Blog Prompt Week 6

The news media should be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture and going to the extremes for sensational news. How far do you agree?

Recently there was the case of Rupert Mudoch phone scandal where the organisation hacked a phone to get information to publish in the newspaper. So, can the news media be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture going to the extremes for sensational news?

Logically speaking, I would disagree with the statement. I believe that everything is done for a reason while for this case it would be getting more viewers and earning more money. Besides that, as the citizens, we should have the rights to know things happening in the area. For example, I lived in the neighbourhood where the murder was committed and I would like to know more to ensure my safety.

However, I personally feel that hacking in other people's private live for our own benefits is wrong and should be blamed. Some things should be kept private and not opened to the public, as we say confidential. And this gives the news media no rights to publish those information. For instances, if you were the mother of the victim, and you son is published in the newspaper, things you do not want to public to know, how would you fell? And how about now? where the hunter got hunted down??

Blog Prompt Week 5

By the end of the trial scene, do you think true justice and mercy was achieved? Reflect and write on the following questions.

It is truth that justice was achieved in the trial scene. Some evidence would be the fact that Shylock was a Jew and had the chance to speak in the court. During that days, Jews did not have much freedom and were looked down by the Christian. Another evidence that is able to support the statement would be the fact that the Portia went with Shylock. Shylock wanted the contract and he got what he wanted.

However, we cannot ignore the fact that Portia is a female and in those times female were not allow to go into courts and the fact that it is impossible to get a pound of flesh without having any blood. Portia knew it and used it to trap Shylock.

As for Mercy. Mercy was performed by sparing Shylock's life and giving Shylock the chance to covert into a Christian. This can be seen that Antonio is giving Shylock another chance. Furthermore, Antonio said that he will be giving the money to Jessica, Shylock's daughter when Shylock pasted away. This shows mercy.

However, we are not able to assure the statement. By taking away Shylock's fortune and religion, is as well as killing Shylock. Most probably Shylock will not be accepted in the society. This can be said that is the revenge of Antonio.

Blog Prompt Week 4

You probably have already heard that a Secondary Four student recently wrote a to letter the Education Minister, Mr Heng Swee Keat, which generated much heated debate again about Singapore's much-discussed education system.

Read the article here:

http://www.temasekreview.com/2011/07/12/an-open-letter-to-the-education-minister-from-a-secondary-4-student/

What are your views? Read the article and give your responses to the following prompts:

1. To what extent do you agree with the issues that the student has raised here? Point out some issues of agreement and possible contention.

   
   
   In the letter, it suggests that the education system in Singapore limits the creativity of students. In neighborhood schools, teachers normally gives students model answers for students to memorize as said in the letter. Well, I partially agree with the statement above. With the model answers that teachers give, it makes a student less independent. Instead of the student searching for answers, the teachers are giving answers for them to memorize. Thus causing less student asking WHY. As we all know, there is more than an answer for a question, instead of giving answers, how about letting student to be more independent, searching and forming solutions and maybe, just maybe their answer may be better than present ones.
   
   
   However, why do you think there is an education system like this? While in today's society, O levels is considered very important. With good marks, one can go to a good junior college and thus leading to a brighter future. So, model answers and memorizing them is actually a good way to ace to O levels. Can the education be blame because it is trying to provide you with a brighter future?

2. Examine her tone and attitude in this letter. Do you think it’s a well-crafted letter with the appropriate tone?

   
   
   Her tone in the letter is rather demanding. As I said above, the education system is there for a reason, Even though she raise a good point in the education system like in the western country where independent, projects and the learning process is more important than the results itself. However, the letter is well-crafted, well structure and the use of vocabulary is amazing.
   
   

3. If you should write a letter to Minister of Education, what are some issues you would raise? Remember- your intention is to make the system better for society’s betterment via CONSTRUCTIVE ideas.

   
   
   If I were to write a letter to the Minister of Education, I would like to propose to reduce the mark percentage. Marks are not the main factor to study. I think that independent, learning process is a true meaning in learning. Mark may still be a factor to prove one's ability, but we should promote more in independent and the learning process itself.
   
