A. Are there people in your neighborhood who are like any of the character types in the novel?Change the real person's name so his/her identity remains anonymous and describe how heor she is like a particular character.

In my neighborhood the people aren't really the same. I have a lot of children in my nieghbor hood but the adults are kind of the same. I have some nice adults, some mean ones, and some that just keep to themselves. My next- door neighbors have children that are a lot like Jem, Scout, and Dill though. They have two son's and a daughter. They are always doing stuff they aren't suppose to and they always are getting into trouble. Ever since I started reading this book I compared a lot of their adventures to eachother and to me its very easy for me to relate to it.


B. Compare and contrast yourself to either Scout or Jem at their age. Compare and contrast your summer activities, friends, relationships with your dad, siblings, and adults.

When I was Scouts age I was very adventurous and I would always find ways to get into trouble. Over summer every year until middle school I would always hang out with my sister and her friends. It kind of got on her nerves but we got a lot closer by it. I think that over summer my sister and I are more like bestfriends rather then siblings. Thats how it seems Jem and Scout are. In the beginning of the book when Jem and Scout started going to the same school Jem neglected her until they got home or over summer. When I started going to HTM and my sister was going to HTHMA she hardly hung out with me but we would always hang out when we got home. Thats why I can relate to Jem and Scouts sibling relationship.


C. How do you think the story (what you read so far) would have changed if Scout and Jem had a mother present in their lives? Would it change for the better or for the worse? Explain your thoughts.

I think that if Jem and Scouts mother was still in their life the story would be a lot different. They probably wouldn't have Cal which would cause a lot of different events. If their mom was still there Aunt Alexandra wouldn't be a pest about how Scout needs a mother figure. If their mom was there I think that this story wouldn't have as much drama in it which would make it shorter and not as interesting.

Atticus Finch

Journal #3-
Chapters 8 & 9
Perspective: Atticus

Today was the first snow day in Maycomb since 1885. My children went out to play in the snow, even though there wasn't much to play in but they found their ways. They scooped all the snow from the front yard, back yard and even Miss Maudie's yard just to make a snow man and they still had to use dirt to make it complete. "Jem, I ain't ever heard of a nigger snowman," Scout said. Their snowman was filled with dirt, worms and not much snow but it still worked for them. Later, the night was cold, we had every heater on and we were still freezing, the temperature was about 16 degrees Fahrenheit. The whole neighborhood had every heater on just like us, including Miss Maudie. That night, I wake my children and take them outside, Miss Maudie's house was on fire. The neighbors, including myself, help save her furniture. Later, Scout and Jem come back inside and Scout has a blanket over her shoulders. She didn't even realize who put it on her. Jem told us that it was Boo Radley and Scout nearly threw up! Jem tells me all about their game and I have no other advice other then to keep it to themselves.

The next day Scout almost starts a fight with one of her classmates named Cecil Jacobs. While this is happening Cecil says "Scout Finch’s daddy defends niggers.” I was asked to defend a negro named Tom Robinson who was accused of raping a white woman. I feel like it's a case that I can't win but I tell Scout I believe in myself.

During winter my brother Jack comes to visit us for a week. Usually, Scout and Jack get along but not this time. On Christmas day, I take Jem, Scout, and Jack to Finch's Landing. There we find Alexandra (my sister), her husband, and Francis (their son). Scout thinks Francis it the most boring person she's ever met and she has to put up with him and Alexandra who thinks Scout should dress more lady like.

One night, Francis tells Scout that Dill is a runt and calls me a "Nigger Lover". This makes Scout very angry and she cusses Francis out and beats him up. Jack spanks her before even hearing her side of the story and Scout makes him promise not to tell me and Jack keeps his word. Later, Scout here's me telling Jack the Tom Robinson is innocent but has no chance because he is a Negro and he is in front of a jury of white people.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Journal #2-
Chapters 4-7
Perspective: Jem

I look after my little sister Scout like it’s my job; sometimes if even feels like a job. I need to be the big brother in the family which means I’m the tough guy. I never decline a dare no matter how severe the consequences could turn out to be. For example I was the one who made the game where each person takes on a different personality of someone from the Radley family. On the last night Dill was in town we decided to sneak into the Radley’s yard. We almost got caught but we all ran. Unfortunately, I got caught on the fence and I had to take my pants off to get to safety. During the neighborhood meeting Dill had to help me think of an excuse as to why I didn’t have pants on. Later that night, I decided I wanted to go back to the Radley house to get my pants. Scout freaks out but I still go.
Scout and I start walking home after school this year and we find all types of treasures in the Radley Tree knothole. One day we decide to write a thank you letter to the person who keeps putting the presents there for us. When we go to deliver the letter we find that the knothole has been filled with cement. Mr. Radley claims it’s because the tree is dying but I suspect otherwise.

