Quote #1:
1. "-I had no sponser, and the three month of rent provided by the U.S. government was about to expire. I suffered under constant headaches and often could barely move; the pain could be blinding. I wanted to begin a life,-" said by Valentino on page 171.
2.This quote ties in with the question, "What hardships do the characters endure as they make a new life?". In fact, this quote states or outlines all the main problems the protagonist Valentino faced. It shows that even in America, Valentino still had big problems, like not even being able to move from the pain he was under.
3. (Personal Connection) The first part says he was almost out of rent for his home, which would have made him homeless. A week ago, we did an exercise in humanities to learn about homeless people in the U.S., and we learned how hard it was to do things like go to school, or get a job, so I felt connected when he said that
4. What do you think would have happened to him if he didn't have a sponsor?
Quote #2:
1. " 'I'll be your sponsor. And your mentor,' he said. ' I'm going to get you working, and get you a car and an apartment. Then we'll see about getting you into college.' And I knew he would. Phil Mays was a successful man and would be successful with me. I shook his hand vigorously and smiled and walked him to the elevator. I returned to the LBF offices, and looked out the window. He was emerging from the building, now just below me. I watched as he got into his car, a fine car, sleek and black, exactly beneath where I stood against the glass. He sat down behind the wheel, put his hands in his lap, and he cried. I watched his shoulders shake, watched him bring his hands to his face." narrated by Valentino on page 173.
2. This quote shows how he was treated by an American citizen, who was born in the U.S. and is one of the many who chose to help him. In fact, it answers the question, "How do Americans treat the characters?" pretty good, and while this one generous American can't represent those who differ, it does give some clarity on the things American's have done for Valentino.
3. (Character Judgment) I think Phil is very generous for agreeing to help Valentino like that. I feel sorry that a man as kind as him was crying about it, he deserves to have a perfect life considering he's letting Valentino have a good one.
4. What do you think Valentino was thinking during the bolded part of the quote?
Friday, March 20, 2009
Immigration Book Post #2
Quote #1:
1. "Be grateful TV Boy. Have respect. Have you seen the beginning of a war? Picture your neighborhood, and now see the women screaming, the babies being tossed into wells. Watch your brother explode. I want you to be there with me." Said by the narrator, Valentino, the protagonist on page 73.
2. I think this quote answers, "What was the life/role of the characters in their home country?". The way Valentino describes it, so graphic and depressing to hear, shows that his life in his home country of Sudan was, well, graphic and depressing. Overall, this quote gives some insight of how awry and horrible Valentino's life was when he was in Sudan, and the terrible things he saw.
3. (Personal Connection) I have seen a movie talking about Camp Darfur in 7th grade. It was very descriptive, showing and talking about things similar to this, like women screaming and brothers being killed mercilessly.
4. What do you feel "TV boy" would think and/or do if he could see this scene(s) described by Valentino?
Quote 2:
1. "I eased my way back into the grain, and Micheal, I do not understand why I was so quiet. Why I made no discernible sound. Why that man did not hear me. It was God who decided that the movements of Achak Deng would not produce a sound at that moment." Narrated by Valentino on page 92
2. I think it's significant because it shows Achak believes that God protected him from death. He believes that there was a higher force working on his behalf, and that says something about the way he thinks. It's also one of the closest near-death experiences so far.
3. (Personal Connection) I once saw a movie where a similar things happened. It was about World War 2, when a Jewish boy was hiding from Nazi's in his attic, and he hid under a pile of blankets. I find the situation is very similar to what just happened in the quote.
4. Do you think Achak would have survived getting caught by the man, or been killed?
1. "Be grateful TV Boy. Have respect. Have you seen the beginning of a war? Picture your neighborhood, and now see the women screaming, the babies being tossed into wells. Watch your brother explode. I want you to be there with me." Said by the narrator, Valentino, the protagonist on page 73.
2. I think this quote answers, "What was the life/role of the characters in their home country?". The way Valentino describes it, so graphic and depressing to hear, shows that his life in his home country of Sudan was, well, graphic and depressing. Overall, this quote gives some insight of how awry and horrible Valentino's life was when he was in Sudan, and the terrible things he saw.
3. (Personal Connection) I have seen a movie talking about Camp Darfur in 7th grade. It was very descriptive, showing and talking about things similar to this, like women screaming and brothers being killed mercilessly.
