Today’s 24:  Powerful conclusion to The Giver quartet:

Water Claire faces  not only her dystopian society,

but new worlds in her quest to find  her son.

The second one must require a Youtube account where you are 18+ or older. Unfortunately for youngsters, though I got to see it before it was flagged for 18+ or up.

Okay now to the post!

A lot of crazy and great things happened today. To summarize it I don’t understand how, but I’ll try. Woke up, went to school … actually wait a minute. I did not actually go to the school by bus. I had to wake up early because I had to arrive at the school early to check my recent Common Assessment test I had taken and gotten 80%. Plus I could earn a couple of wings (special certificate prizes from our school) by helping the teachers! I always enjoyed being earlier than others. Not for competition purposes, but I like the school when it is not as busy. Anyway, I had to wake up early. Around 7 o’clock AM in the morning I believe. Then we left around 8 o’clock AM in the morning — where usually I left to school around 8:40-8:50 — and my Mom drove me to school! It was always awkward when she dropped me off at the car riders drop off because there were always SO many people on the bleachers where they sat waiting for classes to start and they would stare at everyone who would enter to entertain their bored minds. This time, I tried to act it a little cool, and act like I was paying attention to the ground or talking to my sister and not so much scanning the crowd. Then, when I got to the front of the room, where the usual security man sat in his chair typing on his computer, I dropped my backpack, took out my agenda, and then left the room like I didn’t care. I mean it wasn’t against anything and I assumed the security man was okay with it because he took a quick look at me and then looked back down. I went to my homeroom class through the building as I went up the 2 staircases up into the second level of the school and went to the “C” wing. Surprisingly it was sincerely empty. No one was in the hall. Better for me so I wouldn’t have to pass anybody and act awkward.

I went to my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Flowers, and got my Agenda signed, realizing also Cameron, a dark-skinned boy, was sitting in Mr. Iverson’s room. I had never seen him in this class. I had only seen him in Health. I gave him a quick “hi” and then went back with a signed agenda to pick up my stuff. Once I brought my stuff into homeroom class I waited around the building. Nothing much to do. I was specifically waiting for Mrs. Harris’s arrival. It took about 30 minutes for her to arrive. Then I picked up the test answers and form-sheets I needed, thanked her, and then made my way. I also helped my Math teacher out with seating just for randoms, then helped Mr. Dyches, my Science teacher, boost a rolling cart full of candies and sodas. I was already full from the breakfast I had back at the house and from the school, so I did not eye at it so thirstily or hungrily. Once that had come to past, the school bell rang which sounded the arrival of the school buses and everyone arrived in classes.

Georgia Studies was quite boring. We just went over our given electives that we had to choose for High School. We barely got to learn anything. Language Arts we took a quick review on The Giver. Math we went over what we learned yesterday about systems and ordered pairs with graphs. It was all relatively easy. Lunch was awesome, though. I had 3 waffles (was supposed to be 2 but I stole one from another plate ) and 3 huge chicken strips with syrup. Cinnamon apples sliced in pieces. And broccoli. Pretty unhealthy, but I wanted something good today! Lunch was also different because as I sat with the girls I was sitting on the other side of the table. I got to see more of the people I usually talked to, which was a lot more preferable. We had fun, and lots of things happened. Though I cannot stress over all details. I got syrup allover my pants, which made me look like I peed in my pants. I gave Courtney and Lucy a hug as they passed by, which caused a ray of questions from the girls around the table, asking if I was going out with either one of them. I got to talk with Mario, and old friend from last Summer. Talked with Avelyn and his friend. Gave Samantha’s boyfriend a pedophile face, which made me chuckle and laugh. A lot more things from now in just one lunch. Biggest thing of all: BRIANA WAS NOT THERE. Woop! Sorry.

Once we returned from Math class we did our homework and I managed to finish the last problem as we were told to pack up our stuff. Science class was just as fun as Lunch, except with more less events. I earned a Mountain Dew and got to pass it around to others in the class who earned 85% or above in the classes. I got my friend Brian and Nathan to copy over my answers as I was doing vocabulary homework. Leondre, a girl who had never talked with me but hated me with a  passion, actually talked to me while smiling actually and asked me to sneak a soda for her. As I sneaked it she gave me her thanks and laughed. It was a good time overall. We also got to go outside for Science for a little science experiment demonstration thingy. Lol. I stood next to my friend Gizelle (the person who hooked me up with Jessica) and her friend. Gosh, can’t remember her name. xD But anyway as I stood next to her, they started gossiping with me and asked if I wanted to ask Mackenzie to be my girlfriend. She’s pretty. Nice. I love her personality. Complete me. But I don’t want to get into another relationship after I was already in one. I like being single. So I told them “no” and “no” constantly. That continued for until we had to go back into the school building and go to our homerooms. Dropping off my Math book, I waited in line as usual and then left to my connections. P.E. was quite fun actually. I got ACTUAL donations from my friend Haven. Good guy. He gave me an actual $5 dollar. Rare. I know. But he gave it to me for donation of saving for my laptop. Avelyn promised me he was going to give me $20 and then a few of my other friends promised they would give me money. So it’s good so far. Mrs. Turner’s group had to play indoor soccer while the other class got to play outdoor sports or something. It was fun actually. I earned 3 goals for our team, which was nice!

Health was also pretty good. We did bellringers, which is something I dearly dread. Then we went on about learning hormones, private parts of the human body, how the reproductive system worked, and a little about circumcision. I’m a little bit scared now because they say UN circumcised people have a bigger chance of receiving diseases and STDs. Oh God help me! D: During Health class, though, I told Lucy how the girls thought she was my girlfriend after the hug and made a joke saying “Thank you”. She laughed, embarrassed. And then asked what I told them. I said no, of course. But then she said “would it be bad if you were my boyfriend?” and I answered that embarrassed and red cheeks. Trying to find words then she said “I wouldn’t think it would be bad”. At first I laughed at the sentence, but when the sentence actually sunk into my brain I felt completely flattered. 2 girls I could have a possible chance becoming my girlfriend. Including Paige from homeroom who has given me so many hints to ask her out, though I don’t find her quite interesting. Sorry. Then we left Health class afterwards and went to our buses as I talked casually to Mackenzie. We cussed as usual. Talking like boys. And her, ranting about how she did not need to know a single f#ck about private parts and how the body works inside us. Agreeing somewhat, I laughed. Then we separated our ways to the buses.