   

Blog Prompt Week 3

In your opinion, is money important in relationships? Consider the "transactional" element observed in the relationships between the couples. Do you think there is an upward trend of relationships and marriages valuing money over other qualities?

In my opinion, I think that money is important in a relationship, however valuing money over other qualities? This is just wrong. If one loves another for his/her money, the relationship will be one-sided and this will probably end up with a divorce.

In today's society, the quality of life is rapidly increasing, resulting in the increase in cost of life. So, money is important as it is very realistic. A marriage with a rich man/woman would give you a relaxing and luxurious life, in return the other half can give him/her caring and love. Moreover, a family that faced income problem will have difficulties and would argue over money. This would not create a good relationship. Thus money can be a factor in relationship.

However, if valuing the money over the qualities of a person, this would lead to a bad relationship. True love is when you love a person for his qualities and not his background. We can see that in Singapore, more and more people are valuing money more than his/her partner's qualities. This is due to the increasing in cost of living and people are being more realistic. But a relationship like this, would probably end up in a divorce and this is also shown statistically in Singapore.

In conclusion, money can be a factor in a relationship, but cannot be over weighted for one's qualities.

Blog Prompt Week 2

In your opinion, how has war evolved from the past to present? Please use examples to justify your opinions.

In my opinion, I think the difference between war from the past to the present is mostly the weapon used. In prehistoric times, weapon started with clubs made from huge bones. As time past, weapons like spear and arrows started to form by using rocks.

In the Greek wars, spear, swords, bow and arrows were used. With these weapons, soldier can prove themselves as it required skills and strategies in wars. One may have the advantage in the number of soldier but may be lost due to the lack of strategies.

As time pasted, gunpowder was introduced and this gave birth to a new generation of weaponry. Rifle and guns were created. These weapon were easily used and caused extensive damage to people. Aiming skills were also needed but not as much as the skills needed to master the art of bow and arrows.

In today's modern warfare, nuclear and atomic weapons are common in the battlefield. These weapon caused massive damage to both the country and the people in it, an example would the atomic bomb that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki that created an amount of 100,000 death instantly and more due to the radiation and poisoning. Even though there is a ban in nuclear weapons, but these weapons are still seen in the world.

In conclusion, the main difference between wars of the past and the present are the types of weapon used. This also resulted in the skill needed to used these weapon. In the past, skill and strategies are the main key in a war, but in modern war, weapons is the most important key to a war, the more deadly the weapon, the more chances you have in wining the war.

Book Review 2

Well after reading book one of Percy Jackson, I felt fascinated and continued reading on, Book 2!

After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson is finding his seventh-grade school year unnervingly quiet. His biggest problem is dealing with his new friend, Tyson, a six-foot-three, mentally challenged homeless kid who follows Percy everywhere, making it hard for Percy to have any normal friends. But things don't stay quiet for long.

Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders that protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters, the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia. Only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: The Bermuda Triangle.

Together with his friends, Percy must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family, one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.

After retrieving the Golden Fleece, it was used to heal the magical tree, a memorial for the daughter of Zues, Thalia, that kept monsters unable to reach Camp Half-Blood. However, an unexpected result was seen as Thalia walked out from the death.

What would be in Book 3 I wondered… …

Book Review 1

But if you recognize yourself in these pages - if you feel something stirring inside - stop reading immediately. You might be one of us. And once you know that, it's only a matter of time before they sense it too, and they'll come for you.

Don't say I didn't warn you."

During the mid-term holidays, I read a few books. I felt the books were interesting and would like to share it with all of you. The title of the book is “Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief”. Well, this is only book 1 by the way. I will be posting up more in the future.

Let’s get started shall we.

Percy Jackson is 12 years old. He is dyslexic. He has ADHD. He has a rep for getting in trouble and he is about to be expelled from Yancy Academy - his sixth school in as many years. But this time, with help from his best friend Grover and his favorite teacher Mr. Brunner (who are not what they seem), he finds out that there's a perfectly good explanation for all of it, that he's not a bad kid, and that he comes by everything quite naturally. See, his mom is a mortal, and his dad an ancient Greek god, Poseidon. That makes him a half-blood: a demigod made for reading Greek and doing hero stuff. That also makes him a target of monsters - him and all the other kids he meets at Camp Half-Blood.


