Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathmann

            My favorite picture book from growing up is called, “Ruby the Copycat” by Peggy Rathmann. In the book, the new girl in Miss Hart’s class, Ruby, keeps copying everything her classmate Angela does.  At first they get along because of their similarities, until it drives Angela crazy, realizing Ruby was actually just copying everything about her. When I reread the book today, I notice how relatable the story is.  Growing up, I always noticed many of my classmates would copy one another’s personalities; no one would act as themselves. One person would start a trend, and then everybody copies them. In elementary school, if you heard a lot of people at school played a certain online game or watched certain TV shows, you would start to watch them too, so that you could try to fit in with them. When my mom first read this book to me, I was so young that I don’t even remember old I was (probably in kindergarten). I didn't understand what the book was about; what stood out the most was the cover, illustrated with the two girls writing on the chalkboard.  Both are wearing purple flowered sweaters and red bows, except Ruby’s sweater has drawn flowers pinned on to it. It only started to make sense when I got older, once I started witnessing it myself. Even I felt pressured into liking the same things my friends did. Today, I look back at this book and realize how unique the book is to bring up this topic of individuality.

            Many children growing up have trouble finding who they are, so they copy one another’s actions in the meantime. The book helps me remember how important it is to be comfortable just being myself. Whenever I feel peer pressure to fit in with everyone else, it’s okay to be different, and just be who I really am. In the text, Miss Hart tells Ruby, “You don’t need to copy everything Angela does. You can be anything you want to be, but be Ruby first. I like Ruby.” Everyone has their own good qualities that they should remember to appreciate. We don’t need to look to someone else to find that. The book’s message reminds me of another quote I've heard, “You were born an original.  Don’t die a copy”- John Mason. Even though it’s a picture book, “Ruby the Copycat” really can teach people of all ages.

Argument Essay 2nd Draft

              What is censorship? What is its purpose? Many adults think children need it, but do they?  Censorship is forcing someone’s own beliefs on someone else, as well as deciding what their limits are. The purpose of censorship is just a form of control over someone and their beliefs. The novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is about a teenage girl, Hannah, who committed suicide. Through fictional cassette tapes, we learn the reasons behind her actions.  Because of its serious subject, many parents are worried that if their children read these kinds of books, they will start to copy the character’s actions. However, although many parents want to ban this book, it should not be banned because the story helps the reader become more comfortable acknowledging suicide as a real life issue and promoting meaningful conversations on a difficult subject.

            Many of these banned books have taught us valuable lessons, such as how to identify warning signs in a suicidal person. Thirteen Reasons Why also helps teach readers things you can do in response if you think someone you know could be thinking of hurting themselves. One of the lessons the author teaches is that everyone’s actions can affect each other in very powerful ways. One of the things that most affected Hannah was by rumors spread by her classmates. On page 156 of the novel, Hannah reflects on the power of other people, saying, “No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people.” Reading the book shows a glimpse of how a suicidal person might feel, and how we can prevent these feelings from happening.  Most writers write these books to help young people in traumatic states know that they’re not alone.

            Despite the merits of many censored books, adults think books like Thirteen Reasons Why aren’t appropriate for certain ages to read. Many think the subjects mentioned are too difficult or mature for young readers to handle. If books reflect what life is like, the newly written books with dark topics in them might make the reader think that’s how life really is. However, this book is written in a way that clearly doesn’t promote Hannah’s actions, but tells why she did it and how we can prevent things like this from happening in our own lives. In the words of Hannah herself, “Because it may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters.” (Asher p.30) Some adults think the solution is adding age ratings to our books like we do to movies. Movies and video games now days have age ratings, so some people think books should too. However this fails to take in account how people develop at different paces with different reading interests that may not fit into a specific age group.  As explained in the article “Age-rated books: Right or wrong?” by BBC News, “Children read up and down. They read over and over again. They read the same book at two different ages and get something totally different out of the experience each time.” This shows that books for young readers can’t be categorized by one age, and doing so will only limit many learning opportunities.  

            Young adults should have the right to choose which books fit their own comfort level. When questionable topics are mentioned, the author is usually putting them there for the purpose of helping the reader visualize the text better, not just because it makes the book more dramatic. According to Meghan Cox Gurdon in the text “Darkness Too Visible”, “Foul language is widely regarded among librarians, reviewers and booksellers as perfectly OK, provided that it emerges organically from the characters and the setting rather than being tacked on for sensation.”  Gurdon states that some allow these books to be acceptable because as long as the content that’s being questioned is there to help describe something in the book, they should be okay to read. Also according to BBC News, the cover illustrations and blurbs are alternative indicators for readers to know what to expect in a book.

