IND READ: Vanishing Acts # 2

1. Describe some intriguing questions, issues, or dilemmas your book raises. Attempt to explain and/or answer as many as you can citing specific evidence or examples when appropriate.
Vanishing Acts raises many questions. Most of the questions relate to atonement, and the question; can it be achieved? In the book, the main character Delia Hopkins faces the dilemma. She must make a choice: does she forgive the father with the best intentions, or the mother she always wanted, but never knew? Delia Hopkins always felt that something was missing. She knew she was missing a mother, and a childhood that for some reason has vanished from her mind. Delia never knew her mother nor did she remember her childhood, because her father kidnapped her away. Now years later the police show up on her doorstep with a warrant for her fathers arrest. The trail is taken back to Arizona, bringing with it memories of a life she had forgotten. Delia is faced with the toughest decisions of her life. Does she forgive her father, or testify against him.? Does she forgive her mother, who was too drunk to take care of her? Does she forgive her friend for leading the cops to her door? Can she admit that she would do the same thing if she alcoholic husband was too drunk to take care of their own daughter? Delia is forced to try to live the best of both worlds, forgiving as many people as she can. But she knows that her father was in the best of intentions, and her friend could not have possible foreseen the troubles his researched caused. it is up to her to fill in the pieces of her memory, and move past this difficult time.

Congratulations Class of 2009

Congratulations class of 2009. We have now endured 12 full years of school, and look forward to many more years of learning. When parting from high school, we have learned what has been perhaps the foundation for our growing. We have made mistakes, and we have made sacrifices. We know our limits, and we know how to push pass them. We have lived through many years of school, and have been prepared for what is next to come. For while the future is unclear, we look to with it with confident eyes. We are ready. As we all part from Wissahickon High School, we are getting ready to begin the rest of our lives. I wish all of you the best of luck, knowing we can succeed without it. I wish all of you to be strong when facing the challenges ahead of you. Face life's challenges head on, with strength, confidence and pride. Know that you can overcome any obstacle.Do not be afraid to live life, spend some moments living, and others dreaming of tommorrw. Aspire to be great. Aspire to be all that you can in life. Look to your future as if nothing is impossibe. Dare to dream, and dream for what you want most. Life should be taken with every breathe as a blessing. Love the moment, for it will pass quickly. Be happy with your decisions, and make them with the best intentions. Be ambitious. Look for better things, and get to them. Never be afraid to work hard, for hard work will build your strength and character. Students of Wissahickon, I hope that you go out into the world with the people you love right beside you. Go strong Wissahickon, the future will the tough, but there is so much beauty in it to be experienced. For we all have the potential to live the way we want to. The future is ours. Please, experience life for all that it is worth.

Independent Reading: Vanishing Acts

Prompt 1:
Tell what you noticed about the characters or people in this section. Try to analyze what made them act as they did or the decisions they made.

Andrew Hopkins was a loving father, who many years ago made a decision in hopes of providing a better life for his daughter. He chose to kidnap her. Andrew Hopkins, or Charles Edward Matthews as he was once known, had took his daughter away form her mother in order to give his daughter a better childhood. The father stole his daughter during his weekend visitation time with his daughter. Andrew believed that his daughter would be forced to take care of her mother day after day. So, Andrew Hopkins kidnapped his own daughter and provided her with a new life. He told his daughter that her mother had died. It was not until the policemen showed up on their doorstep with a warrant for his arrest that he told Delia the truth. Now, Andrew is in jail wanting to plead guilty to the crime he knows was right. Now Delia must choose to forgive her father, or testify against him. It is up to her to decide if atonement can be made.

