Night

          When reading Night by Elie Wiesel, I was able to see how the experiences Wiesel went through changed his personality, morality, beliefs and values. His actions towards his father changed throughout the book as well as his faith with God.
          Throughout the book, we can see how Wiesel’s faith with God changes when he is in the concentration camp. In the book it says, “Why do you weep when you pray?....“I don’t know why,” I answered, greatly disturbed. The question had never entered my head. I wept because-because of something inside me that felt the need for tears”(Wiesel 2). This quote shows how Wiesel is very passionate when he prays. He expresses how he feels the need to cry when he prays without really knowing the reason why he cries. It also say in the book, “Blessed be the Name of the Eternal!” Why, but why should I bless Him...How could I say to Him: “Blessed art Thou, Eternal,  Master of the Universe, Who chose us from among the races to be tortured day and night, to see our fathers, our mothers, our brothers, end in the crematory?”(Wiesel 64). This quotes shows how Wiesel sees that he feels like God isn’t with them anymore. He blames everything on God because Wiesel feels like God chose them out of all of the other races to be tortured and see family end up in the crematory. Later on in the book it says, “And, in spite of myself, a prayer rose in my heart, to that God in whom I no longer believed”(Wiesel 87). This quote shows how Wiesel still is pray although he doesn’t really know why since he doesn’t really believe in God as he use to believe in. This is completely different to the person that he was before since in the beginning 

          When reading the book, we can see how Wiesel’s bond with his father also changes throughout the book. In the book it says, “My father was a cultured, rather unsentimental man. There was never any display of emotion, even at home. He was more concerned with others than his own family.”(Wiesel 2) This quote shows how his father is never really there to look out for his family. Wiesel and his father don’t have a strong father-to-son bond which is something that is completely different as the book goes on. Also in the book it says, “I did not move. What had happened to me?My father had just been struck, before my very eyes, and I had not flickered an eyelid. I looked on and said nothing. Yesterday, I should have sunk my nails into the criminal’s flesh”(Wiesel 37). This quote shows how when his father was being beaten, that he didn't move at all to protect his father. This quote shows how he was surprised since he did jump in to save his father. Wiesel says that “ Yesterday, I should have sunk my nails into the criminals flesh” which shows how he is somewhat changed since he didn’t do this, instead he just watched as the others do. Later on in the book it says, “My father’s presence was the only thing that stopped me….He was running at my side, out of breath, at the end of his strength, at his wit’s end. I had no right to let myself die. What would he do without me? I was his only support”(Wiesel 82). This quote shows how Wiesel tells himself that his father is stopping him from giving up since he was running with his foot that he just had a surgery on. He is telling himself that he is the only thing that his father has, since Wiesel is always looking out for his father and he is always making sure he has something to eat, he knows that if he gives up his father will not have the same support that Wiesel always gives his father. In the first quote it showed how the father was never really that close to Wiesel, now that is completely different because now in the concentration camps they have gone to, they only have each other.

Wiesel, Elie. Night. N.p.: Bantam , 1982. Print.

Butterfly Project

"A Letter to Daddy"

Momma told me to write to you today,

but I had no time. New children arrived 

with the latest transport, and 

I had to play with them. 

I didn’t notice time pass.

I live better these days.

I sleep on my own mattress on the floor,

so I will not fall down.

At least I don’t have much work to fix up my bed,

and in the morning I see the sky from my window.

I was coughing a bit, but I don’t want to get sick,

for I am happy when I can run in the courtyard.

Tonight there will be a gathering

like the ones at Scout camp in the summer.

We will sing songs we know,

a girl will play the accordion.

I know you wonder how we fare here,

and you would surely like to be with us now.

And something else, daddy. Come soon

and have a more cheerful face!

When you are unhappy, Momma is sad,

and then I miss the sparkle in her eyes.

You promised to bring me books

because, truly, I have nothing to read.

So please, come tomorrow, right before dusk.

I will surely be grateful for this.

Now I must stop. Momma sends you her love.

I will rejoice when I hear your footsteps in the hall. Until you are with us again.

