Wednesday, January 27, 2010

World War II

World War II

It was 1942, and bullets were flying across the battlefield going every which way while some were connecting on their target. The Battle of Britain has just broke out, and this is World War Two and things will never be the same. Although many wars accoured throughout history, World War Two is the most important because it gave the U.S. a powerful influence over the world and put Hitler out of office permanently.
The war first started in 1939 after Hitler came into office. HE started the war first against France, Poland and England, but then he decided it would be a good idea to start fighting against Russia which made him split his troops and Russia was so big and had a powerful army. Since Russia and England were allies of the United States so we had to fight.(Heather Wheeler) Now that you know why we started the war you should know about some of the commanders who helped win the war.
The U.S. had a good military coming into the war but after this war we would become unstoppable. Franklin Delano. Roosevelt was the president for the war and some of the great depression. He died in 1944 one year before the war ended. Some other commanders during the were Omar N. Bradley, Dwight David Eisenhower, William Frederick Hasley Jr. and Tomas Holcomb just to name a few. These people were so important because they commanded troops into battle, to sacrifice their to help their battles during the war.
It would be hard to remember all of the battles during the war so here is just a few of the main ones. The Battle of Berlin took place in Berlin, homeland. Now that you know about the reasons we started and the commanders The battles are the next thing you should know about the
Germany from April 16 to May 2, 1945. Midway took place in Midway was taken place from June 3 through the 6 of 1942. Another main battle was Stalingrad. This was one of the most bloodiest battles in all of the wars. It took place from August 21, 1942 to February 2, 1943 and it was named after Joseph Stalin.(Jenifer Rosenberg) With all of these bloody battles you are probably wondering who won the war, why did it start and how did it end.
World War Two was one of the toughest wars that we have fought in but, of course we won, well actually the U.S. and their allies won.(Jacob Hornberger) It started because Hitler wanted more land to rule so he started to fight to the east like England and Poland, but while he was crushing them he got greedy and started to fight against Russia and that caused him to split his troops so that caused him to lose his power. But the most exciting part of the war was the ending. We used an atomic bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.(William Burr) Many innocent people died but that was the only thing we could do to stop it. Now the U.S. made an agreement that we cannot use atomic bombs anymore.
Because of all the destruction during World War Two it put lots of cities economy’s in the garbage, but on the good side it got us out of the great depression.(Christopher Tassava) The U.S. poured lots of money into the European economy, to help restore them. Many people have immigrated into Europe because it is a safe part of the world.(Anthony Messina) This can also be bad for the economy because just like the U.S. it can put many people out of jobs when they should be working.
World War Two was a major part in American history and as a result of World War Two the U.S. became the world’s major super power. The cost of any war is high and many lose their life, but as Colonel David M. Shoup once said,” Casualties many; Percentage of dead unknown; Combat efficiency; We are winning.”

Why People Should Particapate in Club Sports

Why People Should Participate in Club Sports.

In many communities there are club sports open to everyone. If it is open to everyone why not do it. There are many overweight people who say that they want to try to lose weight, but if they really wanted to they would join a sport. They might not do it because they are scared but that is all a part of it. In club sports you don’t even have to be good, you just need a little confidence in yourself. Everyone should give it a try.
Club sports are good for everyone. Sports help you create life skills and help you create friends. There are lots of people who aren’t good but they do it to have a good time and spend quality with their friends and that’s all that matters. It can also help you in the future because if you ever decided that you wanted to try out for a high school team or something you would already know a little about it. Lots of sports teams help the community also, so if you like helping people then this is the thing for you. Sports are a good way to keep you healthy, lose weight, become active and give back to your community.
Although there are many god things about playing sports there are a couple down sides. It takes up a lot of your weekend if you play a completive sport like football and it is a big responsibility, that some people can’t handle. You also have a risk of getting hurt. People need to stretch and exercise as part of their daily routine. Practicing takes up a lot of your school nights when you could be at home studying for a test or something like that but school should always be first no matter what sport you play. If you are really good the coaches give you a hard time at practice if you don’t work hard because they know that you are better. In all it is a big commitment.
Although there are many bad and good things about playing sports everyone should give it a try at some point in their life. People should participate in sports even if it is only for one year. It will help you do things that you didn’t even know you could do.