Amir's Atonement

Throughout the novel Amir is facing his sins. A phone call with the words there is a way to be good again, made his mind go back into the world he was trying to forget. Amir grew up trying to be the center of his father's attention. He tried desperately to get his approval. He wanted it so bad, that Amir believed any means to get it, would be justified. Amir found a way to get his fathers approval from a kite tournament that he, and his best friend Hassan, would have no trouble winning. The night of the tournament was going well, Amir was finally going to get everything he has always wanted, when the terrible happened. Amir was faced with a decision that changed his life forever. His friend was raped, and he stood by and did nothing. He chose to believe it never happened. The event changed their friendship forever, as they became istant for each other. Hassan made a sacrifice to receive the last fallen kite,; and while it gave Amir the attention he always wanted, the cost was his friendship. Amir had chosen to keep that night a secret. But it destroyed him on the inside. He wished that he could have been the Hero his father was. When traveling to Pakistan, his father would have rather died than sat and did nothing, while others were being disgraced. Amir was afraid that night, and did not have the courage to stop it. He wishes to be forgiven from his betrayal. He wishes that Hassan would forgive him, that he did something to protect his friend. Though, as a child Amir wished Hassan would protect himself. He wished he would have been storng that night. Amir did so many terrible things to Hassan, that he had no choice but to leave. Amir wishes that he could be forgiven, receive atonement for the way he treated Hassan.

Atonement

It is possible for atonement, or amends, to be made dealing with past mistakes and sins. As a Christian, I have been forgiven of all of my sins, and past mistakes. I know, and God knows, that I will make many more mistakes in the future. The most important thing about committing a sin, or making a mistake, is forgiveness. It is important to realize the wrong doing, repent the sin, and forgive. Once forgiveness is issued, the persons involved can move on, learn, and ever repeat the past. I have made many mistakes in my life, and thank God that I am forgiven. It is from mistakes and sins that we learn, and can teach others. I believe that in The Kite Runner, Amir is seeking forgiveness for his mistake. He wishes that he could have been brave, and a hero to his best friend. Amir wishes forgiveness from his best friend. He wishes that there is a way to be good again. To relive all of the glory days he and Hassan spent together. Since he made his critical mistake, he has never been the same again.

Mistakes

I have made my fair share of mistakes throughout life; and as my parents say, i will make many more. I like to keep my mistakes close to my heart, so that i can learn from them always. i like to believe that my mistakes are between me and God, and once he forgives me, i can move on. The best things that come from mistakes are forgiveness and learning. I pray that i can always see when i make a mistake, and have the courage to change it. And if i can't change it, i pray that i can learn from it, so i can move forward, never repeating the past.

IND READ: Vanishing Acts

I have already started to read my independent reading book. I am about 50 pages into it, and so far like where the book is going. The book right now has a lot of mystery, that once we learn, will be two sided. The main character, Delia Hopkins, had a loving father growing up. However she always felt lost, and as if something were missing in her life. She had flashbacks of memories, that she tells herself never happened. She felt the need to search for missing people, because she felt lost herself. She never knew her mother, and just found out that her father never told her the truth about her childhood. As it turns out, Delia's loving father, kidnapped her from her mother soon after they divorced. Delia is now trying to figure out if she can ever forgive her father, and if she can really testify against him in court. Her father is in jail, and her husband is defending him. The reader has not yet figured out what the mother did to make the father kidnap her, however i have read Jodi Picolt before, and the reason is always a controversial one.

The Real Story

My story was both similar and different to the real one. I portrayed a single solider effected by a mission gone wrong. The real story was a group of solider effected by a group attack. The difference was the amount, the similarities include attacks, and retreats.

Running for home

It was quiet. With sounds of fire and explosion deep in the background; a solider waits for his target. Just breathe, he thinks. A group of people appear in the distance. He waits for the call. Silently, the clock tics, waiting for the precise moment to strike. Be aware, he thinks. It is the thought has not left his mind since he left home many months prior to this moment. He wants to think of home, but the thoughts will only jeopardize his concentration. When he looks up form the bushes, he sees that the target has moved closer to him. They appear to have stopped. What are they doing, he thinks to himself, don't move, he tells himself, don't give away your position. Suddenly a hot explosion of heat and debris fly out form behind him. Location compromised, he yells into the receiver, beginning retreat to safe house on foot. He runs for his life, as his memories drift back to his home, just keep running, bullets ring as they blaze by him. Don't slow down...just be aware, and keep moving, i am almost home.