Those monsters are the least of his worries. Zeus' thunderbolt has been stolen, and he thinks Percy is the thief. Zeus threatens a war that will tear apart Mount Olympus and throw the modern world into chaos if it's not returned. Everyone's only chance - is to complete the dangerous quest given him by the Oracle. His job is simple : find the bolt, return it to Zeus, and expose the thief, in 10 days. But Percy's quest is also personal, and not quite as simple - to win the favor of his Greek god father. And all the while, he wrestles with the Oracle's warning of a friend's betrayal which turned out to be the least expected for Percy – Luke, his best friend in Camp Half Blood who fell into the trap of Cronos, Lord of Titian.

In my opinion, I think that the book is very awesome and fun to read. I recommend it to all the teenagers out there. Have a nice day ! :D

Home Base Learning Task 2

Point of view

The poem is trying to convey the message that children are used as soldiers to fight for the country and no freedom is given to them. Children are trained at a very young age and are sent into the warfield to die fighting. This can be seen from "Who someone will teach to fight", "From this life they can not flee" and "And these children are not free". Besides that, the peom is also trying to show that war bring chaos and life are stolen away. This can be seen by the word "darkness" and also from "Or will a war consume them" .

Situatation and Setting

Children are trained as soldiers at a very young age and are sent into the battlefield where they might die. This can be seen from "Who someone will teach to fight". The peom also give the image of war is cruel and that the children could not enjoy any freedom. This can be seen from "Could we give them half a chance" and "Or will war consume them.

Language and Diction

Repetition was used in the peom to emphasize that war is cruel. The word "Could we" was repeat and this shows that the children had a resticted freedom and are not given a chance to live a normal life, like reading books and dancing. Besides that, the poet also used personification. "Or will the war consume them", the war was personified like a human, consuming the soldiers. This emphasizes on the cruelness and evil behind each war. The peot also used and the word "darkness" to emphasize on the surrounding of the war.

Personal Responce

In my opinion, I think that the children in the peom are pityful as they are not ableto enjoy the freedom one's have during childhood, instead they had to take on hard trainings just to fight in the battefiled and probably died fighting. It helped me to realise that, our freedom here is extremely well comparing to the world in the peom and it helped me to realise that I have to treasure the freedom I have now.

The Soldier by Rupert Brooke

The National Service Training Program or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN), is Malaysia's national service program. It is not compulsory for all citizens of Malaysia. 18-year-old youths are selectively drafted for the program. The three-month program, which started in December 2003, began as ways to encourage friendships between youths of different races. The objective of the PLKN are some of the below ...

• Develop a young generation who are patriotic and with love and devotion for their country
• Enhance unity among the multi-racial communities in the country
• Instill a spirit of caring and volunteerism among society
• Produce an active, intelligent and confident generation
• Develop positive characteristics among the younger generation through good values
• Develop a generation that is obedient and loyal to the government

In my opinion, I think that the PLKN is a good way in developing soldiers and also a good generation. The duration of the program is only a short three months and with the selectively drafted, some students can excel more in their studies. Even though the youths that are selected for the program are away for three months, they can be more independent and improve their self further, for example learning how to communicate with others. Some suggestions for PLKN ...

• Make the program termly, each term selecting a smaller number of youths
• If possible, let everyone have a chance to experience the program

For the question whether I am patriotic towards my country, Malaysia. In my opinion, I think that Malaysia is heading towards a bright future. The new Malaysia is improving on its mistakes that were made in the past and together as one, finding solutions, improving and solving. I am delighted to be a Malaysian. The tourist attractions in Malaysia are amazing. The different types of food, different cultural, living in peace and harmony.

Malaysia was my birthplace and it will always be.

Go Malaysia!Satu Malaysia ! Malaysia Boleh !

Letter for survivors of earthquake in japan

Hwa Chong Institution Boarding School

673 Bukit Timah Road

Singapore 269735

.