It was fun in the bus. I got to talk with another girl that liked me called Eladia. She gave me a Valentines chocolate for Valentines which was really sweet then her friend explained to me that she had a crush on me. So yeah. I’ve got the chicks it appears to be. Lol. Anyway, I went home, ate food, gave my progress report I received from Science and got my Dad to sign it. Then my Dad and I went over the common assessment test and now I feel like it is a LOT more clearer to me. Ready for the next one! Then I studied for about an hour and went on the computer for a few until Mom called us for Bible Time and we read the Bible. On an iPad.

Once that was done and we prayed we came to sleep. And now this has all led up to here. As I am writing to you. Hopefully you enjoyed this post! And have a great time wherever you are! Bye!

-ACP

“Now he was [starving]. If he had stayed in the community, he would not be. It was as simple as that. Once he had yearned for choice. Then, when he had had a choice, he had made the wrong one: the choice to leave. And now he was starving. But if he had stayed…

His thoughts continued. If he had stayed, he would have starved in other ways. He would have lived a life hungry for feelings, for color, for love.”

The Giver
Lois Lowry

I adore this book. For so many reasons. This quote (and the whole story) remind me so much of the choices we have in life. There are amazing things in the world, that make your heart soar, but would you give them up so as not to ever feel any pain? I don’t think anyone would ever choose that. A life of nothing is no life at all. What do you think?

“There’s much more. There’s all that goes beyond – all … that is Elsewhere – and all that goes back, and back, and back. I received all of those, when I was selected. And here in this room, all alone, I re-experience them again and again. It is how wisdom comes. And how we shape our future.” 
― Lois Lowry, The Giver

The Giver is one of my all time favorite books.  I think I read it for the first time in the fourth grade, and it began my love for all books about a dystopian future.

Some loves do last a lifetime….  Well it might be, still, too early to tell.  ;)

For those who have never read The Giver, shame on you.  Go read it right now.  It’s only 138 pages, you can come back and finish the blog post when you’re done.

In the book a young boy, Jonas, is selected to receive all the memories of the world, and will be keeping them for the entire community.  The community knows not of the past, or of so many things like colors, true emotion, true feeling, or even weather.

What struck me about reading this book again recently is how Jonas received the memories.

He had to feel them.

The first one was a sled ride.  Feeling snow and the exhilaration of sledding down a hill.  The second, a sunburn.  Another a family at Christmastime, another breaking his leg on the sled, another war, and on and on.

The purpose of ‘the receiver’ is to multi-faceted–keep the memories of the world, obtain wisdom from said memories, protect the community by using this wisdom to advise the council of elders, and tell no one.

The thing is in our society, we obtain knowledge, wisdom, and memories of events past through more and more through reading and word of mouth and less and less through experiences.

Many of us will never know what it feels like to be starving, abused, raped, or homeless.  What it feels like to watch your best friend die in war or to lose a limb.

We know numbers and statistics, perhaps know a personal story or two, but very few of us know these feelings.

In the book, ‘the receiver’ is said to gain wisdom from the memories.

I think about the people that we have governing us, the ones that we put in power to make our decisions.  For most of them, as for most of us, they have known few days of discomfort.  They’ve known few times when they’ve wondered how they will pay the light bill or feed their kids.

The knowledge (very different than wisdom) that they have, has been given to them mostly from books and lectures, and though yes, they are mostly old dudes and they have life experiences that give them the wisdom to make the decisions they do, of what depth is that wisdom?

My question is, how different would our world be if we had to feel the joy AND pain of this world?  

Not just know the joy of playing with a newborn baby or the pain of the loss of a loved one, but all of it.  All of the suffering in the world, all of the love, joy, kindness, hate, and death.

In my young life, I’ve experienced more than my fair share of wonderful things.  I’ve been in love, worked hard, had sisters (which is both wonderful and terrible), found a faith in God, and been able to travel the world.  But I’ve also had my fair share of torment, and troubles.  There are things I’ve experienced that I might never share with another person because they are truly troubling to my soul.

I’ve been shaped by it all.  I can regret none of it, for to take back even one of those experiences would change me fundamentally.

Because of this…. interesting… life I’ve led, I am passionate about people.  About loving, helping, and journeying with folks.  Sometimes that means sharing a beer to celebrate a new job, and sometimes that means redirecting an upset Alzheimer’s victim (if you don’t think someone diagnosed with Alzheimer’s aren’t victims you’ve not seen what I have).

Lots of folks are passionate about justice.  They are passionate about mercy and love, and fight everyday to bring the kingdom of God just a wee bit closer.  For those who fight because they have seen or felt these yucky things have more power behind the punch.  It adds weight to the fight.

When things like war and rape and hunger become more than abstract thoughts, when we put heartbeats to these things, we open more and more eyes to give them weight.  It influences movements, rallies, and laws.

I know that we can’t all experience all the bad and good stuff, and Lord knows I don’t really want to experience some of it.  But they say a few times in the book, “Memories are made to be shared.” It is your job and mine to share our collective knowledge with others.  For me to share about how people can come out of broken homes and be awesome, how AMAZING the folks in L’viv, Nicaragua, and The Bahamas are (and how these folks are folks just like everyone else… funny how that works), for all of us to share our wisdom to help influence our world for the better.

We all have stories–both painful and joyful–that we need to continue to share, so that for those of us who will never truly know the good and the bad can know to fight and can have the conviction we need to do so.

For many years, I have been using Discovery Education’s Puzzlemaker.com to create different types of puzzles, such as Fallen Phrases and Cryptograms.  I recently found another site that generates puzzles, “Crossword Puzzle Maker.”  I tested it out this weekend by making this puzzle to accompany the book, The Giver, by Lois Lowry, which my 5th graders are currently reading.  I was pleased with how easy the site is to use, as well as the variety of ways to share the resulting puzzle (printable html, printable pdf, etc…) and the answer key. This would be a great site to share with students so they can create their own puzzles to show what they have learned.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey (1/5 stars)

Iggie’s House by Judy Blume 5/5 stars

Are you there, God? It’s me, Margaret by Judy Blume      5/5 stars

Reflected in You by Silvia Day  0/5 stars  (yep, it’s that bad. you don’t want to know.)

