usually get treated badly because others think they’re too old to do anything useful for them. However, that is wrong. Old people have more experiences they’ve been through their whole life, and therefore, they have more wisdom. Even if they don’t have strength like young ones, but they’re smart, at least. Elderly individuals are also human beings, too, just like every other person on this planet. And remember this: someday you’re going to be like them, no matter what- well, unless you die soon. It’s not fair for them to not be accepted just because they’re aged.
     There are some parts in the story that shows that old people- even female or male- is worth taking care for. On page two hundred and twelve, the young lord complimented the old woman: “’I have been very wrong,’ he said finally. ‘Never again will I demand that the old people of our village be sent to the mountains to die. Rather, they will be treated with the respect and honor they deserve and share with us the wisdom of their years.’” There was another one on page two hundred and ten, when the farmer told his mom: “’Mother, you are wonderfully wise.’” There were some other parts when the woman solved all of the questions, when none of the villagers can and all of them were surprised by the answers.
     Old people have tried to live up and spent their whole lives helping others, so they deserve respect and honor from other people. The theme “Don’t judge people based on their age” tells you a lesson to not make others sad, hurt, and behave with disgusted eyes, especially old ones. Deal with them the way you want younger children to act in front of you when you get aged.

Cotton Candy =]]

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Vocab words

1. Mesmerized- Percy was completely mesmerized by the beautiful ocean view. 2. Impeccably- When I see your impeccably perfect face, there's not a thing that I would change.
3. Petrified- She was petrified when she saw the ghost.
4. Stoically- He works stoically at everything.
5. Dissuade- The teacher dissuaded the student from taking a dangerous risk.
6. Chaotic- The room was messy and chaotic.
7. Negotiated- India and Pakistan negotiated with each other to share the land.
8. Acquistition- It's not good when you acquistitate something people want to have.
9. Corps- Your father is a corp; he takes place in the army.
10. Commemorate- People are usually silence to commemorate dead people.
11. Mimicking- He hates it when people mimicks or copy him.
12. Resembles- Your hair resembles his. You guys have the same blonde hair.

Gentlemen of Rio En Medio- Literaly Focus

13. This story is told from the point of view of a narrator who is a character in the story. How might this story differ if Don Anselmo were the narrator?

I think this story might be a little different. The setting, time, and some of the characters will be the same, but probably the rising/ falling action, conflict, and resolution'll be a little bit different. The story's point of view changes entirely, too. It might talk more about Don Anselmo's feelings, and the characters might be different, because there may be more or less people, based on the relationships between him and others. We can also get a chance to find out the reasons why he does things his way, like selling the house and explaining what was going on to the customer. There's a possible that he would tell the pasts, how the trees of the village- or people- connects to the plot. In my opinion, the story will change, but there will be some things that stays the same.

Vocabs for Stop The Sun & Gentlemen of Rio En Medio

Stop The Sun:
1. There was a commotion near my house in the middle of the night.
2. He didn't organize his folder, that's why it got foundered.
3. All the work the group did was ruined because she lost the paper.
4. Dad's shoulder usually get inered, probably because he works too much. =]

Gentllemen of Rio En Medio:
1. The two companies negotiated with each other to not fight over something so silly.
2. I like how there are innumerable amount of stars in the sky.
3. I'm a descendant of my granparents! :D
4. The boundaries between countries isolated them.

Stop The Sun Assessment # 7

7. Do you think Terry made the right decision about questioning his father on his experience in Vietnam? Why or why not?

From my perspective, people usually get annoyed when someone tries to figure out something by asking them questions. They might even think those people are nosy, while what they wanted to do was just trying to understand something, like Terry and his mother. People wouldn't really ask private questions often, because they think it would disturb others.
But in Terry's case, I think it might be okay. It might even be good for him to be curious. He was just worried about his father and tried to find a way to get the idea. People usually say that talking to someone about something terrible might make you feel better, in a way. That was what happened to Terry's father, too. His mother- who didn't want him to know about anything in the Vietnam war- probably told him to be quite because she thought it was best for him, and for his dad. Also because Terry asked, his father told him all about the war and his sadness. In my opinion, he might feel a bit relieved, telling someone what he's been suffering. Terry's curiousness led to something good, I think.