30 March 2011.

Dear David S. Abraham,

Hi, how are you and your family doing? I hope that you are all alright. I read though your experience of the earthquake that you wrote magnificently well. My purpose of writing this letter is to encourage you and to help you and all the survivors of the natural disasters.

In your experience, you said that you were still waiting for the worse that had yet to come. I encourage you to don’t worry too much. The Gods are with you and hope that you would live a good life and also a happy life. Everyone that survive through the natural disaster have a reason. Maybe its because you done a lot of good things and some will make the world a better place. You still have your kids and wife to take care of, so be strong, as they need you and you will need them.

My school is planning on donating to the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami. We would like to seek your help in organizing a campaign that will help these survivors with the these money. I hope that we can use these money to help your and other families. I hope that you can help us, it would mean a lot to us and also a lot to the families that we together are going to helped.

Hope you will reply soon. Wish your family with best heath, good wealth and happiness always. I also hope that you can help us in the campaign.

Best regards,

Wei Lim

2O2 11

Hwa Chong Institution

Setting of Picture

My friends dared me to go into the house. I accepted it and walked near to it. Before I began the journey I took a nice and probably my final look of the world behind me. I turned and continued walking into the house...

Discrimination against the Jews

1) Discrimination against the Jews is classified as racial or classified as religion?`

It is classified as religion discrimination as the Jews were put in the concentration camps by looking at their religion.

2) What are 'concentration camps'?

Concentration camps were camps that the Jewish, Gypsie, or other people were forced to go to, to be tortured or forced to do work. Adolf Htiler and the German Nazi Soldiers did not like those kind of people so they decided to put them in camps, called Concentration camps. They put them in these camps mostly because of their looks and their religion. The camps were built to fit many people in them. They also had many bunk beds to save room.

3) What is 'genocide' or 'holocaust'?

The term "genocide" did not exist before 1944. It is a very specific term, referring to violent crimes committed against groups with the intent to destroy the existence of the group.

4) What is 'Mein kampf' ?

Mein kampf is a book written by the nazi politician Adolf Hitler. It is also known as the struggle. The book combines the element of autobiography with an exposition of Hilter's political ideology.

First Draft

It was getting dark and the clouds were getting darker and darker by the moment. He was in the middle of nowhere even though Singapore a so small with nowhere left to save. He looked around the area with his eagle eye but only saw roads so long that it was like it could not be ended. The most mysterious thing was that there were not one single car, and there was total silent. He can even hear his breathing. Where am I, his head was full of unanswered question.

Just when he thought it could not get any worse, guess again, it started raining cats and dogs. He was soaking wet and felt cold. Suddenly, not of nowhere was a flash of lights. It looked like the police, or the ambulance or …… When the vehicle got closer, he saw it and immediately stand in the middle of the road to make it stop. The taxi saw it and stop. He went inside and the driver gave him a towel. He said thanks and the driver continue to drive.

The driver kept the light away from him and made it very hard to see him. He wanted to asked the unanswered questions, but the words would not budge and there was nothing he could do. He just said the destination that he wanted to go and did not say anything anymore. Suddenly, black clouds covered the sky and I saw that the driver evil smile with the help of some lights coming from outside the taxi. He had a scare below his mouth and a tattoo on his neck.
That was all I could describe the driver before he drove me behind the bushes and tree. The bushes and tree was tall and big and also dark. It felt like a nightmare. Was he going to rob me? He thought of it in his head. Suddenly the driver turned around and said that his taxi was out of fuel and needed to refill at the nearby petrol station. The diver told him to wait while he go and called for help. The driver also said something important and wanted him to obey.

DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR FOR ANYONE!

The driver left with this sentence. He waited and waited for hours and hours. For the first two hour, he slept at the passenger seat in the back, but the driver was still missing. He was almost bored to death in the fourth hour when suddenly I knock was heard on top of the taxi. He woke up with excitement. Could it be the driver? But he told me not to let other people in except him, what should I do? He asked himself. In the end, he decided to ignore the knocking. 1…2…3… There was no more of the knocking sound.