4. What do you feel "TV boy" would think and/or do if he could see this scene(s) described by Valentino?
Quote 2:
1. "I eased my way back into the grain, and Micheal, I do not understand why I was so quiet. Why I made no discernible sound. Why that man did not hear me. It was God who decided that the movements of Achak Deng would not produce a sound at that moment." Narrated by Valentino on page 92
2. I think it's significant because it shows Achak believes that God protected him from death. He believes that there was a higher force working on his behalf, and that says something about the way he thinks. It's also one of the closest near-death experiences so far.
3. (Personal Connection) I once saw a movie where a similar things happened. It was about World War 2, when a Jewish boy was hiding from Nazi's in his attic, and he hid under a pile of blankets. I find the situation is very similar to what just happened in the quote.
4. Do you think Achak would have survived getting caught by the man, or been killed?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Immigration Book Post #1
Quote #1:
1." 'Yo freak, where you from?' I turned and told him I was from Sudan. 'You know,' the teenager said, tilting his head and sizing me up, 'you're one of those Africans who sold us out.' He went on in this vein for some time, and it became clear he thought I was responsible for the enslaving of his ancestors. Accordingly, he and his friend followed me for a block, talking to my back, again suggesting I go back to Africa" This was said on the end of 18 until the end of the first paragraph on page 19, by a random African American teenage boy and his friend who were telling Valentino this and following him on his way home.
2. The important thing about this quote is that Valentino (the protagonist) can't even turn to people of his own race, that they also will say to leave America. It's sad because it shows just how much hardship Valentino along with many many other African refugees and/or immigrants went through. It also shows something about Valentino's personality in particular. There are many different ways people could react to this. Somebody in Valentino's position could choose to call the cops, yell at the boys, punch them, etc. etc. What Valentino did though, was ignore them to the best of his abilities, and carry on with what he was doing, and this shows he can be peaceful and ignore people like those boys.
3. (Personal Connection) Something along those lines has happened to me before, where a person was being unnecessarily annoying. Just like Valentino, I continued what I was doing and ignored them. Unlike Valentino's experience though, they didn't follow me anywhere (which is a good thing).
4. What do you think Valentino should have done, and why?
Quote #2:
1. " Under the cover of night they are now brazen---they take two trips each to bring all of the apartment's valuables to the car. And now they are standing above me. 'Well, Africa, I hope this has been educational,' Tonya says. 'Thanks for your hospitality, brother,' Powder adds. They are ebullient with the possibility of their clean and imminent getaway." This was said by Tonya and Powder, two partners in crime robbing Valentino. It can be located at the end of page 22.
2. This is when the robbers Tonya and Powder are about to escape, and it's really quite horrible because all of his valuables (most of which were donated by generous people) will be stolen. As if that's not enough, these despicable thieves are being smug about it. It also signifies that this detestable event is almost over, and while Valentino will have to recover from it, at least he is alive and almost out of this situation.
3. (Personal Connection) I once saw a news report where a trio of burglers did something along these lines to a man living alone in his apartment. They tied him up and gagged him, then stole a lot of his things, and that shows that the kind of things like this in this book, can happen in real life (unfortunately).
4. If Tonya and Powder were caught and sent to court, what would you do if you were the deciding judge, to make sure there is justice?
1." 'Yo freak, where you from?' I turned and told him I was from Sudan. 'You know,' the teenager said, tilting his head and sizing me up, 'you're one of those Africans who sold us out.' He went on in this vein for some time, and it became clear he thought I was responsible for the enslaving of his ancestors. Accordingly, he and his friend followed me for a block, talking to my back, again suggesting I go back to Africa" This was said on the end of 18 until the end of the first paragraph on page 19, by a random African American teenage boy and his friend who were telling Valentino this and following him on his way home.
2. The important thing about this quote is that Valentino (the protagonist) can't even turn to people of his own race, that they also will say to leave America. It's sad because it shows just how much hardship Valentino along with many many other African refugees and/or immigrants went through. It also shows something about Valentino's personality in particular. There are many different ways people could react to this. Somebody in Valentino's position could choose to call the cops, yell at the boys, punch them, etc. etc. What Valentino did though, was ignore them to the best of his abilities, and carry on with what he was doing, and this shows he can be peaceful and ignore people like those boys.
3. (Personal Connection) Something along those lines has happened to me before, where a person was being unnecessarily annoying. Just like Valentino, I continued what I was doing and ignored them. Unlike Valentino's experience though, they didn't follow me anywhere (which is a good thing).