Revelation Kate Brian      4/5 stars

Last Christmas Kate Brian      4/5 stars

Dolphins at Daybreak Mary Pope Osborne 5/5 stars

Movie:

Bring it On  2/5 stars  : It was good but it had too many curse words; it’s like they don’t know their own language, English! But I liked how it talked about honesty and working hard instead of cheating.

Duke Dumont – The Giver – YouTube.

I’ve always loved big– The Giver is my favorite book for that very reason. You could walk all over me for years before I stand up for myself and cut you out of my life. I also allow people to enter my life and impact it so greatly that it knocks me right off my feet. Call it the romantic (the Janeite) in me.  I love and hate how intense I feel  things. I am grateful for such strong emotions, but it is also my weakness.

I must say, that after I recovered from a very taxing “divorce” (after a certain number of years and experiences, it’s no longer called “breaking up”), I retreated to being emotionally numb. I was young, wild, and free as Bruno would say–and I believe that that was healthy for a time. But while running around, living life, taking physical adventures, and building relationships I forgot about the wall I surrounded around my feelings. It wasn’t until I was, metaphorically, standing naked in the snow, did I realize it had fallen, leaving me vulnerable.

And instead of doing what I normally felt I had to do, I decided to practice my new take on life and living… I took a risk. I hope there are some of you out there who understand the sensation of being washed over with emotions. It’s like ascending quickly into space and then being left there, floating weightless, surrounded by thoughts that are firing so fast that you can’t pin them down to try to make sense of them. It’s that place you go when your friends find you staring off into nothing with that dumbstruck smile of your face.  Or when you’re laying in bed, lights off–you should be sleeping but your brain doesn’t stop. Not just thinking about romance and the sappy songs playing in the background, but about life, dreams, past adventures, future ones. (I’m rambling because that’s exactly what this sensation makes you do.) And as foggy and unclear as these are, something so very clear stirred in me. This is living. I can DO as much as I want; take pictures of this and that; travel here and there. But how does it make me feel? How is it changing me? Helping me grow?

Although my risk didn’t pan out like an Austen novel, I am grateful for what I’ve just learned. I learned how to feel again. And I think that knowing how amazing it feels, makes me want to chase more of these risks, and maybe one might not be so much a risk one day. But for now, I’m happy being the doe-eyed little girl I used to be, who gave out free hugs and cried when she watched the news. Because, maybe, loving big is the answer. This dream is so much bigger than me–and that’s exciting.

I want to make a difference, and I can’t do that without putting myself on the line. Despite fears, past experiences, and inevitable failures, the more I risk, the more I learn. And knowledge is key to achieving any dream.

Dream Big. Love Bigger.

“I liked the feeling of love,” [Jonas] confessed. He glanced nervously at the speaker on the wall, reassuring himself that no one was listening. “I wish we still had that,” he whispered. “Of course,” he added quickly, “I do understand that it wouldn’t work very well. And that it’s much better to be organized the way we are now. I can see that it was a dangerous way to live.”
…”Still,” he said slowly, almost to himself, “I did like the light they made. And the warmth.”
The Giver, Lois Lowry

On a lighter note, some fun V-day links for the single folks out there who want to be bitter, if even just for a moment:

“Ridin’ Solo” – Jason Derulo

What it’s like to be single- As told by Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, and Rebel Wilson 

I said dream big…

For Christmas, my mom got me the fourth and final novel in The Giver series (collection?), called Son. I first read The Giver, by Lois Lowry, in sixth grade, and there aren’t many novels that have has such an impact on me.

If you haven’t read it, and you really should, it’s a coming-of-age and coming-of-knowledge story about a boy names Jonas, who, upon turning 12, is given an unexpected assignment in his community, a utopian sort of place that’s been so homogenized as to have eliminated everything like weather, pain, suffering, money, romance and freedom of choice. However, the citizens of the community have no memory of any of those things, so there is no sense of loss. Jonas though, is given the assignment of Receiver of Memory, which means he will become the sole member of the community with any memories of the past. His first memories are delightful: snow, sleds, sunshine. But over time, the grandfatherly figure called simply “Giver” must give Jonas memories that are painful: war, starvation, violence. Other memories cause a longing in Jonas, like the memories of grandparents, families and holidays.

Without going into too much detail, The Giver is an unforgettable, powerful read, and it changed my little 12-year-old life.

Ten years after the release of The Giver, Lowry wrote the first companion novel, called Gathering Blue, published in 2003. This novel is set in a completely different society, but echoes many of the same themes of The Giver. Starring Kira, a crippled female, it gives a nice contrast to The Giver, and may make the collection more appealing to both girls and boys. This novel, like The Giver, can stand alone and still be a great read. There is a hint of a small connection to The Giver, but it isn’t ever elaborated in this book.

The third novel was released in 2006, called Messenger. This is about the scrappy little boy from Gathering Blue, Matt, now grown into an intelligent young man. In this novel, The Giver and Gathering Blue finally have a real, clear connection. This novel evoked the most emotional response, and is guaranteed to result in a few tears.

Finally, a decade after I read The Giver, Lowry completed the series with Son, and I got to read a beautiful story and an amazing conclusion. It is a phenomenal ending to a powerful series, and though it doesn’t read as much of a stand-alone novel, it is worth waiting to read (or re-read) the first three novels. Claire, the protagonist, was the character to whom I had the strongest connection. She seems the most dynamic and honest of Lowry’s previous characters.

My dream would be to be able to teach all of these novels to a classroom. There’s so much wisdom about the world, about power and about individuality that would be valuable to children. But I would recommend them to any child or adult, with the caveat that they might be a bit difficult for children under 13.

