American Born Post

   In American Born Chinese, by Gene Luen Yang, I've noticed even in the beginning of the book that acceptance is a theme. The Monkey King rules all on his own little island but when he goes to the heavens for a dinner party, he announces his presence that he's the Monkey King and that he mastered the 4 disciplines of Kung-Fu. He isn't even let in because he didn't have shoes. At that point, I saw that acceptance can also change a person because after that, for began thriving for acceptance.
    He mastered the 12 disciplines of Kung-Fu and got his acceptance through force and power. I can also see that in a real world situation. A kid can feel bad that a "clique" didn't accept him/her and "rise" up against them. This theme is also being carried out later in the story when a little Chinese that moves to a new city and also wants acceptance but doesn't. He does the opposites of the Monkey King, nothing. This may be a pointless book but it does show a theme that everyone wants.
   Acceptance is everywhere. Whether it's a new kid at a new school or a late homework that a kid did the period before. It's an everyday day issue that this book shows it a lot. People don't realize but it can change a person's personality if it's sad and depressed or make them have anger and fury against the people that hurt them. 

The Post of the Flies

   I've notice the Jack in the book The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, tries to take control of the group even though Ralph was elected chief. He is ignorant and selfish and wants all the power. He thinks that all because his dad put him as head singer to the choir, he can take control of the majority survivors. Jack needs to learn that you can't always be on top of the pyramid just because you want to.
   As lead singer of the choir, I can see why he would do that. The other choir boys must have looked up to Jack as the leader but also because he showed savageness in a minor way before they really did. If I was in Jack's position as leader, I can't say that I wouldn't do the same. Jack isn't completely wrong for doing that but I don't agree with it all the way because it is unfair for the future hunters, Ralph, Piggy, and all of the other survivors.
  Jack isn't really fit to be a leader because Ralph show better leadership from the beginning hen he came up with the meeting and a way to get off the island. Ralph was also able to maintain self-control when almost no one else can and that was a huge factor to their survival on the island. They would spend all day looking for the "beast" and killing pigs and that's why I like Ralph a lot better over Jack because he had standards and showed a lot better leadership, too.

  In Robin Hood, by Howard Pyle, Robin expresses cleverness and he is definitely not greedy. He uses his cleverness to take from the greedy and give to the needy. The sheriff of Nottingham has a personal problem with Robin because he killed a man that was related to the sheriff so he wrote a warrant. The tinker, carrier of the warrant, befriended Robin not knowing it was himself. They drank in a tavern and the tinker fell asleep and Robin took the warrant. He showed great cleverness in not getting caught.
   In a way I admire Robin Hood in the way that he does good for the less fortunate and has "street smarts" like how he took advantage of the Tinker because he didn't know that the warrant was on him, Robin Hood. He was also very clever when he disguised himself for a archery competition that the sheriff made as a trap to capture Robin.  He is the jelly of a pb & j sandwich thats makes the story complete.
    If I lived in that era, I would really want to be the merry Robin Hood. He's the hero of the story that fights for the love of a maiden. His "street smarts", cleverness, and unselfishness add to the great, strong character everyone loves (except the sheriff).

The Blog Post of Hugo Cabret

   The Invention off Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick, is about an orphan clock fixer living in the walls of a train station in Paris, France. Hugo's life is all about being hidden from the world and depending on himself to fix the clock in the station and his dead father's mechanical man hoping that it will write a message to him. I think that Hugo doesn't deserve a lot of things but things always happen for a reason.
   The mechanical man the Hugo's father has been working gets damaged in the fire he died and it's up to Hugo to fix it. I think that Hugo's job to fix the man is a very honorable job because when he does fix it, he finds a secret that no one knew except Monsier Labbise or Georges Méliès. Hugo, Isabelle, and Isabelle's godmother found out a secret very deep that could of change society if they knew sooner. This shows that things, especially in this book, happen for a reason and add to the mystery of life.
   Hugo may not want bad things to happen to add to his hidden, brutal life but it does and Hugo toughens it out and take on the challenges of the consequences after they happen. Hugo can't control almost anything but he tries to make lemonade out of the dirty lemons he has.

The Old Man And This Post

   I'm just finished a book, The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, and it's about an old fisherman, Santiago, in Cuba having bad luck with his catches. Santiago isn't only a fisherman but a very wise man that observes everything. The sea is a big part of Santiago's life and the book falls in place with it.

   The sea in the book is a huge setting, and I would say character, because everything revolves around it and holds a habitat for birds and fish that are life changing the old man. The sea is also a character to me because it plays a role in Santiago's triumph and loss. He shows lots of strength and courage when he sails far into the sea just to lose everything he had. He also went through a life changing event that he can only learn from and this just adds to his knowledge.

   Not only is the sea a setting in the book but a character, too. The old man had to show his strength toward the sea. Some things that bring you up can take you down and that's exactly what the sea is to Santiago. Are there any obstacles in your life that build you up but can bring you down to your lowest, vulnerable, state?