Extra credit dialogue

*At the supermarket, an infant throws a tantrum trying to convince his mom to buy him a chocolate bar*

little boy: Mom! please just one ! I'll be so good !

mom: no sweetie, put it down.

little boy: Please mom PLEASEE !It's on sale mom !

mom: no you already had ice cream today, that's enough sweets for today, maybe next time.

little boy: That's not fair ! Kyle's mom lets him have treats whenever he wants! He gets to eat candy everyday !

mom: Well, I'm not Kyle's mom. If you want Kyle's mom you can follow him home after school tomorrow.

little boy:  NO, mom ! ugh fine, next time....

This dialogue happened at the supermarket in the candy aisle. It was a little boy arguing with his mother to purchase a candy bar. When I heard this dialogue, I thought it was the cutest thing. This made me reminisce on my childhood when that child used to be. I used to always beg my mom to buy snacks for me and she would always say that it was unhealthy and made me put it down. It's funny because now that I'm older, I've experienced and seen the perspectives of both parties. I understand the perspective of the child who wanted the candy bar and I understand the mother who wanted the child to be healthy. This taught me that as we grow up, we gain different perspectives and that our views are constantly changing. We may think a certain way one day, but that can change anytime.

Shooting an Elephant

John Orwell's ''Shooting an Elephant'' is a self narrative where he reflects on his epiphany about imperialism. In the story, Orwell is a policeman serving for the British empire in India. He is a rather weak and spineless character in my opinion due to his lack of courage to speak up for himself. On one hand, he hates the British empire and on the other hand, he hates the people of India who give him a hard time. Although Orwell believes that imperialism is wrong, he still follows it by doing his job everyday. When the problem arises about the wild elephant, Orwell is forced to take action and that is when he reaches his epiphany on imperialism. As he passed through India in hunt of the elephant, hundreds of Indians follow him creating a mob with Orwell as the leader. ''They were watching me as they would watch a conjurer about to perform a trick. I suddenly realized that I had to shoot the elephant after all''.At first, he was hesitant about shooting the elephant because it would be so cruel to kill a ''working piece of machinery.'' However, as more people followed him, he realized that these people looked up to him, to know how to handle situations like this. The reality of imperialism is not that the leader wants to take control, but more of the leader being pushed by the people around him.

As a reader, this impacted me because it gave me a new perspective on how I look at things. Many times in case of imperialism, people are quick to assume that the imperialist is the one with all the power, and everything they do is to only benefit themselves. This is actually not the case. In Orwell's piece, he explains how things aren't always what they seem. Those who seem to be in power are actually powerless. He is only powerful if we give him power to rule. I saw lots of descriptive language that helped paint a picture in my head. He is also able to transition himself from what is happening in reality and the thoughts going through his mind. He puts in a chronological sense so the reader can feel the epiphany happen along with Orwell.

John Orwell shoots the elephant in the end, because he had no other choice. With the huge crowd supporting him and expecting him to solve a problem, there was no way he could disappoint. The people of India looked up to Orwell since he was an English policeman. At that point in time, he realized he could no longer make his own decision, and the people were deciding for him. He relates imperialism to shooting an elephant because it shows how the people in power are actually powerless without the support of others. I think it's also another way of saying that imperialism leads to suffering. In the end of the story when the elephant is shot, he is not immediately killed. Instead he is forced to experience a painful and agonizing death.

Extra Credit: Thoughts on Syria

Syria has been all over the news lately and until recently, I was pretty ignorant about the topic as well. The issue concerning Syria is all over the news considering the massive corruption in their government. It all started off with peaceful protests from the civilians hoping for change in their ruling. However, the government responded with violent measures by kidnapping, raping, torturing and killing these activists and their family members. Seeing the fault in their bad government, civilians started shooting back leading to a civil war within Syria. Hundreds of innocent people are being killed alongside. The Syrian government is so desperate in winning this fight and regaining their power that they are willing to do whatever it takes; even if it includes the use of chemical weapons. In 1925 the Geneva Convention restrained the use of chemical weapons during war. This was due to the fact that chemical weapons did more harm than actually end war. The consequences of chemical weapons are too strong and harmful for the innocent people who have to endure it. So, when the U.S. heard that Syria has been using chemical weapons, Obama decided to get involved. I understand that Obama wanted to protect the U.S's national security but Syria's battle is not our battle. Interfering with Syria would just lead to harmful risks in the U.S. By upsetting the Syrian government, we may be on the look out for a war of our own. As upsetting as the civil war is, there's nothing we can do to stop it. What's the point of starting a war just to stop an old one?

Descriptive Writing

There's this passion of mine I'd like to share. Some call it a hobby, a sport or even just a game; but to me volleyball is a lifestyle. Many of you may be in love with a person. Where you want to be with your significant other every second of every day. You think about them day and night anxiously waiting for the next time you meet again. Well I have the same love too; just not for a person.

