Fruit Market (beginning)

In a small town, on the corner of a common street, resided a small food market. The market constantly had customers, all who lived in the area, and sold many types of food. The most valued and sold was the fruit. The market held beautiful fruit. Shiny, red apples, soft pears, strong oranges, perfect bananas, and ripe grapes. Although all the fruit were well catered for by the market’s employees, there were larger problems in a smaller terms.

           There was a war. The clever apples and tough pears waged against each other in hopes for a close victory through the war. They had been fighting beyond the expiration date from several months ago. There was a cause for the war, but the fruit’s generation over the year had lost the reasons. The apples took shelter in their own community, in the left corner of the market’s fruit’s section. Then the pears resided in their own section, next to the apples, separated by a wall between their sections. The apples were more acknowledged, knowing to how to use their knowledge to inflict the pears, create strategies for offense and defense through their technology. The pears were barbaric with brute strength that helped them with their struggles against the apples tactics. Both sides had their own advantages and disadvantages. The only reason the new generations of apples would continue on with the war was because they felt that the war was just culture, and a way of their lives by now. Just another way of how things had to be.
       
    Mac shuffled his way across the center of the apple box. His red skin shone with a hint of green in the light, his stem was small, and his leaf a natural green. Mac passed several other apples, all of different colors. There was green, golden yellow, and bright solid red. The apple community was very diverse and well structured. They had a political system, laws, and even their own walkways paved for them to step on. Mac pondered on how his great grandfather was doing, hidden in the back corner of the town. Mac walked his way across the town, saying hello to every other apple that passed. Once he had reached the end of the walkway, there was just the wall. Mac looked up the wall, seeing that it reached beyond the possible limit of any fruit to climb. A small hole in the wall was covered by some old apple leaves that were left behind by a few apples before. Mac approached the leaves, looking around to check to see if anyone was watching, and then brushed them aside. He walked into the dark hole in the wood, and then covered the hole back up with the leaves. Mac turned to see a dim light around a corner. Mac followed it cautiously, not wanting to make too much noise. There were slight creaking noises every few seconds, and Mac turned around the corner. Mac stepped into a compact room, illuminated by one small candle. In the corner, next the the candle, sat an old apple in a rocking chair, Mac’s grandfather. As Mac walked toward the old apple he noticed his features becomeing more noticable. His grandfather was a golden color, having brown spots all over him. He also had dark cirlces that showed bruises and cuts. His history showed not only through his scars, but also through the defined lines around his face. The old apple’s eyes brightened, and mouth curved upwards weakly once he saw Mac cross the small room.
    “Hello, my dear Mac. How are you this afternoon?” croaked the old apple. Mac smiled back caringly, glad to see his grandfather’s passion for life still risided inside of him.
    “I am fine, grandpapa. What about you?” Mac responded politely. The  older apple just sighed with a slight smile.
    “I’m doing alright, thank you. How is everything outside of the walls?” The old apple wheezed. Mac was afraid to tell him about the war. He himself did not even know why there was a war that waged on continuously between the Apples and the Pears. The war had been going on months before Mac’s generation, and nobody knew why. The war was seen as just a way of life, almost as if it was a custom for the Apples and Pears to hate and fight eachother.
    “Everything is doing well.” Mac lied with a smile, although the guilt rested in the back of his mind. His grandfather coughed and gave a happy look, his wrinkles seemed to be deeper every time he smiled. Mac and his grandfather had a tight bond, knowing eachother for more than a week or two. Mac’s grandfather had been alive for about three weeks, being older than all the apples. He was wise and Mac helped him live on longer by settling him in the corner of the box, so he would not get thrown out.

