CH. 15-20 response

Okay, so i think it was sad that Shmuel and Bruno had died, and, i kinda feel bad for all the family members, for the mother and gretel and even the father, because while atleast one of them was evil(lack of abetter term) and ran the camp, it was still a father and a mother and a sister losing a son/brother, and it still kinda saddens me. but when Bruno wanted to go back to his house, i think he understood for the most part what was actually going on and knew it was a bad place. At least when they both died they died together, and did not know what was going on. i did not feel that sorry for the family at first, but after a awhile and after the movie (really really good, though you should not wacth it right before thanks giving or a cheerful holiday) i did feel sorry even more for Pavel and Shmuel's and Bruno's death. But over all i personaly loved this book, even if there was a horrible ending for the two characters.

CH. 13-16

well i am alittle confused, since it said on the study guide to read 15-16 and then blog, while later it said 15-20 then blog, and i am behind, but this chapter i was very sad when Pavel died, and i dispise Lt. Kotler for whatever he did, ofcourse i think the Father was also a bad person because he allowed Kotler to assault Pavel, and i really feel sorry for the Mom, Gretel, and Bruno. The next chapter i thought was a relativlely funny one since he made up having an imaginary friend to trick Gretel, which worked. Also i am sorry for the birthday party celebrations and Bruno was just trying to help Shmuel, and of course it backfared, with Kotler beating up Shmuel, but if Bruno did say he was freinds with Shmuel, i can only imagine what would have happened to both of them, so it might have been better in the long term.

CH. 9-12 response

I am sad that Bruno's friend, Shmuel, is in the concentration camp. of course i expected that he would meet some one in the camps, but my first thought would be Pavel, because he goes to the house, he is nice and generous, and Bruno also inquired about him when he meet Shmuel, how ever i do like how they are somewhat oblivous to what is going on, but i personaly think that Shmuel is more aware of what is going on than he tells Bruno. This is most likely because he does not want Bruno to freak out, but he was saying how all the boys fight, and he surely must atleast know why they are fighting for food, because the people do not give them enough food, and there has to be more things he atleast can guess. Shmuel's story was also sad, like most such stories, but it has a certian thing that makes it seem different because it comes from a child. I feel sorry for Shmuel because he has gone through alot, but he takes it with extreme calm for a little nine year old that is going through a very sad time, so i have to admire him.

CH. 5-8 response

first off, i did not like how the mom made Pavel and Bruno not tell the truth about Pavel fixing Bruno's knee, but if what we discussed was yesterday, then it would for Pavels safety, so then father would not get angry, also for the mom's "alibi" because i do not if we have gotten that far, but she spends alot of time with Kotler. any way i found the maids story kinda interesting and the grandmother's fight with her son, because every one in the family helps support the commadant, because of course he makes the money and supports the family. Back to Pavel i did not like the way Kotler had treated Pavel, and only a kid like bruno could not understand what was going on. But i suppose that atleast Pavel gets to get out of the camp, where disease and stuff run rampant. Another thing i like pavel is the way he treats Bruno, because most people at that moment might want to get revenge on the commadants son, and he could have made the wound worse, such as putting a poision or a really dirty bandage to make him get an infection, and instead he is very nice and understanding of the sitiution. uh, i still think those dolls are creepy.

CH. 1-4 response

These chapters where kind of more backround chapters, and i did not have any feelings until the last chapter, where the kids first saw the "country side people" i was thinking: it's so obvious, you (the kids) have to know you are at least looking at a compound of some sort. And also i am sad to just guess Bruno's father's job. Being "important" can not have a good effect on my view of him. so i hope his father's job does not have to do with the concentration camp, but of course that would be false hope. as a last thought i think those dolls are creepy too.

choices for four books

1st: boy in striped pajamas
2nd: Ask Alice
3rd: black hawk down
last: kill a mocking bird