Good vs. Evil

"When I despair I remember that all through history there have been tyrants & murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end they always fall. Think of it always."
- Mahatma Gandhi

Throughout time we have seen the epic battles of good vs evil. The will of people to live well, and not dwell in evil, has kept good the all-time winner. However, I agree with the quote Mr. Yost had on his blog. That all it takes for evil to win, is good people doing nothing. Because when evil tries to prevail, good has always come to fight against it. However if good is demolished ( or unwilling to fight), then evil has no opponents, and therefore can triumph.

The many decisions we face...

We face many decisions everyday. A decisions are like a choices, we make them in hope of getting the best possible outcome for ourselves and the world around us. Decisions can be big and/or small. It can be, "Should i get this done today, or can it wait until tomorrow?" Or it can be, "Where do I go to college?" I have made important decisions throughout this past year. I have decided to go to the University of South Alabama for college. A college, that although is far away from home, i believe will benefit me the most. i have made this decision, along with others to consider an ROTC program, so that i could go to college debt free. I have made these important decisions, along with other minor ones. However, big or small, our decisions effect everyone. By going to Alabama, I will meet different people than i would somewhere else. I will also see my family less, affecting myself, and my relationship with them. The small decisions, like 'when do i complete my paper' influence later times, and dates. For example, if i have time now but choose not to complete my assignment, what will i sacrifice later to get it done? I might have to cancel other plans. So decisions effect our lives, and the lives of others. When a choice, or decision is made, we are changing time, and future events. What people we might meet, or whose plans might be cancel. Either way decisions must be made thoughtfully. The ending result is what drives our decisions. Whether the end looks most profitable, and which ones we can be proud of in the end.

Recipe for Afghanistan

-Take a few dashes of silver, gold, copper, zinc, iron, coal, and other plentiful resources to help form a well-wanted land.
-Then take a few empires, kings, and conquers along with three wars.
-Add the first civil war with soviet invaders, followed by Taliban, and U.S. governments.
-Continue to add the next wars, then the third.
-After you add the third Anglo-Afghan war, you have achieved full independence from the United Kingdom over foreign affairs.
-Take a King named Amanullah, and move into the isolation stage.
-Let bake for about two years. Modernization will occur in forms of a constitution and co-educational schools.
-Let simmer between Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and enjoy.

Spring Break09

The past week was great. I took, and passed my placement exams. I dealt with financial aid, and loans. I purchased items for college. I finished the last things on my check list for the University of South Alabama Orientation. I watched most of the Philies games. For the first time ever, our family hosted an easter brunch. Despite the lack of space for ten people at our four person table, it went very well. There were also some drawbacks to the vacation, but all in all, I am looking forward to college and graduation.

Independent Reading: Likes and Dislikes (Prompt #1, Chapter 8))

Chapter 8, page 91: " Why am I doing this?
But I know why.
I did it to myself.
I went and got myself an honest job."

This is how chapter eight begun. The main character went to find himself a job. While he did not want the job to get money or have an income, he did it so that he could have the satisfaction of having a job. The main character had previously earned money by collecting bottles and selling copies of Street News. However he wanted to have a job with a little more impact, and as the reader knows, the wants of the main character drive his actions. The main character became a writer for the newspaper. He claims that the job gave him nothing that he did not already attain form living on the streets. However, throughout the chapter the main character grows accustomed to living indoors. I enjoyed this chapter because it gave insight into the working habits of the main character. It showed the reader that he enjoyed working and writing. Although the main character claims that he was not considered a real newspaperman, he still enjoyed writing, so that is what he choose to do. He stayed with the newspaper even though they were experiencing a downfall. He stayed because that is what he enjoyed doing at the time. It was this chapter that helped lead the main character out of his street days.