Erin Luongo & The Best Summer

1. What inspired you to write this?
1. The history about segregation in the South
2. Who are your main characters?
1. Abigail Louis and Hunter Magee
3. Who is the antagonist and their intentions?
1. Elroy, Hunter’s older brother. He murdered one of Abigail’s friends.
4. Who is the protagonist and their intentions?
1. Abigail and Hunter are the protagonists. They are telling the story through their experiences.
5. What is the setting of your story?
1. My story takes place in Birmingham, AL in 1955. Also however, part of my story takes place in Savannah, GA in 1965.
6. What style did you type your paper in? Why?
1. I’m writing my story in poem form. Poems are simpler for me to write and I feel like my story will be expressed better.
7. Does the setting change at all?
1. Yes, it will change between 1965 (at Abigail’s house) to various places in Birmingham in 1955.
8. Do you have any dynamic (changing) characters?
1. Yes, Abigail and Hunter go from adults to teenagers and back again several times.
9. What are your main character's personalities?
1. Abigail is very timid but extremely caring and strong willed (on the inside). Hunter is outwardly very outgoing, inwardly however he is unhappy.
10. Based off of their personalities, what disadvantage and/or advantages do they have through the story?
1. Neither character is able to stop the murder nor neither character tells the truth about it when questioned.
11. What is the moral of your story?
1. The moral of my story is ‘friendship can withstand and overcome any obstacle’.
12. How do your characters resolve their main problem?
1. The killer is caught and placed in jail.
13. What relationships are in your story, between characters and their surroundings?
1. Both characters grew up in Birmingham and their relationship is quite close. Both hide their true feelings from one another.
14. What is your favorite part of the story?
1. My favorite part in my story is when I introduce Birmingham. I love the lines “I lived in Birmingham, AL, in 1955, the most racist city in America, a title it held with pride”. I just love those lines.
15. What is your least favorite part of the story?
1. So far I don’t have a least favorite part of my story, I think it’s all pretty good so far.
16. What would you change about your story?
1. I wouldn’t change anything about my story. It all flows right, to me, and I think if I tried changing anything I would throw the entire story off track.
17. How does the rising action of the story lead to the climax?
1. Everything leads up to the murder. Abigail thinks back to herself about what happened. And then Hunter will think back to what happens; when both characters reach that point, their two sides of the story will unite.
18. Does the main character face their own problems? or problems about their surroundings and/or surrounding characters?
1. The only problems my main characters face are the sorrow felt about the murder.
19. Where does the story start? (Time zone) And does that change?
1. My story starts in Abigail’s kitchen in 1965 in Savannah, GA.  
20. What affect does the setting have on your charactersa
1. The 1955 setting shows what type of feelings that society had towards certain groups of people. This affects the entire story.

Interviewing Erin to find out more about her story had inspired me to read it. To read Erin's story, The Best Summer, click here.

Taking Flight

    If I was given the choice of any super power I would have to decide the power of flight. It would not have to be decorative with beautiful angel wings, or simple bird wings. I would enjoy just the ability to control myself in  flight. Flying would be very beneficial to me compared with other powers because I would be able to have a simpler and more enjoyable transportation capability and mostly, I would be special and different from everyone else in the world. I have been on planes several times in my life and honestly I become scared because I lack the trust to give to the machinery. But if I knew that I was in control then I would be more comfortable. The main connection I can relate flying with is my dreams.
The closest thing to experience I have to flying would have to be in my dreams. Unlike the people who always forget their dreams, I remember all of mine. If it weren’t for these dreams I would have maybe considered other powers besides flying. I have been dreaming since I was young, and I have had hundreds of dreams about forms of flying. There is gliding, floating, and soaring through the air in each of these specific dreams. I may have wings in some, and others I may just be able to slowly glide down to land. In one dream I had dreamt that I had escaped being trapped in a giant mansion. It was dark out and I was suddenly in my neighborhood with smaller houses. I soon discovered, almost by instinct, that I could use my arms to push the air and lift myself up. I had quickly mastered how to fly in the dream (not being real of course) and flew all around the trees and woods that circled my neighborhood. I was ecstatic about my ability and had loved it through out the whole dream. It was definitely a disappointment to wake up to. In a few of my dreams, while I was much younger, I found myself struggling to stay afloat and control where I was headed. Sometimes I would have great trouble even starting to fly in the first place. But, as soon as I began to have my more controlled flying dreams, I soon became more amazed by the light and false feelings it gave me. I would feel free and happy as I flew anywhere I desired.
Based off of the feelings I have experienced from my flight in dreams, I would have no choice but to choose the power to be able to fly. There are thought to be meanings behind dreams by certain cultures, people, and beliefs, and I am planning to look more into dreams and their meanings to help explore my experiences and desires. Flight can be very helpful and exhilarating for me. And I would prefer it over any other super powers every time.

