The Gap Under Construction

     

       Does it really mean something if you're rich or poor? Do you really need a title over your head representing who you are? If it was up to me, I don’t think so. Well, yeah there are low-class, middle-class, and the first-class families, BUT I don’t think we need to separate ourselves from other people because of what we look like, what we do, how much money we make, or where we live. Does it really matter?
       People like Kathleen Krantz, in this article, which got divorced and never built her social security because she thought she would still be married, basically threw her life away because of that. Now Kathleen and her college-aged daughter are homeless and sleeping in their car. It could’ve been totally different if she would’ve spent the time to set up her social security. Now look where it took her.
       Now and days the “homeless” is becoming a joke. It seems like today’s society can’t even trust the fact you want to give them money, but you can’t because you don’t know if it’s going to a good cause or are they really homeless. I know for personal experiences, I felt played because this girl I gave a few bucks to, we pretended to drive off to see what she was going to do with the money, and then right when we left she crossed the street and took off her “homeless clothes” and hopped in a car. I was totally shocked. But even though I had those experiences I still want to put myself out there for the world to see that I actually want to help and be a part of what they’re going through because I know it’s not an easy situation. I want to help as much as I can because I would want someone to do the same for me and I think our community should do it, as well. People need to know that its people less-fortunate than they are and they need help getting back on their feet.

Can It Be Filled?

There is such a huge variety of people out there, some rich, some poor. Many people feel like it is those who are rich that need to be the ones to fix this gap. But, why should the rich who have earned their money by working hard give their earnings to someone who may not work as hard?
It may sound selfish, but those who are rich shouldn't be responsible for those who are poor.
The poor are poor because they either didn't work as hard, or they didn't get the proper education.
Who's fault is that? Those who are poor. Now, there is nothing wrong with being a little helpful by giving a homeless person a few dollars once in a while. In fact, it would make the world a better place.
I'm trying to say that those who are rich should never be forced to give their money to the poor. They should never be frowned upon for choosing not to give their money to someone less fortunate.
I, myself, coming from a middle class family, think it's someone's fault. Somebody didn't work hard enough. Somebody didn't go to school like they should've. Somebody didn't or did do something.
It is very sad to see people who seem like they don't have a kind enough heart just to give a homeless person a few dollars, but they've probably worked their tails off getting the money they have. That's why their rich.

The way I see Life

There is a Spanish version and an English version.

The way I see life is like a blooming and then dying rose. The rose is a beautiful flower, even as the rose is barely starting to grow it is beautiful. Everyone on Earth is like a rose. Time passes and like the rose we grow and grow. But then we reach the highest point of magnificence. After point,both the rose and us slowly start to die. Everything about us just fades away to a pale Gray. We can not control it, for instead of fearing death , we embrace every last color we have till the end. So like the glowing and beautiful, red, rose, grow  everyday  until that magic point. Then embrace the fate of death , like you would embrace the fate of life.

Speak Assignment

I took this picture to describe my emotional state lately. My emotional state has been up and down but to be honest its been mostly rainy or gloomy. I also put one whole leaf in the picture to show that I feel like out of place. Although it seams that my meaning is depressing and whiny I made sure there was flower petals. Why flower petals? Well because flowers to me symbolize happiness and sunshine. My emotional state can't exactly be described by anything but I tried with this picture and I feel like it works well.

Speak Project

How does this bird represent me? The bird represents freedom. I honestly feel free, like I was able to fly away from it all and I'm learning how to build my nest, my future. I see myself as a funny, vibrant person who is very colorful, but on the inside I am a sensitive person and I'm not quite sure who I am yet. The colorful feathers represent my colorful outer personality. The red and black feathers represent the uncertainty and the pain on the inside. The light, gentle purple represents the sensitivity underneath all of the baggage.

Speak Free Writes

1. Why do we sometimes not like people who are really good at things, like sports, music, art, or school? Is this fair? Are adults like this? (20).

       Why do people frown upon others who are better then themselves? This sort of thing happens all the time no matter where you are. Usually younger children and teenagers get caught up in this competitive game in life which is being better then everyone else. But it happens to adults too. I never really understood why but as humans we get this angry felling when someone does something better than you have, you can deny it all you want but it has happened to everyone in some way. It is unfair to dislike someone who has been good at something and possibly better than you. Would it be fair to you if you did something really good and someone disliked you for it? You would probably say, “No it wouldn’t be fair.” Well if that were true why does everyone seem to dislike others better than themselves. Is it because it belittles you? Or makes you feel like your not important? Well there is no reason to dislike someone better than you at something, because you are good at what you do and no one can change that. So don't feel angered when someone does something you can't because you have your own goals to worry about and you can do what everyone else can't which is be you.