Independent Reading: Changes (Prompt #12, Chapter 7)

Page 71, "...he 'took a bullet' in one arm trying to escape (a matter of particular pride)..."

Lee Stinger chose to include certain events from his time on the streets, while leaving other things to our own conclusions. He always seemed to include other people, and their story, along with his own. He described his encounters with people in detail. He wrote not only what they said, but how they said it. The reader could tell how the person seemed to have felt while speaking. It was interesting to read such descriptions. Stringer would especially go into detail when writing about a person's choices. In the quote above he was describing a person who he saw just for a moment, but was prideful in his attempt to escape the police. I think that Stringer enjoyed writing about other people's choices. It was as if he were studying them, or learning from them. He noticed reasons behind actions, similar to that of his own. Stringer wrote about his life and choices on the streets, but he also included to write about the people he met on the street.

Independent Reading: Book Title (Prompt # 18, Chapter 7)

Page 69, " In New York City there are three centers for people living on the street: Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, and Central Booking."

Central is a key word in the quote, and the book's deeper theme. It relates to the lives of people living on the street, and where they stay. It also applies to the message of self choice, and modivation. The Book's Title is Grand Central Winter: Stories from the street. I believe that the author chose this title becasue of its importance to his journey. I believe the author chose to include Grand Central Terminal in the title of his book, because it's location, and importance to his overall theme. Grand Central Terminal was where the author changed his life, and became a writer. But it was also where he spent his time while on the streets one winter. The title also relates to the overall theme simply by the use of the word central. It relates back to his theme of self choices, and modivation. That his life was the center of all his choices. Stringer chose to be homeless, and he chose to become a writer. Those choices were modivated by his wants. Stringer went from wanting to have no impact, fading into the crowds at Grand Central Terminal, to wnating to impact he world through his story. That his time onthe streets led him to become a new man.

Independent Reading: Deeper Message (Prompt # 8, Chapter 6)

page 67, " Who are the true homeless anyway but people trying desperately to live alone?"

This quote makes me wonder if the author was trying to portray a deeper message throughout the book. That perhaps was not his recovery story, but another of his own self choices. The reader has learned previously that the main character made a choice to be homeless, and he did not regret that decision. He wanted to be alone, and that was the reason he acted the way he did. His own will inspired his way. He acted in a way that made him happy. Stringer wanted to desperately be free of any obligation, so he choose to be alone. I feel that, with this quote, Stringer was trying to portray a message, that he was not sad, depressed, lonely, or down with self-pity, rather he is trying to be free of what binded him. He wanted to make his own choices, and be responsible for himself only. The deeper message, i believe the author was trying to portray, is one of self being. Whether that was of self: motivation, choice, responsibility, judgment, or whatever; Stringer felt that he was homeless due to his own choice, and state of mind. It was not until he was ready to share his story with others, that he became a writer.

Independent Reading: Connections (Prompt # 10. Chapter 5)

Page 57, " Like Ellison's Invisible Man, we had receded into that part of the landscape that refused to support the American Dream."

When reading this book I was surprised to find a reference to a book that I had previously read in English class. The author, Lee Stringer mentions the book Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison. The quote surprised me because I had failed to make any previous connections between the two books. The books seemed different in so many ways. In the book, The Invisible Man, the main character seems to want to stand out, and live the American Dream with hope and enthusiasm. Whereas the main character in this book fails to have any hope for the future at all. He seems less enthusiastic, and less demanding on the world around him. In fact the author once mentions being free of any outside obligations. Although i guess the ways in which Lee Stringer mentions Ellison's book seems appropriate. He mentions a connection between the two characters, as they both seem to fade away from "The American Dream", he also seems to mention that they are "Non people in a No-Man's void." meaning that they do not seem to have a purpose or role in the world around them. They simply fade into the everyday lives of others. I was surprised to see a mention of Ellison's book, but it also was interesting to learn of a new interpretations, and ideas from the book.

