Bob Ewell`s stupid choices

Mockingbird Response #1

In To Kill a Mockingbird, Bob Ewell made one of the cleverest and wise decisions of the novel.  He decided to frame a poor African-American  man, Tom Robinson, for battering and raping his daughter, Mayella.  He decided to frame Tom for this and this turned into the trial of the century in their town.  Atticus Finch, a white lawyer, was going to be the one defending Mr. Robinson in the case.  Because of Bob Ewell`s careless and stupid choices, an innocent man might end up in jail for a crime he could have never committed, and Mayella has to lie about what happened as well.  

In the book, it is during segregation in the Southern United States of America, which is in the 1950`s and 60`s.  So, it is kind of obvious that the jury will contain only white people and they will be most likely racist people.  Poor innocent Tom Robinson will now end up in jail most likely because of ignorant white people  "Well, the night of November twenty-one I was comin‘ in from the woods with a load o’kindlin’ and just as I got to the fence I heard Mayella screamin‘ like a stuck hog inside the house." (Lee 229) This here is Bob Ewell telling a believable load of crap to Mr. Gilmer.  I hate how he was going to get away with the crime he committed.  

During his conviction at the trial, Bob Ewell said, “-I seen that black nigger yonder ruttin` on my Mayella!” (Lee 231).  Bob Ewell exclaimed this hurtful comment while sticking his white, index finger into Tom Robinson`s face.  Tom and him both know Tom was innocent, but Bob would say and do anything to get away with what he did to poor Mayella.  When Tom was asked about Mayella, he did say they chatted here and there, but a safe distance was kept because of Bob`s hate for African-Americans.  

Yet, Bob made another dumb decision.  He thought since Atticus made his reputation worse than it already was, revenge had to be seekin`.  So, being the coward he is, he decided it was a smart idea if he tried killing Jem and Scout.  He attacked the two kids on their way back from the school play.  He stabbed Scout who was dressed like a ham, which saved him because of the wired mesh inside the costume.  Bob Ewell would pay for his dumb decisions as Boo Radley saved the kids by ending the life of the abusive, lying, slimey father.  “He coughed violently, a sobbing, bone shaking cough.” (Lee 351).  This is what Scout heard when Jem was battered first.

Overall, when you make dumb decisions in life, the consequences will eventually come around.  Bob Ewell, framed an innocent African man named Tom Robinson for beating and raping his daughter Mayella, even though he did it.  He was just a rotten apple from the apple tree.  Honestly, I am glad Boo killed that psychotic, delusional moron.

Old Man and the Sea Review

The Old Man and the Sea

Ernest Hemingway

Simon & Schuster

1952

Realistic Fiction

    Hemingway`s Fishing Expedition

The story starts off by introducing an old man named Santiago on a fishing journey with no catch in 84 days.  He had a young boy, Manolin, as a companion for the first forty days, but the young boy`s family realized the old man was “salao” (really bad luck).  Since being alone, Santiago has accomplished nothing.  All is hopeless until an encounter with a giant marlin.  Does Santiago win the battle or does the marlin leave him stranded in the sea with still no catch to be proud of?  Find out by reading this magnificent novel.

“Using the simple, powerful language of a fable, Hemingway takes the timeless themes of courage in the face of defeat and personal triumph won from loss and transforms them into a magnificent twentieth-century classic.”-Will Byrnes.  

   

I chose this quote not only because we have the same name, but we feel the same way of Hemingway`s work.  The story is a prime example of David and Goliath.  All odds were stacked against David, but he overcame them by defeating Goliath.  Same with Santiago and the Marlin, Santiago overcame the fact that he had caught nothing in nearly three months, but when he had the chance he was prepared.  Even when defeated in the inside, you can still become victorious on the out.

   

“He was bright in the sun and his head and back were dark purple and in the sun the stripes on his sides showed wide and a light lavender” (Hemingway 62).  I imaged an old man in the middle of the sea when the sun was setting and the back of his body castes a large purple shadow with lavender stripes running across his side.

Heat by Mike Lupica has a similar conflict with the main character.  He lives alone in the big apple with his older brother illegally because he isn`t 18 until two more months.  Trying to wait out that time the protagonist was suspended from his baseball team because he didn't have a birth certificate to prove he was only 13.  Then the older brother got in trouble with the cops.  With all odds stacked against the protagonist, he overcame them with a little help.  Find out how by reading that fascinating novel.

 
The Alex Rider series is a different scenario though.  He has conflicts but has much assistance during his quests.  Also, he is not stranded in the middle of a gulf in the ones I have read.  Alex and Santiago are nothing alike.

“A man can be destroyed but not defeated” (Hemingway 38).  I think he was trying to say you can be knocked down time after time, but you should always rise back up and keep fighting until you accomplish what you need to do.  I 100% completely agree with this line from  The Old Man and the Sea.  