            Books shouldn’t be banned just because they bring up topics that people are afraid to talk about otherwise. Supporters of book censorship are missing the true point of the authors to educate the readers on important, although difficult, issues. Creating age ratings on books will just catch more attention towards the book and make those under the limit want to read them even more. Instead, I think we should include these books in our school curriculum, where we have the opportunity to responsibly discuss and understand them with our peers and teachers.  Avoiding what makes us uncomfortable does not help anyone; instead, we should face them together. 

Works Cited

Asher, Jay.  Thirteen Reasons Why.  New York: Penguin, 2007.  Print.

BBC News.  Age-rated books: Right or wrong?  BBC News, 20 Aug. 2008.  Web.  14 Nov. 2013.                 <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7571152.stm>

Gurdon, Meghan Cox.  Darkness Too Visible.  The Wall Street Journal, 4 Jun. 2011.  Web. 14 Nov. 2013.

< http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303657404576357622592697038 >

Argument Essay Draft

The novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher is about a teenage girl, Hannah, who committed suicide. Through fictional cassette tapes, we learn the reasons behind her actions.  Parents are worried that if their children read these kinds of books, they will start to copy the character’s actions. Although many parents want to ban this book, it should not be banned because the story helps the reader become more comfortable acknowledging that things like suicide actually happen in real life. Adults shouldn’t censor which books young adults can read, because many controversial books actually teach us important lessons and help promote meaningful conversations on difficult subjects.

Young adults should have the right to choose which books fit their own comfort level. Whenever these questionable topics are mentioned, the author puts them there to help the reader visualize the text better, not just because it makes the book more dramatic. According to Meghan Cox Gurdon in the text “Darkness Too Visible”, “Foul language is widely regarded among librarians, reviewers and booksellers as perfectly OK, provided that it emerges organically from the characters and the setting rather than being tacked on for sensation.”  Gurdon states that some allow these books to be acceptable because as long as the content that’s being questioned is there to help describe something in the book, they should be okay to read. Cover illustrations and blurbs for these books show the reader what to expect in the book.

In addition, many of these banned books have taught us valuable lessons, such as how to identify warning signs in a suicidal person. Thirteen Reasons Why also helps teach readers things you can do in response if you think someone you know could be thinking of hurting themselves. One of the lessons the author teaches is that everyone’s actions can affect each other in very powerful ways. One of the things that most affected Hannah was by rumors spread by her classmates. On page 156 of the novel, Hannah reflects on the power of other people, saying, “no one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people.” Reading the book shows a glimpse of how a suicidal person might feel, and how we can prevent these feelings from happening.  Most writers write these books to help young people in traumatic states know that they’re not alone. These books help promote meaningful conversations on subjects that are usually difficult to discuss. In 7^th grade, the whole grade was assigned to read the book Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick, which contained subjects like cancer and death. This allowed us to discuss the serious themes openly with our classes in a positive way.

Despite the merits of many censored books, adults think books like Thirteen Reasons Why aren’t appropriate for certain ages to read. Many think the subjects mentioned are too difficult or mature for young readers to handle. If books reflect what life is like, the newly written books with dark topics in them might make the reader think that’s how life really is. However, this book is written in a way that clearly doesn’t promote Hannah’s actions, but tells why she did it and how we can prevent things like this from happening in our own lives. In the words of Hannah herself, "Because it may seem like a small role now, but it matters. In the end, everything matters." (Asher, p.30) Some adults think the solution is adding age ratings to our books like we do to movies. Movies and video games now days have age ratings, so some people think books should too. However this fails to take in account how people develop at different paces with different reading interests that may not fit into a specific age group.

Books shouldn’t be banned just because they bring up topics that people are afraid to talk about otherwise. Supporters of book censorship are missing the true point of the authors to educate the readers on important, although difficult, issues. Creating age ratings on books will just catch more attention towards the book and make those under the limit want to read them even more. Instead, I think we should include these books in our school curriculum, where we have the opportunity to responsibly discuss and understand them with our peers and teachers.  Avoiding what makes us uncomfortable does not help anyone; instead, we should face them together.  