Independent Reading : Puzzled Part (Prompt # 2, Chapter 3 )

In this part of the book, the reader has been exposed to various events that have shaped the main character's life. At this point in the story, the main character has gone to a shelter, which provided him with food, shower, and shelter. However, despite the fact that the main character was taken care of, by the end of the chapter he quotes, " I left behind my meal ticket, my clothing issue, and everything else they had given me," ( page 42) This part of the book is confusing to me. The author was given freedom, and the lack of responsibility that he had been craving. Finally, he was free of any obligation, he was being taken care of. However, despite this, he choose to leave the shelter, and sleep on the streets. I wonder if he feels the streets are where he belongs. I wonder if the choice was made out of guilt and self pity. Perhaps further reading will bring light to his choice, but i wonder why he felt the need to leave a shelter, if all he claims to have wanted is freedom from responsibility.

Independent Reading: Choices (Prompt # 13, Chapter 4)

The choices that the main character made were interesting. They seemed to have been completely justified in his own mind. He seemed to have made them without regret, and without hesitation. He did not seem to want pity, because according to others, he was brilliant. The biggest choice that was made by the main character, Lee Stringer, was that to go live on the streets, and to be free of obligation. It was this choice, the author seems to justify in a conversation on page 50.
"I tell him I am no less happy now than I was then... I tell him that I don't find living on the streets a major inconvenience."
This quote was taken out of a conversation between Lee Stringer and his former boss. The conversation was set around values, and the choices made by Lee. Lee did his best to explain that, despite the fact that the he was currently living on the streets, it was a choice, and one that he did not regret making. The main character goes on to explain that his new lifestyle was one without remorse. That the new life he led, allowed him to face new challenges to surviving the day. The main character explained that he believed himself to be a surviver; making money, and living in new ways.

Independent Reading: Essential Question (Promt #16, Chapter 1-3)

"Who did the main character want to become? What impact did he have on the world around him?
The essential question this year has applied to the books we have read in class. However, the question can also be asked in my independent reading book.
In the first chapter of my independent reading book, the author (and main character) wrote his story, and his struggle to break out of his repressive state of being. The second chapter, the main character wrote about his going into his repressive state. Chapter three the author wrote about his life before he was taken into a world of drugs, and homelessness. In chapters two and three, the author explains how he had a bight future. He took off after high school, and worked in business. He really didn't have any expectations on the world, but he said that he "conquered considerably less of the world than i imagined i would."( page 23) He believed that eventually he could have a impact on the world around him, it would simply take him longer to do so. It was not until his brother died, that the main character felt he could have a negative impact on another person. He quoted, " it unnerved me to bear witness to the rude influence i had upon him." ( page 23) The main character had always been hard on his brother, because he believed that his brother had no desire to go anywhere. But when his brother came to him sick, homeless, and in trouble, Lee Stinger (main character) felt that it was his own fault for not having a better impact on his brother. When his brother died, Lee went into a spiral of depression, drinking, and smoking anything to take his mind off of his brother. When he finally lost his house, he quoted" There is nothing, anymore, that i am obliged to do." ( page 33) At this moment Lee felt that he no longer needed to have an impact on the world around him. He felt that he did not want to become anything, nor impact anyone. It was not until later that Lee took up writing, and realized that he could have a positive impact on the world around him. Becoming a writer, and telling his stories, brought him back to reality, and out of his repressive downfall. By writing, Lee felt that he could tell others about his life, and perhaps advise them to live differently. Lee Stringer's experiences and troubles, answered his essential question. He wanted to impact the world around him by becoming a writer.

Independent Reading: "Key Quote" (Promt #14. Chapter One)

Chapter One : page 18

"After that there were four things I did every day. Hustle up money, cop some stuff, beam up, and write. And in the end I wound up dropping the other three."

