Author's Note

My name is Mark Vazquez, I am 13 years old and I live in Brooklyn. I attend Middle School 51. I wanted to write this story, because I felt that it was necessary to teach kids that friendship is important and you need to know who your real friends are, which are the ones that care about you. I also wrote this story to teach you to try not to fit into the crowd. Be yourself, if some people don’t like you because the way you act or the things you like and like to do. I hope that readers understand and learn from this story.

Synthesis Page answering question

Argument Essay

“You all smoke for fun, I smoke to die”, says Alaska Young from Looking for Alaska, by John Green.  Although my book, Looking for Alaska, by John Green is a heart-warming book, I feel that it should be banned because it includes such topics as sex, smoking and alcohol. Looking for Alaska, I believe is an inappropriate book that should be banned from Middle School libraries.

Looking for Alaska is a book that teaches students and young adults that smoking may make you cool.  A particularly compelling example of this is in the article “Banned Book Review:  Looking for Alaska”, states that “Miles never resists the pressure to smoke.  Day one, he lights up.”  It is true that Miles does start to smoke pretty early on in the book as soon as he begins boarding school.  It says in the book “I inhaled.  Coughed.  Wheezed.  Gasped for breath. Coughed again.  Considered vomiting.  Grabbed the swinging bench, head spinning, and threw the cigarette to the ground and stomped on it, convinced my Great Perhaps did not involve cigarettes.”  This shows that smoking is a big issue in this book and that most of the characters seem to be chain smokers.  High School kids should not be smoking at their age, especially the amount that the characters in this book are smoking per day.  Smoking isn’t good for you and can lead to difficulties with your health in the future, but this book says it’s okay. (Green, 23)

Looking for Alaska also has a lot of sexual content in it.  They are also somewhat descriptive about this topic which makes it even worse.  Specifically, a line in the book describes how when Alaska Young found her roommate, Myra having sexual intercourse with her boyfriend.  In another part of the book, Miles’ girlfriend is about to perform oral sex.  It says in the book “she had looked up at me, but didn’t move, her face nanometers away from my penis.”  The article “Banned Book Awareness:  ‘Looking For Alaska’”, says that “The Tennessee legislative recently passed a bill stating that teachers cannot encourage ‘gateway sexual activity’ as part of the states’ abstinence-based sexual education movement”.  All of this is saying that sex is okay at this age and that everyone should be doing it. (Green, 147)

Drinking is a strong part of Looking for Alaska and also inappropriate, especially since it talks about underage drinking which happens quite a few times in this book.  Miles said once in the book “We did not say:  Don’t drive.  You’re drunk.”  It also says in the article “Banned Book Review:  Looking For Alaska”, that the book earned a spot on the American Library Association’s list as one of the top ten frequently challenged books of 2012 because of drinking, smoking and sex.  This is not a good message for readers at all.  It is kind of saying that you should drown your sorrows in alcohol.  After all, Alaska Young died because of drunk driving.  This is why drinking is not good, especially if you’re under age; it doesn’t solve anything for you. (Green, 117)

It is important to acknowledge that Looking for Alaska teaches you about love and how life can really be like.  However it does not change the fact that this book had many inappropriate topics and parts to it.  They could have made the book meaningful without the inappropriate parts.  The unnecessary, inappropriate parts just ruined the message the book was trying to make.

Thinking about it, Looking for Alaska is an inappropriate book, and should be banned from our Middle School libraries.  It can make young readers think that it is okay to do all of these things, when it really isn’t.  Although I think, Looking for Alaska is not age appropriate for Middle School readers, and should be removed from our libraries, I think it is okay for High School to include in their libraries for their students to read.

Bibliography

-http://www.juliatomiak.com/2013/09/banned-book-review-looking-for-alaska/

-http://bannedbooks.world.edu/2012/05/14/banned-books-awareness-looking-for-alaska/

Social Awareness Project

Poem:

The Angry Hand

I feel the stinging pain

All over my body

Walking all over my skin,

hurting me.

It’s all because of the hand.

The Angry Hand.

Hurting me every time I do something wrong,

but I’m only human.

The person of that hand doesn’t treat me nice.