Short story

It was a cool and chilly early morning, when the fog was fading away as the sun rose. Maryland- a state in USA- was always cold in the morning. All the places were peaceful and quiet, except for one. There was an area where the gangs and violent people surround, and I was one of them.

            My body was badly injured by all the wounds a group of boys made. They beat me up because they thought I was sneaking into their area, just because I looked like a wanderer, wearing black clothes with blood stains on it, and golden hair that I dyed on top of my tall body. It was normal, anyway. When I was ten I already fell in with the bad guys, and stayed like that until the current time- when I was about seventeen. We’d fight, start fire, and did other things that would attract the police to come to get us. Usually people would beat me, or I beat them.

I trotted tardily to a nearby school, where I was supposed to study in. The nurse office with the medicine smell was where I planned to go. All the students and teachers stared at me as I walked in the hallway, especially my wounds, and whispered to each other. They always said rumors about me. Even my parents didn’t care about me, saying I was a worthless daughter. Well, they’re the ones who made me this way. They never actually cared about someone other than themselves or ask me what’s wrong. We barely ever ate together or talk to each other. That was when I became hopeless and joined a gang. I had no friends in school, not a single one, in my whole life, because they were afraid of me. “Life doesn’t go smoothly…”, I once thought, “…but I’m used to it.”

            I went out of the clinic, having a bunch of bandages all over my body. It was irritating, therefore I took all of them off and threw it to the floor. “Good morning!” A voiced sounded behind my back. I turned around, identifying a girl my age with blue eyes and short brown hair. She was much shorter than me, but still gave out a bright smile, “Your name’s Kara Harney, right? My name’s Hope Aviary. Nice to meet you, Kara!” My name was common at that time, because I was the only gang in the school. “Your golden hair is really long! It’s so pretty! How about—“

            “What business do you have here?” I almost yelled, hearing the childish, innocent voice of hers.

“Oh, I just want to make friends with you. Can I?”

That was the first time anyone’s ever wanted to be friends with me. The girl was so stupid; she’d get involved in the fights and have other students say things about her. I glared at her with cold firing eyes and walked away. Was she just too nice, or just simply foolish?

“W- Wait!” Hope ran after me, panting heavily, “Please be friends with me!” She held out her hand, waiting for me to hold it.

“Why should I, idiot?” My voice was as cold as ice.

“Because I like you…” Her hand was still there, “…as a friend.”

“But I don’t!” I slapped her hand, “I hate you!”
 She was speechless, and I guiltily disappeared from her sight. I was just lying to her to make her give up, because she would really regret being near me. I closed my eyes and tightened my hands and mouth, letting myself walk freely out the school gate.

Bang!

My head hit something. I raised my head up, realizing the tall and strong boy I met this morning who injured me. The boy dangerously stared at me, and punched my face real hard when he finally identified the girl he met that morning. I fell heavily down the empty road and leaned my back on the wall, “Huh, such a slow person you are.” I teased and kicked him. I know that that just only raised his anger. He took an iron pipe off the corner and raised it high, readying to attack me with it.

Slap.

The boy stood still. I could tell he was hit by something kind of soft behind his back. We turned around, and I was deeply surprised: it was Hope, the girl who tried to be friends with me. She was holding her bag, looking terrified with her trembling hands and legs. Why did she even help me? I already said I didn’t want to make friends with her. An object hit my head, and I fell unconscious.

I opened my eyes and saw Hope standing there, shaking me.

“Are you okay, Kara?” She sighed in relief, “I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop it, and I can’t hold the blood either. He must’ve took the pipe and attack you. He ran away after that, thank goodness! I’m so sorry! I couldn’t be much more of help, if I was stronger…“

“Why did you help me?” I murmured softly, still feeling ill because of the wound.

“Eh?” She said, puzzled, “I couldn’t just stand there and let you fight alone. Oh and there’s one more thing,” Hope reached out her hand in front of me, “Would you still be my friend?”

I hesitated. I’ve never seen an innocent and gullible girl be so stubborn, “Stop, you’ll regret it! Do you know you’d get involved in stuffs like this if you go near me? I couldn’t change, when I reached this far.” I almost shouted, “Nobody ever loved me for who I am, and I have no friends…”

“You have one now, if you can just go a bit further.” The little girl smiled gently, “Nobody can change the whole thing. Just a little is enough.” I stared at her blankly. My hand slowly reached out to hers as the warm sun went down.