"Jada wake up honey you`re going to be late for school".
"But mom I don`t want to go to school".
"Honey you have to go or you`ll never amount to anything in life".
"Ugh ok mom"
If I were to compare George and Lennie`s relationship to anything, it would be the relationship between a mother and their child. In the book Of Mice and Men George would be the parent and Lennie would act as the child. He acts as the adult in the relationship, always have to make sure Lennie`s making the right choices, just like parents do. For instance George walked in on Lennie when he was talking to the black man and told Lennie that he wasn`t permitted to associate with him and he asked Lennie to leave the room and without hesitation he did so. It`s kind of like if you`re mother saw you talking to a stranger and warned you not to talk to strangers because of the risks it would cost you. Today in Philadelphia many children and parents disappear, some return well while others are found dead or never retuned to their families. If you`d ask me I would say it`s really important that you listen to your parents or older peers because sometimes they will help you make the best choices in life so that you don`t make the same mistakes. In this book George and Lennie were very close friends and never fought with each other, surprisingly at the end of the book George kills Lennie, ha you wouldn`t never expect your friend to turn against you, but in the in it`s "every man for himself". Guess George didn’t teach Lennie that until the end of the book.

Of Mice and Me open-ended questions

1.Why doesn`t Curley wife have a name?
I think that Curley`s wife doesn`t have a name because of the way she carries herself or also because women didn`t really have any rights during the time period in which this book was written and she may be referred to as " Curley`s wife" as a way to say that women were looked upon as the property of a men during this time period.

2. What does the dog represent in the book?
The dog may represent Lennie and George`s hopes and dreams because Lennie always put time in with the dog making sure that he entertains him, where as at some point George becomes upset because Lennie`s always in the barn with the dog and then when he accidentally kills the dog he`s very nervous and upset. Thenwhen George and Lennie finally decides to go on their own they fail to survive which is why I think the dog may represent their dreams.

3. In the relationship of George and Lennie, who needs George who the most?
I think that Lennie needs George the most because he`s mentally retarded and George kind of have to act as his mentor. George always try to remind him of what`s right and what`s wrong and also he`s always in charge kind of leading the way.

Newspaper Article

“You said I was talking about Vanessa on myspace”. “No I didn’t say anything to nobody”. “Yes you did”. “What ever man” “It’ll be a what ever after school”
“Hey Joe did hear about that fight happening after school?” “Yea man I got a text message, you gone be there” “You know I am” “Ard Joe I’ll see you there, don’t want to miss it”

It is the schools responsibility to make sure that students are secure when traveling to and from school. Many schools in the Philadelphia school district tend to have a high percentage of violence each year. Most of these incidents start off in school and finish off in the streets. But its not only the students who are involved in the incidents, its the parents to, and then comes the riot.

At Constitution High we have one security guard and not a lot of violence due to the lack of students who attend our school. Many students feel unsafe and the need for more security while some teachers feel Constitution is a safe environment. During an interview with Mr. Romero, an English teacher I asked him “How do you feel about the safety at our school?” he responded “this is the safest school I have ever worked in, in another school I was jumped by a group of students.” Yet when I asked a student at Constitution High, Aquila Waller she responded “Not really, we have cameras but nobody really monitor them on a day to day basis unless a incident has occurred.”

Being a student at Constitution I feel that there is a need for an increase of security. Students do not feel that the school enforces their security policies providing safety for the students. As the student body increases we hope to see more security officers attending our school.

Civil War Essay

Malissa Reid
March 9, 2009
Period 3

Civil War affects on African Americans

Due to the outcomes of events that has taken place during the civil war and which has led to the beginning of the Civil War has greatly affected many African Americans throughout the United States in many ways.

The Civil War has greatly affected many African Americans throughout the United States. In 1802 Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation promising them the stirs of freedom. Many Americans saw this as the first step to gaining freedom. (History Alive! Page 189) Later in 1862, Congress declared to have blacks drafted in to the war. During the war blacks faced racism and discrimination. Giving less training for the war, poorest weapons, and paid less than whites. It wasn’t until November 1863 black soldiers put their weapons down and refused to pick them back up until they were paid and treated as the whites were. (History Alive! Page 12) In 1864 Congress agreed to equalize the pay for both blacks and whites. Black women however also played an important role in the civil war as cooks and nurses. Clara Barton once stated, “While our soldiers stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them”. (Clara Barton, Page 128)

The Civil War has had a major effect on slavery causing an end and establishing African Americans freedom at the Gettysburg Address. When Lincoln reminded the Union that the war was preserve the nation and stated “Conceive in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal”, also supported in the thirteenth and fourteenth amendments. (Abraham Lincoln, Page 131) Another event that has greatly effect African Americans through out the United States was the South Carolina secedes.

Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, He declared that, “all persons held as slaves are, and henceforward shall be free”. However this only applied to states that had seceded from the union. Once the Emancipation Proclamation was issued Americans realized the real reason for fighting the war was to gain their freedom and end slavery. Yet it wasn’t fully affective in all states because it didn’t comply to the boarder states. Unfortunately it only freed slaves in the rebellion states.(www.archieves.gov)

Black women played an important role in the Civil War becoming independent upon themselves. When men were drafted into the war women worked on plantations, took care of their children, and provided aid to wounded soldiers. Men found their independence “unladylike”. While others believed they would distract the soldiers and weren’t fit for the conditions. Women would also act as spies during the war. One of the most famous was Rose Greenhow. Rose was a member of the Washington society who used her connections to learn about the union troop movement and warned the Confederate army. Many believed she helped them win the first Battle of Bull Run in 1861.

The Gettysburg Address has also affected African Americans throughout the United States. It lasted three days after General Lee attacked the north killing more than 50,000 soldiers. Several months later president Abraham Lincoln visited Gettysburg and gave his sorrowful speech. There he declared that “all me are created equal” and that it was now a “new birth of freedom”.

Another event that has affected African Americans during the Civil War was the South Carolina Secession. During the election of 1860 Southerners feared Lincoln would abolish slavery and many Southern states refused to enter he into their voting ballots. However Lincoln won the presidential vote with 40 percent of the votes. Lincoln tried to gain Southerners support by telling them that he wouldn’t interfere with slavery in the south, but he refused to support the expansion of slavery. Lincoln believed slavery was “a moral, social, and political wrong”. (Lincoln page 114) South Carolina seceded from the Union and later on December 20, 1860 six more states had seceded from the Union. These states formed as confederate states. Lincoln declared that the secession of these states was both wrong and unconstitutional. This was an event that led to the Civil War in 1861.

Narrative

Never thought you could possibly relate the stages of life to the changes in the seasons. If I were to relate my life to the seasons at this point in time, it would kind of fall under summer. I World say summer because I find myself independent, my educational process, and also because of my maturity level.
Independent, something many Americans my age find hard to become. I am currently working which enables me to provide several things for myself so that I am not dependent upon others. Another way I find myself independent is by traveling alone. For instance in the summer I visit the library located on 19th and vine to read books, but not to long before the bell rings 10 minutes before closing.
My educational process also defines why I am in my summer. Transforming from middle school to high school is a great change. These years happen to be the most important years in life. It’s a time where you have to make decisions that will reflect upon your future. You may want to make good decisions with whom you hang with. Try to find people who you have things in common with. Plan on going to collage? Find others who also plan on going to collage.
When reading the story Marigolds Lizabeth, the main character became mature when she heard he father crying and she said, “I did not know men ever cried.” At this point in the story Lizabeth realizes, that men actually cries, which kind of puzzles her. I find this as a step to maturity. Realizing that hopefully within the next two years I will be completing high school. It’s time to prepare for the real world. Some ways I do this is by becoming aware of the people I hang with, and the why in which they affect me.
After reading Marigolds I can relate to Lizabeth`s transformation from spring to summer. Jackie Joyner-Kensec once said, “It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret”. By becoming independent and also growing educationally which allows be to become mature this statement means a lot to me. Once you’ve done something you cant go back and change it you just have to leave it as is and make sure you don’t make the same mistake again. Have you ever heard the phrase “the first impression is always the last impression”? This is also a similar quote that awakens you to maturity.

Langston Hughes "Mother to Son"

Malissa Reid
February 11, 2009
Period 1


“Mother to Son”

First off lets start with the poem I chose. The poem I chose was “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes. As I was reading this poem I noticed the author used several metaphors, I liked the language, and I also found this poem very inspirational.
Lets start off by examining the several uses of metaphors in the poem. “Life for me ain`t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it, and splinters, and boards torn up, and places with no carpet on the floor- Bare”. The author uses metaphors to describe what her life was like. Metaphors tend to make poems more interesting, which gives the reader an imagination of what her life was really like. Maybe it wasn’t so good if it’s had splinters and boards torn up and it wasn’t like a “crystal stair”. I also find he uses a language to persuade the reader, which leads me to the next reason why I really liked this poem.

While reading this poem I noticed it didn’t contain any rhyme, but yet contained very little repetition. “Life for me ain`t been no crystal stair”. This shows that every poem doesn’t always have to rhyme if it contains some type of rhythm to keep it flowing.

Another reason why I liked this poem is because I found it inspirational. In the poem Langston Hughes uses the phrase “Don’t you fall now-”. This phase may have been used to inspire the reader not to give up. Have your teacher ever said “no, it’s ok you’re almost done it’s great”, when they see you becoming frustrated? Well it’s kind of like what Langston Hughes does in the poem when he states “Don’t you fall now-”.

I really like this poem because of the use of metaphors, languages the author uses, and also because of the inspiration the author gives the reader.

Ryan White Aids Perception

For this years NHD topic I choose to do Ryan White. Ryan White was diagnosed with HIV at the age of 13 through a blood transfusion.During research I visited the ryan white website which was closed down shorty after I visited it.However this website contained several information on Ryan white.I learned that during Ryan`s time many people didn`t know much about AIDS/HIV, and AIDS/HIV was known as a "gay disease".This year I didn`t find NHD as difficult as it was last year. If there was anything different that I could have done for this years NHD topic, I would have found more primary sources and also explain how this individual related to the topic politically, economicly, and also socially.