This quote describes the book as a whole. It is a dairy about a writer, who gets himself clean by writing his stories, and sharing them with others. Lee Stringer, the main character and author, was once a homeless drug addict, who changed his life by meaning of a pencil. The story he has written is about his struggles to become a writer while losing his old self in the process. The end of his story is the end of this quote. While he was once spent most of his day wasted, he would soon spend it only writing, and changing his future.

Independent Reading: Writing Style (Promt #11, Chapter two.)

Chapter 2: Page 31
"When the doorbell rings, he is oblivious. But it brings me to a rude awakinging. I drag myself over to the intercom.
'Yes?'
It's the marshal come to repossess the apartment.
I have been expecting him since the seventy-two-hour notice four days ago.
I say and do nothing."

The author writes this book in a style unlike many others. He chooses to write how people think. He uses the spaces on the page to his advantage. He breaks up lines, into thoughts. Since his thoughts have inspired his writing, and his writing inspired his breakthrough, he writes in a way that best shows his point. I enjoy the way Lee Stinger (the author and main character) has written this book so far. It is an effective style that is creative and different from the normal writing style readers are constantly exposed to. The writing style clearly sets a tone of thought. It helps develop a connection between the reader and the main character. The reader is exposed to the changing thoughts and tones with the way the words appear on the page. It is a nice change in writing style, that i have not read in a while.

Che Thesis

Ernesto "Che" Guevara's Journey throughout Latin America constantly challenged his ambitions. Che, who once wanted to change the world by medicine, changed his beliefs, and became a symbol of the Cuban revolution.

Do Now

Che's time spent in Peru influenced him in many ways. In your opinion, what influenced Che the most: The people he met, or the conditions of the country?

Che in Chile

Che's experiences in Chile inspired him both politically and idealistically. His ideals changed due to the hospitality he encountered in Chile. Throughout The Motorcycle Diaries, Che describes the amount of hospitality Chile has, and how it benefits the lives of it's people. The people in Chile gave, and shared what they had with others. The people worked for themselves, and for others. It was a country where there were "no non-volunteers" ( page 64) . It was a place where people looked out for the common person, and were not effected by politics. Che was happy to see that the Chilean government gave to it's people by providing free public hospitals. The personality of Chile's people directly parallels Che's ideals. Che believed that everyone should work for the common person, and should not be oppressed by politics or governments.
However, I think that Che was shaped in some ways by the effects of politics. While in Chile, Che visited Chuquicamata. While there, he was given a guided tour, and met people. On page 79 Che hears someone quote, " Losing thousands of pesos everyday...not to give a poor worker a few more centavos. When General Ibanez comes to power that will all be over." This was quoted by a person who lived in Chile. I think that Che was inspired by the way in which people lived. How some peopel were poor due to their government, yet despite their poverty, still gave, and helped others.
Che was also inspired by the Spanish colonization with Valdivia. On page 85 Che speaks in reference to Valdivia, "That he belonged to that special class of men,.. whom craving power is so extreme that any suffering to achieve it seems natural... ruler of a warrior nation." I think that this also inspired Che's thoughts. While he seems to talk about it negatively, Che reacted similarly when he suffered as commander in the rebel army. Che believed that suffering should be eliminated, but if it were meant to achieve some higher cause like that of the Cuban Revolution, it would be worth it.
While Che was against repressive governments, he believed that a government should be installed. He believed that the government, along with it's people should help the common person. Che's trip throughout Chile inspired his ideals. He wanted other countries to experience social change that would cause them to be more like Chile. He wanted all countries to have a progressive government, that worked for the common person.

Essential Question

After traveling around Latin America, i believe Che wanted to help as many people as he could. Originally, He thought he could do this by way of medicine. However as he continued to travel, he realized that he could have a significant impact on the countries, and world around him, by joining rebel forces and fighting against a government he has seen repressing people. I do not think Che intended to become as popular as he did. I think that Che wanted to make a difference, and became popular in the eyes of many.