 

2. Mr. Neck doesn't understand Free Speech as David Petrakis does, but through this part of the novel, the reader can think about what it means to have the freedom to say what one believes. What does free speech mean to you?

F            Freedom of speech. Does it really even have a meaning? Have you ever been told not to say something to someone because its not nice, or there’s no use in saying it? Well the law freedom of speech say we have the right to say what we want to who we want. Yet everyone seems to think it is okay to tell someone their not aloud to say some things. There is no point in having the freedom of speech if it is taken away anyways. To me freedom of speech is being able to say whatever you please with out people telling you their are limits to what you can and can not say. There is no need for a freedom of speech if everyone is going to judge you for what you say anyways.

 

3. Are we sometimes different people on the outside than we are on the inside? Which characters from the novel fit this description? Why is this true about people, do you think?

       People are all different in many ways. Everyone has their own personalities. Some people don't like to express the way the feel inside like others may like to. Melinda doesn't like talking to people because of the incidents that happened to her. She takes a long time to express what is really going on and how she feels. Melinda doesn't really show ow she feels inside to others, this proves that Yes, you can be different on the inside than you are on the out. This happens to many people after something tragic happens to someone usually they don't want to express all of their feelings. I do believe that people can be different on the inside then they are on the out. It all depends on what kind of person you are.

4. Melinda's parents tell her that she's too old to go trick or treating and she pretends to be mad. Why do you think Melinda is both relieved and sad not to go trick or treating? What does it feel like to leave childhood traditions behind? (39).

       Melinda is happy her parents aren't making her go tick or treating. She does not have any friends besides David who she does not really see outside of school. She does not want to tell her parents what had happened to he at that party so she pretends to be angry that she can not go trick or treating that year. Melinda is also a bit sad because she feels as if her whole childhood has already disappeared after what had happened to her at the party, and not going trick or treating just adds to that. Not being considered as a child has its good and bad aspects and i thing Melinda realized this in the book.

5. Why is it that people sometimes "like us" more when they can get something out of us? Are the Marthas good friends to Heather? Why or why not? (82).

       Us humans are naturally greedy people and love getting what we want. When someone just hands you anything you want you seem to want to hang onto that person. When people start to act like they like you so much more when you're doing something for them or giving them something they are truly not your real friends. Heather is a “Martha” only because she does everything they want from what i believe. I honestly don't see the Marthas as Heather's friend at all because they have only used her to get what they desire. These girls do not treat Heather as a real friend would. People do not need to be catered at their every wish. Its not hard to do things on your own sometimes you will live.

6. Write about one of Mr. Freeman’s “words of wisdom” and how it is either true or false, based on your learning and experience: (choose another quote if you like)

-"You must walk alone to find your soul" (118)

-"Art is about making mistakes and learning from them" (122).

-"Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting" (153).

       Mr. Freeman's quote “Nothing is perfect. Flaws are interesting.” is a completely true and inspiring quote. Everything and everyone have flaws. Nothing and no one can be perfect. If everything were perfect life would be absolutely boring. An imperfection doesn't have to a bad thing you only see something how you choose to see it. See you imperfections as something good because no on should tell you that your flaws can mess you up or make you different from everyone else. Being different is a good thing no one and nothing should be exactly the same. Imperfection is beauty.

7. David is a true friend to Melinda, but he tells her something she may not want to hear. He says that people have to speak up for their rights, referring to the suffragettes. What should his words mean to her? (159).

       David is not insulting Melinda in a bad way. He wants Melinda to know that she can't be happy without speaking a single word. If nobody knows what her problems are no one can help and nothing will change for her. David just wants to help her speak up because he is a true friend and only tells her what he believes will truly help. Melinda struggles with speaking to people and David is trying to help her find a way through that because he wants to be there for her as a friend. David is the only person who has been their for Melinda and she should trust him and take the advice.

8.Melinda's father explains to her that the arborists are cutting off disease and damage to make it possible for the tree to grow again. How can the pruning of the tree be compared to Melinda's life? (187).

