Chapter 12 Journal

My reaction to the end of the novel was disappointment. I don't want to sound harsh, but I was hoping Roger and especially Jack would die. I think Ralph cries at the end of the novel because he is realizing what they have done since they first arrived there. I think he had already given up hope that they would be rescued. He believed Jack and the savages would kill him and being rescued saved him. I despise Jack the most. It was under his influence that Roger and the boys became even more savaged. I would absolutely recommend this novel to a friend. I enjoyed the book and like how the author, William Golding, used the characters and their actions to show his opinion on the real world.

Chapter 11 Questions

1. What does Ralph's group decide they must do? 

-Ralph's group decides to go to Jack's tribe and get Piggy's specs back.
2. In what ways are the twins "seeing Ralph for the first time" before going to Castle Rock? 

-The twins are seeing Ralph for the first time before going to Castle Rock because he is acting the way he was the very first time he blew the conch shell.
3. Why is the boy's attempt to get back Piggy's specs and get the other boys to maintain a signal fire bound to fail?

-The boy's attempt to get back Piggy's specs is failed because Jack is their chief and he orders them to do wrong things which they still obey.
4. Why do you think Roger pushes the rock off the cliff?

-Roger pushes the rock off the cliff because of the way all the boys are acting up together, he feels he should do more to pick on Piggy, therefore he wants to hurt him so he pushes the rock off the cliff.
5. How is the destruction of the conch symbolically significant?

-Piggy crushes the conch shell, signifying the demise of the civilized instinct among almost all the boys on the island.
6. For most of the boys, what are the reasons they want a chief? What does a chief do for them?

-The boys want a chief because they do not have anyone else to look up to and follow. A chief for them orders what goes on and demands them what to do.
7. Come up with two ORIGINAL questions you would ask Jack if you could.

-Why are you acting the way you are?

-Is there any way to help get the old Jack back and get things to go right?
8. In a minimum of two solid paragraphs, write a diary entry on the state of the island and the boys at this point in the book.

- I used to like this island. It wasn't that bad in the beginning. We had food, water, huts, and we all got along (with the exception of Piggy). For the most part, we were like a little community. We held meetings to discuss issues, assigned jobs to those who could handle them, and hoped for rescue to come. Ralph used to be our chief and he and Jack used to be civil towards each other. Now, we're all messed up. I used to think it was a good thing that there were no adults around, but I'm not so sure anymore. Grown-ups probably would've been able to prevent all the bad stuff that happened here. If there were adults, Simon and Piggy would be alive. Jack wouldn't have his tribe hunting Ralph. We wouldn't have littluns running around with spears pretending to kill each other. The hunters wouldn't hunt pigs and kill for fun. Roger wouldn't be so scary. Well, actually, he probably would be, but that's not the point. With adults, we would still all be together. We would probably have civilization, even without the conch.

Common Core Questions Chapter 10

1. When Ralph and Piggy first talk about Simon's death, Piggy tries to convince Ralph (and himself, it seems) that it was an accident. He says, "He [Simon] hadn't no business crawling like that out of the dark...It was an accident" (Golding 157). Ralph, on the other hand, faces the cold, hard truth: it was murder. The boys had let their savage instincts take over. Piggy tells him that the death was due to the boys being scared, but Ralph says, "I wasn't scared...I was--I don't know what I was" (Golding 156). When Samneric join the discussion, they convince themselves that they had no idea what happened that night by simply repeating, "Yes. We were very tired...so we left early" (Golding 158). This statement becomes one that all four boys use to try and relieve themselves of the guilt they feel for killing Simon.

2. Ralph explained Simon's death as a murder committed by a group of savages that had been riled up by violent chants and the raging storm overhead. However, he seems to have mixed feelings about what happened. While describing what happened, "There was loathing, and at the same time a kind of feverish excitement, in his voice" (Golding 157). In contrast, Jack explained Simon's death as a precaution the boys had to take. He believed that the beast had taken form in Simon so it could take them. He says, "He [The Beast] came--disguised. He may come again..." (Golding 160).

3. Jack's order to have Wilfred beaten shows his absolute, unyielding power over the other boys. When Roger asks Robert why Wilfred needs to be beaten, Robert replies, "He didn't say. He got angry and made us tie Wilfred up" (Golding 159). The fact that the boys were willing to tie up one of their own to prepare him for a beating without a reason shows their absolute devotion to whatever Jack says. Also, after the beating, it says' "The chief was sitting there, naked to the waist, his face blocked out in white and red. The tribe lay in a semicircle before him" (Golding 160). He basically has them bowing at his feet at all times.