Chilean 6 worded memoir

Invading Incas, Spanish. Conquering hope, government.

American in 6 words

College, Reachable? In God We Trust.

My Idealogy

Wow, Ideology . What do I want to stand for, fight for, protect? I think ideals are things worth preserving. Things like Justice, Innocence, Honor, Respect, Love, Kindness. My ideals include treating others with an open heart, without ignorance, and acceptance. Ideals, to me, are hard to describe. While I never really thought about ideals before, i can think about what should be. Where hate, disrespect, lazinesses, anger, and ignorance should be nonexistent. I think that ideals are the good that conquers evil in every story. To me, ideals are good. They keep one motivated. Ideals are things worth protecting, and the good in life is worth protecting.

Article

The article resembled the book in certain ways, and differed in others. It was similar due to the CIA involvement, and underlining trust issues. However it was mostly different with the common goal, and the ways of teaching the armies to fight.

2 Quotes-tone

Ernesto's notes display a various amount of diction. It ranges from nostalgic, to blame full. Two quotes that i copied from the text display both these dictions. The first on page 31, " Okay...but how the typewriter interpreted those fleeting impulses , raising fingers to the keys, those impulses have now died. Moreover, no one can be held responsible for them." This quote blew me away, because at first i read it with the voice of remembrance, very smooth, very thoughtful. When i came to the ending words, i was blown away. Che so easily passed judgment away from himself. Che fails to imply that the impluses, in which he is referring to , came from his own fingers and mind, and therefore is responsible for those actions. The next line about the impluses now being dead and therefor not held responsible also surprised me. Because you think, everyone must take responsibly. death, or stopping is a poor excuse to eliminate responsibility. The way in which Che's voice/tone surprised me. The tone went from nostalgic, to blame full in my opinion. The transition was very sudden my mind.
The second quote is more commonly heard in the book. There are many nostalgic tones, one i picked up on was on page 37 "The first commandment for every good explorer...two points..arrival and departure." This quote was like many others in the book. Che displays a tone of wisdom; that he has seen it all, has heard it all, and is prepared to give others advice in their lives. I feel at this point Che is very a very proud person. he feels like everone should live their lives off of his advice.

Whodunit?

To be perfectly honest, I love to figure out the ‘whodunit’ of every story. However, within history I find it to be a little more difficult, since history is not one of my best subjects. While watching the documentary I feel there are two possible suspects. Obviously the people who captured him are the most likely suspects, but the most likely suspects are rarely the true culprits. My best guess is that Che, and his men where ordered by” higher levels” of authority to be in Bolivia. I feel that the perhaps the Higher levels of authority ( Fidel) may have set Che up, because they felt Che has changed his views, and could inspire others to revolt against Fidel’s army. So perhaps this is the classic case of, Fidel hires someone else to capture, and kill Che. His job was as simple as going the opponent and giving them the location of Che’s whereabouts.

Intro

3. "There is nothing lonelier than adventure."(22)
This quote stood out to me because it is against common thought that adventure is lonely. To me, adventure has always been portrayed as fun, exciting, and everything but lonely. However, after reading this quote I thought about the idea that; one who embarks on adventure leaves all else behind to pursue a dream or ambition. One often leaves the comfort of the familiar to pursue something greater, and this, I believe can be very lonely.

Che's Idealogy

Che's Ideology, i believe, comes from his want to establish a form of government, where all people are equal, and work together for a common goal. From reading the time line in the book, we know that Che has seen many problems, up rises, and revolts against the government. He has also seen the suffering that results from it. I believe that Che's ideology comes from his experiences seeing people/rebels trying to destroy their own sense of government. I think it also comes form his views of seeing too many leaders abusing their power in order to best serve themselves, not the people the are supposed to be helping.