CH. 21 response

Just when I thought Ishmael had finally found peace, the Gov. "cry havok, and unleash(maybe it was "let slip") the dogs of war"(Shakespear, play on Julius Ceasar) upon his new home yet again. I feel very sorry for him as he kept bringing up: "this feels too familiar". He has to go through a living nightmare as every thing he did was being acted upon him since he is a civilian, which is ironic. At least he has the sense not to go back to the army, like some of his fellow Benin home recoverers. Another heart breaker was when his uncle died, because i think that Ishmael could have had a pretty good life, and that he loses another loved one. He then decides to leave Sierra Leone, and makes a long trip to a neighboring country. that was a very nerve wracking thing, because if he gets caught, then he would most likely have to go back, and would get captured since he had to sneak out. While we do know that he gets out of seirra Leone, it could have been he has to stay for alonger time, and perhaps joining the army again, then gets freed, etc. I do find one more thing strange, which is the two sides, the army and the RUF combined to make the sobels (at least thats the impression i got), which is very very ironic. After all the torture, the fighting, bloodshed, all that ended up was that the two sides combine and gang up on the Gov, and of course after the chaos was extreme. At the end the "unanswerable" question is tough, and i really dp not know what i would do, unfortunalty i would have to make choice, and, I am sorry, but i would have to shoot the monkey, for the same reasons as Beah. Because no matter what i would lose someone dear, whether i shot the monkey or not. but if i did not shoot the monkey, i would lose one loving parent, and the little monkey would live on to kill off more of the people, so i might as well , dare i say it, kill the monkey, lose a loved one but atleast take solace in the fact that i prevented harm of another family. How ever no matter what choice i made i would essentialy become depressed because i would have to live with the fact that i killed one of my parents, which i know would not be my fault, but i would still have to choose which one. "knocking on wood" hope that never happens to anyone.

CH. 19-20 response

First of all, i loved how he did not how to use a elevator, or what snow was. I just never really thought how could someone not at least know about snow and what it is. Another amusing part was that the interview was extremely short, and how the man already knew by that one paragraph of talking that he would be the one (asuming from the smile). Also another part i liked was how the uncle did not think Ishmael would really go to New York. When Ishmael did go to NY, the story teller, Laura and him met and i do not really know exactly what happened at the end. Because it is thurs and most people would have read the ending by now, I take it that he got to New York and then he found Laura, and then would have to apply for citizenship, liscene, etc. well these last couple chapters have been relatively up beat in my mind, and these where some of my favorite chapters in this book because we get to see Ishmael finally be able to intergrate back into society.

CH. 17-18 response

In this chapter Ishmael is becoming friends with Esther, the nurse at his hospital, which i think is a good thing. For one he will get over his misenthropic(or how ever it is spelled) views of the "civillians". Also, as later pre-wrote, he gets over what he has done and believes the part when Esther says "it is not your fault" for the millionth time. Esther also gets him the rap tape, which helps cement their relation ship. Also he met his Uncle in Ch. 18. To be honest, I like how the uncle is always upbeat and stuff, and even more important, accepts a nephew he has never seen before into his already large family. I think that also helps Ishmael get through his experinces, that coupled with Mohammed and Esther is what ultimatley gets his life back on track.

CH. 15-16 response

I felt sorry for Beah and all the child soldiers in this ch. because the one person they trusted (the leuitenant), even though he said not to trust anyone, they still trusted him, gave them a feeling of betrayal, and that is why maybe the child soldiers might not trust anyone now but their fellow soldiers. Also i was not suprised when the 20 minute long engagement started, because the two sides hate each other with a vengeance, and the attrocities that both sides commited, and the simple fact that both sides where molded to fight each other. To see Beah go through withdrawl was pretty good, so even though he had a really tough time stopping, with all the cravings and violent mood swings, at least he stopped, well, is going through the process.

CH. 13-14 response

I thought it was interesting on page 116: ""the corproal said it will boost your energy(refering to the white tablet)" the soldier announced with a secretive smile on his face" does the soldier want them to get addicted, or does he just know what will happen and is seeing himself starting out all over again. At the fire fight this is when Ishmael actually becomes a child soldier that is a "killer", and he becomes addicted to the drugs, and considering what he is addicted on, now wonder he becomes distorted on what he does. Also you can see how movies affect his squad. the squad want to have the big, heavy weapons, and that is all they talk about, who they killed and how they killed them, i do find that disturbing, since they hardly care who they kill as long as its not a gov. soldier. I find it ironic that the lieutenant said that they where killing the civilians for the "betterment of this country" if they did kill some civillians. while i can understand some accidental casualties, though most of those could have been avoided, having a squad go kill some people is defiantly not accinedental.