Gotye - Hearts A Mess

The song 'Hearts A Mess', sung by the artist Wouter DeBacker, is a deep song indicating a small underlining point. Gotye, the artist name DeBacker goes by, sings about how one's specific love wont open their heart to anybody else, seen by the listener's perspective. The lyrics show how the other person has a fear of allowing people in, thinking they are safe from the rest of the world's pains because they wont allow their emotions and thoughts to show. The final saying Gotye sings, "Love ain't safe, You won't get hurt if you chaste, So you can wait, But I don't want to waste my love" (Gotye), represents a strong piece of speech on how if you keep to yourself love won't hurt you, but the perspective of the reader/listener sees how one doesn't want to waste their love on someone who wont allow them to personally connect to them. Gotye strongly makes a point about how one protects themselves to make their life easier, but makes it more of a struggle for other's.
Gotye's video is a simple color toned animation that has it's own similar meaning. The first image given is a long slimming black figure sitting on the moon. Once it jumps down to a dark, flat land, a spider joins him and then Gotye's face appears on the taller creature as he begins to walk and sing. The song itself is calming with Gotye's smooth voice, and the simple drum beats in the background harmony. The spider follows behind him, creating a coveting darkness behind it. They walk through a marching line with menacing, tall dog-like figures that hold guns and carry an old man. He wears a gas mask is holding crutches, and also has a tank of tear gas (I assume by the looks of it) on his back. The indication given to me at first was war. The rows of soldiers marching with a crippled man with a gas mask. This shows a fear of war almost, because he leaves the army-like group to follow the singer. As the group continues across the wasteland they pick up several more lonely characters. A wrecked pelican carrying a tied up back on it's back, as if it's running away like a child would, a crying beast that hid in a forest of peering eyes, carrying wood and an ax, a miserable looking wrecking-ball who was wrecking smaller buildings, a dragon headed man, who rows continuously in circles in the ocean on a lonely, floating piece of ice, and then the soul of a man who was being mourned by several other gathered men. Gradually the eight of them all walk around the planet, in search to protect themselves from the dangers around them as the spider strings out the darkness covering the planet behind them. During the last saying of the song (quoted before), they climb one another to reach above the clouds, where they all begin to float away as the planet darkens, representing almost their individual freedoms from the outside, dark, wretched world.

Anger & Stress

Anger gets me the worst. I am usually either quiet, or if not I am happy. I like my life style, and I love the people around me. I confuse myself because my heart tells me I am happy, but my thoughts yell for me to be angry, to be frustrated, to be stressed. I find hatred seething into my sight with no given warning or reason. It is blinding and obscures my vision to a point where I have to cry to get out the frustration. The anger is something new that I do not understand yet and I do not know how to react to it. Sometimes I feel it escalating out of control when I am in public, and I silence myself and act normal. It is not hard to act. I do not hide my personality and problems behind masks, I just be who I know I am. I am not an angry person. I know that I have a happy personality, and that is what makes me question myself even more.

I assume I do not have a mental illness, such as depression, ADD, or being bi-polar, since I have never experienced such anger and stress until this year. I believe it may be large life decisions like college, yet feel suppressed and frustrated because my choices for college are not mine to make. That does make me feel angry, but it’s more natural because I am given a reason to be mad. Otherwise, my life does not provide me any other reason. I will just see a person I do not know personally and just feel my emotions fly to unreasonable proportions. I become mad at them, my mind convincing my self that they deserve my anger and they should know it. I want to emotionally attack them and damage their self-esteem. I think these horrible thoughts and always realize what I am doing. I know it is wrong and am better off without the random thoughts of anger, but I feel as if it is uncontrolled instinct every time.