That hand of theirs always smacking me,

or hitting me,

or punching me.

I have to leave, but I’m afraid that the angry hand will find me.

So I just stay facing

The Angry Hand…

for now.

It was actually easy for me to write this poem.  I wanted to keep adding on to it, but decided to just leave it the way it is, because I wanted the readers to wonder what happens after they read the poem.  To write this poem, I thought about how an abused child would write a poem.  I really enjoyed writing this poem.

Interviews:

Aunt Nilsa - who is a Deaf Education teacher.

How’s it like being a teacher for deaf kids?

I like and enjoy it very much, it can be tough and challenging, but it is always rewarding.  You do have to have a lot of patience.

Do you like your job?

I like my job.  I like it a lot.  I actually love my job.  I love the kids, especially during the holidays where we have lots of fun.

Why did you want to be a teacher for deaf students?

I wanted to work for kids who would appreciate communication, because it’s such a struggle for these children.

How do deaf kids learn?

Learning for them is difficult, but they can learn.  It takes a lot of time and a lot of repetition. You have to use sign language and finger spelling.  Reading and writing can be a challenge for them.  The easiest subject for them is gym.

How do the kids act?

They pretty much act like regular kids.  It depends on their individual personality.  Some can be sweet, others can be stubborn.  Some can be kind and some can be mean.  Some can be friendly while others are introverted.

Cousin Daniel – who has recently undergone a bone marrow transplant to help him rid of Sickle Cell Anemia, and now helps other kids that are sick in the hospital.

There is a show called Red Band Society about what it’s like being a sick kid and being in the hospital.  What are your thoughts on it?

I feel that it doesn’t portray reality of what it is to be in a hospital and very ill.   In reality, you wouldn’t really make friends as easily as in the show. It’s not very realistic.  I feel that it is kind of dumb that they are trying to portray a positive view, but it isn’t reality.

How was it like being in the hospital for treatment last summer?

It was okay, I guess.  Very boring.  Once I left the hospital to sleep at the Ronald McDonald House I felt relieved.  I also realized that a lot of my friends were ignoring me and not really talking to me, except for three of my closest friends.  Once I finally got back to school, people were still ignoring me, which hurt me a little.

What/who did you miss when you were at the hospital?

I missed home.  I missed the feeling of being home.  I missed being in my own bed.  I just missed that comfortable feeling that your home gives you.

What are your thoughts on kids that aren’t sick and don’t have diseases, or cancer, or illnesses?

I hate to say this, but I feel that every kid should feel the emotions that I went through while in the hospital.  It would open their eyes to really show how crummy life can be sometimes.  Kids may even stop being ungrateful brats.  There is one expression that I always liked which was that there is always someone worse off than you, which reminds you that you should be grateful of what you have, because there is always someone who has it worse.  Nowadays, lots of kids can be ungrateful for what they have because they don’t know what it is to be extremely ill.  Yes, kids are always going to be spoiled and ungrateful at times, they are kids, but at least should try to be more grateful and appreciate life, and then look at a sick kid’s life.  I had to spend some holidays and even a birthday in the hospital.  I didn’t get to spend time with all of my friends and family, I wasn’t even home.  When I would get a cold, I had to go back into the hospital while the average kid just rests in bed and let the cold run its course.  So I feel that kids need to be more respectful and grateful, to their friends, families, themselves for being healthy, and just for having a normal, healthy life.

How did you feel when you were cured?

I didn’t really feel anything.  I did feel relieved and prayed that everyone turned out positive.  I felt the same, but I was happy.  To me it really wasn’t anything special, although I knew it really was.

How do you help others?

Whenever I am able to, I go the hospital where I spent last summer.  Of course I can’t always go, but when I can, I do.  It is several hours away from where I live.  I help serve food, deliver gifts sent to the hospital to distribute to others who are currently there, and spend time with the kids there.  It makes me feel good to help kids that are sick, like I was.

My mom – who is a working, single parent.

What is it like to be a single parent?

For me it is satisfying.  I did not choose this path, as I would have loved to have been a part of a whole family unit (i.e., father, mother and child(ren)).  However, I am a single parent and have learned to be very happy with my life.

