The Pregnancy Project

      So I started the book, The Pregnancy Project, which is actually a memoir, by Gaby Rodriguez. So far, Gaby just explains that her family had a lot of problems growing up, and that her mom, sisters, and brothers becomes teen moms, and dads. Then about how when her sister Jessica had a baby, Gaby's mom and Jessica would get into fights because Jessica would go out and party, and make Gaby watch her baby. Then Gaby's grandmother got pneumonia, and Gaby and her mother went to live with Gaby's grandmother for a little while. Then after a while, Gaby and her mom move back to their own house.

     Although I haven't read the whole book, I already know the theme. Its to not believe in stereotypes, which basically means to not believe what people hear or say. Stereotype: a certain image that certain people hold because of there looks, race, or religon. Stereotypes are often brought up when you say certain words. For example, many stereotypes can be blonde girls, jewish people, mexicans, and white girls. Stereotypes are a problem. You can't just say something about someone, because you read about other people that followed this religon or appearance, and then expect them to be cool with you when you say something offending about them.

That Time I Joined the Circus; finished

      As you know, I started the book 'That Time I Joined the Circus' (which I started last week) and that book is now finished. Its was a great book and I really liked it. So last time I updated, Lexi got her own trailer. Nick helped keep the customers under control, and after a while Nick eventually left, and after that, Lexi's trailer was shut down. After a few weeks, Nick came back and told Lexi that they couldnt be together. Then Lexi went to work with Lina at a mini game (Lina sprained her arm). Then while singing a few songs with Lina, Lexi looked into the crowd and saw Eli (her ex-bestfriend) and fainted. When she woke up, she saw Eli, Nick, Lina, and Louie. They were all asking what was going on, and after Lexi and Eli talked, Louie let Eli work in the circus too. Nick eventually went back to Florida, and it was now winter, so the circus was shut down. Lina, Liska, Eddie, and Louie went to go see relatives, so Lexi was now alone. She then asked Jamie to help her learn to drive. Jamie asked where they were going, and wasn't surprised when Lexi said Florida. After driving long ways, they found that Eli was sleeping in the back. Once they got to a motel, they bought clothes, and went to the club that Nick owned. Once they got there, Lexi saw a shocking sight. Her mother was on stage. After talking with Callie (Lexi's mom) they decided to stay for Christmas then go back to New York. With Eli. Once in New York, Lexi and Callie got an apartment and Lexi went back to school. Around the end of the book, Lina had flown Lexi down to the circus, and announced that Jamie and her are engaged. Lina also mentioned that Liska had gone to Florida to go to college because she had some friends there. They all had fun until Lexi went back to New York. Long story short, Lexi and Eli got together, and Eli is going to Colombia, Lexi is going to Tisch (which is an acting school) and at the end, they met in the middle at a diner, and thats the end. It was a great book and I recommend it to all.

      Since this is the last blog I decided to do a character analysis on Lexi. Lexi is a sarcastic, smart, amazing girl. At first she has an okay life, but then her dad dies. Her lawyer, said that his mom was in Florida, and that he would help Lexi find her. She ended up buying a bus ticket and went to Florida. But then a man named Louie found Lexi and let Lexi join his circus. At first Lexi is hesitant, but then gets settled and makes friends. She had originally set out to find her mom, and ended up in a circus. Then when she got used to the circus, she found her mom. I think that things didn't work out the best for Lexi, but at least she got to be happy in the end.

That Time I Joined the Circus

      I have decided to abandon Matched, and I started the book 'That Time I Joined the Circus' by J.J Howard. Ever chapter is different. The even numbers are from her past in New York and the odd numbers are from when she is in the circus. This book is actually really good. It about this girl named Xandra, but when she gets to the circus, changes it to Lexi. At first she is only cleaning up and helping or at the concession and novelty stand, and doesn't have many friends, then one of the acrobats, Lina, becomes friends. This really changes Lexi because Lina's dad, the guy who hired her(Lewi), decided to let Lexi have her own trailer. Another thing that happened was, Lexi and this guy Jamie were getting along, and Jamie kissed Lexi, but when Lexi told Lina, but Lexi could tell that Lina had a crush on Jamie, so Lexi backed off. But later in the book, Lexi meets another guy named Nick and starts to like him. He helps her out with her trailer, which is a fortune teller, and Nicks mom used to run the trailer, but later quit. Nick ended up helping Lexi with the trailer, and getting decorations.

          I am doing the signpost; A-ha Moment. I want to do this A-ha moment when Lexi told Lina that her and Jamie kissed. When Lexi first told Lina that her and Jamie kissed, Lina just said that she should watch out for Jamie, because he is kind of a player. This is where Lexi finally realizes that Lina likes Jamie, and decides to back off of Jamie. I think that this is one of the biggest A-ha moments that Lexi has because she was really oblivious to notice that Lina does like Jamie. After noticing that Lina likes Jamie, Lexi backs off. She stops talking to Jamie, and kind of ignores him.

Native Americans

Native Americans were marginalized and pushed aside when more people came to America. Some were even killed. I think that the Americans thought that Indians weren't important, and were savages. The Americans thought that they were more civilized, and that they can change the Native Americans into a duplicate of Americans. As time went on, the Americans went through with this act and Captain Pratt did something not many people thought of doing. Making a school for Native American children. The school was told to be nice, and caring, but in reality it was bad and scarring. The children placed in the school were taught to be more civilized. It describes what it was like on page 13. "It was not Pratt's plan to simply educate these children and teach then English. He also planned to "civilize" them-to strip them of their traditions and ways of life. Pratt believed that children needed to completely abandon their "Indian-ness" in order to succeed in America" is how the text explained the way that Captain Pratt, taught at Carlisle.