He became so confuse and his head was full of curiosity that he open the door. He looked up of the taxi and fainted. There are blue and red light all over the place. He woke up. One of a police came to him and asked for details of the incident. He told them everything and asked for the name of the place. The police replied that this was a new highway which is still under construction. The police also asked the reason of his fainting experience. He saw only a head, and that was the only reply he made and would not talk more about it.

Discrimation issues

1)Sexual orientation /

2) Age/

3) Family background/

4) Disability/

5) Marital status/

6) Language/

7) Religion/

8) Breast-feeding/

9) Skin-colour/

10) Nationality/

11) Economic status/

12) Political preference/

13) Race/

14) Parental status/

15) Sex/

16) Gender/

17) Intelligence/

18) Pregnancy/

19) Discrimination against discrimination

20) Appearance/

21) Medical Status/

SEX

Sexual orientation

-Being verbally abusive to a person because of their gender or sexual orientation

Sex

-Paying men more money than women for the same work

Pregnancy

-Decline to hire pregnant women even though they are qualified .

Breast-feeding

-Disallow females to breastfeed in public.

Gender

-Make fun of sensitive issues about the opposite sex.

FAMILY

Family background

-Discriminates against others’ ancestors because of some particular issues.

Marital status

-Negative comments about one’s marital status like divorce or unsuccessful marriage.

Parental status

-Despise others because of their parents occupations or status mostly in schools where comparisons take place the most.

Economic status

-Bad remarks on other’s wealth status especially on people who live in poverty.

PERSONAL

Race

-Someone makes jokes or comments negatively on racial issues.

Intelligence

-Insulting other people’s intelligence in different aspect and views especially in educations or workplace.

Disability

-Refusal to help disability people when they are in need or give unnecessary comments on them.

Religion

-A person makes derogatory comments on other people’s religion.

Nationality

-Insulting others nationality like ignoring them or making rude remarks on them.

Appearance

-Bad remarks on people’s physical appearances.

Age

-Jokes about a person’s "old-fashioned" taste in clothes, music or films, etc.

Language

-Imitate their foreign language in a rude manner.

Skin colour

-Decline other’s existence because of their skin colour and making fun of them.

Medical status

-Laugh at their medical condition and refuse to get in contact with them.

OTHERS

Political preference

-Despise fans of different political party.

Discrimination against discrimination

-Has issues with discrimination matters.

Telephone Conversation

Q1

The poem starts with an African probably wanting to buy a house or to rent it for a place to stay. But when the African told the landlady he was an African, the attitude of the landlady turned and did not want to sell the house to him anymore. The poem shows colours of the skin. Beside the colour of the skin, the colour also signify racism.

The poem starts with the African who liked the conditions of the house or apartment and that he is willing to buy or rent. But after he told the landlady he loved the house, he made a confession that he was an African. The word "confession" made it seems like the skin colour of the African was something he had done wrong. This shows that the colour signify racism.

Besides that after the speaker had confess, the landlady asked the question "how dark?". This clearly shows that the colour shows racism. From the first stanza of the landlady wanting to rent or sell the house or apartment to the speaker now turns the attitude of the woman in the second stanza. The lady was silence when the African "confess" that he was an African. This shows that the landlady was stunned was she heard that the buyer was a black and the attitude of her quickly changed and that she is not that willing to sell the house to the African. This shows colour of racism.

After the first question, the speaker did not answered. The speaker started to be angry been she is judging his skin colour and probably because of that, she is not willing to sell the house to him. The landlady asked again the same question. This time it made the speaker more angry and the speaker gave her tthe answer of "West African sepia". The lady did not understand and asked back a question of "Is it black?". This shows that the landlady thinks that Africans are always black and this shows that colour of racism.

In conclusion, the colour in the poem not just signify skin colour but also racism , that is owned by the landlady.

Q2

The dialogue in the poem shows different characteristic in both the African and the landlady. It shows the landlady of being racism and not polite, but it shows good characteristic of intelligence and polite in the African.

In the first stanza of the poem, we can see that the African is polite and intelligence. After the African "confessed" that he was an African. The African still described the reply of the landlady as good as possible with "Pressurized good-breeding", "Lipstick coated, long gold rolled". This shows that the African is polite and intelligence as the African used complex words like "Pressurized". This all shows that the African is polite and intelligence.