Then there is being tired. Since it has started to become cooler out, school and my second job started, I have lost a large amount of sleep compared to my common amount. I drag myself around in the morning, nodding my head on the brink of sleep during late night shifts at my first job, and skipping my homework assignments until the next day. The dark skin around my eyes seemed almost natural at first, until they expanded to a slight dark, pale, blue atop of my skin underneath my eyes. I yawn in the middle of the day, find myself loosing focus during my last class everyday, and putting off my chores. I can easily connect my anger to my lack of sleep, but I know that when I have great amounts of sleep in a past experience my attitude was different. I am a happy person, I do not understand how my attitude towards the world is spiraling in a different direction that I want it to.

Toy Story & Friendship

In a small Fruit Market, a war wages between the Pears and the Apples. The history of the war isn’t well known because it ages so far back than the current generation of the story’s characters. Two main characters, Mac, the Apple, and Bosc, the Pear, meet at an agreement of wanting the war to end. They both choose to adventure through the vast market to each Fruit race in attempt to find what started the war, and hope that it will be the key to stop it. The story revolves mainly on how the two main characters, Mac and Bosc, connect with one another, forget their differences, and decide to overcome the war with each other's help. A similar relevant story to this plot is the story of Disney & Pixar’s Toy Story.

Toy Story is a well known and loved Disney movie full of many morals. The main moral presented is the power of friendship. Woody is a cowboy who lives with a young child named Andy, and is constantly played with. When another toy shows up, named Buzz Light-year, Woody becomes old and close to replaced by Buzz. The story is different from ‘Fruit Market’ in a way as there is no exploration of history and different cultures, and not an actual war, but more of a war between Buzz and Woody. Once replaced momentarily, Woody becomes vengeful, wanting to rid of Buzz and become the favorite toy for Andy again. As soon as Woody attacks Buzz, he also puts himself in danger.
As Buzz and Woody loose sight of Andy during the plot, their arguments seem to only become more frequent in the beginning of the rising action. They constantly fight as if wrapped up in their own small war to want to be with Andy the most. But, as the story and plot line progresses, the two see that they must work together to accomplish their task. This is portrayed strongly in the ending scene when they work together to reach Andy’s moving van. Woody is able to plan out their technique on how to reach the moving van in attempt to return to Andy. While Woody crafts the plan, Buzz is able to ‘glide’ them to the van when they are launched in the air. Their teamwork just grows stronger and stronger through out the movie.

