America in the 1950s and 60s, was changing rapidly. First came the Baby Boom. Millions of babies were in hospitals and America’s population was rapidly growing. This promoted the start of suburbs, (Levittown). This was a miracle for the growing population, and the start of the nuclear family. Since more people were coming into America, so people were more dependent on cars. This promoted the Interstate Highway. Along with all the changes in America, we were also at opposite ends with the Communists. We were terrified of being taken over by Communism, and we were going to do everything we could to stop it coming to us.

Continued from…

Sun was on my face warm, and energizing. I was content as can be, and finally relaxed. Away, to get away. It was always my goal. And I had finally done it.

My favorite vacation, the Red Woods. Trees towering above me. Butterflies doing ballet in the air. The wind blowing through the trees. Just listening to the certainty serenity of everything at peace together, made me incredibly happy.

Oh My God… That’s all I could think of. That’s all I mustered to say. She was there… Her, the one I always saw to rain on my most happiest moments.

She was sitting on a tree stump; staring at me. Her eyes as a stormy ocean sea. They sent chills throughout my body. My mind raced for answers. She was always there. In the most nondescript way possible.

Black. That’s all that I saw. Dizzy I woke up. I saw a white sterile room. All was uneasy. The nurses were in my face. Saying something, I couldn’t understand. I couldn’t hear anything but white noise. The same question rattled in my mind. Why?

To be continued…

Fear, arose within me. All my past which I had tried to forget suddenly became my present. It hit me like a thousand bricks came crashing down. To my horror, yet in the most subtle way possible, she was there.

She was always there; waiting staring. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. Why on earth was she here! I thought to myself. I had tried to push her out of my thoughts. I had tried to erase her face. But she lingered in my mind. Should I run? Should I scream. Could I even run if I tried. Cierra! My friend eventually said. Apparently I had been daydreaming for about five minuets, which felt like hours. After getting some sense back into my arms which had inconveniently fell asleep. I looked over at her again. But she was gone.

Hey Claire did you see that girl over there? I asked my friend. “No, hey are you feeling okay?” Claire mustered to say while she wasn’t stuffing her face with anything in arms reach. “Yea, yea I am fine”.

To be continued…

‘Twas dark, and the moon bright
Did the wolves barked and growled in the depths of the night
All alone were the people
And the creatures of the night would come

“Beware the creature my son!
The jaws that bite the claws that catch!
Beware the togo bird, and shun
the mighty sword!”

He took his noble sword in hand:
Long time the evil foe he sought —
So rested he by the silver tree
and stood a while in thought

And as in deep thought he stood
The togo bird, with eyes of flame
Came flying threw the silver forest
And breathing fire as it came

One, two! One, two!  and through and through
The mighty blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went trotting back

“And hast thou slain the togo bird
Come to my arms, my courageous boy!
O what a marvelous day! Marvelous! Marvelous!
He wallowed in his joy”

‘Twas dark, and the moon bright
Did the wolves barked and growled in the depths of the night
All alone were the people
And the creatures of the night would come

1. I focused on Atticus because I felt like he had the biggest personality of all of them. My personal connection was that the morals he lives by are a lot like my family’s morals.

2. Some character traits of Atticus are protective, trustworthy, good-hearted, and believes in justice. The trait “trustworthy” changed because Atticus was no longer trusting of Tom Robinsons story. Page 261- “He would not have dared strike a white woman under any circumstances and except to live long, so he took the first opportunity to run- a sure sign of guilt.

2. The following themes were important to my character: Justice, Selflessness, and Courage.

3. The understanding of my character grew, because I learned that Atticus is loving and fatherly. Yet, at the same time he can be fair and just. He is also very courageous. Considering how much he had to deal with. Going against his whole family and the whole town’s will.

Atticus Finch is my name
Not one for valor or for fame
A quiet man in a quiet town
Just me and my kids
Not many around

No one really noticed me
Til Tom Robinson’s name was known
Now everyone in the town knows me
But I am even more alone

You see he was just a man
With a family like me
Accused of a crime
And it was my job to set him free

But a black man in a white town
Accused of a crime and held down
Does not permit a man like me
To defend a black man for free
Soon the threats and the fear came
We all lived with it in shame

Because of my moral duty
To defend those in need
I believe should outweigh the darkness
And suffocate the greed
Of those who wallow
In ignorance and judge color
Of those who have and those who have not
And hate a man just for what he’s got

It is my job as a lawyer
To believe in law and justice and not in hate
To hide prejudice away from those
Who decide men’s fate

Over my many years of people beating me down
I take a pause to stand and look at all those around
And still I have hope that the good can be found.

Code Talker
214 pages
Joesph Bruchac

In the next 64 pages of Code Talker a lot happens. Ned goes to many Japanese islands, such as; Guam, Okinawa, and most importantly Iwo Jima. Iwo Jima was the worst place to fight, but the most important for America. America needed this island to help us defeat the Japanese since it was so close to the Japanese empire. While Ned is on the island of Okinawa, he learns that Japan has surrendered due to the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Nagasaki, and Hiroshima. All the marines are celebrating, as they are on the boat to their new missions. Ned goes to San Francisco for only a few months, and then he goes back to his village. Ned resumes his last year of High School, and then he goes to college to become a teacher. The conflict in Code Talker was internal. Ned is seeing his friends dying all around him, and he wonders if he should be more distant towards others. I would rate this about a four, because sometimes the book doesn’t make sense with all the war-shorthand. My book is tying in WWII history by talking about going into battle in WWII. I found an example of foreshadowing. “That was a good time, but I knew it couldn’t last and I was right”(171).