In the second and third stanza, its shows the landlady's "unpoliteness" and "unpolite" and also the Africans intelligence. After the confession, the landlady replied with a "how black". This clearly shows that the landlady is racism and also not polite to the African. It shows an irony of the conversation. If the African was going to buy the house, he and the landlady shoulkd be discussing about the price, but instead they are discussing the colour of the skin which clearly shows the that the landlady is racism. The second stanza also shows difficult words used by the African to described the surrounding of the African during the conversation. This clearly shows that the African is well-educated and intelligence.

In the last stanza, it show the intelligence of the African. In the end of the poem the African describes the colour of him that he had "blonde palm and sole", "brunette facial" and a "black raven bottom" to the landlady because the landlady asked. And after that the African end the conversation with a "would you rather see for your self?" to the landlady and this shows that the African is intelligence.

In conclusion, the whole poem shows that the the African is intelligence with the difficult words used by the African and the landlady in racism from the attitude changed after the African confessed about his skin colour.

3Q

The poem starts with a conversation of an African and a landlady discussing about the house that the African is interested. But after the confession, the landlady probably decided not to sell the house to the speaker. But after the conversation, the African in the end won the conversation.

In the end of the poem after the confession, the landlady asked "how black" is the African twice and this made the African mad and gave the reply of "West African Sepia". The landlady did not understand and though that all Africans were black. This can be seen by the reply made by the landlady of "that's dark, isn't it?" But after the African describes the colour of him. He ended the conversation with a "wouldn't you rather see for yourself?" . This sentences shows sarcastic behind the meaning of it.

In conclusion, the way the African reacted showed that the African was well-educated and that the African won the conversation in the end.

Harper Lee

a. Born in 1926

b. Pursued a law of degree at the University of Alabama but did't complete it

Devoted herself to writing in 1958

c. To Kill a Mocking Bird

d. Pulitzer Prize in1961

Voted "Best Novel of the Century" by Library Journal in 1999

Made a movie in 1962

e. TKAM is a significant novel to her as it is her only novel and it is known by the world.

Trials of a true Southern Belle and Southern Gentlemen

a. The Southern Belle must know how to cook, do needle work and must also know ball dance skill, while the southern gentlemen must be polite, honest, kind and also repect a lady.

b. Southern Belle would do nothing.

c.

d. Calpurnia is a southern belle as she has good culinary skills and Atticus is a southern gentleman as he respect not just Anut Alexandra but also everyone around him. Bob Ewell is not a southern gentlemen as he raped woman and disrespected Atticus by spitting on him.

Montgomery Bus Boycott and Scottsboro trials

a) 1. It stared with a African woman not willing to give up her sit to a White. The woman was arrested. In the end, the civil right movement won and it was significant because it was the first victory of the US Civil Right Movement.

2. The first trail caused all but Roy Wright to be sentenced to death, the second trail caused 4 out of 9 to drop out of charge. All but 2 served prison. The rested were killed. It is significant as it is widely considered to be a miscarriage of justice that led to the end of all-white juries in the south.

b) The novel also shows trails and that the black was in the end dead.

c) All of them are about racism and racial discrimination.

The Civil Rights Movement

a)Took place from 1950s - 1980s

b)The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law.

c) 1. The civil rights movement in United States aimed to to abolish public and private acts of racial discrimination.

2. The civil rights movement in Northern Ireland settle the tensions between the Catholic and Protestant community.

d) John F.Kennedy

e)In the end, African-American can now have more rights and can hold office to good jobs.

f)In To Kill a Mocking Bird it shows a white who is trying to prove a black's innocent and helping him to prove the things he did not done.

Research on Slavery, The Civil War and Jim Crow's Laws

Slavery

a. When and how did slavery begin the southern state?

During 1600's, the southern states had large plantation that grew cotton and other crops. These plantation needed many people to take care of. Thus, Africans began to be shipped to the southern states to work in the plantation.

b.Which country were the slaves brought from?

The slaves were brought from Africa.

c.Who traditionally bought and owned the slaves?