Free Choice Blog #3!

NAME: Tori Elizabeth! DATE: 02-18-10!
BOOK: Friends to Die For!
AUTHOR: Jane Sughrue Giberga PAGES: 107-231(end
TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK: 124

15. Make up a motto that one of the characters seems to live by. How and why does this fit the character?
"Go big or go home." seems to be Crissy's mothers motto. She loves everything done perfectly and if you're not going to do it right the first time then you just shouldn't do it at all. Anne needs her house to be clean and perfect and when the T.V. crew came there was twice as much work as there was after Mark got hit by the car. Now that she came home everything is more tense.

20. I wonder why the author…
I wonder why the author made the whole interview thing. It kinda seems out of place and like its just randomly in the story. It doesn't seem like there is nothing really there with it. Shes just a normal mother that use to work away but now she is a house wife. I just wonder if there is a certain reason for it being there or if its just because it needed more length and detail.

16. Which character would you like (or not like) to be your friend? Why?
I would probably like it if Francessca was my friend. She seems like one of those people who doesn't like being in a lot of drama but some how still ends up in it, like me. We would get along very well cause we have a lot of things in common like she puts her friends and family first then everything else can wait til its time. I would probably be able to get along with how Markie was in the beginning of the book but then after the murder she turned into a wreck and I honestly don't know how I would be able to handle that.

4. What character do you like most in this book and/or what character do you like least? Why?
I really do not like Mark. I know he got hit by a car but still he's hogging all the attention from Anne (the mother). He just kind of makes me upset because I just don't feel like he's that hurt anymore and he's still acting like he's extremely hurt. This book is taking place over a month or two and he'll be sore but I just think that he's a big faker. Maybe that's what the author is trying to make it seem like but it REALLY annoys me and I just don't like Mark.


-tori elizabeth!

Free Choice Reading Blog #1

NAME: Tori Elizabeth
DATE: 02/03/10
BOOK: Friends To Die For
AUTHOR: Jane Sughrue Giberga
PAGES: 1-70
TOTAL PAGES THIS WEEK: 70

My book is about a group of people that live in New York and they are extremely rich with big houses. One night they had a party and there was a murder the same night with one of the girls that was at the party. There are many secrets and struggles about this event that are taken out through out this book.

QUESTION 1: Do you think you would read another book by this author? Why or why not?

RESPONSE 1: I really like this book so far and I think that I would like to read another book by Jane Sughrue Giberga because they are really detailed and exciting. I'm not sure what her other books are about but I think that if they are something like Friends to Die For then I would definitely enjoy them. I can barley put this book down and I can't wait til I get to the ending!

QUESTION 2: What in the book upsets you or bothers you? Why?

RESPONSE 2: In this book it annoys me because its really predictable. I always see what is happening next and I like surprises in books. I think that the killer with be Nicky but hopefully there will be a sudden twist and the killer will not be the person everyone thinks it is. Maybe in the end this book will surprise me.

Friends To Die For

The book I chose is Friends To Die For by Jane Sughrue Giberga. I decided to read this book because my sister read it in 8th grade aswell and she said it was a really good book. Now I decided to read it. Hopefully shes right(:

LOTF Chapter 11; blog 11

Castle Rock!

1.In the beginning of the chapter, what does Piggy tell Ralph to do with the conch?
Piggy suggest Ralph to blow the conch and call a meeting.

2.What reason will Piggy give Jack for the return of his glasses?
Piggy seems like he's trying to reunite the tribes and acts like if he gives him the glasses they can make the fire together.

3.What does Ralph declare their appearance will be when they approach Jack?
Ralph says they will clean up and comb their hair before they approach Jack.