The bright fluorescent lights shine throughout the gymnasium almost blinding me like a ray of sunlight. All I hear around me is ''eek ,eek, bomp.'' ''eek, eek, bomp''. When the rubbers of those new Mizuno Lightning sneakers hug those freshly waxed floors. The freshly pumped Molten volleyballs hitting the ground with such power and impact; every contact like a strong heartbeat. 

I drop my duffel, removing my Addidas slipper, replacing them with my reliable Asics sneakers. Feels good having the rubber soles rub against the floor. I roll my socks up and put on my knee pads. I gather with teammates; my family really. We hurdle into a group, embracing each others warmth, feeling each others heartbeats. Our hands assemble together in the middle. We push down, down and up chanting ''1, 2,3  play hard ! ''. 

We line up in a row, protecting our frontier as our captains flip the coin as our war begins. We high five the hands of our opposing team and wish them luck as they do the same. We wait anxiously as the referee goes over our line ups. ''1, 17, 23, 13, 5, and 19. We stay in our positions like Queens Guards, our faces expression less and our feet planted to the ground. As the whistle blows, everyone immediately shifts as if a bull saw a red flag waving. Every member of the team shifts into position as every pair of feet follow the ball as it travels around the court. The server calls ''service'' as she contacts the ball, setting a loose cannon ball onto court. It's like feeding time at the zoo, as everyone is hungry for the ball. I pass the ball feeling my knees bend and pouncing back up with the ball. The setter follows it as it contacts her fingers ; setting it high towards the outside hitter. The hitter takes her three steps left, right, left as her hands flap back and forth; ready to soar. She springs off the ground and into the air, slapping the ball perfectly cross-court. The libero dives attempting to keep the ball off the ground but fails as the ball lands perfectly on to court. My team mates chant ''chick chick boom'' as we all rejoice with a radiant smile. Win or lose, it is the love of the game that keeps us coming back on to court.

Response to Sanctuary of School

A good narrative is an account of events that answers the question ''what happened?''. It tells a story about one's personal experiences or the experiences of somebody else. There are several reasons why people write narratives. It can be for entertainment, persuasion, an explanation for significant events or an acceptance of another person's views. The importance of a narration is to make a point or to support an argument. This leaves lots of creative freedom for the author to make it a short and sweet narrative or a long and complex narrative. A good narrative will first consider the audience and purpose of his or her writing. They will then consider the details to include and organizing them into a chronological order. The author must ensure that the readers will follow the story and see the point they are trying to express. In order to do so, the narration will include chronology, transitions, verb tenses and plot. When the text is provided in a chronological order, the readers can easily follow the story that is being told. With the help of transitions, the readers know exactly what is going on; helping the story flow smoothly. Verb tenses keep the reader aware of what is happening and when. It will be easier to distinguish the difference between the story you are telling and the arguments/points you are bringing up. In the end, a good narration is not about the story you are telling; but more so the way you are telling it. ''The interest we enjoy in a well-told story often comes not so much from the nature of vents themselves but as from how they are presented''. 

The narrative ''The Sanctuary of School'' makes an imperative argument of why public schools should not cut art and extra curricular programs . As a reader, I found this story really heartwarming and it made me sympathize for Lynda Barry. As a child, she is completely neglected by her parents in a troubled household. Her only escape and safe haven is her school. She finds art as an escape to her emotional suffering because she can actually be heard through her artwork. As a writer, I liked how the story was told from first person because it makes the story more sincere. The story is written in a chronological order, making it easy for me to understand her argument. She introduces the story talking about her problems at home and how she is neglected by both her parents. It is followed by her being able to escape to school in the middle of night without her parents knowing. This is also the most symbolic point of the story in my opinion, because she says that she wasn't scared of walking in the dark; but scared of not being able to go to school. Once she gets to the school, she is welcomed by her school staff. The janitor and teachers' actions are contrasted to the parents actions portraying that school is more of a home to Barry than her actual home. Another aspect of this narration I enjoyed was the fact that she didn't focus everything on her argument. She states her argument and supports it by something more personal; her own story. This makes her argument so much stronger and draws the attention of more readers. 

The point of Barry's argument is to stop public schools from canceling their art programs. Her argument is stated more directly in the conclusion where it transitions back to present day. The problem that is present is the cancellation of art programs in public schools. She talks about how art shaped and influenced her childhood to mark the significance of art programs in public schools. She also concludes her paragraph with '' I wonder now when the country will face its children and say a pledge right back''. She makes this argument towards the end of the conclusion saying that children faithfully recite the Pledge of Allegiance everyday pledging to their country, where as the country is thanking them by cutting off art programs. She is questioning the power of the masses and when they will do justice for the children. 

Barry's use of ''light'' is symbolic of the hope it give children. The light represents the art programs that are being cut from public schools. Barry also refers to ''light'' in reference to President George H.W. Bush's inaugural address when he talks about community organizations being spread like stars throughout the nation. Barry's reference to this speech is saying how one's words contradict one's actions. It is said that these programs are important but in reality they're cutting them because they find them insignificant hinting that the students attending these public schools are also insignificant.