"Code Talkers" Blog

3/7/16
Prompts:

1.) Summarize what has happened in the book so far.

2.) Identify the protagonist. 
3.) Identify the antagonist. Describe what has happened
that makes you believe they are the main characters?


          The book I am reading is called "Code Talkers" by Joseph Bruchac. This book takes place during the years of WWII. The author is writing about his time when he served as a Navajo code talker so the book is a memoir. When he was a little boy he was sent to an American school. This was a school for just Navajos but they were taught the way of the "white man." Since the teachers were American, the Navajos were discriminated by the teacher. Then, one day, when he was 16, the Marine Corps were recruiting Navajos to aid them in the war effort. He begged his parents, but they told him to wait one more year. When he was 17, he was accepted by the Marine Corps. He became a code talker and him, along with many other Navajos, developed a new code so no one could crack it. He battled many battless. He was wounded as well. Right now I am at the part where they are fighting the Japanese to take over Iwo Jima. This is what I have read so far.

          I think that the protagonist of the story is the author and all the Allied forces. The protagonists are fighting against the Axis forces. The events that have taken place in order for me to know that these are the protagonist are that the author has persevered even in tough times like the time he was wounded. The Allied forces are obviously a protagonist because they are fighting to prevent Adolf Hitler from talking over the world. This is why I think they are protagonist.

           The antagonist of this book is the Axis Powers. I think this because they are fighitng so they can take over the world. The events that made me think this is when the American soldiers went to take over Iwo Jima. When they went to the island it seemed like it was deserted. When all of the soldiers went is finally when the Japanese started to attack them. It took days to finally overcome the Japanese because they never surrendered they fought to the very last. They fought with tooth and nail. This is why I think that the Axis Powers are the antagonist.

Life is Beautiful Blog

3/2/16
Prompts:
1.)Based on the Holocaust literature and poems we have read, what connections can we make between Life is Beautiful and our reading?
2.) Analyze how differenences of points of view of characters create suspense or humor
3.) What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different? What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces?
4.) How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film? Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.


          There are many connnections between the Holocaust literature and poems we have read between the film Life is Beautiful. One connenction that I made between both pieces is the how the way that the father and son bonded. In the movie Life is Beautiful Guido is the person that takes care of the son. In Night the father and son bond was where the son took care of the father. The overall idea of the father and son bond is the same, but as you start to disect it becomes different. Guido gives the feeling comedy. In Night its more of a serious tone. This how each piece of literature is similar and different.

           The point of views are very different throughout each piece of work. In Night it was through the perspective of Elie Wiesel. Through his perspective the mood was very serious and somewhat facts. In Life is Beautiful it was told by the perspective of Guido, the main character. It was told through a much more upbeat and comedy perspective. That was one difference.

           One way that life is shown as beautiful is the way that the main character looks at his life. He tends to look on the bright side of things. Like when he was about to get killed. He found a way to make his son laugh even though he was going to die. He died on a happy note. That is one way that life is shown as beautiful.

          Another way that life is shown as beautiful is the way the main person, Guido, treasures his experiences. During the movie his experiences are shown. Like when he first met his wife when she "fell out of the sky." He didn't know that was going to be his wife at first, but it was like love at first sight. He treasured that moment. This is one of the other ways that life is shown as beautiful

         

         
         

"Night" Blog

2/25/16
"Night"  
Prompts: How do Elie's experiences during the Holocaust changed him as a person?


          During the Holocaust, Elie changed in many ways. Physically, emotionally, and mentally. He changed physically by losing weight. This happened to all of the people that were put in the camps. They were given very little to eat. They lost weight and energy at a shocking pace. Thus resulting in not being able to continue on with their life because their basic needs are not met. Elie's father and Elie were both starving. When they ran from Aushwitz to Gleiwitz they barely made it. They almost collapsed. If they did they might of gotten shot or trampled. That could of been the end of him and his father. I guess you could say they changed from taking things for granted to persevere and not stop until they get something.

          Another way he changed was mentally. Before he was put in a concentration camps he was very pious. He devoted his whole life to God. When him and his father were put in the camps he began to push away God. Things got worse and he blamed God for them. He started to think bad thoughts about God like why should I praise him if he does nothing at the sight of many people dying. For example, when the child gets hanged he began somebody said where is God. He said he was hanging from the gallows. This is one a way he changed.