4.Who challenges the boys on their approach to Castle Rock?
Roger is the one that fights with the boys.

5.When Jack appears, what has he been doing?
He has been hunting, he comes back carrying a dead pig.

6.What does Ralph call Jack that provokes a fight?
Ralph calls Jack a thief for stealing Piggy's glasses.

7.What happens to Samneric after the fight?
After the fight Jack gets Sam n Eric to go to his tribe.

8.What is Roger doing during Piggy’s plea for a return to decency?
Roger pushes a heavy rock, Ralph dodges it but it hits Piggy and knocks him down killing him.

9.Write a STRONG PARAGRAPH about who is responsible for Piggy’s death and why?
I believe that its Roger is responsible because he pushed the rock. Jack could be partly responsible because it seems like he is getting Roger to do his “dirty work” for him. Since Jack had no part in it when it actually happened, the only one who is guilty for touching Piggy is Roger. Ralph just dodged it saving himself. Sadly, in return one of the only people that was still on his side died.

LOTF Chapter 8&9; blog 8

Chapter 8: A gift for the darkness
“You're a silly little boy,” said the Lord of the Flies, “just an ignorant silly little boy.” The Lord of the Flies is the pigs head that Jack's tribe put up to make it so the beast will not kill them. While Simon is wandering he see's it and it starts talking to him. Simon see's Jacks tribe killing a pig. Lord of the Flies tells Simon to run and tell the boys that Jack is coming. A storm starts and it foreshadows something bad will be happening in the near future. When Simon is talking to Lord of the Flies he is being threatened by a talking pigs head. Crazy right! He has a wild imagination. Lord of the Flies is telling him how hes never going to be able to get away from him. He says he is inside of all humans. He represents the evil, the rage and the anger inside of everyone. The book Lord of the flies is about the good and bad in people. The anger and the rage. Positive and Negative ect..


Chapter 9: A View to a Death

Piggy says it was an accident. Ralph says it was murder. Jack says they thought he was in disguise. What do I think? I feel that Piggy and Jack are actually telling the truth. All that happened was Simon tripped, the hunters were on edge and they went and killed him. Only to find out after he was dead that it was Simon. When you think about it, Jack and Simon never had anything against each other other than the fact that Simon went to Ralph's side. But that's not a big enough reason to hate him and especially kill him. I feel that Ralph is angry with everything that Jack is doing. I would be too!!

LOTF Chapter 7; blog 7

Shadows and Tall Trees
If Only He Would Stop
Perspective: Simon!

Dear diary,
Today we were on our way up to the top of the mountain and Ralph hit a boar with his spear. He let it go though so we didn't eat anything. Then with everyone excited they reenacted it. I was being dun. They had a littleun play the pig and they were saying the chant they always say “Kill the pig cut his throat”. Jack was being insulting and said that they should use all the littleuns for food because they are worthless. I think that Jack is taking this too far. At the beginning he was a little bully but now he let it get to him and sagely takes advantage of it. He's always making fun of Piggy but it's not like Piggy ever did anything to Jack. He's just a bully but some how he's getting more people on his side. But I'm not going to lie. When Jack is talking a lot of the time I don't care. I respond impervious. He judges too much. He hardly knows anyone on this island and he hates close to half of us!
The littleuns are saying that the body in the parachute was a beast with fangs and claws. Some one should go be bravado and check it out to find out what it really is. I don't think that its a beast I think that just because this island is filled with moors no one can tell what it really is. Their trying to find out what the beast is so their believing everything but I think all the beast is is a pig with the creepers in while it is windy.
I'm not sure whats going to happen in the near future but I don't have a good feeling about it. I think something is going to happen to the littleuns. Perhaps they will go play and something will happen on accident and they get hurt and since we're in the middle of an island by ourselves there will be nothing we can do.
I'm not sure but we can hope that we will get rescued before anything to horrible happens. Or at least before Jack tries to kill Piggy, or the other way around.

