My Poem (choice/context analysis)

Author's Note: This is a poem parody I wrote based off of Robert Frost's poem Desert Places. He wrote about the snow, I wrote about rain.  I analyzed this piece after I wrote it, most of what I analyzed was hyperbole's, personification, and imagery.This piece is about how rain makes me feel sad, depressed, scared, and how deserted I feel when it rains.

Is It Real?

Author's Note: Have you ever read a book about someone who has died and gone to heaven, then after a short amount of time comes back to life? In this story, a child dies and visits heaven, then comes back to life. After this happens his dad thought that his child's life story about going to heaven would be a good book to write about.

When have you ever imagined what happens to you when you die? The author of Heaven is for Real, Todd Burpo, summarizes in his book real life events that happened to his son, Colton, during his three minute experience with death. In his book, Burpo’s description of his son’s brief experience in heaven is very similar to what we experience here on Earth. In addition, while I was reading this book, I made a connection to another book I read called 90 Minutes in Heaven.

What do the words thrones, gold, rainbows, light, people, and war, remind you of? According to Colton, Todd’s son, heaven consists of all these great wonders. You might wonder why there would be war going on in heaven?  It is supposed to be a peaceful place, a place where everything is just perfect. Based on this true story, Colton tells his father that

“when you go to heaven the men have to fight monsters with either a bow and arrow or a sword and the women and children get to watch."

"There’s going be a war, and it’s going to destroy this world. Jesus and the

angels and the good people are going to fight against Satan and the monsters and the bad people. I saw it.” (136)

The experience, as Colton describes it, is very similar to what we experience on Earth today: war, good versus evil, kings, and rainbows. The irony of it, is that we experience it in a different way here on Earth as human beings, than we would in “heaven”.

Consequently in the book, Heaven is for Real, Colton shares unique facts about heaven that are very similar to those mentioned in the book, 90 Minutes in Heaven. The one that stood out in my mind in particular, is the fact that there is no such thing as “old” in heaven. Burpo explains in his book,

“This is how I remember Pop, I said. Colton took the frame, held it in both hands, and gazed at the photo for a minute or so.

I waited for his face to light up in recognition, but didn’t. In fact, a frown crinkled the space between his eyes and heshook his head.

 Dad nobody's old in heaven, Colton said. And nobody wears  glasses.”(121)

 I thought to myself that what Colton describes must be true because I recall reading a book called 90 Minutes in Heaven where the main character, Don Piper, describes a similar experience when he encounters heaven. In his book, Piper dies for a brief time and goes to heaven. He wrote about his trip and described his brief ninety minute encounter while he walked through a heavenly paradise. He was greeted by those he knew in this life, all of whom were “quite conveniently”  the same age as they were when he had last known them.

In addition to both characters experiencing agelessness in heaven, these two books have something else in common. Colton’s dad, Todd, is a pastor by profession. Similarly, Don Piper is a Baptist pastor. Both have professions that connect them spiritually to God and the church. Likewise, both were authors of books that had similar experiences and wrote about it. I feel that the fact that they both had professional religious experiences gave both books authenticity. It really made me believe that something that sounds so far-fetched could really happen when you have such a special spiritual connection with God.

In Heaven is for Real, Todd Burpo shares many events that Colton explains to him about the experience and how similar it relates to events we encounter in our real world as living people. Both Burpo and Piper describe many similarities in their books in their brush with heaven, Burpo through his son, and Piper’s firsthand experience. Although there were similarities, the authors make the books interesting in their own ways. Both authors let me experience heaven through their eyes. I wonder what it will be like when I eventually leave this world and visit that special place?

The Ransom of the Red Chief

"When I got back to the cave Bill and the boy were not to be found. I explored the vicinity of the cave, and risked a yodel or two, but there was no response"

In this story these  two guys kidnap a kid because they want ransom money for him. One day the kid is gone and nowhere to be found, until he comes back! This quote is kind of the turning point because the kid goes missing, he comes back, and they realize they can't stand him anymore. They try for the ransom money but end up paying the parents just so they could run away from the kid. 

