"My Father I Miss So Dearly"

He's gone away

To "a better place" they say

My father, I miss so dearly

Thanks to him, we all live freely

You fought with courage

You stood up tall

And you never let us fall

We thank you now

And take a bow

To my father, I miss so dearly

"It's Been 71 Years"

          The game ended. It was 5-0. There were rambunctious fireworks and a bunch of screaming that can be heard throughout the neighborhood and streets of Chicago. The fireworks lit up the sky followed by the loud roaring of adults who were celebrating. Many families hugged each other and celebrated together in their homes. Emotions fled through many Cubs fans like a steady river stream flowing into the ocean. W flags everywhere. On cars and hung on houses. People, even running on the streets holding these flags in the air. It was a marvelous day for Cubs fans.

          On this day, October 22nd, 2016, the Cubs had won a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. They're advancing to the World Series for the first time in 71 years. Many people were celebrating the triumph of the Cubs winning against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

          The next day, newspaper articles all over had front page news about the Cubs. On this day, October 22nd, 2016, Chicago has made history.

First Quarter Reflection

       In my 10 book challenge, I'm on my fifth book. So far I've read, A Child Called "It", Chopsticks, The Giver, and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I'm currently reading Walk Two Moons. I've enjoyed all these books and some of them either really blew me away, opened my eyes and made me realize something, or shocked/surprised me. I learned something important from each of these books. In the future, I hope to read Eleanor and Park, The Lost Boy, and Gump and Co. I've heard Eleanor and Park is a great book by many people. The Lost Boy is one of David Pelzer's books who also the author of A Child Called "It". Also, Gump and Co. is a sequel to the novel Forrest Gump (also a great movie).
       Two strategies that I learned and that benefited me this quarter was, time management and studying skills. During this first quarter, I've studied "harder" for tests this year than I have last year. I've realized that in order to get far in life, you need to work hard. Last year versus this year, I noticed that I hung out with my friends very often, while this year I barely have time to hang out with them. I'm in much more clubs and extracurricular activities now than I was last year. Every week, I go to my club, then go straight home afterwards and try finishing my homework. I only have time for my friends maybe once every week, but that's about it. Being in many clubs
       My writing has slightly progressed during the first quarter. I've learned more about 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person this quarter, I also learned many new words that I could use in my vocabulary, and I learned how to annotate a book and pick specific details that could come in hand further into the book. Last year, I knew that there was 2nd person, but I never knew what it was. Now, I know what 2nd person is and when to use it. Our vocabulary words and tests really helps me improve my vocabulary and my memorization skills. Studying the words and definitions help me learn new words and know the definitions. Many words I didn't know like assuage and palpable till we learned them and took tests.

Film vs. Book

     In the move versus the book, The Giver, they have many differences. In the book, while Jonas is escaping, he doesn't come in contact with Asher at all. In the movie, while Jonas is escaping, Asher tries to stop Jonas, but Jonas doesn't let anyone get in the way of his plan. Ultimately, Jonas punches Asher, because Asher wouldn't stop convincing Jonas to stay. In the book, Jonas leaves his dwellings to flee, but in the movie he leaves the Annex after talking to the Giver. Also, in the book, no one tries to stop Jonas or finds out that he's missing. These two are different because movies are made to entertain. The fact that Asher tries to stop Jonas adds to the plot and makes it more intense to the audience. On page 163, it says, "...making his way past the darkened dwellings and the empty Central Plaza, toward the river. Beyond the Plaza he could see the House of the Old, with the Annex behind it..." This quote shows that Jonas has left the dwelling and made it near the Annex without anyone finding out or chasing him, like the movie.
      I think that Brenton was probably not the best option for Jonas in the movie. He did cover the nervousness part like Jonas is in the book, but that's about it. Not just Jonas though. Asher and Fiona also were portrayed differently from the book versus the movie. What's different is that Jonas looks much older and more mature than how Jonas actually seemed in the book. I expected Jonas to look much younger. The actor portraying Jonas doesn't need to be exactly 12 but he should've been around 13-16 years old. Brenton look 17-19. I would've chosen someone kind of scrawny and young. Someone who is curious, but still nervous. There aren't many young actors out there that I would specifically choose. All in all, Brenton did do a nice job portraying Jonas, even though some of his appearances and mannerisms didn't match up in the book.
      I think that the film impacted my understanding more than the book. I feel this way because the movie was more straight forward and clear rather than the book. For example, in the beginning of the movie, they say what they're community is about and all the rules. In the book, the idea of the community is told throughout the book until you finally understand what the community is about. The book mostly drags on and kind of confuses the reader. In the movie, mostly towards the end, we don't just get Jonas's perspective, we also get everyone else's and what thy see after Jonas crosses the "memory board line." In the book, they don't explain how the memories go back to the community or how effects them when they get it back. Even though the film was more impactful, I still like the novel way better than the book.

The Giver Theme

Jonas is a dynamic character throughout the book The Giver. In the beginning of the book, Jonas was an innocent, quite nervous, and somewhat selfish child. Towards the end of the book, Jonas is very attentive, selfless, and starts to become defiant. As “December” arrives, “...he wasn’t frightened, but he was… eager, he decided. He was eager for it to come. And he was excited, certainly. (5)” This quotes explains that Jonas is very worried about himself and his career in the future. He’s selfish, but not in a bad way. Everyone worries about themselves and it’s okay. But, towards the end of the book, “He wept because he was afraid now that he could not save Gabriel. He no longer cared about himself. (174)” Jonas no longer cares about himself and his health. He only cares about Gabriel and if he’s going to make it and be okay.  Also, on page 130, it says, “He had not taken the pills, now, for four weeks. The Stirrings had returned, and he felt a little guilty and embarrassed…” This quote shows that Jonas is going against their rules and lying about the Stirring pills. Overall, Jonas has changed dramatically throughout the book after experiencing memories and learning the truth about his community.

The theme of the book, The Giver, is that in order to experience love and feel love, you need to go through hardships and hard times. In The Giver as Jonas gets the memories, he starts to feel love and emotions. Before that, Jonas was just like everyone in the community, he had no feelings or emotions. When Jonas is escaping the community, he says, “But the moment passed and was followed by an urge, a need, a passionate yearning to share the warmth with the one person left for him to love. Aching from the effort, he forced the memory of warmth into the thin, shivering body in his arms. (177)” This quote shows that Jonas felt love for Fiona, although he left her to save the community. If Jonas was not given memories, he would have not had any emotions like love or sadness. Memories, emotions, and feelings affects the community because everyone is the same. They don't have emotions or feelings. Only Jonas and the Giver have feelings. In the book The Giver, Jonas wasn’t the only one that felt emotions. The Giver felt emotions as well. When Jonas and the Giver talked about Rosemary he says, “It broke my heart, Jonas, to transfer pain to her. But it was my job. It was what I had to do, the way I’ve had to do it to you. (141)” This quote shows that the Giver really loved Rosemary and it affected him to see her hurt. He had no choice because it’s his job to transfer memories.