It’s a story about a community where there is no color, no sense of love or family, and there are no memories of a world where there they had any of those things. By choosing ‘sameness’, this community believes they can avoid strife completely- family ‘units’ are selected by a committee, live in a dwelling together, and separate when the children grow and are selected for their own family units. Career paths are chosen for each person by another committee who judge each person’s aptitude. All aspects of life are viewed on a basis of usefulness and efficiency rather than emotions and personal choices. The story follows a boy named Jonas who, when it is his turn to be chosen for a career path, is selected to be the community’s next Receiver of Memory- a rare selection. The Receiver of Memory holds all past memories of the world- love and hate, war and famine, colors and music, none of which is known by anyone but the Receiver. He is a part of the community only to hold these memories in order to aid the committees with his wisdom of past times when they come across a problem they do not know how to solve. This story deals with Jonas discovering that his utopian world is actually dystopian- and coming to realize that he will have to choose his path on his own for the first time in his life. 

It’s quite a short book, and perfect for a little bit of light reading with some really amazing insights to living an imperfect world.

Enjoy!

~K

P.S. Goes really well with a good cup of coffee and some of M’s Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies…..

For one thing, having quality prose still seemed to really matter back then. Lowry’s writing rings in its perfect simplicity, understated and compact, but without a single unnecessary word. It has a style and a class which few of today’s titles care to match.

Then there is the issue of romance in young adult fiction. A romance angle of some variety–preferably the beloved triangle–seems all but mandatory in today’s YA. One has to wonder if publishers would consider The Giver if it appeared in their mailboxes, given the almost absence of romantic intrigue. While I agree that love is an important element in young adult fiction, present-day insistence on slapping a potential sweetheart into the mix by page 20 can trip up the character development of the hero/heroine. I’m particularly nostalgic for the rough-and-tumble feminist heroines of the late eighties/early nineties seen in the writing of authors like Robin McKinley, Garth Nix, and Tamora Pierce. The romance feels so much more meaningful and genuine when you first develop the world and the characters.

Young adult literature also doesn’t appear to have been as fad-driven in the 1990s. There was no dystopian craze when Lowry published The Giver and supernatural hadn’t kicked off yet. This could be because young adult fiction was not yet the economic titan that it is today, which allowed books driven by quality to trump those made primarily for their commercial potential. With the sizable  fortunes some writers have amassed–Stephanie Meyer, Julie Kagawa, etc.–young adult fiction has become the “get rich quick” genre.

Like The Giver, many other nineties titles are driven by deep issues which seem to find less expression in today’s YA. Books like The Giver spark thinking, questioning, and conversation. They make you wonder about life and society in ways you hadn’t considered before. Much of this raw power, seen in titles like The Giver, is over-distilled by factors like strong romance plot lines and commercial necessities which have altered how authors approach young adult writing in the present.

In sum, both publishers and writers need to take a moment, step back, and re-examine their roots.

~ Michelle

So just when I saw the bus coming, in the morning, after I got all my clothes together, my sister leaves, all prepared and walks casually to the bus. I’m about to do the same thing when suddenly my mom notices that I am sagging a little bit (which was by accident, I am NOT a sagger [if that's even a word]) and starts yelling at me for not picking up a belt. I told her several times I did not need a belt at this time, especially when the bus had just entered the neighborhood. She insisted though and told me not to move. Grunting, displeased, I waited reluctantly. It took about a full minute for my mom to walk upstairs and pick up my belt which I could do in the matter of 5 seconds. Once she gave it to me, I bolted outside. No worries. But then my mom yelled out from the house:

“PUT ON THE BELT NOW!” 

So holding my backpack rather awkwardly and then trying to put on a belt was quite interesting for me. I was able to manage eventually, but I had to lower my backpack. After I had put on the belt like my mom told me to, I ran to our usual bus-stop and greeted Joanna, her friend (don’t remember her name), and Erick. It was awkward and I did not feel like talking, so we didn’t really talk. Once the bus came we all entered and we drove to school. Funny thing was that Bailey, Jayduh, and Lauren in the back of the bus were pretty quiet during the whole drive. They’re usually the loud ones in the back making trouble of all sorts.

Once we got to the school I quickly entered my classroom, knowing I was late and did not have time. I did take a few seconds to pick up a simple orange juice for breakfast. Though I seriously need to get a bagel or something else. Homeroom class started pretty quick in progression. Once homeroom was over, we transitioned from Homeroom to Georgia Studies and continued our notes on learning the “NEW SOUTH”. I got to announce some ideas in the notes when Mr. Iverson (the Georgia Studies teacher) asked for any helpful answer or tips in the questions that were given. It was a pretty simple class all in all. Though there were some funny moments.

Next class, Language Arts with Mrs. Harris, was pretty simple too. We continued reading after we got 10 minutes to work on our Review that we were assigned last week on Friday. Luckily, though, I finished mines on the day and turned it in so I wouldn’t have to procrastinate the whole weekend until the last day. I hate doing that… Then we read “The Giver” and trust me, it is a good book. Progressively the plot thickens. Lol. After Language Arts, I moved to Math class in which we took a lot more notes than homework. I finished my homework, though, immediately on task on the day so I wouldn’t have to do anything at home.  During lunch, though, I decided to sit next to my friend Andrew and Manuel. We had fun and as a result one of their friends (who I can’t remember his name) who sat next to me, had 2 of his chocolate milks drop on the table. We eventually had to have a few teachers come and help us clean it up. Though it was hilarious. I walked with Vanessa as usual back to the Math class. Though she asked me a favor this time. She gave me a note that her boyfriend, Zach (we were good friends as well), wrote her or it seems that he did that crept the living sh*t out of Vanessa. It said “I want to r*pe you.” She asked me to hide her behind me (which was easy because she was small) as we passed by Zach through lunch, which was easy until after I gave my hug to Jessica. Her boyfriend immediately realized what had just happened by the time we were almost at the doors. He called for her to come, but she didn’t and it was awkward. I felt like I was tearing a relationship.

Then Science class came and it was disruptive as usual and there were the same usual, annoying people. Eventually it got SO annoying that I moved from my seat to the side of the classroom where I could hear my teacher, Mr. Dyches. I got a good grade as we read throughout the hand-out sheet we worked on, but it did also open my eyes to answers I thought would be normally right to actual wrong answers. Well I guess we can live by the quote: “You learn something new, everyday.” Anyway, once Science class ended and I moved to homeroom to wait for our homeroom teacher Mrs. Flowers to dismiss us, I decided to put my Math book away, since I had no need for it. Surprisingly, my backpack was 5X lighter without the Math book and I freely roamed wherever I went. The situation with Zach and Vanessa was solved because Zach explained that one of his friends wrote on it, which solved the situation easily.

