Pages- 100-180
Prompt- What are three things the main character has done that may end up getting him or herself in trouble?
With Capricorn Anderson living on a "hippie commune farm" for his whole life, he wasn't too clear on how things in the real world worked. So, he kind of just did things the best he could with the knowledge he had, but it's what he didn't know that could really get him in serious trouble!
The first thing Cap does that could get him in serious trouble is putting other people in charge of helping organize the school dance. Because Cap is 8th grade President, he is in charge of organizing the Halloween dance. Though, with the fact that he had never gone to public school, it made panning this dance pretty hard. He had never been to a dance before in his life! Once people start to ask him how the planning is going, he just tells them that he hasn't started planning yet. As it gets closer to the dance, kids begin volunteering to get DJ's and food and decorations! All of this sounds great to Cap, because everyone's helping him out and taking care of things for him, but it could lead to disaster! He doesn't know how all of it's working out, if everything everyone said they were going to do, they actually did, and at one point, he didn't even know where to get the money from to pay for all of it! How can a dance run smoothly when there are so many cooks in the kitchen, and the head chef doesn't even have a clear picture of what's going on! Cap could get in serious trouble if the dance turns out to be a train wreck! Clearly, it's a recipe for disaster (see what I did there?).
The next thing Cap does that could get him in serious trouble, is using student activity fund cheques, for things that don't have anything to do with student activities through the school! When Cap is planning the Halloween dance, he finally learns that he gets the money to pay for the dance through the student activities fund. All of the money in the fund, was being held at the bank. So, instead of giving Cap hundreds of dollars to carry around to cover expenses for the dance, the principal (Mr. Kasigi) just gives him a couple of pre-signed cheques. Though Cap has the complete wrong idea of how a cheque works because Mr. Kasigi, not realizing honestly how clueless Cap was, and thinking it was common sense to know how a cheque worked, didn't fully explain how to use the cheques. Cap thought it was like spending free money. The little piece of paper could be worth lots of money, but it wouldn't actually cost anything. That's not the case at all, but Cap treated it like that. He donated thousands of dollars to different charities and tried to use the money in ways that would simply make people happy. Though, when Mr. Kasigi finds out that thousands of dollars from the school funds were used for non-school related things, Cap's probably going to be in a sticky situation.
The last thing Cap does that could get him in trouble, is actually an act of kindness. While his grandmother was going through rehab, Cap was staying with the Donnelly family. It was just Mrs. Donnelly and her daughter Sophie, because Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly were divorced (so Mr. Donnelly did not live with them). Sophie's father was often in and out of her life, and when he would be in it, he would get her hopes up about something or other, and then flee again. So, as you can imagine, she was often unhappy. Her father comes to visit her at one point in the novel, and gets her a beautiful bracelet as a belated birthday gift. He told Sophie he was going to get it engraved, and get it back to her. Though soon he fled again, and the bracelet never returned. When Cap had the cheques from the student activity funds, he just so happened to see the exact same bracelet in a jewelry store window. With the loving heart he had, Cap decided to buy it with one of the cheques and send it to her, but like it was from her father. She would think her father had sent it, and become joyful once again. I think if she ever finds out Cap was actually the one who sent it, though it was a nice gesture, she will be upset (like any teenager who has a "flaky" Dad) because she would realize her Dad didn't care as much as she thought he had when he sent the bracelet, and she will be mad that Cap lied to her about it.
I Commented On: Leanna, Citlalli, and Stanley.
Pages: 1-100
Prompt: Explain some of the things the main character experiences in the book. How would you feel if you were put into the main characters shoes?
The main character in the novel, Schooled, is Capricorn Anderson. He grew up on a Commune called Garland Farm with his Hippie Grandmother, Rain. After a series of unfortunate events, beginning with Rain falling out of a tree, and then almost being arrested for driving her to a hospital at 14, to finding out his Grandmother's hip is broken, Cap (short for Capricorn) is forced to live life in the "Real World" for a couple of weeks while his Grandmother goes through rehab. He then has to move in with the Social Worker at his new school, Claverage Middle School, and her daughter. Cap then must start real school, not continue to be homeschooled, and experiences so many things that he never had before at Garland Farm. In this new environment, it's no surprise that Cap would feel a little out of place, but life becomes more than a small adjustment for him.