I think that the purpose of Shanice Britton's essay was to inform the readers that there are still Native Americans around the USA, that are still being marginalized today. Her essay is basically explaining that Native Americans are still around the US and that they should be treated just as normal as any other person. She also explains what kind of traditions that her tribe does. Many things have been passed down from generation to generation, like hunting, and fishing with a "gig" She also eats traditional Native food like, deer-meat stew and deer jerky. There is also a tribal language that some people in her tribe know. Shanice's essay is really just showing that there are still Native Americans in the US and we should value and appreciate them because they have been through so much, and still have a happy spirit.

Matched

       I recently started the book Matched by Ally Condie. This book is set in a futuristic presence where this girl named Cassia Reyes gets assigned two different matches at her Match Banquet. Although I have only read a few pages, I know that Cassia gets assigned two different matches because before the book officially started there was a small, one page prologue. It explained how her match was Xander, her best friend, but after a few seconds, she gets assigned a different match. Once the book officially starts, it says that they were on an air train, which has me to believe this is in a futuristic presence. They are on there way to the Match Banquet and then I stopped reading because it was late at night.

      I am doing the signpost; Again and Again. I picked this signpost, because in the first couple pages, the book kept saying 'Matching Banquet' or 'Match' and even though I only have a small idea what their life is like, I can't really tell why they keep repeating this. I think that this 'Match Banquet' is basically when a teen becomes a certain age, they dress nice and go to this banquet hall. What happens is that, the society picks the person you spend the rest of your life with. The pick the person you marry, and are supposed to love, and from what I read, Cassia got two different people. I think that the society is only doing this because they think that it is better that they pick their match, than you fall in love with someone and things happen, and this creates drama. I think that government in this book, is trying to make the perfect society so nothing gets messed up again.

Eleanor & Park; finished

         I recently finished my book, Eleanor and Park. I loved the book, but the ending wasn't satisfying. So what happens is, Eleanor and Park relationship gets stronger and stronger, when Richie finally snaps. Eleanor finds out that Richie is the one writing the inappropriate notes on Eleanor's notebooks. He calls her multiple bad words, and she later flees. Thats when Steve and Tina find Eleanor in trouble and invite her in Steve's garage. They talk, and Steve wakes up Park (who's house was across the street) and Park goes and gets Eleanor. Eleanor tells Park she is going to her uncles in Minnesota, and Park offers to drive her. She later waits in the car, as Park waits for his parents to go to sleep. Once their asleep, Park gets the car keys and has his own money, when his dad finds him. His dad is okay with him going, and gives him more money. Park then starts driving, and 20 pages later, they are at Eleanor's uncles. Eleanor's aunt and uncle automatically take her in, as Park drives away. Park makes it home safe, and finds that his mom was very worried. Although they are far away, Park sends packages and letters, all the time, but Eleanor never replies back. Later, Park gives up and stops sending mail. He writes it, but never sends it. At the end of the book, its Park's point of view, it says he has some mail. He gets a postcard. From Minnesota. With three very caring words on it, for Park.

         So, Im doing the signpost Tough Questions. Theres a really big one for Eleanor. More like 3. The first is if she wants to go to Minnesota. Yes, she wants to leave the wrath of Richie, but she ran out of the house, leaving her family behind. This is the big question. Does she want to be safe, or does she wants to risk her life saving her family. She later decides to leave her family, because she knows their is a high probability of her dying if she went back to the house. Another big question is if when she leaves, does she wants to have a long distance relationship with Park, or save him the pain, and break up with him. Yes, her and Park love each other, but she doesn't want to have a long distance relationship, because she knows it won't work. She ends up, breaking up with him, and going into her aunt and uncles house. She loves Park, but does want him to get hurt if she just doesn't have time to talk to him, or write letters to him. The last tough question that Eleanor has, is writing back to Park. After Park dropped Eleanor off, he has sent many letters about his day, and what the big news is back at school. It wasn't easy for Eleanor to write a letter. Every time she started to write it, she couldn't write the words she wanted. She ended up crying and throwing the unfinished letter away. At the end of the book, Eleanor sends a postcard, with the three words everyone wants to hear. Now the book didn't say the words, but the way it was described makes me sure the words were, I love you.

Eleanor & Park

      As you know, I am reading Eleanor & Park. From the last time I updated on Eleanor & Park (which was yesterday) and a lot has happened since then. So far, Park invited Eleanor back to his house, but made her cry and she left. Eleanor then skipped school the next day, and that was the last day before winter break. On Christmas Eve, at the store, Park and his mom saw Eleanor, her sister, and her two brothers. When they got home, Park's mom went to her room and cried. When Park's mom came down, she told Park that she know understands how Eleanor is because Park's mom had a big family too. Park's mom asked Park to be extra nice to Eleanor because she knows how she feels. Later into the book, Park knocks on Eleanor's window and she sneaks out with him. They end up by the school, and they kiss. After that, Eleanor and Park's relationship was stronger and they respect each other more.

         I am doing the theme. So far, I think the theme is that it doesn't matter how you look, you should accept people for who they are. Like how in the first few chapter, Tina continually bullies Eleanor. Whether its calling her ugly to fat to sticking pads on her locker. Then on the bus, Steve kept calling Eleanor 'Big Red' and Park and Steve got into a fight. This example shows that you shouldn't call others names, because something might happen to you. Park accepts Eleanor for how she acts, dresses, and keeps things to herself, and still loves her. Eleanor accepts Park, and probably always will. Eleanor and Park are one of the cutest couples in the books I've read. Other than Hazel and Augustus. I think that Eleanor and Park accept each other for who they are, and just deal with each others personalities and families. Eleanor and Park are made for each other, and I can't wait to keep reading it.