The Legend of Tyler

In the December of 1996, my father received a gaming system called the Nintendo 64 as a Christmas present with several games included. He played constantly when he was home and I, being only two years old, would sit drooling in his lap, watching. My first several years of life I watched and grew up with the games. Once I had begun to develop more with my age I became enticed with the Nintendo, wanting to learn the controls and how the games worked. I played the game that captured my interest the most: The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time. I spent my time learning the defined lines of good and evil and the significance of diversity. What I was able to learn from an aged game shaped my morals and who I am to this day.
In The Legend of Zelda, the main hero of the story, who you are, is Link. He is a young boy who is destined to save the land of Hyrule from an evil man named Ganondorf. These two main characters were chosen to each hold a third of the Triforce. The Triforce had three pieces, in which each represents a symbol. Link held courage, Zelda (not a large participant through out the story) held wisdom, and Ganondorf held power. The Triforce’s symbols, and how the character’s react to situations all portray an understanding of morals. You, the player who decides what to do, are taught what is right from wrong. Link is given decisions to help townsfolk, explore a dangerous map, or even just listen to what other characters have to say. You are only allowed to proceed with the game if you do what is right for other’s and be brave. I lived up to helping others and being kind, knowing that that is the strong and right thing to do. Then there was Ganondorf. Ganondorf tainted the power he was bestowed with, and became greedy for more. Ganondorf murdered, tricked, and destroyed many people and places through out the game, and being young had given me this fear of him and his wrong ways. I was able to learn how evil can grow from too much reign in life and only causes problems. I still remember the game in a way of how I can do better in life by being bold, kind, and caring, instead of taking advantage of people and becoming lustful for more.
There were several races that were acknowledged in The Legend of Zelda. There were the Hylians, Zoras, Gorons, Korkori, and Dekus. These five races all where shown as physically unrelated characters, but all had many things in common that showed me diversity. The Hylians where more human like, having more expansion through out Hyrule, while other races where designated to one district. The Zoras, graceful and kind creatures, lived only near the Hylian lake. The Gorons where strong, stubborn, and simple. They lived near a volcano in the rocky mountains where they would eat delicious rocks all day. The Korkori were small, weak, and hidden from the rest of the districts in a forest, while the Dekus lived in swamps and grassy lands. My mind separated each race from each other almost instinctively by the way each race had isolated themselves within their own lands. They all had problems that you, the Hero of Time, could only fix. In the end of the game, each race helps you to defeat Ganondorf in a final battle. I had learned the simple given fact that everyone should help one another, and as I grew older I realized that the game creators had given different cultures and races to show that working as one in society is a favorable community.
Today in the present, I still pick up a controller and play The Legend of Zelda. I enjoy the game exceedingly due to how it relates to me and my own morals. The Legend of Zelda is a powerful game that influenced me to how I am today and my decision making. I advise young children to learn what is right from wrong at an early stage so that they can grow up as loving, nice people in our world. They would all learn the same as I did, and I want to thank the creators of The Legend of Zelda for teaching me.Thank you.

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Ida B

In the book Ida B., a young character named Ida who begins to lose what she had close to her. Her mother becomes diagnosed with cancer, her precious orchard is cut down, and she is now forced to go to a public school. Through out this story Katherine Hannigan creates a well developed change through Ida’s personality and thinking process and a strong conflict with an ending resolve. Hannigan is able to show Ida B.’s perspective strongly throughout the plot and show how the conflicts and problems in the plot affect change.

The first thing that Hannigan shows the readers is Ida’s original personality. She is happy, carefree, diligent, and positive. Ida is home-schooled by her parents, showing that she is very close to them in the beginning of the book. She is loving and very enjoyable when she is with them. Also Ida’s only friends in the book is the orchard of trees and brook by the house. She consistently goes to the trees and talks to them as if they were real people. Then there is conflict. Her mother is diagnosed with cancer. This creates a large problem that the main character, Ida B., must overcome somehow. Following her mother’s cancer, Ida B. is forced to go to a public school and their family sells part of the orchard, which is cut down for new neighbors to move in. Ida B., devastated with the new lifestyle, decides that she will hate school, hate the children there, and hate everything that even exists. She closes herself off from the world, even her parents, because of her hatred, and plans out a way to scare the new neighbors away.The main conflict of the book slowly transforms into how Ida B. reacts to the original problems. Everything becomes worse because of her decision to close everyone out of her life. Even her parents. She is almost shy to talk about her problems to her parents, showing that she has repressed her feelings from even her own parents, her past’s closest connections. Ida hardens her heart so that nothing can get in, until she begins to connect with her teacher. Miss Washington is a kind teacher who tries hard to get Ida B. to open up at least a small amount. She has Ida read stories to the class and this is when Ida begins to adjust to her life again. Ida begins to see how everyone deserves a chance, she can not decide to hate them, and she must apologize for being so rude to the classmates before. Ida sees inside herself that it is okay to open up to others, and when she slowly begins to she becomes happier.