Documentary

If i were to write/direct a documentary on any one person or event, i can honestly say, i have no idea who i would want to write about. There are so many great people and events that have changed the ways in which others view, respect, and see the world around them. I feel as if the people who have done these things have already had documentary's written about them, and that is why we know who they are. I was never a history fan, and do not really look into people or events, unless they are relevant to this era or time. Like i previously said, those people already have documentary's written about them. I do not know who to write a documentary about, i only know what i would classify as documentary worthy. That is , that a person, or event, should have changed something, a view, respect, recognition. They must have done something great, and like previously disused with the great Gatsby, not all things great are good. All i know is that whoever has a documentary must be important to a bigger picture.

Che Doc.

If I were to direct a documentary of Ernesto, or Che Guevara, i would include the most important events that lead him to be known at such a controversial level. I would provide information to his humble beginnings. I would include how his ideas were not to conquer many, but to simply travel, and to learn of new places and people. I would then go into depth about the people he met; The revolutionaries who sparked his life. I would go into the things that he saw, and how they might have inspired his way of thinking. How he saw elected officials fall, wars progress, and himself, apart of something bigger. I would finally conclude the documentary with his war titles. i would include the rapid rate at which he progressed in the revolution, and how it lead to the end of his life.

Road Trip

I have taken several road trips before. My Grandparents love to travel, and they often invite my family to join them. We have gone places by train, plane, and car. Mostly by car, or plane. The farthest we have gone by car is to Canada. We traveled to Niagara Falls. It was mid-august, and the trip lasted eight and a half hours. It was not difficult to sit in the car, because whenever we travel long distances, we always pack food, books, movies, and games to take along. We spent the last few weeks of summer in Canada, before heading home. I enjoy road trips, and look forward to another I might take this summer. I am going to Alabama for college, and am considering traveling down by car. The road trip would be an eighteen-hour drive, and most likely occur over two days. We would travel through West Virginia, Tennessee, and finally through Alabama. We were also considering traveling through north Carolina to visit my cousin, by decided that the trip would be too long.

Preview the book

- The front cover of this book is eye-catching. The fact that it is black, white, gives it an essence of history. The man on the front has a sad look of determination and triumph. The author’s name I remember from yesterday, and am glad that we get to study the history and background of someone who, I have yet to learn, or really know about. I wonder what significance the motorcycle has in the story, or his life. I also wonder how his life has caused so much discussion, and two-sided arguments.
- The back cover provides a little more background information. We, the reader, get a better understanding of why motorcycles are in the title. In the quote, he mentions bikes, and his ride northward. Perhaps escaping something, or going to accomplish something. We also know that the story is a diary, or first person.
- Inside the book there are chapter titles, they are written and translated, maps, drawing, pictures, timelines, and more. These things all give the impression of history. When reading, it gives a historic tone.
- I think this book will be interesting to read. I look forward to learning about the life, and history within this book. It feels more like a historic reference, and unlike the other books, I feel like this one might offer a moral, or life lesson in the end.

Preview activity.( Judge a book by its cover)

it is very easy to judge a book by its cover. That’s why authors put a lot of thought into the cover of a book. It is the first thing the reader sees, and it is the first chance the reader has to have an opinion on the book. Books that have interesting covers can easily get attention. I book that I had just finished reading had an interesting cover on it. It also had an interesting title. The book was a required reading for college orientation; otherwise I might not have read it. It is titled the naked roommate. And it had bare legs on the cover. I would not have read the book if it was not required, but when reading it; I was glad that I did, because it provided many useful college tips that I may have missed out on otherwise.

Media Clip

The Author in this clip was strong in his points and described the impact that the media can have on people in America. He claimed that young people were ignorant to the ways of Che, and wore his t-shirts due to the publicity that he was receiving. Becks style and voice spoke in a sarcastic tone, as he wanted to portray a sense of stupidly on everyone else. The author proclaimed that Che, despite what many had thought, was an anti-hero, who was responsible for thousands of deaths. Becks point through the entire clip, was one point, that Hollywood, and the people who took the influence unknowing, were ignorant, and refused to be informed about the truth.

Welcome!

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