One of the first things that happens to Cap when he starts at Claverage Middle School is, he gets elected 8th Grade School President. He didn't run for election, it was all a scam set up by the popular girls and boys at the school to mess with him. Never going to real school, he was already quite clueless, but to have people messing with him further is absolutely disgusting. The worst part is, he didn't even realize that they were messing with him! All of the kids set up Presidential conferences and meetings, gave him suggestions, asked him questions, that were all part of a big joke to play with him! If I were Cap, and had no idea what was happening, I know I would be extremely confused and scared! Knowing you're getting taken advantage of is one of the worst feelings in the World, but I can't even begin to imagine how it would feel to be taken advantage of, and not understand or realize it whatsoever. Though Cap is so calm about all of it! He never lets stress of being the President get to him! He does Tai Chi and meditates constantly to help himself relax, and he never seems to get frustrated over the fact that he is so lost and confused he just goes with the flow, something I know if I were in his situation, that I would not be able to do. I would be freaking out, and refuse to go back to school. I would never want or be able to walk into school everyday, knowing I was just going to feel lost and confused!
Like I mentioned, Cap had multiple changes happening in his life after his Grandmother fell and broke her hip, not just attending a new school! He also moved in with the school Social Worker and her teenage daughter Sophie. I don't know how Cap managed to keep pushing through! If I had to move in with a complete stranger, and I really only had one other person in my life (in Cap's case, his Grandmother) then I would be terrified! I wouldn't feel comfortable in their home, and I would be nervous about what they would think of my quirks and habits! I wouldn't want them to judge me, and would try to be the absolute best house guest I could! Cap is an excellent house guest, as he is very courteous and wise, though, I don't think he really cares about what this new family thinks of him. He does Tai Chi on their lawn early in the morning, and he continues to express his previous ways of "Hippie Living". I would be nervous that this family would think I was weird, and try to act as normal as possible, but Cap never strays from his beliefs and proclaims them with confidence, but not arrogance. I would be a nervous wreck in this situation, though Cap is much better at composing himself, and trying to walk in his shoes, made me realize how difficult his situation truly is, as I'm not sure the book emphasizes how difficult the transition of moving in with complete strangers was!
Cap goes through so many other tough experiences as the story progresses, but those two changes I feel would be the hardest to go through! Trying to walk in his shoes, I can see how difficult it must've really been!
Prompt: What do you think is the most important difference between the written
and filmed version? Provide evidence with specific details.
This week we watched the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Though I missed what we watched Monday, I was still able to pick what I believed to be the biggest difference between the film version, and the actual novel. I actually believe there were two major difference but they very much intertwine with each other (you will understand much better after I explain.) I believe the largest differences are that, 1) the movie only took place over the course of a couple months, and novel took places over the span of 2-3 years! 2) Aunt Alexandra was not a character at all! These are two huge differences that effect a major theme in the novel: Coming of age/Growing up. This was the theme I focused on in my thematic essay, and Scout's maturity can be affected by both of these aspects.
Looking at the time span of the film, it would not add up that Scout could mature that fast. Maturity and growing up doesn't just happen over night, or in this case, a couple of months. I would agree with the time span of the novel, that growth can be shown in a span of 2-3 years, but not a couple of months! How can you go from being an outspoken, immature, childish little girl at the beginning of summer, to an understanding, mature young lady in that same year, only towards the middle of autumn? Yes, a lot happened in those couple of months. Scout experienced the Tom Robinson trial as well as Tom's death, herself and her brother almost being killed, and Boo Radley coming out. Though, I think if the film would've taken place over a longer period of time, those events that Scout experienced would've been more spaced out, and we could've seen a more realistic growth of Scout.
Now Looking at Aunt Alexandra, she played a key role in Scout's maturing as well. She really pushed for Scout to act more like a lady, as she was growing up. She was also a mother like figure that Scout was almost forced to look up to, as she at one point was living with Scout, Jem, and Atticus. Aunt Alexandra really pressured Scout into acting more like a lady, so she was more presentable, and represented herself better. At one point, we can see Aunt Alexandra pressuring Scout when Scout relays what Aunt Alexandra told her, and her ideas about that. Scout says, "I could not possibly hope to be a lady if I wore breeches; when I said I could do nothing in a dress, she said I wasn't supposed to be doing things that required pants." Scout did not like the idea of this, but if she didn't have this influence in her life
pressuring her to be more like a lady, she may have never made the transformation, or at least as large of a transformation as she did, into a young lady. She began to care more about her appearance, and how she acted in front of others. We see this transformation when she says, "I carefully picked up the tray and watched myself walk to Mrs. Merriweather. With my best company manners, I asked her if she would have some. After all, if Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I.” Scout is acting very lady-like at this time, conducting herself like her Aunt was! During this time, even though it was a very disappointing time (Tom Robinson had just died) she was acting courteous, and was being helpful, and she was even wearing a dress! She was being very mature, and taking after her Aunt! It was this part of her maturity that was really influenced by her Aunt, which is why I feel like her absence in the film makes Scout's transformation more unrealistic.