CH. 11-12 response

I am just going to say in ch.12, the begining, it was gross but interesting. I mean how has a man still survived with his head severely damaged, i think maybe all the drugs might be helping him because normaly i think that would hurt alot, to the point of a concussion. any way i will not ponder such a gross thought right now, the jest of ch. 12 was mainly training and his learning to use weapons, so i think i will go back to ch. 11, i thought it was sad that Ishmael did not get to see his family, but i do not think that he should have blamed Gasemu. if it was not for Gasemu Ishmael would not have found out that his family was indeed in the next town, so to blame him, in my opinion was wrong. and for better or worse (ishmael thought it was for the worse) gasemu saved all the kids lives. Again another moment that Ishmael had to go through trouble was losing Gasmeu, which he was sorry for attacking, but even more important was the lose of his family, this, I personaly agree, is what made him the most suceptable to becoming a child soldier. and it was what the troops did use to mold him more.

Ch. 10(c) response

Finally last post. I think it is interesting how the dogs are acting in the Village Saidu had died, because tamed dogs do not cry in such a manner ussually. it is eery how he died that night, but it could of his loss of will to live, which i still advocate. and it is ironic because at first they all loved the night and the moon, and now they are extremly scared of the night: "That nightfall would turn over the uncertain pages in our lives". i think it means that things such as whether who will make it or not. Also it means it brings the pasts troubles they have had and make it seems closer than when they where hiking together, because i think they did not expect anyone to die in this way, of unknown causes, maybe the thought rebels would come, or villagers catching them, but not dying when every thing seemed safe.

CH. 10(b) response

I like how that when musa tells the story of the spider, we get that calm since of everything of how it was before their lives where affected by the war. But the following moring everything was shatterd, you can clearly see that the group do not trust each other at all when the bag was stolen from them by the dog and the people immediatily start to fight amosngt themselves. Again this is natural, but it shows that kids think anybody will turn on them in a second, which could be very true. And it amazes me how lucky the survivors are, i mean after reading the stiry the chances are so slim that a person could be getting water, or Saidu went to get the rice or with the panicked boat and such. I really hope at this point Jumah and Alhaji live, because i do like them. of course i think i might have jenxed it since every time i think that, the character in question has a nasty habit of biting the dust, but knock on wood. (at this point i am just trying to fill this out to two hundred words since i still need one more post but have almost nothing else to talk about)

CH. 10(a) response

Upon reading the end of CH. 10, i see that saidu's death came not from phsyical means, but mental. by completely giving up, he , well simply gave up on the hope of living, and that's why Ishmael has made it this far. he made it this far by not giving up and finding a hope/determintion. Ofcourse we found out why saidu has given up since he heard his family taken and sisters raped three times. I do not know what i would do under those circumstances personaly, and i really hope that never happens to my family. If any of my parents or brother or sister where being killed/raped/stolen, I would plan to rather die trying to fend for them than to simply hide, hear the worst things you could hear, and simply run away. I know those are hardcore killers that think cutting off someone's fingers is fun, but at that point if what was happening was going on, i would not care if i was killed, though i might not want to get tortured, if it meant saving my family, heck yeah. I really had a strong reaction to this (here it comes, the classic i am disturbed) but really i feel this is worse than seeing the all the gore and violence in the world in one square mile, having to hear my closest people in harm and in internal agony, that i think would be worse than death or being tortured. but again, I do not know what i would excactly do, but what ever i did i would do with calm and clarity if i could