I then moved to P.E. and we started practicing on Soccer. YES. My sport. Tomorrow I’m assuming we’re doing a Soccer game. I’m pumped! Afterwards I went to Health class. The most near difficult and straining class I had to take in the school besides Science. We watched a little movie during the class after we read some information on drugs. For the unit in Health we are learning we are learning about drugs and basically defects and information about them. Including diseases from FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) and Cirrholis, etc. Once Health was over and we were dismissed to our buses I left to my bus while talking to my friend Mackenzie. Afterwards I finally arrived on my bus and had a balling time as usual near the end. Then I arrived home and also brought a progress report my Health teacher gave me. I had a 94%, which is good, but quite disappointing for a subject like Health. I mean it’s not really that hard, but it is! It’s hard to explain! But I gave it to my parents and they signed it. The day went on as normal as it could be until now where I am writing to you.

There were a lot of events involved in today, but I’m trying to go very broadly over my days so I won’t have to write so much, because I know that you guys don’t enjoy it when I write too much. Or do you? I’m going to have to write about a poll decision. Anyway, enjoy your time wherever you are, bye!

-ACP

“It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened.”

Thus opens this haunting novel in which a boy inhabits a seemingly ideal world: a world without conflict, poverty, unemployment, divorce, injustice, or inequality. It is a time in which family values are paramount, teenage rebellion is unheard of, and even good manners are a way of life.

December is the time of the annual Ceremony at which each twelve year old receives a life assignment determined by the Elders. Jonas watches his friend Fiona named Caretaker of the Old and his cheerful pal Asher labeled the Assistant Director of Recreation. But Jonas has been chosen for something special. When his selection leads him to an unnamed man – the man called only the Giver – he begins to sense the dark secrets that underlie the fragile perfection of his world.

Though technically a children’s book, I think Lowry’s dystopian novel is a book for all ages, and perhaps adults more than children. I first read this story when I was fifteen or sixteen, and even then, I was too young to really understand the depth of the themes in this story; now, reading it again, I still feel as though I’m still a little too childish to fully appreciate it.

Before I point out what I like about this book: this is the sort of story that is either a love or hate. I’ve met people who loved it, people who hated it, but very few in the middle. I’m on the side of loving it, and the purpose of this review is to show why.

What I loved:

• The prose. Quick, clever, easy to read, always saying just enough but never burdensome. The prose itself is well-crafted and perfectly suited to the story it tells.
• The world. I tend to dislike dystopian worlds – 1984 or The Hunger Games are good, but very different, examples of what I dislike. The worlds tend to be based on the power of a few over many, which is a world waiting for revolution, and the dystopian novel tells the story of a revolution or attempted-revolution, on a personal or societal scale. Either way… the instability of the world makes it difficult for me to read. However, in The Giver, the society is based entirely on societal good – not just the good of a few, but the good of all, and everyone is happy. It’s a subversive, creeping sort of evil, all the more terrible because of its sinuous masquerade as something beautiful and good. And it is riveting.
• The characters. Well-written characters, naturally whole and rounded and with their own individuality. Whether minor or major characters, all were well-done.
• The ending. While reading the story, I couldn’t figure out how I wanted it to end. Once I reached the ending, though, I could think of no other way I could have imagined it ending; it’s so simple, and yet so fitting, and the poignancy of the closing lines stayed with me long after I’d forgotten the other details of the book.

Now… with most books, I’d go into those things I didn’t like. However, with this book, I can’t really do that – this is one of my favorite books, and it’s hard for me to find things I disliked. So, rather than pointing out things I disliked, here are the things I’d warn others about before they begin reading:

• The violence.  Not gory or brutal, but at certain scenes, the violence is difficult to stomach. At one particular point, someone is “released” (euthanasia), and I found it incredibly disturbing.
• The emotional intensity. Again, touching on that same scene with release – it’s so well done, but because of that, it’s very emotionally involving. I know this is technically a children’s book, but because of this scene and a few others like it, I wouldn’t recommend it for children under 13 or 14. There are always exceptions, but I know that I wouldn’t have handled this story very well if I’d read it at an earlier age – and even now that I’m in my twenties, that scene (and a few other specific instances) stays with me and I can’t seem to let it go.

Overall: if you haven’t read it, do. It’s a classic, and though it was more intense than I ever expected before reading it, it provides a thought-provoking critique of human society, interaction, and emotions.

5/5

Women’s Fiction

Coming from a writer’s world, I hesitate to call my favorite books “women’s fiction” because this means so many things to different people. What I mean to say is, I like literature about women. I love to read about women in other cultures or periods  in history to learn about the lives of these women, from the problems they struggled with to the ingenious, courageous ways women have moved forward and upward in our world.

My favorite author in this genre is Amy Tan. I have read almost all of Amy Tan’s novels and I completely adore her work. My favorite by far is The Bonesetter’s Daughter, the story about mothers and daughters that swings between remote China and modern day San Fransisco. The way that Tan juxtaposes old world Asia and modern day America is nothing short of magical. Also, if you haven’t heard of the tradition of bone-setting in China, you will Google it and cry.

Another is Toni Morrison. I don’t believe I have to do much explaining here, but if you haven’t heard of Morrison, please run to your library and pick up wither Beloved or The Bluest Eye.

Can I just throw in The Help here because it is one of the greatest books ever written? Thank you.

World Literature

I love reading stories about other cultures that are either unfamiliar or slightly familiar to me. I poured myself into Indian and Middle Eastern literature while in college and emerged with a great love of stories about the people in these countries who are suffering under civil war or occupation. Their struggles with identity, faith and quiet frankly, the struggle to live in some cases are shockingly inspirational.

One of my favorite authors who writes about other cultures is Jumpha Lahiri - To me, Lahiri is the queen of East Asian and Indian American literature. My favorite novel of hers is The Namesake, a story about the Indian immigrants struggle and the subsequent lives of those first-generation children trying to live in the space between two countries, cultures, expectations and social pressures.