LOTF Chapter 6; blog 6

Beast From Air
Is it a beast?
Perspective: Piggy

Last night Sam 'n Eric were on safety fire watch. They fell asleep and so did everyone else. While everyone was sound asleep a bomb exploded and surprisingly no one heard it. Once Sam 'n Eric wake up they see something in the distance, a dead body was hanging from a tree tangled in a parachute. They saw it flailing in the wind. They ran, scared and screaming. They assumed it was the beast but they were too scared to go close and find out what it really was. Once they got back to the camp everyone was wondering what their problem was. The spread the rumor that they saw the beast and everyone got really scared. After they found out about the beast there was a controversy on what to do about it. Ralph wanted to make a game plan before finding out what it was. That's what Simon and I wanted to do. He wanted to keep the littleuns safe and go in groups so that they don't all get injured at once if it did happen to be the beast. Embroiled with the drama of Jack always waxy I'm really not liking this island. Jack always wants things his way. For example, when Ralph wanted to make a game plan Jack wanted to be the best hunter and go find the beast all at once and kill him. That's what just about everyone else wants to do. Sometimes he's just like the leviathan. He made it so I can only see out of one eye when he socked me and knocked my glasses off. He broke one whole lens and then the other one is all scratched up. His constant nagging and need to always be right is interminable. Ralph is getting fed up, I am getting fed up, Simon is getting fed up and everyone else is going to Jacks' side and wanting to become hunters. Ralph, Simon and I have our common enemy while everyone else is on Jacks side. We all walk to the top of the mountain everyone playing and no one fighting but I know that once we get up there, Jack will be on my case and picking every imperfection about me that he can.

LOTF Chapter 5; blog 5

Beast From Water
Work it out!

Perspective: Ralph!

Dear Diary,
I have so much on my mind right now and my hair is frustrating me because of how long and mangy it is. Its ludicrous and annoying how everyone isn’t doing their job and especially how Jack is still mad at me because I won in the chief vote. But unlike everyone else here I have good decorum so instead of yelling I called a meeting. At the meeting I went over several things but mainly how no one is doing their job. The water isn’t being gotten so we don’t have fresh water. No one helped with one of the huts so Simon and I did it by our selves and is limp and flimsy. Everyone stopped going to the bathroom in the designated spot and now is contaminating our fruits by just going where ever they please. The fire was let out which caused us to loose any chance of being rescued when a boat came by. It felt like Jacks discursive excuse would never end and that I would never believe it. I let it go so we could quickly make another fire and get everything back on track.
The littluns cry every night in their sleep because they’re afraid of the beastie. The lamentation of the younger kids echo’s through the island every night. One of the littluns speaks up and claims that he has actually seen a beast. Jack says he doesn’t think there is a beast but claims that if there is one that him and his hunters will kill it. After Jack and Piggy get into a fight Jack runs of and everyone except for Piggy, Simon and my self follows him. Piggy, tempestuously, urges me to blow the conch but I know that if I don’t they will come sooner or later, it’s not a big enough island to go far.
I think Jack needs to accept the fact that how the island works now, is how it will work until we get rescued.

LOTF Chapter 4; blog 4

Title: Painted Faces and Long Hair
Issues on the island
Perspective: Jack

Those little kids never do anything except for play and sleep. When they wake up it’s all about the ‘beastie’. While playing in the beach two boys, Maurice and Roger come over and stomp on the little kids sand castles. Roger goes far enough to even throw rocks at one child. Finally though, I have the idea to camouflage myself into the creepers so that I can kill the pig. But, while I was out we could have been rescued but I left my job to keep the fire going to go kill the pig. There was a bad thing and a good thing that happened. I killed the pig but everyone was still mad because I wasn’t there to keep the fire going. When we got back from hunting we were covered in gouts. We were all happy but so nasty we were covered in grossness and the swarthiness of our skin has gotten so much darker. Everyone else thought we were impalpable because we forgot about the fire. Once everyone got over it we all pitched in to make another fire, except one person. Piggy, all I wanted were his glasses but he was too stubborn to give it up. That’s why I don’t like him. He’s stingy and has belligerence when he doesn’t get what he wants. He annoys me so much and Simon always stands up for him. The blatant disgust I have toward Piggy is obvious. Once we caught the pig and brought it back for supper I gave everyone a piece except for him. Simon thought that was so cruel that he gave him his piece. I didn’t like that so I threw a piece at Piggy in anger. Right now no one likes me and I always feel left out.