My Personal Compass

          In class we have drafted and outlined our own Personal Compasses. My own consisted of four main topics: Instinct, Independence, Creativity, and Perspective. Each of these traits help push me to make my own decisions and contribute to my own morals. My Personal Compass is overall what I live by.
          The first main trait I had decided to place on my compass was Instinct. This is a natural thing that everyone has, even animals. We all have natural reactions that tell us what is wrong and right. I follow my instincts more than anything else in my life. Whenever I am in a situation of picking between two separate choice my instinct almost immediately tells me which I would rather choose and go with. Also, almost every time I follow my instinct, the end of the entire situation turns out for the better. Instinct leads you to the right path almost every time, and it has always positively influenced my life.
           Another trait that I put on my Personal Compass was Independence. Independence is a more secluded, yet helpful, way that I am able to have. I see it as a way of being proud, self-sufficient, and more self associated. Being independent can allow someone to be able to work alone in situations without needing help. I use my own independence often to do school projects because if someone who presents poor work wants to be my partner in a project, then I will able able to say no and work alone with out an obstacle in my way. I see independence as a beneficiary trait because when I am older, and no one is there to help me up,  I will be able to control the environment I live in by myself. Although I admire the functions of Independence, I believe that the offers of help from others is always a good thing to accept as long as you know the limits of responsibility.
    My third personal piece is Perspective. Perspective is how something is seen and understood. Everyone has a different perspective, but some of them may be similar. I see perspective as a way that I can connect to other’s thoughts and emotions. I want to be able to understand why people react to certain situations and not just assume why. I try to use different perspectives everyday of my life and I plan to broaden my horizons. Perspective helps me make better decisions that benefit not only me, but also others. If you are able to see from many perspectives than I feel as if that would help craft you into a better person who can help others.
    Lastly, my strongest personal trait is Creativity. This is how I define myself and compare to others. I see my imagination as unlimited and constantly changing. It helps me come up with different choices, express myself, and even influence other people. Everyone has creativity, but they all have different ways of showing it. I feel as if creativity is what makes me stand out from the crowd. I have my own imagination, with my own thoughts that no one will be able to fully understand. I don’t see it so much as a bad thing, but more of my own personal bubble which I can keep to myself. Everyone has their own personal bubble.

     Today in class, me and four other students (Sydney, Daniel, and Chandler) all connected our Personal compasses together to show that not only we are all connected, but that we also can share our seperate veiws. This is our Crafting Video for our Personal Compasses

Morality: Disney & Morals

What is Morality? I see morality as a common known concept that holds additional, smaller subcategories to it. We all know that moralities are something to live by, and are always unique, including our own. Although many people may not know their own morals on the spot, they subconsciously live by them. We learn as humans to develop our own morals, or live by what we are taught.  The teachings all start as soon as you’re born. Your brain is constantly learning, observing, and developing. As young infants grow into toddlers they begin to start learning from right and wrong. This begins to create on how the child sees the right morals and remember them in their memory.The main stream of how they learn the right morals, other than from their own parents, is their exposure to television’s movies.

One of the absolute top movie productions is Disney. They create animated films, their start dating back since the 1930’s, that are mainly focused on being for children below the age of ten. Disney produces many films about romance, adventure, and problem solving. There are the Disney princesses, who always find a prince in the end, and then there are the following adventures, in which the main character must overcome an obstacle in the end. Each story has their own moral to it. There is Aladin and Pinocchio with their overall moral of never lie. Mulan shows that no matter what gender you are, you can still be proud, strong, and excel beyond other’s expectations. And there is Beauty and the Beast, with the importance of personality stretches beyond their looks. All of these Disney movies provide a very catching story for young children, but also teach them right from wrong. At such a young age, a child is most likely to hold onto the moral, learn from it, and develop their personality off of it as they grow up.

Majorly, the development process throughout a human’s life never ends, but is much more significant when young. What you learn then as morals mostly affects how you will follow them and believe them yourself. The younger young children begin to learn the morals of right from wrong show that they will grow to know the difference, and most likely become well-rounded people with good morals. All together, morality is taught majorly through childhood movies, such as all of Disney’s, and is definitely beneficial to them.

Mouse Morality