I send you my greetings and kisses.

Your faithful son.

Anonymous 

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Berlin Memorial

        In the Berlin Memorial activity, I learned that little by little the Nazis were prohibiting Jewish people from doing things. There was one law that stood out to me which was something along the lines that Jews had to sit in a separate bench which was segregating them non-Jew and Jews like in the U.S black and white people were separated. Also, Jewish people were limited from doing everyday activities like going to the store, going to the pool, going to the movies, things like that.
        I think that the monument was built to not make people forget what happened to all of the lives of the people that were taken away because of them being blamed of something that they had nothing to do with. I think that it is the place where people can go to to pay their respects to the people there that had to go through all of that injustice.
        I noticed that during some years there was a difference between the number of laws that were being made. Some would have more than 5 and others would have less. I think that this happened because as the years passed, the Nazis saw that the laws weren't affecting as many people so, they made more along the way that specified in public transportation, job, school, and other things that most people do. During the time that these laws were being made, I think that the people that weren't being affected by them at all could have spoken up about theses unfair and bias laws that only affected the Jewish people.
        The laws that would affect me right now would be one in 1937 that says “Jew were not allowed to graduate.” This one would affect me right now because I am right now on the edge of graduating from middle school, so not being able to would really be a disappointment because since I could remember, I have looked up to graduating middle school. Another one would that would affect me would be one that was in 1938 that says “Jewish children no longer allowed to attend public schools.” This one would affect me because now am I not able to graduate but, now I am also not able to go to school. I can't get an education just because of the religion I am.

Quarter 2 Reflection

      A lot has happened from the last reflection when quarter 1 ended. I have accomplished so many things this quarter, and I plan on accomplishing more things for the next half of the school year. 

*What is something you have accomplished since the new year that you are proud of?*

      I have accomplished a lot since the new year, all because of 1 class. This quarter I had a class called Social Justice which I would only have for about 9 to 10 weeks, since that is how long a quarter is. This class was a great way to start a new year because I learned a lot  about the world that I might have never known if it wasn't because of the class.

*In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in E.L.A?*

My biggest improvement in E.L.A  was to be able to read a lot more than I would have thought. This happened because of the 20 book challenge. Of the books I have read this quarter, my favorite one would have to be Guyaholic. It was my favorite book because I saw myself in her at some parts during her journey when she was finding her self. I think a lot of girls out there can relate to her. The book was realistic when it brought up the problem she had with her mother.

*What has been the most challenging part of 2nd Quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?*

It was very challenging for me to keep up my grades up to a 3 throughout the quarter. I always struggled asking for help in elementary school because I always wanted to solve my own problems by myself, but I never really realized that I can't always do it by myself. This quarter I really pushed myself to ask for help when I needed it. It was challenging for me to get use to asking teachers for help especially in Math because I always end up overthinking problems. At the end of this quarter I was able to open up and ask teachers for help this is something that I should get use to since high school is right around the corner.

Book Talk

      The book I will be talking about today is called Guyaholic by Carolyn Mackler. This book is a about a girl named V Valentine that lives with her grandparents aferre her mother dumped her there. She grew up being known as the "Queen of Meaningless Hookups" because of her reputation of going from guy to guy. That all changes when she meets Sam Almond. They are both opposites, Sam believes in long term relationships, V's longest relationship lasted 3 weeks. This "thing" as V says, all crumbles with one party, and one mistake. V is left with the consequences and with a broken heart. When he mother Aimee calls V asking her to go and visit her in Texas, she takes the chance as a distraction.

      I recommend this book because it teaches people a lesson that the decisions we make have an impact in the future. V learned how to accept her self which is something that most people struggle with in life, that is something that stayed with me when reading. This book lets me see the story of many girls and how it might turn out for the when making some life-changing decisions. There are going to be different outcomes for every person that has a similar story to V's in Guyaholic.

Investigative Journalism

"'This is far from over.' says the chairman of the standing Rock Sioux Tribe"
By: Lizbeth Urquizo

They all look at each other, nervously. They are waiting for the news that will decide what will happen to them and their people.