4. What do you think Valentino should have done, and why?
Quote #2:
1. " Under the cover of night they are now brazen---they take two trips each to bring all of the apartment's valuables to the car. And now they are standing above me. 'Well, Africa, I hope this has been educational,' Tonya says. 'Thanks for your hospitality, brother,' Powder adds. They are ebullient with the possibility of their clean and imminent getaway." This was said by Tonya and Powder, two partners in crime robbing Valentino. It can be located at the end of page 22.
2. This is when the robbers Tonya and Powder are about to escape, and it's really quite horrible because all of his valuables (most of which were donated by generous people) will be stolen. As if that's not enough, these despicable thieves are being smug about it. It also signifies that this detestable event is almost over, and while Valentino will have to recover from it, at least he is alive and almost out of this situation.
3. (Personal Connection) I once saw a news report where a trio of burglers did something along these lines to a man living alone in his apartment. They tied him up and gagged him, then stole a lot of his things, and that shows that the kind of things like this in this book, can happen in real life (unfortunately).
4. If Tonya and Powder were caught and sent to court, what would you do if you were the deciding judge, to make sure there is justice?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Liberty Station Musuem Field Trip Reflection
From Haven to Home exhibit:
The point of this exhibit was to teach us everything about Judaism in America. The history, the politics, the famous people, the laws, the landmarks, events like the Holocaust, all of that was covered in this exhibit. For instance, the start of the Jewish religion in America was in 1654, where 23 Jews arrived in New Amsterdam. This was something totally new to me as I had never thought of when or where Jews came to America. When we looked at the famous Jewish people section, I noticed that renowned inventor Albert Einstein was Jewish, as was Ruth Handler, more popularly known a the inventor of the Barbie doll.
Another interesting fact about people and the Jewish religion is that Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh were anti-semantic, which means they were prejudiced against and discriminated Jews. I was very surprised at the famous people who I've heard of all my life but never known they were practicing or against Judaism. Speaking of prejudiced, the tour guide told us something you won't find written in the exhibit. She told us how there was prejudice towards Jews inside the religion. By that I mean, the German Jews who came earliest, were prejudiced towards the more eastern Jews who came a little later.
A famous Jewish landmark in America is the Touro Synagogue, which is the first synagogue to be built in America. It was opened over 200 years ago, in 1763. In the early 19th century, the state of Maryland passed the "Jew Bill". In that state (along with Massachusetts) Jewish people couldn't run for office because if they won they would have to take thier oath on a Christian bible, so the Jew Bill fixed this and stated that Jewish people in office did not have to go through that (although they still had to make their oaths). The bill passed in 1825. Also in the 19th century, a Jewish poet named Emma Lazarus wrote lines that to this day, are engraved into the base of the statue of liberty.
Times like the Holocaust were horrible. During the Holocaust, only 200,000 Jews were able to be safe in America. The number may sound like a lot, but compare it to the six million other Jews who fell victim to this time outside of the U.S.A. The last thing I learned from this exhibit before we left was that Yiddish, a Jewish language, was made up of German, mixed with Russian and Hebrew.
Children of Immigrants Exhibit:
My favorite picture was "Boy from Albania is fingerprinted upon arrival", taken in 1999 inside the O'Hare International Airport. The main reason I like it is because the little boy looks unhappy and confused, which are the common emotions for most of the immigrants and their children. It also helps I'm proud of my Albanian heritage.
My favorite quote was "I believe as an individual I can help America achieve it's goals. I remember last year I helped collect canned foods for the soup kitchen. Also I raised money when the Twin Towers fell. I believe thins like this may seem little, but they can amount to larger and bigger things". This really stuck out to me, because it had a lesson, that every person makes a difference, and I liked the philosophy this quote contained.
I liked the essay by Roger Yan, called "The Untold Story of a Chinese American". It was a boy talking about his immigrant father, I liked it because it was very unique, descriptive and harrowing. It involved his dad dealing with communism to pirates to opening a liquor store in our very own San Diego.
The point of this exhibit was to teach us everything about Judaism in America. The history, the politics, the famous people, the laws, the landmarks, events like the Holocaust, all of that was covered in this exhibit. For instance, the start of the Jewish religion in America was in 1654, where 23 Jews arrived in New Amsterdam. This was something totally new to me as I had never thought of when or where Jews came to America. When we looked at the famous Jewish people section, I noticed that renowned inventor Albert Einstein was Jewish, as was Ruth Handler, more popularly known a the inventor of the Barbie doll.