Do you ever get jealous of stay at home parents?

No.  I am almost 50 and I have always worked.  I began working at the age of 15, and have never been unemployed.  If some people can afford being a stay at home parent, I think it’s great for the individual person.  For me, I need to work.  I like to work.

How do children of single parents differ from children of non-single parents?

I can’t speak for anyone else.  But Mark is a great kid.  We live in a great neighborhood; have a roof over our heads and a loving, supportive family.  As long as you have that, it doesn’t matter whether your child comes from a single parent or a non-single parent home.

Reading Response:

One of my favorite books that I’ve read is the book Wonder.  I would say that this book definitely has a social issue.  The social issue is bullying and trying to fit in with your peers. The book is about a boy named August that has a deformity.  He has been homeschooled since 4^th grade and has now decided to go to attend a school.  When he goes to school he makes a few friends, but a lot of kids think he’s gross and a freak.  He faces many obstacles along the way just by being a kid trying to fit in with everyone else.

When August goes to school a kid named Julian starts to pick on him.  He doesn’t really like August and doesn’t feel that he belongs in the school.  Then Julian tells his Mother about August, who then tries to get August out of the school.  I feel that people can really be mean to other people that are “different.”  I think that everyone should be treated the same, no matter what they look like.  Some people aren’t considerate of the feelings of other people.  They forget that they are people too.  My question is why would a person want to kick someone out of school?  Is it because they don’t look like most people?

People need to stop making fun of others or treating them like they aren’t just as important as others because they are different than your average person.  We are all human, and nobody is alike, and that’s what makes you different than everyone else.  So if you feel like you don’t fit in, be yourself, and if anyone disagrees, then that’s their problem.

Nonfiction Reading Response

"Some teenagers think that speaking up [for] women's rights or human rights is not their job to do. They usually consider themselves as people who have fun [and] take selfies, but I think it's important that teenagers take active roles in speaking up against injustice and inequality," states Malala Yousafzai from the article "Malala's Mission" by Alessandra Potenza. This article talks about how 15-year-old Malala, fights for the right of education for girls.  She talks about how the Taliban took over Swat Valley, where Malala lived. The Taliban then imposed harsh interpretation of Islamic law, banning TV, music, and girl's education. Although, Malala had refused.

The author of the text, Alessandra Potenza talks about Malala's life and what had led to her fighting back in the first part of the article. It then mentions what had happened after Malala has gotten shot. It states that "Malala now 17, survived the attack, and she and her family fled to England" after this incident happened.

The author then asked Malala questions. One question that she asked was "What would you say to the members of the Taliban who tried to kill you?" and Malala replied "I always say [of] the Taliban that my campaign is not just to speak against them, but my campaign is for education, which definitely goes against their views" and more. This shows that Malala doesn't want revenge, but she is still going to fight for what she believes in such as girl's education

Overall this article shows Malala's story and how it came to be. It was very inspiring, yet educational and interesting. It had a meaning to it, which was to fight to what you think is right, no matter what your age is.  In my opinion, I think that Malala does have a point about that message.  We should fight for what we believe in, no matter what age we are, because we have rights and opinions jsut like everyone else does and we shouldn't let people step on us. In the end, I think that this is a very important article and everyone can learn from reading it.

Looking For Alaska Reading Response

Some people don't make friends easily. Others find friends that are exactly like them, but the best friends are the ones that you never would have expected to become friends with.  In the book, "Looking For Alaska" by John Green, it talks about how weird it is to meet people that aren't at all like you, but somehow become friends with you.  Some people have gotten this book banned because they find it inappropriate since it has explicit content such as sex, alcohol and smoking. However, this is really not the focus of the book and it shows kids what the real world is like along with things that are considered right and wrong. The main focus of the book is that life is hard, but you have to enjoy the best of it. I think that this book should not be banned because of those reasons. The book also shows how the characters in the book have rough lives and use cigarettes as a way to block the negative parts of their lives out, such as Miles, Alaska and The Colonel.