          The last way that he changed was emotionally. During the time he was in the camps he began to think of his father as a burden. He began to think all of these things. He knew that his father was going to die, but he still fed him and took care of him till the end. He thought of leaving, but he never carried out any of these thoughts. In the end, he said that he didn't cry because the conditions he was
put in hardened him. He lacked emotion.

Night Blog

2/18/16
Prompts:
1.) Pick a phrase from what you are reading that made you think. Interpret what the author meant.
2.) Analyze what motivates the authors behavior.

          The book that I'm reading is called "Night" by Elie Wiesel. A phrase that I made me think in the book was, "I had to become a different person. The student of Talmud, the child I was, had been consumed by the flames...my soul had been invaded-and devoured-by the black flame." This quote made me think a good amount. It made me think how we should not take everything for granted. The author, as a child, was very pious. Later, when we has put into a concentration camp, where he experienced many traumatizing moments, he became to take his attention away from God. This was mostly due to the fact that he saw that things were not getting any better. In fact, they were getting worse. This all made me think that we should not take our freedom for granted. Or anything for that matter because it can be taken away from us at any time.

           There have been many things that have motivated the author during this period in his life. One of those things, although it had a very negative impact, was leaving God behind. During his time in the concentration camp he experienced horrible things such as: his father getting slapped and beaten, getting whipped, seeing a hanging of a child, and much more. In time he began to seperate from God because he didn't think that he was there for them, that he abandoned them and left them for dead Every event that happened seperated him from God more and more.

"Forgotten" Butterfly Project

I commented on: Evie's, Omar's, James's, and Joseph's

AoW Impressions Blog

2/16/16
Prompt: Today you were educated by your peers as to different topics focusing on the Holocaust.  Now take a moment to reflect upon your impressions of what you have learned from the array of articles in at least two well written paragraphs, using evidence from your graphic organizer.


          I learned many things during the AoW gallery walk. It was filled with many emotions due to the fact that the Holocaust is a topic when many people were killed in inhuman ways. In the long run I learned many new things that pertained tothe Holocaust.

          One of the things that I learned was about a Holocaust survivor that is teaching many kids about his experiences. Although there are many people that teach the Holocaust to kids this teacher struck me as different. He seemed to actually strike people at the heart, not that the other survivors haven't, but he made other kids think differently. He made them think about their actions and what they shouldn't take for granted. 

           The author also thinks that nobody should hate someone. Even if they have done something horrible to you. If you hate somebody that has done something bad to you that makes you lower than they are. Hitler did something bad to the survivor and the survivor teaches that he does not hate Hitler because then he would be as low as Hitler. 

            Another thing I learned that is happening right now is there is one last Nazi in the U.S. There is a Nazi hunter that is fighting against the Nazi. Right now there is an active court case against the Nazi. The Nazi was a bodyguard for a concentration camp. Everyone thinks that he will die in New York due to his age. Since they think this the decided to not send him back to Germany. These are all the things I learned during the AoW gallery walk.

Berlin Memorial Blog

2/4/16
Prompts:
1- What did you learn?
2- Why do you think this monument was built?
3- What did you notice about the number of laws passed in certain years?
4- Which restrictions do you think you would have the most trouble dealing with and why?


          I learned many things during the Berlin Memorial activity. I learned that almost all of the Jews entertainment was taken away. Such as being able to go to sports clubs, movies, car clubs, swimming pools, being able to play with other kids that are not Jewish, use the beach, and choir clubs. Jews were discriminated and were not able to go into other places where Jews were not present. Their rights were taken away. Their belonings were taken away. Their pets were taken away and in the end their lives were taken away. They were wiped from the face of the Earth. They had always been a target for centuries, but it was Hitler that got everybody going. He turned everybody against the Jews.  This is what I learned.                                                                                                                      

           I think the Berlin Memorial was built to recognize the Jews and their hardships. It was also to show how they were treated during the many years of war. How, one by one, their rights, entertainment, and belongings were taken from them. To show how they were treated unfairly.  This is why I think the memorial was built.

           I noticed that in the beginning most of the Jews entertainment was taken from them. Tnrough the years 1933 and 1938 all of their entertainment. Then, came the loss of job. After delcaring your belongings and the Star of David. No food and water. Finally, destroying all of the evidence of ever killing 6 million Jews and 5 million other races.

            I think the most trouble I would have with any of the restriction is being restricted from milk or eggs. I know this is not a basic essential in the human life, but milk and eggs symbolize food. I can not live without food for maybe one week. I don't think anyone can live without food for one week. This must of been horrible for the Jews and I take this basic essential for granted. I know this is one of the restrictions I would have a problem with.