Another interesting fact about people and the Jewish religion is that Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh were anti-semantic, which means they were prejudiced against and discriminated Jews. I was very surprised at the famous people who I've heard of all my life but never known they were practicing or against Judaism. Speaking of prejudiced, the tour guide told us something you won't find written in the exhibit. She told us how there was prejudice towards Jews inside the religion. By that I mean, the German Jews who came earliest, were prejudiced towards the more eastern Jews who came a little later.
A famous Jewish landmark in America is the Touro Synagogue, which is the first synagogue to be built in America. It was opened over 200 years ago, in 1763. In the early 19th century, the state of Maryland passed the "Jew Bill". In that state (along with Massachusetts) Jewish people couldn't run for office because if they won they would have to take thier oath on a Christian bible, so the Jew Bill fixed this and stated that Jewish people in office did not have to go through that (although they still had to make their oaths). The bill passed in 1825. Also in the 19th century, a Jewish poet named Emma Lazarus wrote lines that to this day, are engraved into the base of the statue of liberty.
Times like the Holocaust were horrible. During the Holocaust, only 200,000 Jews were able to be safe in America. The number may sound like a lot, but compare it to the six million other Jews who fell victim to this time outside of the U.S.A. The last thing I learned from this exhibit before we left was that Yiddish, a Jewish language, was made up of German, mixed with Russian and Hebrew.
Children of Immigrants Exhibit:
My favorite picture was "Boy from Albania is fingerprinted upon arrival", taken in 1999 inside the O'Hare International Airport. The main reason I like it is because the little boy looks unhappy and confused, which are the common emotions for most of the immigrants and their children. It also helps I'm proud of my Albanian heritage.
My favorite quote was "I believe as an individual I can help America achieve it's goals. I remember last year I helped collect canned foods for the soup kitchen. Also I raised money when the Twin Towers fell. I believe thins like this may seem little, but they can amount to larger and bigger things". This really stuck out to me, because it had a lesson, that every person makes a difference, and I liked the philosophy this quote contained.
I liked the essay by Roger Yan, called "The Untold Story of a Chinese American". It was a boy talking about his immigrant father, I liked it because it was very unique, descriptive and harrowing. It involved his dad dealing with communism to pirates to opening a liquor store in our very own San Diego.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Book Review #1
The Color of Water by James McBride
Reviewed By Kevin Dervishi
The Color of Water is a very unique book about and written by James McBride. It is not an action book or a large bundle of emotions. It’s a memoir of a man’s life, James McBride. And his life, just like the book, is very unique. The book shows the entire path of his life; and the life before him. Around half the book is told by his mother, Ruth McBride whose tale is just as interesting. They both show the roads they took, all the stones they passed, and what lies underneath them.
Ruth McBride is a different woman with a strange tale. She's a white Jewish woman converted to Christianity that had two husbands, both black in a time of segregation and racism. As a young girl she ran away from her sick mother and cretin of a father. After dealing with trial after trial she finally manages to get a home, and raise a family with her husband. She has a baby. And then another. And another. And another until eventually she had 12 kids.
James McBride is one of those kids. All 12 kids (including James) had to deal with racism and everything it causes. As you can imagine his family was incredibly poor, and adding that to the struggles they've all been dealing with, well, that might just drive everybody crazy. James has to cope with this all, and make a future for himself in the chaos of his crowded house.
The Color of Water is a book many people wouldn't like. Anyone under 13 probably wouldn't be interested, and it does contain some mature themes, but aside from that, the main reason is that this book is all about life. It doesn't have some lesson out of a made up situation, because it's real, the whole book is real, and it's them is life. It's theme is life and nothing but. It's a riveting tale of a mother and her son's life that deals with all the elements of life itself, and you have to be the type of person that can enjoy that and appreciate it. I did, and I give it a four out of five.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Journal #8
Chapters 11 and 12: ...