LOTF Chapter 3; blog 3

Huts on the Beach
Please! Just make this work
Perspective: Simon
Dear Diary,
Today, like always, Jack was being rapt. Ralph and I were working out butts off making huts for the littleun’s. The huts keep falling down so Ralph and I get angry. But with no help from Jack it makes it worse. As we work and have vicissitudes the other boys splash around in the water. We find it’s important to build huts for the younger boys because they are afraid of the beastie and they need a place to feel safe. Ralph kept getting upset with Jack and the rest of the hunters because they were too busy goofing off that they couldn’t kill a single pig so we have no food. Ralph, being the leader, decides to assign various jobs for the boys. I feel that since the boys didn’t do their job we’re all in danger. If their jobs are not done and we don’t get rescued we could possibly be in grave danger. I feel like I’m in an opaque room. I feel like Ralph and me are the only ones doing work and we can’t be the only workers on this island there are to many people for the two of us to handle. Finally, I realize I’m starting to change; I’m starting to stand up for myself and I feel more comfortable. Showing this I go on my own expedition to the top of the mountain. I need to be alone, there’s just too much going on. I susurration to my self how I can’t wait to be off this island. It’s as if Jack has a compulsion over himself. He doesn’t want to be rescued until he can find an animal and kill it. I think that we would all be most successful if he just found one pig and killed it with out hesitating. Everyone is getting hungry and too cranky and we need out protein. We are all guys, right?

LOTF Chapter 2; blog 2

Fire on the Mountain

The Friend That Stands up for me
Perspective: Piggy

After waiting and waiting Jack, Ralph, and Simon come back. To make us all more organized and listen better we decided the conch is the talking shell. We can only talk if we have it in our hands.
I feel that I need to start standing up for my self. I yell about how no one knows we crashed on an island. How we could be stuck here forever. After I raise my opinion everyone is silent. They seem scared but all I did was tell the truth. To top it off one of the younger boys started talking about how he saw a “beastie” looking thing the night before. Everyone’s face got scared. The older boys stopped the errant scared boys. They were martyred from what we the younger boy told them. My buddy Ralph had the idea he wanted to start a smoke cloud for if or when a plane comes by to give us help. More of the stronger and fit boys went to collect wood. I was left to keep count of how many people were there and make sure everyone was there afterwards. Jack induced me into giving him my glasses to put into the fire to make it larger. I fought with him but soon I lost. He recriminated me of never helping with anything after I didn’t do my job. The little boy that talked about the “beastie” was missing. Simon decided he was going to stand up for me and tell everyone how I helped out by giving my glasses. Simon is a true friend and once he stood up for me I like he was officious to me. I felt like Jack doesn’t appreciate me being here until Simon stood up for me after I stood up for myself.

LOTF Chapter 1; blog 1

The Sound of the Shell
The land of the lost
Perspective: Ralph

The island is full of trees, there’s a scar. A scar from what you may ask? From the plane crash. The trees were pressed down and the fronds were all around me. I see a body of water along with that water, I see another boy who seems to look my age only, chubbier. I introduce myself; he doesn’t say his name until he talks about what kids in class called him. His name made me snigger, it was Piggy. We start to wander and wonder, we wonder what happened to the other boys that were on the plane. We continue our search and find a pool. I take my clothes off and see how deep it is. Turns out it was deeper than I thought. I jump in and wait for Piggy to join me. He throws of his togs and jumps in next to me. While walking we found a conch shell. It was pink and white. Piggy decided to use it as a makeshift trumpet to find the rest of the boys. He blows it and boys rush over to us. The oldest ones were 12 years old and the youngest were around 6. A boy named Jack walks over to us. He starts taunting Piggy. We find out Jack is the precentor and then we choose a leader. All the choir boys vote for Jack but luckily all the other boys vote for me. I think that I won the vote because I look like more of a leader, and I’m not as stuck up as that Jack kid who thinks he has enormity. I’m going to take care of these boys the best cause I will treat them all equally and as if the were siblings. Jack, a choir boy named Simon and myself go on an expedition up a mountain to find out if what we are on is a island or a piece of land. After hours of search we get to the top. It was an island and we could see another one from the top. On their way back we find a wild pig stuck in the creepers. Jack pulls out a knife and starts chopping down the vines around it. This is just the start of great friendships.