4. Jack is now the chief because he is the one with the ability to start fire, and the fire is the boys' symbol for rescue. Also, he is the one with the most "power." He is the one most of the boys listen to.
-Piggy: Avoids most of the action due to asthma attack, loses his glasses
-Ralph: Unknowingly punches Eric in the face until he bleeds, is hit in the "pills"
-Jack: Invades Ralph's camp, leads boys away, takes Piggy's glasses, hums and cartwheels
-Roger: Invades Ralph's camp, leaves after glasses are found, hums and cartwheels
-Sam: Got stuck in the corner of the wrecked huts by himself, didn't fight anyone
-Eric: Is unknowingly beat down by Ralph, knees him in the "pills

Still wrong Ebola Rx Questions

1. What does Betsy McCaughey identify as a problem in her commentary?
-Betsy McCaughey's problem in the commentary is the safety of the hospitals and people getting Ebola.

2. What solutions does she offer?
-Betsy suggests that hospitals should be prepared to recognize possible cases, isolate them-- and then call them for help. Also that the best Ebola strategy is to protect our local hospitals, health care-workers and patients by relying on the nation's bio containment facilities.

3. How does infection expert Sean Kaufman view the CDC's guidelines for protective gear in treating Ebola patients?
-Sean Kaufman called the guideline "absolutely irresponsible and dead wrong."

4. What point did Rep. Michael Burgess make about CDC head Thomas Frieden?
-Rep. Michael Burgess held up a photo of chief Freiden wearing a protective suit and compared it to the filmsy guidline that the CDC had issued for nurses and doctors here

5. a) I agree and disagree with her recommendation. I agree with it because the bio-containment facilities know more about what to do with Ebola than the local hospitals. I disagree because we shouldn't wait for worse things to happen.

Gay Marriage in Alabama

In the Huffington Post titled "Clarence Thomas: Supreme Court's Decision Suggests Justices' Minds Are Made Up On Gay Marriage", Lawrence Hurley discusses the U.S Supreme Court's response of proceeding gay marriage in Alabama. First, Hurley explains how two out of nine justices, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia, disagree with allowing gay weddings to start in Alabama. Next, he points out that gay marriage is now legal in 37 states.

He explains Clarence Thomas's dissenting opinions and his thoughts on how things will turn out if the state approves gay marriage. In addition, Hurley mentions Scalia's dissenting in 2013 and how Thomas's words echoed upon them. Finally, the writer concludes by stating that Alabama's case with gay marriage is being solved differently and the court will take cases to settle them as well.

The author's tone throughout the article is serious and formal.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/09/supreme-court-gay-marriage-clarence-thomas_n_6646404.html

Should parents let their children play football?

I think parents should allow their children to play football. Some parents think the game is too dangerous for their children, but in reality, I think there is no serious danger in playing. If players are coached well enough then they will practice to play the right way for example, tackling without leading with their head. Safety awareness and treatment for injuries have improved which leads to a lesser chance of danger to children. Being on a team teaches children certain qualities. Think about other kids that aren't involved in sports and have a hard time cooperating with others, while another kid that is involved easily cooperates. Every sport teaches team work which really helps in stuff like group projects or partner work. It will even help reduce the chance of children being obese. Football, in my opinion, is a great sport and teaches character, cooperation, and determination. Therefore, parents should allow their children to make their own decision on whether or not they want to play the game.

Literature Analysis: The Joy Luck Club

Although much of the plot of each story revolves around men, The Joy Luck Club as a whole centers on the relationships between mothers and daughters. How would the book differ if Chinese characters were fathers and sons instead? What do the characters find particularly female about their life experiences and points of view?

The Joy Luck Club has lots of mother and daughter relationship problems. Many of these problems were because of the difference between their cultures, the mother being Chinese and the daughter being American. I believe the book would completely change if the characters were based on men. Men are more calm, less influential, and less emotional than women are. 

If the characters in the story were men, it would definitely change because men are more calm and more drama free than women are. In the chapter called "The Rule of the Game", Waverly gets overwhelmed with her mother's constant pressure for the game of chess. Waverly breaks down one day asking why her mother always tries to take credit for her success. This creates conflict between these characters because at the end of the day, Waverly lost interest in something she once had passion for and all because of her mother being selfish.

The book would change if it involved men instead of women because men are a lot less influential than women are. After Suyan passed away, it was June's call to take over her mother's legacy and fulfill her wish. June was influenced by her mother and her legacy to fly to China and find her long lost sisters and give them Suyan's message. Men don't usually influence other's or have a sense of control over someone, which is why I think this would be different if it was a book based on men.

The last reason why the book would change is because men are less emotional than women. They never really express what they are feeling like women do. The chapter called "The Voice" from the wall portrays how Lena is confused from her mother's actions and state of mind. Ying-ying, Lena's mom, suffered from a loss of her baby. She would always cry and never say much and claim to see the future. This affected Lena's life because she never really got to interact with her mother throughout her childhood. By this, a wall was created upon them causing diversity between them.

In conclusion, that is why I think this book would be different if it was focused on Chinese men. In my opinion, the book was very inspiring in the sense of how we should always be grateful of what and who we are with our loved ones and if there are misunderstandings we should always try to fix them.