Can You Survive?

Author's Note: Have you ever wondered if an intriguing disease could be manmade and the deadliest? The author of The Death Cure makes the "Flare" seem so creepy and real because of the descriptive pictures he paints in your head.

What would you do if you had a deadly disease that took you to extremes to find the cure? The author of The Death Cure, James Dashner, does a unique job of describing a deadly disease called the Flare, a disease much like the swine flu. The symptoms of the Flare are similar to swine flu: fever, fatigue, and body aches, except with the Flare, you start murdering people because this virus takes over your brain. Even though this is a fictional book, it seems life-like because the author describes this horrific life threatening disease in a way that sends chills down your spine.

“It was the smell that began to drive Thomas slightly mad. Not being alone for

over three weeks. Not the white walls, ceiling and the floor. Not the lack of

windows or the fact that they never turned off the lights. None of that. They’d

taken watch; and fed him the exact same meal three times a day--- slab of ham,

mashed potatoes, raw carrots, slice of bread, water---never spoke to him, never

allowed anyone else in the room.” (1)

Realism, that is the word that popped in my head when I read this quote in The Death Cure, it felt as if I were in the room with Thomas. Readers especially enjoyed when Dashner described the way Thomas was isolated and received the same food three times a day. When Dashner explains situations the characters are in, he has a unique way of portraying how they are feeling whether it be pain, rage, or happiness, and the obstacles they try and conquer. Regardless of where Thomas and his gang are, the author always makes it seem like you are actually in the book, especially when the “cranks” ,the crazy people, go insane.

Well it’s a good thing “cranks” don’t exist in today’s world or we’d all be “past the gone” ,full out insane, where you start to become a cannibal and a serial killer, and we’d all be doomed! When Thomas is isolated in WICKED, World In Catastrophe Killzone Experiment Department, he feels helpless. While reading this book, I try to relate to the character's feelings. I think about my own experiences or how I would feel if I were in that character’s shoes. I think to myself...what if I woke up one day in a box, like Thomas experienced in the first book, and had no recollection of my memories, except my first name. That is really something to think about!

 Dashner, the author, doesn’t just make you feel what emotions the characters are feeling, he also makes you feel as if you are really in the book experiencing what Thomas, Brenda, Minho, Newt, and some of the cranks go through . It seems as if Dashner actually researched deadly diseases and came up with a realistic disease, the “Flare”, which would be the deadliest disease of all. The author makes the “Flare” seem so life like it’s scary! In addition, when Dashner portrays the scene of the crank palace, he does such a fantastic job describing this “place” that he painted a vivid picture in my mind as if it were real. It was almost as if he had researched psychiatric hospitals and investigated what truly goes on there.

In The Death Cure, the author depicts many different examples throughout the book about how it relates to the real world with emotions. Dashner also makes the story interesting by including realism in many different areas of the book. These “tricks” the author uses, capture the reader’s attention and make you feel engrossed in the book. You feel like you just can’t put it down!

Concert Review

Author's Note: This piece is written for band. It was a review of the 7th and 8th grade concert. I used one quote in this piece and it was what the composer wrote about how one of the songs should sound like when you listened to it.

Have you ever went to a concert and really listened, I mean  really listened to the music? On March 6^th, 2013 at the Pewaukee High School there was a concert. There was a 7^th grade band, and an 8^th grade band in that order. When I was there I listened to the different selections of music, and  that is what I will be telling you about.

The first band to play was the 7^th grade band. The first piece they played was called “Knights Destiny”, as I listened it sounded medieval like knights riding through the darkness. The next piece the 7^th grade band played was called “Space journey”, this was a slower song and flowed very well. It made you feel  like you were in outer-space.  “Abandoned Treasure Hunt” , was a very unique piece and when they were about half way done they began tapping their pencils on their music stands to a rhythmic beat. They ended their portion of the concert with “ZOOM!”. This piece was fast and up-beat and in some parts flowed into a slower section when the spotlight was on the clarinets. It was an excellent piece to end the 7^th grade part of the concert.