Monday Muses Post

My childhood

I hear

The echoing voice

Of my father telling me

Two words:

“Be Good”

I taste the lingering flavor

Of my mom’s saucy, homemade spaghetti,

And cheesy Costco lasagna

I remember the beautiful wrapping paper,

Concealing past presents,

And birthday cards

I can still see

The picture of the beautiful,

Unique,

Enormous

Bright,

And sunny Paris I once saw

Years ago

I worry of the day,

You betray me

I sometimes wonder,

“What would the world be like without me?”

I wish I had never said “no”,

When you invited me to see that movie

I am courageous,

Carefree,

And believe.

I want to be happy,

To have a good life.

I am

a survivor of bullying.

A 5’1” gymnast,

Stares in the mirror.

Homemade chocolate chip cookies,

Straight from Mrs. Field’s Cookbook.

The strong smell

Of Tide, laundry detergent.

The quiet slope of

5^th Street, covered with trees,

And brownstones.

The love and chaos

Within my house

The four voices of the Beatles,

Singing “Misery”

Or the TV playing Elton John singing

“Crocodile Rock” on the Muppets

Two places called “home”

Totally different

Only a mile apart

Voices cry

From all directions,

Calling:

“Wash the dishes!”

“Mom!”

“Dinner!”

Every day,

On schedule.

From staying up past 10:00

Watching movies on the weekend,

To staying up to finish the homework,

That was supposed to be done

Hours ago.

Disney World,

“The happiest place on Earth”

My dream job

 San Francisco, California

And the school,

Down my block.

Waiting,

Like it’s my destiny.

The brown skin,

Of my first and only babysitter

The time I got spanked,

The tears that streamed

Down my face,

Ever since

I came home,

I knew,

Life

Will never

Be the same.

Playing my family Wii, GameCube, DDR mats, Club Penguin,

And karaoke on the PlayStation.

The morning I came back, to give you that birthday card,

And the day I started off some place new,

A mile away from you.

Memories of my life, since the day I was born,

Stored in a cabinet,

Against the wall in the living room,

Stuck in a cramped space,

Every now and then being grabbed,

Then shoved back in,

Just like life,

Going in and out of the happy circle.

Theme response

Many teenagers are self-conscious about how others see them. Sometimes they do things they later regret, not knowing what would happen. Often when we are put in a situation we’ve never been through before, we have trouble fitting in with the crowd. Even though we might all have different conflicts, something we all worry about is feeling like we belong somewhere. In the book “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, all the characters try to be someone different than who they are in order to fit in with their surroundings. However, when their real personalities start to show, it’s not always that easy to face the results.

                Charlie (the protagonist), often feels very different from others and has trouble fitting in, even with his friends. A lot of his friends and the people around him are older than he is, which makes things awkward for him sometimes. While they’re off smoking and talking about college, he’s just started high school and isn’t even old enough to smoke. Sometimes when this happens, Charlie ends up trying to act older due to pure pressure. According to the text, even his friends tell him they think he’s different, saying, “He’s something, isn’t he?...He’s a wallflower…You see things. You keep quiet about them. And you understand.” This quote helps show that others think of him as different from everyone else and his personality as quiet and observant. Although he’s physically present during that conversation, he’s not actually taking part in the discussion.
                Another character who often tries to change his personality is one of Charlie’s good friends, Patrick. Unlike a lot of people, Patrick is gay. During the story, Patrick is currently going out with the quarterback of their high school football team. Although Patrick doesn’t mind expressing to others he’s gay, his boyfriend, Brad, does mind. Since Brad doesn’t want others to know he’s gay, both he and Patrick act towards others as if they were straight by “dating” girls for show. Later in the story, Brad breaks up with Patrick, which initially makes him really upset. However, later Patrick starts to realize he feels “free.”  He says, “I’ll tell you something, Charlie. I feel good…Really good. Like I’m free or something. Like I don’t have to pretend anymore. I’m going to college, right? It’ll be different there.”He’s not afraid to be different; he can just be who he really is.

Teenage years are often a time when we learn in life they can just be who they are, and be happy with that. It doesn’t matter how others think of them. They don’t have to try so hard to make others happy, just as long as their happy with themselves. In the end of the book, Charlie’s English teacher tells him he’s special, which no one else has ever told him. This makes him feel more satisfied and confidant with himself, reassuring him he’s “special” in his own way.