Ch. 8-9 response

Ishmael's response to the ongoing violence is very understandabley, by keeping to himself. But if he actually did acknowledge it and face it in the long term it probabbly would be better. As for the ink eating part, we went over it in non-west that it was and is fairly common practice, so if you did not know, there you go. back on subject. As for survival he is relatively good at living in the wilderness, i espcially thought it was neat how he used the grass as a soap. When Ishmael met with his current group (Alhaji, Saidu, Kanei, Jumah, Musa, and Moriba.) again i thought that it was silly that they would chase people saying we are not rebels, and that only made them more scared. Probably made the people more scared since the soldiers usually got high, and that the boys could simply be high soldiers. at this moment numbers is probably the best answer, even though there would be draw backs like the people thinking they are rebels. As for the old man i agree completly that people at this point have lost trust in each other. Trust is very important for obvious reasons, and it is not a good thing not have in small communties. how ever i can see why people are somewhat skeptical about each other, but if this war is to end, the people would have to unify, and that requires, if you have not guessed already, trust.

Ch. 6-7 response

On ch. 6, not too much happened. But they did show how different the life of farmers is vs. "cityfolk", which i think is kinda interesting on how tough the farmers actually are. which I think makes it Ironic that even though they are the most physically strong, they themselves are probably the most vulnerable of all the people in the region. I think this because many do not seemed concerned, just like Ishmael at first. Also they are espcially vulnerable when they go to harvest and planting season, since they took Ishmael off the gaurd to help. In ch. 7 obviously the villagers lack of upkeeping the gaurd was there ultimate doom. I do have to admire how the Imam did not tell where the people where hiding, even though he was burned to death, which is a way i do not want to go, personaly. But at the same time i was thinking: "what are you doing!?!". I mean, if he ran away he could have lived and hide. maybe he thought by doing that he could keep the rebels busy and give the people long enough time to hide, but I guess like most things we will never know. As for Kaloko, i think it was not a smart move to stay, however it could potentially be good because most people move around and do not come back, the rebels might not come to the same place since they are essentially hunting the people.

CH 3-5 response

Ch.3-5 response.

Well, to be honest, my first post was my excact same thoughts as to what happened. Though I also think: “where in the heck do these rebels get their equipment?!” I mean, they have RPGS, an assortment of guns and weapons. And it’s not like it is easy to find these things. I think they could have gotten most on raids, but still, it amazes me how theses rebel forces find all these weapons. I know they also could have gotten these weapons from countries that did not necessarly Sierra Leone. But regardless, I also think that they probably did the right thing by running, because they would not have had a chance, and that it was also smart that they stayed together. I also think that the rebels making fun of the old man and when they where about to shoot the kids to make the chosen get used to blood was very bad, I obiviusly was glad that Junior did not have to see his brother, Ishmael from dying. If it does not make sense, sorry, I have been up forever and it is 4:50 am right now, and I have no intention of sleeping soon, and I figured I might just type this now.

response to first 2 chapters. (i might have accindently added some from the 3rd ch, though)

In first chapters, I have to admire how Beah and his friends could still finction, though they where shaken when they saw all that has happened. I think how can one see all that death and destruction and torture dialy, against people that have no reason to be killed or hurt. I am not very squimish when it comes to seeing blood since I have looked at books on how to do surgery, but what makes me squimish and sad is when it comes stuff like this, is that the person is still alive, they have distinct personalalties, future hopes, etc. Then you must wacth (or in this case read) them slowly gettong killed. Any way, ithat is why I have to admire what they did in the sitiuation that happened. At the same time, I thought it was stupid that the gaurds left, the could have ambushed the rebels if they hide throughout the town or hide in a treeline, or anything to fight back, but I guess that is what most of those corrupt guards do, save their skins when they where hired to help and protect the people.

Answer on Question: Trace the Chronology of the Ibo people's respones......

