Story Time

Right now in literature circles I'm reading Story Time by Edward Bloor. I think it's very interesting how the author exaggerates and criticises the importance of state testing. It really makes me think about how messed up the "No Child Left Behind Act" is. Some students are very smart, but are terrible at testing. Are their test results really represent how much they're learning? Especially with younger kids, they might not test well because the big thick tests scare them.

Even if the test results did represent how much students were learning, why would they cut off funds to the schools that need the most help? Why would the government give more money to schools that are doing well? Cutting the funds would cause the schools to pay their teachers less, causing them to hire less qualified teachers. It would also cause them to cut the arts. For some students, the arts are the most important part of school. Without something fun to do, they'll go insane and won't be able to concentrate! I know I would.

For schools that do get extremely good scores on the state tests, why does that mean they're good at testing. What if all they do is teach what's on the tests? I bet they don't learn anything interesting or fun. That would be a miserable school to go to. I officially hate state testing.

Peace Like a River

I love this book, and it makes me really makes mad that everyone keeps saying they hate it. The writing is so poetic and beautiful. The author makes you understand everything in a new way. He doesn't just lay everything out for you, and he doesn't tell you everything directly. He makes you dig deeper into what he's saying and relate it to your own life. He really makes you feel like your living the story, instead of just reading it. Unfortunately someone in my literature class blurted out what happened, but I still enjoyed the first section.

I find it really disturbing that the deputy thought that Israel Finch and Tommy Busca were just intent on mischief when they took Swede into their car and threatened her and gave her bruises. That's a bunch of bologna! If somebody did that nowadays, they would get in big trouble. That would drive me insane to know that my family and I weren't safe in our own home. It was probably only because the town thought the Land family was crazy, because the father was a good person. What a ridiculous reason not to like someone.

Extras

First of all, I can't believe there are four of these books. They're so addicting! Right now I'm in the last section of the book. I think Radical Honesty is pretty interesting. For all of you who have no clue what I'm talking about, in Extras there's a a guy named Frizz. He chose to have a brain surgery called Radical Honesty. It keeps him from lying and keeping secrets. He always has to tell the truth no matter what. Frizz said that before he had the surgery, he lied all the time, and was addicted to it.

I don't think I would want to have Radical Honesty. Sometimes it's better to keep secrets, rather than telling people everything you think. The decisions you make are what makes you, you. If you couldn't lie, then it you wouldn't really be making the decision to be honest, it would be automatic. I think everyone should have to make their own decisions, even though it would be cool to have someone tell you exactly what they think of you. But think about it ..........if you knew everything everyone thought there wouldn't be any mysteries.

The Uglies

I find it funny that I've already read two books about utopias in literature, and now when I choose my own book, it's about a utopia too! The Uglies is very similar to Anthem. Both governments are trying to have equality for all by messing with the citizens' minds.

I can understand why Shay runs away to the Smoke. I would probably do the same thing. Partly to meet my freedom need, and partly because I wouldn't be able to pretend to be a pretty. I think I would go insane being the same as everyone else, and partying all day. Don't get me wrong, I love parties, but after a few days of parties, I would rather do something outside in the wild that wasn't fake. Living in the new pretty town would get boring after a while. I think Shay also ran away to meet her love and belonging need. She loved David, and wanted to go see him.

Even though Tally wants to be pretty more than anything, I think she'll change her mind and stay in Smoke with Shay. I think she'll be convinced that turning into a pretty changes you into to a completely different person, the same as everyone else.

Utopia

At first this book was very confusing to me. I had a hard time concentrating, so I kept day dreaming and reading the same pages over and over. Thankfully, I finally got used to Thomas More's writing style. It's still hard, but I find that it's easier if I keep summarizing what I've just read every few pages.
One quote of Thomas More really fascinated me:
"If you do not find a remedy to these evils, it is a vain thing to boast of your severity in punishing theft, which though it may have the appearance of justice, yet in itself it is neither just nor convenient. For if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those crimes to which their first education disposed them, what else is to be concluded from this, but that you first make thieves and then punish them?"
I find it funny that Thomas More was talking about this hundreds of years ago, yet we still have some of the same problems today. One would think that our society would have learned from his writings, and we have to some extent, but we still have some of the same problems. People that are poor and live in bad neighborhoods often have trouble getting good jobs and following their dreams. They aren't given the same chances that middle or high class citizens are given. Many don't have enough money to go to college and receave a decent education, so they're stuck with low paying jobs. This occasionally causes them to steal, rob, be depressed, murder, or commit crimes, just like the thieves in England. But as I think about this book, I realize that it's about a utopia. Having a utopia is probably impossible. What do you think? Do you think there would be any way to have a utopia and be sure that everyone would have the same chances of succeeding?
I think that if the government controlled that, then it would most likely turn into some sort of communist government. If anyone found a way of having a utopia, then parts of it would probably be objected by others.
Thomas More suggests that people convicted of any crime should be put to work for the public, have their ear cropped, and wear a special robe. While this is better than killing them right away, I don't think it's very just to ruin their life if the crime isn't very serious. I think that If they were put to work, their ear shouldn't be cropped. They should be released after a certain amount of time and be given a second chance. If their ear was cropped, then they would never get another chance because they would be looked down upon by everyone else. He would have a hard time getting a job, and his life would be pretty hard.
This topic can be very easily related to our world today. If someone has any sort of criminal record, they will be less likely to get a good job, even if the crime is unimportant. Hardly any employers would want to take the chance.
It seems to me that if one was complaining that their method of punishment was unjust, that they would want to make it just, instead of just changing the type of punishment.
Although the criminals would still be living, I'm sure it would be a very miserable life, and I don't agree that it's just to punish someone severely for a trivial crime. They should have different degrees of punishment.