1st Amendment

        I believe that it is right for children to say what they like as long as it is not ‘harmful to others or to an educational environment.” I think that everyone should be allowed the freedom of speech to voice their thoughts and feelings. Since everyone does have their own thoughts and feelings it is good that there is a limit to what one can say. For example, if a child at school is trying to push their religious or political beliefs upon another child I think that is good that someone is allowed to stop them. Everyone should have the right to think and believe what they want, but I do not think that it is okay for them to push those beliefs on somebody else. On the other hand, I do also think that discussions and heated debates on certain subjects can really help broaden somebody’s frame of mind. Discussions and debates can help teach people different things and different ways to look at certain subjects that they never would have come up with themselves. So personally, the 1^st Amendment is great as long as it is executed in the right way and used in the same way it was designed to be used in.

War Poster

To change this poster into an anti-war poster I would make the following changes; instead of the children playing with the toys and looking up at the swastika symbol coming down on them, I would have them watching as their father leaves for war. They would be holding their toys close to their hearts almost as if they were wishing it was their father. The look of disappointment, sadness, and fright would still be on the children's faces as they watched their father leave them, taking off in a plane. So instead of the swastika sign as the shadow on the ground I would change it into the shadow of the father's plane. I would have the shadow be in a dark blue/orange/black color. The mix of these colors would represent seriousness, for blue, deceit and distrust, for orange, representing the father leaving the children, and black representing the death and evil that awaits the father when he arrives at war. I would change the slogan to "Don't make him (meaning the oldest child in the picture who has his hand on the littlest child almost like he is protecting him) take the role as the father figure, that's your job." "Peace." I would have the first slogan in white and then "Peace" in Green.

Johnny Got His Gun

            I agree with the statement that war is a necessary evil in our world. It is sad, but I think that it is the truth. The world is not a peaceful place and although we wish that it was, there will always be people who want the opposite. These are the people who think that their crazy ideas of corruption are correct and it is okay to treat people unfairly. They are the ones who want to be the center of attention. Those people make peace throughout the world impossible. If the whole world could decide on a government that would work for everyone and make everyone happy then there could possibly be peace throughout the world, but I can never see that happening. The whole world will never be content on one thing. One form of government will not make everyone happy. Maybe there could be more than one form of government, but it would still need to make everyone satisfied. Every single person would have to be okay with making sacrifices for the greater good of their countries. They would sometimes have to put others first and themselves last. Doing that in this day in age seems to be getting harder and harder for some people. So, because of all these things I think that war is a necessary evil in our world. Though it is devastating that thousands of people have to die because of disagreements, it seems as if that is the only thing that works sometimes. By this I am not saying that all wars are necessary, but I think that some definitely are. Many lives are lost during these wars, but I think that many more would and could be lost if the wars did not stop the opposing forces first.  

Independent Reading Log #11

1/20/13

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Pages 141- 162

Summary of what I read: In this passage, to gain some money for the family, Malachy starts doing a chore for his grandmother. A man named Bill Galvin comes to stay at Malachy’s grandmother’s house and he works on the Dock Road. The chore that Malachy starts doing consists of bringing Bill his dinner that the grandmother has made for him. By doing this he earns sixpence a week. It is a small amount of money, but his family could use whatever they can get their hands on. One day when Malachy is bringing Bill his dinner he accidentally eats it all because it looks so good and he is very hungry. After this his grandmother is very mad.

Important quote from the text: “I was hungry and I tasted it and I couldn’t stop.” This quote was said by Malachy right after he ate all of Bill’s dinner. He went back to his grandmother’s house to tell her what he had done. I think that this is an important quote because it shows how hungry Malachy seems to be most of the time. His family is very poor because his dad is a drunk and can never bring money into the house to feed the family. He is so hungry and can’t help but eat the food when he has to smell the deliciousness of it as he walks all the way down to the Dock Road.

Connections to the text: I personally couldn’t really connect to this passage. I have always been fortunate enough to never have to go hungry. No matter where I have gone in my life I have always had food in my belly. My parents work hard to make this always happen unlike Malachy’s parents. His dad does nothing but drink away what little money the family does have and his mother doesn’t really do a lot to help the situation either. She does what she can to feed the children but with no money she can’t really buy groceries to make things with. I am very lucky that I have never had to feel the kind of hunger that Malachy has to on a daily basis.