One example, is that The Colonel seems to like to smoke, especially when he starts to talk about his life. He always asks for a cigarette when he talks about himself and his mother being poor.  He doesn't seem very emotional when he talks about it.  I think he uses it for comfort. One example is when he talks to Miles about his life and says, " I hate rich people" and then asks for a cigarette afterwards which shows that he uses tobacco to drown his sorrows in.

Another example is when Alaska is talking to Miles about smoking. She then talks to Miles and says, "I don't smoke for fun, I smoke to die" which is very sad.  She is basically saying she intentionally smokes so she will die as soon as she can. This shows that Alaska not only uses tobacco to block away her depressing past, but to try to get rid of her pain and suffering by killing herself.

THIS NEXT PARAGRAPH SPOILS FOR READERS WHO HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK! READ WITH CAUTION!

The last example is when Alaska has already died and Mile's becomes depressed and feels like giving up. He then uses smoking to make himself feel better. When he is smoking alone, he says to himself, "You can't just make me different and leave, because I was fine before, Alaska. I was fine with just me and last words and school friends, and you can't just make me different and die."  This shows that Miles is again using smoking to get rid of or to hide his pain, even though it does not work.

In the end, Miles, Alaska and The Colonel all just use smoking to block the pain away. Sometimes this works, though most of the time it doesn't. Sometimes it can just make it worse. I think that teens in the real world try to use drugs and alcohol and especially smoking in this situation and other bad things as well, just to help get rid of the all the bad things in life, but they can also get rid of the good things in life which is more important then trying to get rid of the bad things in life. So I think that teens need to help find other ways to help themselves look for ways to cope with good and bad things and to figure out where they belong in life...without smoking. It's just part of living that things are both good and bad and nothing is perfect, which is why this book should not be banned.

Sources of Light Reading Response II

In the book, Sources of Light, I noticed that there are six character Archetypes.  Star-crossed Lovers, Mother figure, Mentor, Trickster, Scapegoat and the Shapeshifter.  The Star-crossed lovers are Samantha and Stone, the Mother figure is Samantha's mother, the Mentor is Perry, the Trickster is Samantha's grandmother, the Scapegoat(s) are African-Americans, and lastly, the Shapeshifter is Willa Mae.

The Star-crossed Lovers are Samantha and Stone because Samantha is poor while Stone is rich.  Neither of their parents really accepts their love for each other although they really do love each other.  There is one part of the book where Samantha is about to kiss Stone, but then is stopped by her mother when they are at the school dance.

The Mother figure is Samantha's mother because she teaches Sam what is right and what is wrong.  She really gives her opinion to Sam.  She also gives Sam a lot of advice and tips.  One example is when she says to Sam that what most white people do to black people is wrong and it's not about what they look like, but who they are as a person. However, I can understand that she is best at being a Mother figure because she is always there for Sam who does not always make mature decisions.

The Mentor is Perry because he gives Sam the camera that she then uses to inspire her. She then does so many things that are new to her all because of that camera and him.  One example is when Samantha did a project on the "Essence of Louisiana" and she gets a poor grade even though she deserved to get a higher score.  Perry then tells her, "That teacher doesn't know what she is talking about.  Who is she to even be a teacher with her kind of opinion?”

The Trickster is Samantha's grandmother because she is very funny and is a silly lady. She makes everyone laugh and smile.  A tease she says about the KKK is, "What idiot decided to take a white blanket and poke two holes through it, that's a ghost not a racist group uniform."

The Scapegoat(s) are African-Americans because they are not treated equal and are definitely mistreated.  They are always accused and blamed, even for things that they clearly did not do.  One part in the book is when some black people go into a diner and are eating, but it is not what they call a colored diner (it's strictly for white people only).  A few white men come in and start a fight and one man takes salt and pours it right on a black woman's head.  The lady just kept on ignoring him and pretended that he wasn't pouring salt on her.

The Shapeshifter is Willa Mae because she changes from a shy, quiet, but independent woman to a very outgoing, brave, strong woman when she needs to be. For example, she talks back to a white woman about how she is not going to be treated like a slave, but then becomes quiet when the authorities arrive.

In conclusion, these are the character Archetypes I have noticed in the story.  I think that these characters fit perfectly with the Archetype that they are.  Together they all work to make the entire story interesting and believable.