Santiago, many others and I have faced the biggest encounter with life and death in our lives so far.  But all of us had the same determination to be the better man (or woman) to have another day.

Rate: 4 paws

Justice or Revenge?

Revenge

By: Will Schenker

    Waiting in the line at the bank, Blaze Florence, an eight year old from the Bronx, plays with his iPod while his dad talks to Mr. Prost, a heavy man that his dad worked with back in the days.  Turning off his iPod, Blaze glanced at the door counting 5 masked people walking in.  One of them shot the security quickly while the other four fired one shot at the ceiling.  Everyone proned on the cold marble floor and listened for what the men had to say after a gunshot silenced the bank.  

    “All of the kids and moms, go stand in the corner.  All of the rest of you stay down.  If you move, you will die,” the tallest one screamed.  

    All five of them scattered about and grabbed as much money as they could.  As Blaze peaked out from behind Mr. Prost`s wife, two men stood up and shot three masked men quickly.  One of them went down shooting everywhere and hit Ari Prost in the stomach.  she trembled down to the ground.  The other two men came out from the back and shot the two men who tried saving us and two ladies and a child were escaping.  

    The other six men were dragged up.  The leader (the tallest one) took out a Mini Uzi and killed half of them, shooting at any body part.  All that was left was some short guy, Mr. Prost and Dom Florence, Blaze`s dad.  

    “Only one of you can live, and I will decide which one,” the leader shouted.  

Fear was struck into Blaze`s heart.  Questions dashed through his mind.  Blaze knew that either Mr. Prost or his dad would die, or sadly, even both.  Now Blaze could feel the warm tears sliding off of his cheeks.

“Seeing that your wife is already dead, I don't see a particular reason to keep you.  Jeffrey, come over here and let this man see his wife in heaven.”

Jeff listened to the leader`s demands and put the silenced pistol on his back.  The bank went quiet again after seeing Mr. Prost fall to the floor.

“The rest of you who are still alive, walk in front of the door,” the leader shouted with panic in his voice.  “Alright, now you little boy (referring to Blaze), open the doors slowly.  Everyone follow him slowly or you will join the rest of the people in the bank.”

With police lowering their guns as the hostages walked out, one last bang put everybody in fear.  As people scattered about, Blaze pushed through the small crowd to find his dad, laying on the sidewalk.  Blake could see Jeff and the leader run around the corner.  Blaze squeezed his dad's hand, put his head on his dad's chest and let out a loud scream. Police officers then lifted Blaze off the ground and brought him to the station.  Blaze described everything that he could remember too a couple officers.

“I want to be a cop so I can kill the guy that killed my dad,” Blazed yelled into the officer's face.  

“I know how you feel little boy, but you are too young just wait a few more years.  Then we will hunt the guy down if we have not already,” the officer replied.

Blaze did exactly that.  One week after his nineteenth birthday, he received his badge and gun and was accepted into the N.Y.P.D.  Blaze met with the officer eleven years ago and he gave him the file Blaze was waiting for: the bank robbery from July 14th, 2004.  Blaze looked at all five suspects and read each profile.  Carlos and Juan Revis, two brothers were the two that died in the bank, Julio Rivera died in the hospital.  Julio was the one who shot Ari Prost while stumbling down Blaze remembered.  The two men that escaped alive were Jeffrey Ramirez and Juarez Rojas.  Jeff was the one who shot Mr. Prost.  The man Blaze wanted was Juarez.  The man who would pay for his dad's death.   

“Do we have any idea where the two men that are left are?”

“Well Blaze, we know that Jeff was caught in a holdup at a gas station in downtown and is serving life.  Juarez though, has disappeared since the bank robbery.  

“Hold on boys.”  Everyone looked to the door to find a female holding up a piece of paper.

“Blaze, this is our in tel officer, Abbio Godecki.  Abbio, this is our new recruitment, Blaze Florence.  He is working with me on this one.”

“Well Blaze and Captain Matthew Hastings, I got a hit on Juarez Rojas.  Security at a hotel said he just checked in.  I will send the address to your phones”.  

Blaze and Matt hopped into the cruiser and flew into Syracuse.  They pulled up right in front of the hotel.  

“Which room did Juarez Rojas check into,” Matt asked the front desk, flashing his badge.  “Room 32 on the fourth floor,” she replied smiling while Blaze waited for the elevator and Hastings rushed up the staircase.

When Blaze and Matt met up again, they found an unconscious service worker in front of the door.  Blaze helped the man up.  His name was Joe, according to the name tag.  Captain Hastings broke down the door and found Juarez sitting on his bed looking out the window.  Blaze got up slowly and was knocked down by Joe.  Joe reached for the gun on Blaze`s belt, grabbed it and aimed at Matthew.  Hastings focused on Joe now, allowed Juarez to put a bullet into Matt`s back.  Captain Hastings rolled over and fired a bullet right into Joe`s forehead.  He quickly then aimed for Juarez who shot him five time before he could pull the trigger.