Character Response

Throughout this month, I’ve been amazed as I read “All These Things I’ve Done” by Gabrielle Zevin. The story takes place in New York City in the year 2083. Government laws have changed and chocolate is illegal. The story focuses on the members of the Balanchine Chocolate Company and is described by Anya, the company head’s daughter. The conflict is introduced when Anya is given poisoned chocolates from her cousin, Jakov, or Jacks, Pirozhki. Soon after, her ex-boyfriend comes by begging for chocolate. Without knowing it was poisoned, Anya gives him some chocolate. After eating the chocolates, the ex-boyfriend ends up in the hospital blaming Anya for poisoning him. Throughout the book, this conflict remains unsolved. In the end, Jacks confesses he poisoned the chocolates, and is sent to jail. As I read, I kept an eye on Jacks.  When we first meet him, Anya introduces him as the awful cousin who tried to touch her as a little girl.  So why did I choose to focus on an antagonist? Why didn’t I choose Anya? As the book progresses, we learn more about Jacks’ personality and struggles. Although he is the “villain”, there’s more to him to be understood.  

From what we know about him, Jacks works a small position for the family business, but wants to do more. This is what motivates him to attempt to poison the head’s immediate family, hoping to advance his role in the business.  Even though his actions were clearly wrong, he just wanted to do something to raise his job, which is a relatable desire. In the text, he explains he’s unhappy with his current position, saying, “You probably know this without my having to say, but I’m low in the organization. No one tells me about anything.”(p.159) this shows how he isn’t pleased with his role in the business, by not feeling included or valued. All he really wants is to get more respect and attention, but he doesn’t know how to in a more positive way.

Another example of Jacks’ ongoing conflict is his relationship with his brother Mickey. The two of them are arguing about Anya being their cousin and being a part of the family. Mickey refers to Anya as “my cousin” leaving Jacks to feel like an outcast. This interaction show that Jacks doesn’t feel accepted as an equal by his own family. Mickey even tells him to stop embarrassing himself.

Although Jacks is the cause of the conflict, I think people should take a closer look at the motivation behind his actions. I think he seems to be a misguided character. He not necessarily a monster.  I hope after reading this, readers will look at characters at a different angle and try to understand their motives, even if we don’t agree with them.

Of Mice and Men Review

Title: Of Mice and Men

Author: John Steinbeck

    

"Of Mice and Men" was definitely one of the saddest, most interesting, and unexpected-ending books that I have ever read. The story takes place at a farm in California, where two best friends George Milton and Lennie Small struggle to find a long-term job. Within the first few pages, I was surprised that these two were so close to one another. George is a "small and quick", intelligent guy, whereas Lennie is a huge man with a gentle mind of a child. As kind as Lennie tries to be, he still always gets into some kind of trouble due to his super strength. After an incident in Weed, California, George and Lennie are always on the run for a mistake Lennie made. Further into the book, you learn more about George and Lennie’s relationship, and how it came to be. Throughout the book, as George looks after Lennie, he has to keep making decisions on what’s best for Lennie. In the end, the results were very dramatic.

At the beginning of the book, one of the characters, Candy, owns a blind, “stinky”, “old”, and “crippled” dog that everyone (expect Candy) hates. Candy has had this dog “since he was a pup”. Even though the dog is blind, can hardly walk, smells, and has no teeth, Candy still takes care of him.  After a lot of arguing, the other guys at the farm convince Candy that it’s useless to try to keep the dog alive in its poor condition. In the end one of the guys at the farm takes away the dog’s life, to keep it from having to “suffer any longer. At first, I was upset that they decided to kill the dog. Candy had such a strong relationship with the dog, so it seemed sad and wrong for them to kill him on the spot and not let it just die naturally.

But after finishing the book, I realized why the dog incident was put there. As a symbol, John Steinbeck wanted to show the relationship between the two deaths. Like Lennie, the dog is barely getting by. Without George looking after him, Lennie is always getting into trouble. If Candy didn’t keep taking care of the dog, he wouldn’t still be alive. So without George or Candy, neither one has the capability to take care of themselves.

After reading this book, I realized started thinking about how these kinds of decisions are made almost every day. Because people care about someone so much, it’s painful to see them suffer, so sometimes you have to do what you think is best for them. Sacrifice. Deaths. Misunderstandings. In our world…Everywhere. As hard as it is to let go, we have to think about what will happen if they were forced to keep living after all the suffering they have to go through every day.