The first thing mentioned about white people was in the story, where the Ibo joked it was just the Leper. During the first couple of years in exile, white people show up for the fist time, and the people of Abame act with fear, and kills the man and the tribe itself gets destroyed. Then while at Mbanta, the first missionaries come to both Ummofia and Mbanta. At Ummofia the first Reverend is Mr. Brown, how leaves a decent impression on the Ibo by helping the clan and doesn’t try to openly convert them. Then Mr. Brown gets sick and has to leave. A new reverend comes to the town, and his name is Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith believes that every thing the Ibo people do is false and bad, so he sullies the white man reputation to the tribe. From then on the Ibo people do not like the white men in general, and most regret that the clan let the white men set up in the first place. For the white men, they believe the Ibo people are savage, while missionaries see them as lost souls. These views have two major results. They are:
1, which is that the majority of the white people think the Ibo are savages, so are not treated equally or in most cases as fair.
2, the missionaries try to reguide, as they put it, the Ibo people, however, some of the ways the priests use to convert to not appeal to the Ibo people, reinforcing the white mens thoughts on how the Ibo are savages.
The last is that the British view most of the Africans and their way of life during this time as irrelevant, as long the tribes either convert or have peaceful transactions with the commonwealth colonies. If they get in the way, the local forces will not hesitate to attack and destroy any one of the tribes, such as the Abame.

Q's on Okonkwo not understanding female virtues vs. male virtues

Okonkwo refuses to acknowledge when he regretted beating one of the wives, because if he had to ackowledge he didi wrong, he would have to apologize, which he views weak. Also when he comments that Ezinma should have been a man, he is oblivious and/or refuses to ackwoledge the Female virtues of Ezinma and only acknowledges the Manly virtues in her. One time when he did show a woman virtue by his standards was when he worried about Ezinma being taken by Chielo. After this he repeatedly came to the cave entrance, waiting nervousloy for his wife that chased after the priestess and Ezinma. This can create problems for many reasons. For example towards his family, espiacially Nwoye, which is beaten and punished regualary. This conflict in my opinion was what made up Nwoye’s decision to convert and leave his family. With the Christians, even though he origanly didn’t like them, made him despise them because: A, that they are all about peace and kindness, which he doesn’t like and will accept about any one, including the Osu. And : B, Nwoye left him and Okonkwo refused to acknowledge that it was his ignorance of his female virtues that made him leave. Also on any regular occasion he will take the more violent route to appear more manly.

Thoughts on Qs on Thur.

I think that Okonkwo is not a very nice person, to say the least. I think this because of a lot of examples. One includes when he tried to shoot his second wife simply because that she said he did not have a good shoot. While this turned out to be partly true, He does not need to try to shoot his wife to prove it. Another example is when he killed Ikemefuna. Even when he was warned not to go, Okonkwo still went. What that chapter makes me not like him is that he was the one to kill poor Ikemefuna. What makes me disturbed is that Ikemefuna saw Okonkwo as a father, So he ofcourse ran to Okonkwo when the intended blow missed, immediately Okonkwo butchered Ikemefuna down. The last thing is the general treatment of his wives and children. In multiple parts of the book, Okonkwo would beat up his wives for not cooking correctly, cutting the leaves when he did not want them cut, really for just about anything. For the kids, if they cried, messed up, did not do something properely are reasons that he beat up his kids. Epsiacally Nwoye which his father viewed him as weak and therefore beat him up about anything. Those are the main reasons that I personally don’t like Okonkwo in the book “Things Fall Apart.

Essay on so much unfairness of things

After some technical problems i got this new blog up.

Here is my Essay 

I personally think that the punishment was fair, because for a couple reasons. The first is that he got caught. Now if he turned himself in, maybe just fail Latin. But because he was caught, the people would most likely think he would not have turned himself in. even in the book he was saying how he was not going to turn him self-in. maybe he would have, but that is what counts. As for the terms of how he is treated by friends, staff and father, I think differently for each one. For the friends, I think Jumbo did do the right thing, but like they said in the story, his other friends will get mad at jumbo. I my self would not be able to turn in someone for cheating, so I would have to be with the other friends. But at the same time I do not like cheating, so if I caught someone, I would talk to him or her first. The staff did treat him pretty fairly, considering they are not allowed to show favourism. Last, but defiantly not least, is the father. I personally, if I were the dad, would be the same way, but also he has to at least talk to his son about the cheating. Those are my views on his treatment.