Guilty Pleasure Reading

Who doesn’t love a good, guilty pleasure read? Also, why are books that are not considered highfalutin’ literature called guilty pleasures? In my mind, as long as you are reading, you are learning and expanding your experiences, your vocabulary and your opinions. You can do no wrong – as long as the grammar and story structure is on track, because to be frank…there are some really poorly written novels out there.

In “guilty pleasure” reading, my go-to is the fabulous Ms. Charlaine Harris. I’m a big fan of writers and Charlaine Harris is one of those writers who has it down. Her books are addictive. She knows her audience, she knows what they want and she really, really knows how to write it. She has a few series, the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries, the Harper Connelly series, the Lily Bard mysteries and, of course the well-known Sookie Stackhouse books that inspired the naught HBO series True Blood. I’ve read almost all of the Sookie Stackhouse books and they are miles – no, eons – better than the television series. I’ve also started a few of her other series and while not as hilariously tongue-in-cheek, they are worthwhile, fun reads.

Young Adult

Somehow I stopped reading young adult fiction and have thankfully found my way back to it. I am obsessed with young adult novels about dystopian societies. Not quite sure why, but I gather that the short story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson completely blew my mind at age ten and I’ve never quite recovered.

My favorite young adult author is Lois Lowry. Isn’t she everyone’s? Her books should be a staple in every classroom and on every elementary and junior high school child’s bookshelf. Everyone has a book they could read over and over again and mine is Lowry’s The Giver. Embarrassingly, I found out last year that my favorite book – like, ever – is one book in a three-part series. Things like this make me hate myself.

Also, two words: Hunger Games. These books are so amazing that I have been working on Mockingjay for the past year because I am afraid I will cry for weeks when I finish it. Don’t lie, you know this feeling.

Okay, so I have to stop here because it is becoming overwhelming and the more I look at my Goodreads list, the more I want to randomly insert book titles into this post. Just please, pick up a book! I hope you come away from reading this with some book ideas. Please, comment for me with some reading suggestions….or join Goodreads so I can stalk you, ok?! I promise you….I’m only mildly creepy.

In short, human kind would be doomed in a society like the Houyhnhnms’, as it is devoid of everything that is human. Yet Gulliver becomes addicted to the society, at the expense of his humanity. He returns home not wanting to look upon his wife and children and essentially becomes an animal, spending days talking to horses. It is here that the satire switches for me. Swift spends the entire novel satirizing society, only to end with the idea that the good and bad in us all makes us human. This reversal helps the novel achieve literary success, because though it demonizes the protagonist of the story by dehumanizing him, it legitimizes humanity by contrasting the protagonist with humanity that ultimately creates an effective resolution.

The day started out different from the usual, normal school day. This time, early in the morning, we were leaving to iHop to enjoy some nice pancakes for National Pancake day. My mother had announced this to me yesterday, but the catch was that I had to go to bed around 8 o’clock PM at the time, which I would be normally fine with, but this time, my mom had promised me that I had a perfect amount of time to go do what I pleased after Bible Time (which we did early [around 7 o'clock PM, when I finally settled down from the homework]). So of course I was shocked and perplexed that now all of the sudden we were going to iHop. I decided not to go to iHop or to NOT go to sleep early and just fiddle on my computer, working on my book. Fortunately, and unfortunately, my mother took me anyway and surprised me by waking me up around 6:30ish AM. I struggled to get out of bed and did a bit of complaining, but I got up. Moving out of my bed, putting on my clothes, I was too lazy to do anything. Especially whiten my teeth and brush them. As a result of that, my mom went berserk on us, yelling at us for not moving as fast and saying that she was actually caring for us by taking us early to iHop and then taking us to school. Which was true, but it was too early for me to respond in any extreme way, so I just nodded and whitened my teeth. Once I finished, we lined up to the house garage (oh yeah, forgot to tell you we have a garage [and a basement ]), and entered in the car my mother.

We drove to iHop pretty nice. Hardly any traffic. And since it was only around 7 to 7:30 AM in the morning, we did not have such a huge waiting line.  It did take a few minutes of course and two dark-skinned women nicely dressed but too formally dressed greeted us at the front with a quick announcement of today being National Pancake Day and to donate for some children’s donation center.. whatever. xD I completely zoned out. I was focusing on the pancakes about to be served as we sat in our tables. Once we were taken by our waitress and seated, we waited for about 5-10 minutes for someone to come. Eventually, my mom got impatient and decided to order for ourselves since the others did not really have to go through the trouble of ordering. It was free! In a few minutes after our order had left the table to the kitchens, Sebastian and Sophie including their mother Mrs. Judith had arrived. I was surprised, but somehow was not. It was weird. I, of course, greeted Sebastian with a tease and began conversation until Mrs. Amy and her daughter Ally arrived as well. It was a huge table for all of us. But it fit. The long chairs that laid against the walls were where the children sat, except for Ally, who sat next to her mother, while the grownups sat in the wooden chairs against the tables. We ordered, we ate, we talked (mostly about the funny Super Bowl Commercials), had our fun, then left. It felt so short, but I enjoyed it, and the pancake had satisfied my stomach the greatest!

Once we left, before having an almost 5-10 minute discussion if whether or not my mom could drive Ally and Sebastian to Creekland Middle School with Patricia and I. Unfortunately they couldn’t since their instruments were holding them back and they were supposed to be kept in safe conditions (wonder what kind of instrument they were playing there xD). So, disappointed, we went entered the car, with an impatient mom thinking about how late we were, at least how late Matthew was for Elementary (Annabelle was in the car, but she was sick and only came for pancakes and then had to go back home). So of course, a dilemma had occurred in the matter of a few seconds. My mom started yelling ferociously at Patricia for holding up the line to the car because she wanted to sit in one spot instead of moving and making the “entering into the car” process proceed quicker. I disapproved of both situations. My mom was yelling unnecessarily loud to Patricia, and Patricia was being ridiculous as well. I kept my mouth shut in the situation and just let my mom do her thing and then we drove. She dropped off Matthew to his Elementary and then she dropped Patricia and I off to our Middle School. It was easy. As we entered the car driver drop off room, we saw Sebastian and Ally there; of course. So Patricia and I sat next to her. Sebastian, though, was sitting on the stands with his friend, so I decided not to bother their conversation. Courtney, my P.E. friend, had walked into the car driver drop off room, and I greeted her with a surprised face because this was the first time I had EVER seen her here. Though she looked at me weird and said “Hi”, “Bye” and then left, making Ally question me and have her say that I was being weird. I explained to her many times that Courtney was a good friend of mine, but she disagreed. Well that went well..