On the fifth of December, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe was informed that “the Army Corps of Engineers will not grant the permit for the Dakota Access pipeline to drill under the Missouri river”. This was “a major victory to the Standing Rock Sioux tribe after a months-long campaign against the pipeline.” This victory was important to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the other tribes that went to North Dakota.

Although the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe did get what they wanted, the only question that is left now is, for how long will this victory last? The spokesman of Donald Trump made a statement saying “[The pipeline] is something we support construction of, and we will review the situation when we are in the White House to make the appropriate determination at that time," Donald Trump will be going to office on January 20 of 2017. There is a chance that when he goes to office, he can find a way to give the permit to the oil company that the Obama administration denied.

On the official Dakota Access Pipeline Project website it says, “The pipeline will enable domestically produced light sweet crude oil from North Dakota to reach major refining markets in a more direct, cost-effective, safer and environmentally responsible manner.” The thing is that the company can’t fully guarantee that oil won’t spill in the Mississippi River, in fact no one can. If the oil were to ever spill, that oil would goin to the Mississippi River. Since the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe uses natural resources, if that water were to be contaminated by oil, they wouldn’t be able to drink from it, as well as the other places where the Mississippi river goes to would be affected as well.

Many people have their reasons on why they support the Dakota Access Pipeline project. According to New York Times, “The Dakota Access pipeline is a $3.7 billion project that would carry 470,000 barrels of oil a day from the oil fields of western North Dakota to Illinois, where it would be linked with other pipelines. Energy Transfer says the pipeline will pump millions of dollars into local economies and create 8,000 to 12,000 construction jobs though far fewer permanent jobs to maintain and monitor the pipeline.” Energy Transfer says the truth that most people tend to forget. The pipeline will create jobs but, that number will decrease once the pipeline is fully built because most workers won’t be needed. Fewer people will be able to keep their job so they can check up on the pipeline.

According to New York Times, people from the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe don't want the pipeline. "They say its route traverses ancestral lands which are not part of the reservation where their forebears hunted, fished and were buried." Historical and cultural reviews of the land where the pipeline will be buried were inadequate. Also, they worry about the environmental damage if the pipeline were to break where it goes under the Missouri River.”

The chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said, “...it is imperative that we push through as much as we can under the current administration. We cannot afford to lose momentum and continue to be on edge due to the Dakota Access presence at the drill pad. We also urge you to contact the banks investing in this risky and unsafe project to make them aware of the terrible acts this company has committed and reconsider their financing.”

All that is left now to wait more, but what will happen? As the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe said, “This is far from over.”

Exploring Non-Fiction

World War II Hitler and the Nazis

By: William W. Lace

     The book was about Hitler's life. It went from him growing up with a distant father, to him having a hard time when it came to paying for necessary day-to-day items. It talks about how he started off as before he became the leader of the Nazis. The book goes in depth when it talks about the things that happened along the way of him ruling. It also talks about what happened to him when he died and what he did days before he committed suicide. 

     In the book, it says, " First the Nazis went after the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did not object. Then they went after the Catholics, but I was not a Catholic, so I did not object. Then they went after the trade-unionists, but I was not a trade-unionist, so I did not object. Then they came after me, and there was no one left to object." This quote was interesting to me because it showed how some people saw this period of time. It showed how the Nazis went from one group of people to the next slowly, but yet noticeably. When they went to the people that that least expected, there was no one else for them to pick on. This quote gives a quick summary of the groups of people that the Nazis went against.

     Somethings that I learned in the book, I will not forget. For example, in the book I learned that when he was growing up, he wanted to become an artist. His father wanted Hitler to become a federal governor. When it came to school, he was good at "drawing and gymnastics but failed or barely passed everything else." I also learned that while Hitler was in prison for five years, he wrote a book. The book was titled Mein Kampf (My Struggle). Although about 10 million copies were sold, many people didn't really read it since " it was written in a dull, ponderous style and endlessly repeated the key themes of race, German destiny, survival of the fittest, and need for a militaristic dictatorship." 

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