The North Americans traditionally bought and owned the slaves.

d.Were there laws/rules that the slaves had to abide by? If yes what were they?

Yes. The slaves could not read and write because the owner did not want them to think of escaping. The slaves did could not have a weapon because they were scare that the slaves shoot their owners. If the slaves were caught escaping, the owner will beat and slash the slaves. In conclusion the rules and laws that the slaves needed to abide was to prevent them from escaping and shows that the whites wanted control over the slaves.

e.How does the notion of slavery relate to the novel? Does the study of slavery help you to understand the novel better?

Because of the incident of slavery, the white took control of the black and these effect the point of the view of the white to the black. The white look down on the blacks. In the novel, slavery started the whole case where a white accused a black man for doing something he did not do. This shows the white look down at the black and though he can do anything the the black.

The Civil War

a.Identify the southern states.

Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.

b.Who was the US president who proclaimed war against the South?

Abraham Lincoln was the US president who proclaimed war against the South.

c.Why was the Civil War fought?

The war was fought over the freedom of the slaves in the south.

d.When was the Civil War fought?

The Civil War was fought in 1861.

e.What was the outcome of the war?

The south surrender and the slavery was abolished.

f.How does the Civil Rights movement relate to the novel?

The Civil War is related to the novel as in the novel, Jem and Scout are fighting for a black, which is similar to the North fighting for the blacks slaves in the South.

Jim Crow's Laws

a.What/Who is Jim Crow?

Jim Crow was the name of the racial caste system.

b.What were Jim Crow Laws?

Jim Crow Laws was a set of rules targeted towards the black, making them look like they are second class.

c.What was the response of the slaves and the Blacks to these laws?

The blacks felt unfair and tried to break the law but failed.

d.Do we see the Jim Crow laws surface in the novel? If so then in which part of the novel?

Yes. The black and whites go to different churches.

Theme of Comic

- Why did you choose the different pictures or background(s)?I choose the background of the Earth (normal streets) and outer space (Mars) to show that we must not litter anywhere even outer space.- How do they contribute to the elements (plot, setting, characterization) of your narrative?It shows that we could not litter anywhere and there are people who don't like litter, even the aliens don't like litter!
- How did you make use of the different elements to contribute to the theme you have chosen?I use the alien and the cute cartoon to combine with the nice background to make a nice blend on the comic which shows that the place is clean and with the eaten apple. There are also a person and an alien there telling him "Don't Litter!".

Thoughts on Messy Room by Shel Silverstein

What do you think about this poem? Don't you think that we, humans are always pushing the blame to others even though that was WE that committed it? Why can't we just admit it?

I am going to share with you a true story that happened in my middle school . . . . . . .

My school was an ordinary school and my class is also an ordinary class, with ordinary teacher, and ordinary students and ordinary tables, chairs . . . . . . you must get the point. Anyway, my school was a plain and boring school. And in any ordinary class, there would always be people that bully the little ones and that's was what happened in my class. One morning when we all went for P.E. , one of the naughty student stayed in class and played with his basketball. When I was walking to the track, I found out that I had left my wallet in the classroom. I quickly ran upstairs to get my wallet.

Suddenly, I heard a sound of glass breaking. And guess what, when I went upstairs, it was the naughty student who did it. The naughty student saw me and quickly grabbed me. He said if I told anyone, he would kill me. I was so scared that I almost peed in my own pants. We went down for P.E. and after an enjoyable time in P.E. , all the students heard the news of the broken glass. I wanted to tell someone, but I was so scared. When the teacher came in and asked who did it, the naughty student blame my best friend. I was so mad, so upset and also so scared.

And the naughty succeeded in blaming my best friend and my best friend had to pay the broken glass plus a detention.

After listening to that story, you might be thinking that how human being had the heart to do all this kinds of things, hurting others and also hurting himself. Well this must be one way of the human being, whenever something goes wrong, they will always point to others and blame them.

But not all human being are like that. Some of them have a kind heart and they have integrity.

In conclusion, I agree with Shel Silverstein that most of the human being will blame others for doing bad stuff and this might have became a habit to US !!!

*Please comment on this post!!!*