Finally when we left to our classes I greeted Jessica (the girl who liked me and I sort of liked back) and talked to her. Of course I did the normal “hug her” and then talk and then once she leaves I “hug her” and we departure to our own activities. I walked her to her class talking with her and then left to the “C” wing. Once I entered the “C” wing hall, I went to go order some breakfast and afterwards went to my homeroom class. I went to my locker and for the first time I unlocked my locker in one try. I knew how to do it, I just constantly messed up. Not that this was a huge thing, though, that I got the locker combination in one try, but it was nice and I thought I was slick for a few minutes until I went to my seat and we began looking at our test grades for Georgia Studies. After the whole process, I got an 80%. Honestly I probably would have gotten a 89% if some of the problems weren’t removed from the test (there were supposed to be originally 50 questions, but some questions got removed all the way till all was left were 35 questions), but then again, what the heck. I missed 7 questions out of 35 questions. Hopefully, my mom doesn’t read this part.

I moved to Language Arts class, once Georgia Studies class ended, and had to take out my ‘Bellringer’ book for another review test of the vocabulary words we had to last week. I got a simple 100%, like last time. I was so boss at vocabulary. At least for this week. Then we had to do a review on the book “The Giver” we were reading. Surprising enough, we didn’t continue the chapters, but instead did a review from chapters 1-12 and did some vocabulary. I got a simple 92% grade because I missed two questions out of 25 questions. I am still disappointed, though, because I expected 100% or at least 95% or above. After that was done we left to our next class: Math. Another substitute teacher took place named Mr. Wiseman. It was male… Oh mah gosh! :O Nah, I’m just kidding. But he was nice and was not so intruding. Though, whenever he talked you could barely hear him. He wasn’t such a loud person, and whenever he caught people in class with cell phones he just smiled and walked away and then we tried to get serious and say for those who were STILL on the first page of the assignment (which a few had inherited) nobody listened and he even shooed himself back to the desk. Surprisingly enough, I was watched this and had my first experience with an actual good teacher. I joked with Andrew Peterson (the Andrew P I was talking about last post) and Manuel at the table so much and then the conversation had switched to Black Ops II Zombies. They began to bet each other on challenges to do, when all I did was listen and fit in a few more comments since I had watched the game being played, though I never played it.

We moved to lunch, enjoyed eating my food actually, and then our Principal had made an appearance in the lunch Cafeteria, announcing the best he could on the horribly amplified microphone about Creekland’s basketball team that won and the whole lunch Cafeteria went WILD. First time I used “bold”. xD Anyway, so yeah, they went berserk, and some other people were acting petulant and complaining that “nobody cared what the principal has to say, let us eat!”. I just ignored and continued eating while sitting next to Andrew, Manuel, and one of there other friends. It was funny. We made plenty of racist jokes that I dare not speak of here or else I would get in major trouble. But we had our fun. Emily, from Health class (wow, haven’t mentioned her O.o) saw me in the lunch tables (because our Math substitute teacher was taking a bit longer to eat his food, so I got to see a lot more classes leave and different classes come in) and sat next to me and said “HI” randomly. I smiled and then she moved to her own actual seat. Another friend of mine, who was actually from P.E. came past me and I did the usual greetings “Scrub” and he’d call me “Scrub” and then we’d delve into conversation, thought this wasn’t the case for the talking. I just called him “Scrub” and then he laughed and then we had to leave. I did my normal walk with Vanessa, her kissing her boyfriend, and then surprisingly I did NOT see Jessica at the lunch tables we usually passed. I was disappointed.

Once we returned to our classes I managed to do 95% of the classwork, except for one page. But we did not need to do the classwork so I did not worry. Once Math class was finally over, I moved to Science. We took our actual Science test which, fingers crossed, I get a good grade on, or else I’m gonna die! Once we finished I left to homeroom class to finish off all the periods. Unfortunately, as my homeroom group was waiting outside the class because everyone inside the class was still looking attentively. Then while we were looking a girl in front of me called “Mary” looked at me and asked:

“Why do you smile all the time?” She said it seriously.

I answered, “I don’t know, I guess I just can.”

Then after the question had been answered I started thinking to myself, do I really smile all the time? I thought I was always emotionless or average looking, but before I could delve into my thoughts the class inside finished by an obvious stand up and putting stuff away in their backpacks. Mary pulled the door open impatiently, not allowing the students from the class to leave and instead just entering on will. I went to my locker but then realized I did not really have to go to it and then a guy who I knew opened his locker next to mines and said it was okay if I dropped my books into his locker, but then I denied. Though ironically, I realized 2 seconds after that I could drop my math book off to take some weight off, but then he closed his locker, so that was it. The class did its usual waiting and then we left to our connections. I went to P.E., greeted my friend with calling him “Scrub” he returned the favor, we dressed out in the locker rooms, then we began the actual P.E. with a test on Hockey, which we played all last week and this week. Turning it in, I felt nervous and did my best. Once we finished we did our usual warm-ups instructed by Coach Glousher. Can’t spell his name. D; Anyway, he gave us warm-ups, then we moved onto our sport for today and we played Texas Battle Ball. This time was special because I caught more balls and had knocked down two of the enemy teams’ goal balls and got two points. P.E. was victorious.