Independent Reading Log #10

1/20/13

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Pages 119-140

Summary of what I read: In this passage it is time for Malachy’s first communion. This is a very important and special time in his life. The day of his first communion turns out to be somewhat of a disaster. When the day of the communion finally comes, he ends up being a little late to church. After church his mom and him go to his grandma’s house for a proper communion day breakfast. Since the food is so much richer than he is used to he accidentally pukes it all up in the grandma’s back yard. She then gets very mad at Malachy and his mother because she feels that when he puked up the food he was puking up God himself.

Important quote from the text: “Get up! Get up! Get that child outa the bed. Happiest day of his life an’ him snorin’ above in the bed.” This quote is said by the grandmother on the day of Malachy’s first communion. I think that this is an important quote because it describes and shows how important this day is not only for Malachy but for his family too. Even though they aren’t really a part of the ceremony they are happy and excited for Malachy. After the ceremony Malachy collects money and then gets to spend it on whatever he wants which usually is used to go see a movie. Malachy is more excited about this part of the experience of his first communion than the church part.

Connections to the text: I connected to this part of the text in the way that when I was younger I wasn’t a huge fan of church. After I grew out of the Sunday School age and just had to sit in church and listen to the Pastor preach I didn’t really like it as much. For Malachy, during the First Communion he is more excited about the things he gets to do after the service instead of the service itself. He is excited about going to collect money and spend it on a movie instead of the church service. At his age I could understand that completely.

Independent Reading Log #9

12/9/12

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Pages 98-118

Summary of what I read: In this passage it is Christmas time. The McCourt family has yet again moved and now live in a big house. They like this house except for it is right at the end of a long line of houses so it is right next to the outhouse that everyone uses. It gets really smelly and they find out that the house leaks. Because of the leaking the family moves upstairs and they end up living up there until the downstairs is no longer flooded. They call it "Italy." Even though it is Christmas time Malachy has no job which means the family has no money. They end up having to eat a pig’s head instead of a ham. Shortly after Christmas Angela has another baby. It is another boy and they name it Michael.

Important quote from the text: “Women stand with their arms folded, chatting. They don’t sit because all they do is stay at home, take care of the children, clean the house and cook a bit and the men need the chairs. The men sit because they’re worn out from walking to the Labour Exchange every morning to sign for the dole, discussing the world’s problems and wondering what to do with the rest of the day” (McCourt 107). I think that this is an important quote because it describes perfectly how unappreciated women were back then. This is said by the child Francis, and even he realizes it. All of the mothers work at home all day doing their best to make up for and create what the father can’t provide. The men can’t find jobs and when they do many of them just drink their profits away and leave their wife at home to figure out how to feed and clothe their children. Many of the men don’t seem to care or even realize how much the women do.

Connections to the text: I connected this text to the lives of some families living in this day in age. Right now we are in a recession and many people are having a hard time finding a job. Though they have a hard time finding a job many still find the money to spend on things that they do not really need such as alcohol, gambling, junk food and many other things. Many times they put these things that they consider their needs in front of what their family actually really needs. 

Independent Reading Log #8

12/3/12

Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt

Pages 57-97

Summary of what I read: In this passage the McCourt family moves to their own apartment in Limerick only to find that the bed is full of fleas. Along with this trouble Malachy still can’t find a job and their family is dependent on the dole and the St. Vincent de Paul Society charity program to feed and clothe the family. One of the littlest boys named Oliver becomes ill with pneumonia and unfortunately dies. His twin Eugene, though he is still small, is devastated and looks out the window hoping he will come home soon. A few months after that Eugene passes away also. The McCourt family is devastated; they have lost three out of their five children.

Important quote from the text: “We grew up ignorant in Limerick, so we did, knowing feck all about anything and signs on, we’re mothers before we’re women” (McCourt 68). I personally think that this is an important quote because it illustrates the life of Limerick women beautifully. It is said by a woman who is at the St. Vincent de Paul Society. They had just gone shopping using the docket they got from the Society and she is describing to Angela how the women make one bad choice with a man who is charming but has a horrible drinking problem and they are then stuck in Limerick forever. Struggling to feed their children and make ends meet; always worrying.

Connections to the text: Once again I had a hard time connecting to this text because the McCourt family has gone through so many more troubles and hardships than I have ever had to go through in my life. The parents have lost three children in the span of a year or two. That is horrible and I don’t even know how I would begin to deal with that. How could you outlive your child? I cannot even imagine how painful that would be. I would hope that I would have the strength to move on with my life and stay positive for my surviving child but it would be extremely difficult. I would hope I could do that but I would never know until I was put in that situation which I hope never happens.