Piggy
Words cannot express my numbness from the past 24 hours. I'm not going to hide the truth. The journal you are reading is that of a dead man. At the moment I'm not even sure how my ethereal self is able to write this. Alright I realize this journal is starting to make as much sense as the past 24 hours so I'll explain what happened. "You were supposed to be the intelligence of this group, the lone voice of reason replacing their absent conscience. And now look what you've done, they've all fallen apart into savages and you've even bloody broken your specs." Auntie tells me. Suddenly she starts fading away, her sternness never departing from her expression. "Don't leave me Auntie!" I cried. I sat up suddenly, realizing I was having a nightmare. As much of a nightmare this island was itself, I wish I could see. See the barren never ending horizon, see the vibrant hues of the sun rising unopposed by the gray dim clouds. But I doubt I'll ever see again. Yes, I'm afraid my sight has come to a cessation I told myself. It was depressing but true. I felt like yelling an ululation, one that would go past this puny island and be free, free to stretch across to the heavens. Too bad I can't scream that loud. I sit miserably and wait, until eventually Ralph wakes up. He calls a meeting. "We're going down to Castle Rock boys"
Piggy
Words cannot express my numbness from the past 24 hours. I'm not going to hide the truth. The journal you are reading is that of a dead man. At the moment I'm not even sure how my ethereal self is able to write this. Alright I realize this journal is starting to make as much sense as the past 24 hours so I'll explain what happened. "You were supposed to be the intelligence of this group, the lone voice of reason replacing their absent conscience. And now look what you've done, they've all fallen apart into savages and you've even bloody broken your specs." Auntie tells me. Suddenly she starts fading away, her sternness never departing from her expression. "Don't leave me Auntie!" I cried. I sat up suddenly, realizing I was having a nightmare. As much of a nightmare this island was itself, I wish I could see. See the barren never ending horizon, see the vibrant hues of the sun rising unopposed by the gray dim clouds. But I doubt I'll ever see again. Yes, I'm afraid my sight has come to a cessation I told myself. It was depressing but true. I felt like yelling an ululation, one that would go past this puny island and be free, free to stretch across to the heavens. Too bad I can't scream that loud. I sit miserably and wait, until eventually Ralph wakes up. He calls a meeting. "We're going down to Castle Rock boys"
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Journal #7
Chapters 9 and 10: The Dance of Death
Simon
I woke up, to the sound of a voice. "Simon. Simon. Wake up. You don't want me to get mad now Simon." I looked up. All the terror that was purged by my restless faint immediately returned three-fold. "Get away!" I shouted at the skull, wondering if the answer to this strange was theological. That was the skull that started all this, the one that brought us here, for before I fainted in the middle of it's illumination. It wanted me dead. It was evil and nothing but. As I stared into the black, cold tunnels of it's eyes, it's jaw grinned with an evil malice. "What are you looking at?" it said flashing a grin. There was nothing left of me in that spot but footprints. "HAHAHAHAHAHA" I could hear it's evil laugh as thorns whipped at my corpulent, beat up body. I was gone, a blur through the trees, not caring where I was going, just running away from the evil of the Lord Of The Flies. Panting, I stopped to breath. A rock at my feet started to move. It looked as if bugs were crawling under it, sending the rock into a wriggling movement. Suddenly it shaped itself into...the LOTF, "HAHAHA RUN SIMON RUN, YOU CAN'T ESCAPE YOUR DOOM." it's hollow eye tunnels burst into flames. My feet ran once more, pain and thought replaced solely by adrenaline.
Simon
I woke up, to the sound of a voice. "Simon. Simon. Wake up. You don't want me to get mad now Simon." I looked up. All the terror that was purged by my restless faint immediately returned three-fold. "Get away!" I shouted at the skull, wondering if the answer to this strange was theological. That was the skull that started all this, the one that brought us here, for before I fainted in the middle of it's illumination. It wanted me dead. It was evil and nothing but. As I stared into the black, cold tunnels of it's eyes, it's jaw grinned with an evil malice. "What are you looking at?" it said flashing a grin. There was nothing left of me in that spot but footprints. "HAHAHAHAHAHA" I could hear it's evil laugh as thorns whipped at my corpulent, beat up body. I was gone, a blur through the trees, not caring where I was going, just running away from the evil of the Lord Of The Flies. Panting, I stopped to breath. A rock at my feet started to move. It looked as if bugs were crawling under it, sending the rock into a wriggling movement. Suddenly it shaped itself into...the LOTF, "HAHAHA RUN SIMON RUN, YOU CAN'T ESCAPE YOUR DOOM." it's hollow eye tunnels burst into flames. My feet ran once more, pain and thought replaced solely by adrenaline.
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