Alex Herman
Hour 4
Language Arts
October 21, 2009

Speak

Alex Herman
Language Arts Hour 4
Ms. Johann
December 16, 2009
Speak Essay
Speak

Imagine you are at a party, having the time of your life when all of a sudden you hear the police coming. Lots of your fellow classmates get busted for drinking. They find out that a girl named Melinda Sordino made the call and now everyone hates her, including her friends. This is what happened in the novel Speak. Speaks mode line appears to be tragedy as the devastation of being raped impacted Melinda’s life quite seriously, causing her physical and psychological problems.
In a tragedy the main character rises in power. Often tragedies appear to be much like real life and realistic. Despite how true to life it seems the main character is not in control and the main character has a tragic flaw. This flaw leads to their fall from power. Often tragedies end sadly. The novel Speak is a tragedy explaining the 9th grade experiences of Melinda Sordino. As in a tragedy she is popular, she is well liked, she gets along with her parents and friends and things are good. Her tragic flaw , however, is that she wants to be well known by the high school kids. Her tragic fall occur after a horrifying event that she had no control over. The fall includes a series of events that happened to her.
When a person is raped they may blame themselves and go into depression. In this way Melinda goes into depression. Melinda’s life is seriously impacted by the rape. After she was raped Melinda called the police and many fellow students were arrested as a result of the under aged drinking party. People are mad at Melinda and she is disliked, and treated like an outcast. Melinda says that she felt like, “…a wounded zebra in the middle of the auditorium…”(5). Melinda feels wounded by the rape and she is alone because everyone is mad ate her. This feeling continues throughout most of the novel. She says, “They actually sewed her a new skin”(125). She wishes she could change her whole appearance because she feels so bad. The psychological pain that she feels has physical effects on her body. Every morning when she wakes up she feels physical pain and she asks, “What is wrong with me”(51). This is a further sign of her deep depression.
The tragic event that occurs to her is being raped but the tragic events that follow are also out of her control. When Melinda was in eighth grade she was popular, but now she says, “I see a few friends – people I used to think were my friends – but they look away.”(8). The students are now treating her badly, and one says, “you’re in the wrong school! You’re in the wrong country! You’re on the wrong planet!(13). None of this treatment is fair to her; she doesn’t deserve any of it. Throughout the school year she earns bad grades because she has a low self-esteem due to the rape. She has bad relationships with her teachers and parents. Her parents are very angry with her because of her poor grades, and she says, “My parents command me to stay after school every day to get help from the teachers”(50). Because Melinda has remained silent about the rape she is misunderstood by many people and is having a hard time helping herself.
Throughout the story we learn that Melinda is hurt in many ways beyond just the rape itself. She often refers to Andy Evans, the rapist, as “it”. She is very angry with him and says to herself, “I want to kill him”(118). She often expresses that she feels unsafe. If she ever wanted to share this story she wonders if people would believe her, she questions herself, “would you believe me”(114). Despite all the negativity, she is still able to care for a friend Rachel, who turned the back on Melinda. Melinda says, “Andy hangs around and onto Rachel”(143). Thankfully at the end of the novel while other rape victims may remain silent Melinda is finally willing to share her story with a trusted teacher Mr. Freeman.

I am David

I Am David

Imagine yourself in a concentration camp, not really paying much attention to anything . When you all of a sudden you hear people talking. You look around for where the source is coming from and you figure out it is talking to you. It is a guard telling you to escape the camp. Should you believe him, or die in a concentration camp, the decision is all up to you. This is what happens in the novel I Am David. David is faced with a life or death situation. I Am David is a great book that you won’t be able to put down till the last page, it has a great mode to fit the scene and is great for anyone who likes World War II.
I Am David is a great book for everyone who likes World War II because it is very realistic and describes some of the things that happened in history. It is also a good book for young readers because the main character is David is a twelve year old boy that has many troubles. He has been locked up in a concentration camp for as long as he can remember, he can’t read very well and is not talkative. With all these inequalities he has some good qualities too. Since he is young he is very “cute” so people will give him money and bread. He knows many languages which is shocking since he hasn’t been in school ever. He has many good survival skills which help him later on in the book. Because David is such an influential character you won’t be able to put it down.
The author of this book, Anne Holm is a great author. She is very descriptive in her writing with lots of background information. She has many good author skills because she has written many children’s books, teen books and some adult books. I Am David is a very intense book that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the last page. The book slows down in pace towards the end but it is still worth reading. Although I could keep going on about the author and David you should know about the mode line.
The novel is written in the comedic mode of literature. The story begins normal World War II, people dying in a concentration camp. Davids conflict is where the guard asks David if he wants to escape. This is a hard decision for a twelve year old boy to make. The conflict is resolved in the story by him meeting new people and going different places. In the end the story returns to normalcy by him getting out of the concentration camp for good and becoming a better person for everyone. David becomes a well rounded young man by the end of the story.
Now a days it would be hard for someone to be in a concentration camp because the world is so good. That is not the case for everyone. In I Am David a twelve year old boy has to escape a concentration camp. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat and keep reading till the last page.