After the 7^th grade band came the 8^th grade band. Their first song was called “Mars”,"darkness, death, and  brutality", as the composer stated and that was exactly what it sounded like. After that came “The Great Locomotive Chase.”  This piece was remarkable, it sounded like someone was actually chasing a train. “Among the Clouds”, was a very peaceful song, the beginning sounded so beautiful.  The next song was different, and it was called “Music From Carmen”. In this piece it sounded like there was multiple songs within the piece, first it was up-beat and then went into a slower pace which was a very smooth transition. The 8^th grade band ended with “Adrenaline Engine’s”. I think this was the right piece to close the concert with. It was a very energetic and just like the name of the song it was an adrenaline rushing song.

The 7^thand 8^th graders in the band were excellent, they played very well! Now that I’ve told you about the different selections of music the bands played would you ever go to a concert and just listen to the music? 

Rolling in the Deep

Analysis: This song Rolling in the Deep is written by Adele. When you listen to this song it's about her relationship and also when you listen there is so much imagery. Especially when she says, "There's a fire starting in my heart", "The scars of your love remind me of us", and "You had my heart inside of your hand." Also in the song she sounds like she wants to get revenge, but she also sounds sad, and depressed. I loved using this song because it had a lot of figurative language.

Through My Eyes

 Author's Note: This is a piece I wrote for social studies, it is on the California Gold Rush. I wrote this piece from my perspective as a piece of gold. I worked on using A/B transitions and a clear thesis statement.

I sat there for days on end waiting for someone to find me. My color glistened in the sun while I sat in the water and stared at the blue sky. The earth felt cool against my shiny, gold outside. Suddenly, I heard a noise coming towards me, it sounded like a horse. Then a man named James W. Marshall discovered me in a river near Sutter’s mill. He murmured loud enough for me to hear, "I found gold!" He then grabbed a lot of us gold nuggets from the river and gave us a whirl in a bowl. This sparked the California Gold Rush on Jan. 24, 1848. I've been waiting for someone to find me so I can fill my inner gold with knowledge about this "California Gold Rush" and you too can learn about it, as you accompany me on my journey. 

About a day later, while on my expedition, tens of thousands of people came to find us while digging up 12 billion tons of earth. Only a few hundred people lived there in the 1840s, but the discovery of us gold nuggets brought unimaginable growth to the big city. San Fransisco soon averaged 30 new houses and two murders a day! A plot of San Francisco real estate that cost $16 in 1847, sold for $45,000 just 18 months later. In less than two years, the city burned to the ground six times, but there was always money to rebuild it bigger and better.  Nearly a half-billion dollars worth of us gold nuggets passed through the city in the 1850s.

Besides all of the new houses being sold for huge amounts of money, I learned that the lure of gold unleashed the largest migration in United States history! It drew people from a dozen countries to form a society.  Every day I found myself with a new person learning amazing new things. For example, the miners used mercury to extract gold from the ore, contaminating local rivers and lakes with 7,600 tons of the toxic chemical. "EEW!", I thought. In 1852 the take for the year was $80 million.  Believe it or not, that would come to be worth $1.9 billion in 2005. But as time went on, we gold nuggets started to become sparse and disappear.   

Even though toxic chemicals were being released into the rivers and lakes, and the take for the year was $80 million, people were soon having a hard time finding us little gold nuggets. Eventually there were none of us left. After seven years of mining for my friends and I, the California Gold Rush was over. It wasn't a bad thing that there weren't anymore of us left because San Francisco already had more millionaires than New York or Boston! As time passed, I kept up my travels all over until I was lost. Eventually, I was found and put into a museum as one of the first gold pieces ever discovered. At last I found a new home to retire to!  Now everyone can admire my gold sparkle behind a glass case where I am kept safe. I feel honored that I became a part of history and was able to share my story and the part I played in the California Gold Rush.