Comments: Jesus, Marisa, and Athziry.
Prompt: When was the last time you did something for the first time?
There are actually some pretty interesting things that I've only recently done for the first time in my life, and I can't wait to share them!
To begin with, something that I've only recently done for the first time, is get my ears pierced! I feel like most girls get their ears pierced when they are younger like, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, or their parents get their ears pierced for them when they are babies. Though, others sometimes, aren't allowed to get their ears pierced until a certain age, and some people just decide not to get their ears pierced at all. None of these were the case for me; I didn't get my ears pierced as a baby, I didn't get them done when I was younger, my parents had no problems with me getting them pierced, and I actually really wanted to get them pierced! So, why did I only get them pierced 1 month ago? Simply because I was nervous it was going to be excruciatingly painful! Even though every single person who had gotten theirs done said it was hardly painful, I was still nervous! Finally, a couple Saturdays ago, I went to the mall with my friend Lizzy. We went shopping, and then went to Claire's so that I could finally get my ears pierced, and so that she could get her's double pierced for her birthday. I sat in the "piercing chair", picking out the earrings I wanted, getting my ears cleaned and marked, then finally, they were ready. I relaxed, shut my eyes, and CLICK, my ears were pierced. It all happened in less than 30 seconds, and it felt the least bit how I imagined it. Now I had gorgeous earrings in my ears, and could buy all sorts of new, and fabulous earrings to wear in the future! I wish I would've gotten them pierced sooner, but at one point, my plan was to never get them pierced at all because I was scared! Though, I was being silly. The only bad part is that I have to clean them three times a day for 6-8 weeks, but I think it's definitely going to be worth it in the end!
Something else that I've recently done for the first time, is travel over seas! It's certainly not the last time I did something for the first time, as it was about 8 months ago, but it is still recent enough where I have vivid memory of it all! Last spring, my dance team and I traveled to London, England to compete at the World Championships of Irish Dance. It was incredible to go to the competition in the first place (as that is something else I had only done for the first time) but it was like having my cake and eating it too with the fact that the competition was in London! I not only got to go over seas for the first time, but I also got to get my first passport, go on an international (obviously) flight for the first time, and of course, I got to see the city of London for the first time! I got see Big Ben, and the Tower of London, and ride the London Eye, and see a beautiful place that so many people will never have the opportunity to see in their whole entire life! It was a huge first for me, and I still can't get over the fact that I went there! It was absolutely amazing! I hope I will get to travel overseas more in the years to come!
One last thing I've recently done for the first time, is make my very own, classic, Gingerbread House! Now, building a Gingerbread house sounds like a typical Holiday activity. Though, before this year around Christmas, I hadn't made one single house, except for possibly a tiny milk carton Gingerbread House in 1st Grade! I love decorating things, so I could not wait to a create a house with plenty of candy and frosting, that looked cool and creative at the same time. Knowing me, I would get frustrated half way through, and just eat it, but I decided that I was going to persevere and finish it, that is, if I even made one! My family failed to go out and buy a Gingerbread House making kit, but I still ended up getting to make one at my friend Kate's Birthday party right before Christmas. When everyone got to Kate's house, it turned out that making Gingerbread Houses was part of the activities for the party, and it was going to be a competition. Being my first time, I was already excited, and I really wanted to put effort into the project (I'm being a little dramatic for it being a Gingerbread House, but trust me, this is how I felt). It started off okay, but once I got into it, it turned out pretty awesome, and I ended up winning the competition (mostly because the other girls gave up like halfway through). After everything was finished, the other girls took their Gingerbread Houses outside and smashed them, but I decided to save mine. I wanted to save the very first Gingerbread House that I ever made.