Alex Herman
Hour 4
Language Arts
Mrs. Johan
November 11, 2009

Boy's Bathroom Essay

Boy’s Bathroom Issues

When you go to the bathroom you would expect a little privacy. You got to admit that a topic on going to the bathroom is a little gross, but if you can’t have a little privacy you have a serious problem. At home when use the restroom your parents remind you to close the door. But if you go to the bathroom in a public place, there should still be some privacy. At Asa Clark Middle School we have a problem in the boy’s bathrooms because none of the stall doors close properly.
At Asa Clark boys cannot expect privacy if they need to go to the bathroom and this is a huge problem. Some of the bathrooms don’t even have locks that work, which is bad if you were going to the bathroom and someone came in. That would be very embarrassing for everyone. They would get laughed at. Another stall doesn’t even have a lock. Practically no one can use this stall because it won’t stay closed. Because of all these problems, people have to wait until they get home which makes them feel very uncomfortable during the school day. There is really no way that boys will use the bathrooms is the doors continue to swing open.
There are two main solutions to this problem. One solution is to have the administration and maintenance department prioritize the problem. The second is that student’s need to complain to the teachers and office more so it makes it more important.
There is no privacy in the stalls at Asa Clark Middle School in the boy’s bathroom which is a huge problem for boys during the school day. Hopefully, all of these efforts will help to create privacy in the boys bathroom.

Alex Herman
Hour 4
October 12, 2009

The Story of an Hour

Alex Herman
Language Arts, Hour 4, Johann
January 18, 2010
The Story of an Hour

Imagine receiving a letter telling that your husband has just died in a terrible train crash. Well, in the short story, The Story of an Hour, Louise Mallard hears this tragic news. At least, you would think that it is tragic news. This story is written in the tragic mode of literature with a lot of good symbolism and the author has some facts of herself. The story is written in the tragic mode because first, the story starts with Louise’s world in conflict; her husband has just died in a train crash. Yet, even with this kind of news, she is not sad. Instead, she is happy because she is finally free, free at last, and that is how she rises to power. Her flaw was that she was a women, and women did not have any rights and did not control the money so she could not get a divorce. Her tragic fall is that she is so happy that when she found out her husband was still alive, she died. The story ends in her dying because she is so unhappy that her husband is still alive that she simply died, other people think that it may have been a heart attack, since she had heart problems. The symbolism is very good in this story. It is so well written that it is almost like you were there the whole time. The author uses very good symbolism. For example, storm of grief, creeping out of the sky, and gray and dead, which were just some of the symbols used in that story. It is so symbolic with a little bit of every mode, yet the story has more tragic symbolism than anything because of her death. Kate Choplin is the great author behind the story, The Story of an Hour. She was one of the first women writers to publish stories. Back then, women were like outlaws and all they were supposed to do was sit at home, take care of the children, and cook food. Women weren’t supposed to go outside alone, they had to have a man with them. Since she wrote this she was part of a very small group of people who helped change women rights and were more respected.
The Story of an Hour was written by one of the first women authors in American history. It used lots of good symbolism that helped you find the tragic mode of literature in the story. This is a good story that everybody can read and still learn a little bit about American history. Next time you think your husband is dead, don’t be too happy, or you might be disappointed.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The theme of the story, The Story of an hour.

The theme of the short story, The Story of an Hour, is man vs. society. In the story there is a woman who has recieved a message stating that her husband had just died in a train crash. In this situation you would think that she would be sad of unhappy, but she was actueally happy. Back in the 1800's women were treated poorly, all they were supposed to do was make food and take care of the children. Since her husband died she was now free as a bird floating in the slight breez of the wind free to gan in any direction. She imagined her self being free and not having to live with this man that she didn't even really like. She was crying in sadness but in happyness. Maybe she could noy finally be with a man that she like and cares for. At the end of the story as they were going out to his funeral the keylatch on the door started to turn, that could only mean one thing, the man was back. They confused him with another guy and he didn't even know there was a train crash. But right when he walked through the door she dropped over dead. The only way to get out of a bad relationship back then was deth.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

man vs. himself

The story, The Necklace is man vs. himself. In the story there is a girl, a french girl who is fairley wealthy but dreams of everything. She wanted eveything in the world. When she would go to her friends house she would come home crying becasue they would have stuff that she didn't. She would struggle with herself because she ws jelous and caused her distruction. She would often dream for hours, in her own little world with everthing you could imagine but when she snapped out of it she would start to cry again. Her husband got an invatation to a ball that she almost turned down because she didn't have anything nice to wear. She was depressed and lived that way for a long time becasue she couldn't stop dreaming. At the end of the story she lost one of her friends necklaces and wasted tenyears of her life. It turns out that the necklace wasn't even real it was just plastic that looked like daimonds.

Monday, January 18, 2010

To Build a Fire

The story, "To Build a Fire" is man vs. nature. It is man vs. nature because he has to brave the harsh Alaskan landscapein -75 degree weather. One example from this story would be, "It's 150 degrees below freezing," already his mind set is bad. Also he did not dress properly so he was very cold. He was told bo go with another person and not to go alone. He had a dog that kept him company, but that wasn't as good as a person. The first time he tried bo build the fire it was under a tree where there was no wind, but when he got the fire going the snow from the trees fell and put out the fire. Teh next couple of times it was to windy and he could not get one going. Once all of his matches were gone he started to run because he was cold, he ran and he ran and he ran until the cold was to much for himso sat in a snow bank and waited. He waited for death, he thought of what his kids would do when he didn't come home, but he fell asleep and died.