When Blaze regained consciousness, he was tied to a chair with blood dripping off of his forehead.  

“So we meet again little boy.”

“You'll never get away with this.”

“But I will.  If I die, I'll have more people replace me and hunt you and your family down.  So don`t think you even stand a chance.”

Juarez then loaded a gun, aimed it at Blaze and smiled.

“Sweet dreams,” he chuckled.

Just as his finger was ready to squeeze the trigger, Blaze kicked Juarez below the belt and hit the chair against him.  Blaze ran backwards into a wall freeing himself as the chair broke too many pieces.  He tackled Rojas to the ground and both of them started fighting.  Blaze grabbed the gun and shot him right in the leg.  

“This is for my father you son of a gun,” Blaze said as serious as he could placing the handcuffs around Juarez`s wrists.  “You are under arrest Juarez Rojas.  Anything you say or do can be used against you in the court of law.”

When Blaze arrived back at the station, Juarez was put into a cell, and Blaze asked about Matt Hastings.  

“He will be fine.  That is why we all wear out bullet proof vests,” Abbio answered.  “Why didn't you kill the guy when you had the chance?”

“Because I believe in doing the right thing than seeking for revenge.”

Trail of Friendship

Trail of Friendship

Now I am supposed to bore you to death with a lame lecture about value.  Instead, I want you to ask these three questions to yourself first.  What should be valued in life, what should not and what does the word value simply mean to me.  Now how are we supposed to all know what the correct item in our lives to value?  A product that we have seen be advertised throughout our live continuously or a hand-me-down from our ancestors?  Only you will know what shall be valued in your life.  Now sit back, relax and enjoy the story.

I flee out of the drive way like Flash Gordon, on the path to freedom and tranquility.  As I veer left sharply, I let a dust cloud from a Western movie appear behind me.  I keep speeding faster in the wilderness to get closer to my little spot.  I pass the usual couple taking their daily jog and we say our greetings and get back to our lives.  As the warm sweat dripped from my eyebrows into my eyes, I nearly wipe out into a row of rose bushes.  As I speed along the last part, the powerful wind cleans off my face and my mountain bike all at once when I have reached my destination.

I cautiously place my feet on the smooth, cold soil, guiding myself along in the woods.  My bike glides down the hill like a sled in the winter where I lean it against a tree where I can patiently lay down and rest up my legs for the journey to  the complete opposite of my little paradise; home.  As I flee my little getaway spot, the next journey begins within my sight. 

As I get back onto the trail, I am sad that I have to leave what I feel is home but relieved that my legs can rest.  I cut off a car with my life flashing before my eyes.  At least I thought so but it was just the headlights of the person driving carelessly.  As I roll down the driveway, slowly like a car in the hood does with its bass shaking the city, “Sexy Back” by Justin Timberlake goes off.  I wait until I park my “car” in its own spot to answer the text I have received.  Then, the world`s largest smile came upon my face.

None other than my broski, Ariana Williams, starts up another fun conversation with the occasional hey and smiley face.  I thank the lord that she couldn’t said the duck face (for those who don`t know, it`s this) because then, that be her asking me to laugh until I cry.  Other than those moments, we have some of the strangest, yet best memories in my life.

One that I recall is last year in eighth grade.  Towards the end of the year, both of us and a few of our pals would hangout after school every day and do whatever we felt would be good.  Either me prancing to the hoop in basketball for my layups, making our own music videos or gossiping about others.  But when we play basketball, she and I both know, I will win because I block half of her shots just to see her frustrated. 

Ari is also a good life coach.  She has helped me through some pretty tough times in my life.  She is always there when I need a shoulder to cry on.  She`ll tell me how to conquer the obstacle that is in my way of life.  Without my passionate broski, I have no idea what my life would be like today.  So I thank you Ari.  (Duck face addressed to her).

Throughout my life, I’ll appreciate many different things in my life.  I value though my bike very much because it takes me to places I need to be and it lets me explore the world even more.  Despite it costing only $415, it`s definitely part of my summer life.  It describes who I am in different ways.  When life gets trouble some, it lets me flee to another universe.

I really value the friendship that still grows with Ari, because even though she can show her true colors at times, she`s a special part of my life that now I could not live without.  The feeling of knowing you will always have someone there for you that will mean the world to me.  I wonder what I would do without my broski.

The memory`s with Ari and the adventures with my bike are valued differently with no doubt, but how do I differ their value?  It comes close when you roam to places you have seen in your dreams to hanging out with fastest girl you have met.  That is even faster than me and you combined.  Overall though, what I value in my life will definitely be different from your values, but who will ever know how many people in the world actually value somebody else`s opinion.