Then once P.E. finished up I left extra early after I dressed out and waited at the upper gym (I did P.E. in the lower gym) for Jessica and then once she came up to me I hugged her, her friend asked how we knew each other and then answered and then surprisingly my friend Andrew from church, like, long time ago in 2011 came up to me and was surprised to see that I was with Jessica and that she liked me and I liked her. It was a nice transition from P.E. to Health. Once I entered Health class I wrote my Bellringer, then the teacher announced that we were going to do the test. I did not have any notes for the class because I was absent and sick, so I copied off the side of my friend Shahnil. His handwriting was baad! xD Mrs. Heil noticed me doing this and asked if I was here on the day they gave the notes prior to the test, and I said no, so she sent me in the back with three others of whom I knew: Ethan, Alben (can’t spell his name properly either), and some other dude, and gave us other sheets of paper from others who actually took the notes so we could copy of them. We did not have to take the test which was relieving. Then eventually when Health class ended I left to the buses. We drove home happily and I had my fun. I’m sorry, I’m trying to summarize as much, I have to leave soon.

Once I came home, after doing my usual talk with Sarah on the way to our houses (she lived in the house next to me, so we were literally neighbors), I got in trouble with my parents. They interrogated me and asked if I was using my blog privately without their acknowledgement I was doing so. I got in trouble when the truth eventually came out. I got punished, and then I studied. Don’t worry guys, she did not beat me. She just spanked me.. xD I knew it was for fun and she did not mean it to really hurt me, but at the same time it did hurt and she was trying to punish me for lying. Though I’m glad now I don’t have to hide that I’m writing a post.

The day ended after we did Bible Time and then now I’m writing to you. Wow, this post was longer than the previous one. Dang my days are full of information.. Anyway, have a great time wherever you are! Bye!

-ACP

Oh and I forgot to add: HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALLY!

-She probably ain’t reading this xD-

I looked at the website http://www.ranker.com and found a list of the 13 Best Dystopian Novels. Here’s the list: (1) The Time Machine, H.G. Wells, (2) 1984, George Orwell, (3) The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood, (4) Brave New World, Aldous Huxley, (5) The Passion of New Eve, Angela Carter, (6) Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury, (7) The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins, (8) The Giver, Lois Lowry, (9) Lord of the Flies, William Golding, (10) V for Vendetta, Alan Moore, (11) The Road, Cormac McCarthy, (12) Cat’s Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut, and (13) Logan’s Run, William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson.

Of those 13, I’ve read six of them: The Time Machine, 1984, Brave New World, Fahrenheit 451, The Hunger Games, and The Road (my least favorite of this set of books). Of the ones remaining, based on the synopses provided on the website, I don’t think I would have much interest in either The Handmaid’s Tale or The Passion of New Eve. I’m a little more neutral about V for Vendetta and Logan’s Run; I may or may not eventually read those two. I think it’s likely that I’ll add The Giver, Lord of the Flies, and Cat’s Cradle to books I should read sometime this year.

What I find fascinating about these types of stories is that they clearly illustrate what will happen as a result of an apathetic society. When folks become content to “give a little” of this right up and then “give a little” of that right up (choose any right; once you start giving a little here and there, it’s all the same), then the next thing you know, they’ve given enough here and there, the right becomes non-existent. Education, knowing and understanding the past and learning to think critically, is the key to avoiding apathy. You have to care about your rights; there’s no guarantee anyone else will ever care about them for you. You have to be willing to protect those rights. Don’t let them go. Sure, when you’re asked to “give a little” of the right, the rationale sounds so reasonable, but by the time the right is totally gone, it may be too late to realize that rationale is just a pile of dung.

Many folks read these novels and consider them just simple works of fiction. I beg to differ. Authors of dystopian literature have an amazing sense of foresight. They were keenly aware of what can happen when society becomes apathetic. These novels should be read as warnings of what could occur. And if anybody thinks that’s not the case, then just read 1984 or Brave New World or Fahrenheit 451 and you’re likely to be very surprised at how much of the “science fiction” in those books is actually a reality.

1+7+3+1=12

Simple Math.

I don’t know what I’m in the mood for.   I preordered A Memory Of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson and was super excited when I received it a few weeks ago.  Now I look at it, and I don’t even want to bother with it yet.  You should see the size of this thing.  Hardback and 909 pages.  Okay, so it’s not as bad as King’s Under The Dome at 1074 pages but still.

I haven’t been in the mood for any zombie books lately either.  I’ve had the newest J.L. Bourne (Day By Day Armageddon: Shattered Hourglass) for quite some time sitting on my bookshelf staring at me.  It’s the third in a series, and I read the first two books years ago, so I would have to reread them.  Bleh.  I don’t feel like it.

Then my daughter wants me to read her book series that she just finished:  The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry.  She got the fourth, and last, book in the series for Christmas and loved it.

My husband has been bugging me to read his book that I got him for Christmas: Fearless by Eric Blehm.

My son is the only one who isn’t pestering me to read something, and he’s usually the one creating a huge pile of books for me to read.

Plus, I have a bookshelf full of other books of my own that I have yet to read.

What I really want to read is the second book in the Stormlight Archives series by Brandon Sanderson or the third book in the Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss.  Amazing books.  Unfortunately, those books are not even up for preorder on Amazon.

I don’t even think (though I still hold out hope) that there will ever be a fourth Monster Blood Tattoo.

So what should I read next?

Thought I’d start off the year with books I missed as a kid.  This one didn’t do too much for me,  though I think it definitely would have if I had read it when I was young.  At this point I’ve absorbed enough of this genre that every plot twist was broadcast from the beginning.

I found some of it’s imagery to be intriguing, and the story was entertaining enough for a one day read, but ultimately I wasn’t satisfied.   As a kid, the outline of the society presented here would have been enough to sate my imagination, but having become accustomed to the elaborate world creation of book series such as Harry Potter or Song of Ice and Fire, I found this one lacking.

For my visual response, I tried to explore the book’s theme of coming of age and suddenly seeing what was there all along.

Original Post

Thought I’d start off the year with books I missed as a kid.  This one didn’t do too much for me,  though I think it definitely would have if I had read it when I was young.  At this point I’ve absorbed enough of this genre that every plot twist was broadcast from the beginning.

I found some of it’s imagery to be intriguing, and the story was entertaining enough for a one day read, but ultimately I wasn’t satisfied.   As a kid, the outline of the society presented here would have been enough to sate my imagination, but having become accustomed to the elaborate world creation of book series such as Harry Potter or Song of Ice and Fire, I found this one lacking.

For my visual response, I tried to explore the book’s theme of coming of age and suddenly seeing what was there all along.