       Melinda has struggled with a lot of thing in the past year. After the indecent at the part the summer before her whole life got turned upside down. Everything has changed fro Melinda and know one even knows it. She is not broken. She is holding on by just a little just like the tree is. Melinda need help with what has happened and with the help she can become a new person and be happy again. The tree is the same way, with a few trims and fixes the tree will be as good as new and back to a healthy start. Melinda's life is much like the trees'. With a few changes Melinda and the tree can go back to how they once were, happy and healthy. Bad things don't have to turn into worse things with a little help everything can change.

Speak Free Write Assignment

1.) We sometimes do not like people who are good at things because we have the feeling of JEALOUSY! Yes, jealousy. Most likely because, for personal reasons, they don’t want to feel the “shine” taken away from them or let everyone watch them succeed instead of others. I do think it is fair because everybody goes through it and has it inside them somewhere. Everybody feels the same thing you are feeling one day or another day. And adults are definitely like this, duh.  It’s not like when you hit a certain age you stop having the same emotions. That will be very interesting and a little skeptical. Don’t ya think? I also, think that adults act more jealous then kids do because adults have money and can buy more things for themselves like a house, or a sports car, a yacht, pool, Jacuzzi, nice clothes, new sunglasses, etc.

2.) I think that free speech means that you have the freedom to say what is on your mind, what you might be thinking, or your opinion. Not at any given time, just freely. It seems the more the world understands this it is just getting out of hand. Yes, you probably don’t go to jail for it, but when you do have a line that you can’t cross. Some people use the “freedom of speech” as an excuse when they get handcuffed or someone calls the cops on them. You can’t just go anywhere and everywhere cussing people out, or talking about people to their faces. Watch what you say, but just know you have a right to freedom of speech.

3.) Most definitely we are different people on the outside than we are on the inside. You can be the prettiest person I have ever seen, but the meanest person to any and everyone who gets in your way. You can be the beach “hottie”, but the rudest person to everybody. It doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside just how you act on the inside or what you show people because actions speak louder than appearances, in my case. The character that fits the description is the Marthas because they are like the cool crowd that everyone wants be apart of but in reality they don’t really care about you.

4.) Melinda is relieved that her parents said she is too old to go trick or treating because she didn’t want to admit that nobody invited her to go with them, but she is probably sad because she had so many good memories with her friends that she missed and loved so much but didn’t have no one to go with. It feels not depressing but depressing because you don’t have anything else to do when that day comes around; you just mope around trying to figure out what to do, but not get upset thinking about. But the saddest thing about leaving a childhood tradition behind is going back to school and your friends bragging about what they did and you don’t have anything to tell them so you just sit there alone.

5.) People sometimes like us more because we are like a tool when they are in need of some construction building to upgrade their lives more, in my opinion. It seems that certain people can’t just be a real friend to someone by having someone to share good times with, laugh at each other’s jokes, sleep over each other’s houses, or invite them to a party. The Marthas in my opinion are not really good friends to poor Heather or even friends at all. It seems like since she got that modeling job in the mall they all started “noticing” her even more than before  and wanted to be her bestest bud.

6.) “You must walk alone to find your soul.” I like this “word of wisdom” statement. It seems to show me to walk on your own path by yourself to find who you are on the inside. I actually like it a lot. You can’t find yourself in a group of people who you can’t relate to or they can’t relate to you, but if you separate yourself from that group you will be able to find yourself no matter what. It might just take some time. If you are confused on whom you are question yourself and look in the mirror, is this who you really are?

7.) His words should mean to Melinda a whole lot because David is basically telling her you have the right to speak up. To use your speaking abilities to do something; to say something. Don’t let people make you tiny by walking all over you because they yell and scream. If you have a point that needs a little proving you better scream and shout and jump around more than the other guy to prove your point. You might have your very first shouting tournament with someone who doesn’t care what you have to say. You need to tell people what is on your mind before your chance goes to waste.

8.) I think that the dad is actually cutting down the tree to show Melinda it doesn’t hurt to start over and become a changed person since she came out and told people what she did was necessary because of what happened at the party.  The pruning of the tree can be compared to Melinda’s life because the tree grows like she grows in the story, its limbs branches out showing that she can do different things and change herself to have different relationships with different people, and the leaves shows just how far she came and how much she improved knowing that she grew into a better person than she was when she started out at the crazy, twisted roots.