Am I blue

“Am I Blue” By Bruce Caville is an inspiring short story about 2 people who talk about the world being filled with gays. Vince is 16 years old who is getting bullied by a Butch Carrigan. Vince gets beat up by butch. Vince landed in a mud puddle. Butch bullies Vince because he thinks Vince is gay. A tall man come to talk to Vince named Melvin. Melvin explains to Vince that he is his first person to get a fairy godfather who allows Vince three wishes. Vince doesn't believe him at first but while he was in the mud puddle he splashed some mud at Melvin and in a blink of an eye the mud disappeared on his khakis pants. Vince believe him because that Melvin made the mud disappeared. Melvin explains to Vince how the world is filled with gays and you can’t even see it.  Melvin tells Vince about the third gay fantasies the third fantasies is when you get to see everybody who is gay/lesbian, blue for a day. Vince then questions himself “am I blue”. Vince learn after the fantasy that when you least expect it happens.

Melvin takes Vince to a diner after Vince got bullied by butch. Melvin tells Vince he is his fairy godfather and he will grant him three wishes. Vince tells Melvin about his story on how butch keeps picking non Vince because he is a faggot (gay). Melvin tells Vince “ listen honey the world is crawling with faggots.but most of them are hiding because there afraid of what people from the outside world will think of them afraid they’ll get treated the way you did just hour ago.” What the text is saying is anybody can be gay. All the gay people are just hiding what they really are because they are afraid they’ll get beat up. Also the fairy godfather himself also got beat up for being gay. One time while Melvin was walking home he got jumped by three people then the three people said we’ll teach you faggot. I think Melvin can empathize from what happens to Vince everyday by Butch. Vince wonders if he or anybody he know is gay.

Melvin had a normal life before he was a fairy godfather. Melvin always talks to his friend the way he knew it wouldn't hurt their feeling. Melvin and his friend all call each other faggot but playfully and not hurtfully. In the text it says “My friend and I call each other faggot or queer for the same reason black people call each other nigger- to take the world away from people who want to use them to hurt us “. Melvin is saying his friend calls him faggot and queer so than when other people call him faggot and queer he won’t get hurt or mad because he is used to it. Melvin does what he want when he want because he is not going to let anyone define him or change the way he think, act, or even dress. I think Melvin is saying that it doesn't matter if you’re gay, straight, bisexual it doesn't give anybody the right to change who you are.

Melvin tells Vince if he want to live the third fantasy for a day. Vince agrees only if it doesn't cost Vince one of his wish Melvin agrees and tells him it only educational. In the text it says “We used to imagine what it used to be like if every gay person turns blue for the day? My eyes went wide, why” “So all the straight would have to stop imagining that didn't know gay people” Melvin tells Vince that some people might not be as straight as they seem. Vince says okay Melvin touch Vince eyes for five second and Melvin then tells Vince that it okay to open his eyes. Vince opens his eyes and sees that half the diner where Melvin and Vince were having their chat was covered with blue. Vince says almost 1/3 of the dinner is cover with blue. I think that anybody even when you’re in a normal place is gay even when they don’t look like it they change their look and try to fit in society. Also in the story when Vince leaves the diner he sees a grocery store employee who looks like to Vince a big blueberry. Vince was surprised because Mr. Alwain was married and had 3 kids. Vince then come across a library and sees the librarian and Vince and his friend assume that the librarian is the most lesbian’s ever but when he saw her he hardly saw blue on her. I think this shows that anybody can be “blue” even when you least expect it also it also says to never judge a book by its cover.

In conclusion, Melvin help Vince see the world where gays can be revealed form their true identity. If you’re gay then don’t let anybody change that. Also the bully who bullied Vince because Vince was “gay” turned out to be gay when he turned three.

The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

In the story of The Drummer Boy of Shiloh by Ray Bradbury, one of protagonist is a 14 years old boy named Joby. Joby recently joined the army. One part of the story joby a day before the war begins Joby is camping outside the battle field and can’t go to sleep because he is very nervous and scared. He then meets another protagonist the general speaks to him and let him know that everybody get scared once a while. Joby is very nervous and scared about fighting in the war.

            For example, A few days before joby meets the general, joby feels scared and nervous and doesn’t know how to express his feeling. When joby wakes up and starts to talk to the general the general asks Joby “are you ready for the war” joby replies but hesitates and says “uhh... I think so” the general talk’s ton joby to let out his feeling as if the general knows Joby is scared and nervous. He tells joby its okay to cry even I cried. What I think mean it’s okay to let out a little feeling out you can’t keep everything bottled up.  But even with these kind words to encourage Joby, He still feels nervous and scared.

            The general tells joby the ugly truth. The general speaks to joby and tells him how that peoples on both side if the war even our of side people will die whether they like or not. Joby doesn’t motivate joby but tells him why life is always scary and not fun all the time. General is telling him that even if you are scared you still are important to the war and walk away from fear with all your heart.

 Last but not least the general speaks to joby and motivate Joby to get ready for war. For example in the story after the general tells joby about the ugly truth. The general says a monologue to joby.  The general tells joby that Joby you’re the heart of the army when you beat the drum the hearts of out men will beat if you beat slowly their hearts will beat slowly but if you beat fast then the hearts if the men will rapidly beat. The general then ask him a question “so joby will you do that for me will you tomorrow run up the men during way” Joby quickly replies and says yes sir”. Joby conquered his fear and his nervousness. Joby has courage and bravery. Joby will now fight and go to war because of the kind words the general planted in his heart.

             In conclusion, Joby started at first a sacred little boy with no courage. But after hearing the word from the general joby spirit rise up and has exactly what he didn’t have when started. Joby know that he is a key role in the war and overcome his fear and nervousness and goes to war and lead his army to victory.

There Have Been Times In My Life Where I Have To Cast a shield...

Sometimes in my life, I have to cast a shield to protect me from what other people think of me. For example, Since I was in the 5th grade I always go to the park to play basketball. I go to the court.I  then ask the people who has the basketball and playing on the court if I could play after there done. The people who has the basketball sometime yes and sometimes no. I always ask why and they replied with " You have to be this tall to play basketball" Sometimes they say it as a joke but mostly it is not a joke and they really mean what they say. I ignore what they say but I still try to grow tall as fast and I prove to them that I may be short but I can still shoot better than any of them. I bet there are a lot of people like me short but good at basketball . Mostly just ignore any bully taller than you and just do what you want to do. The theme in this story line would be that "never judge a book by its cover"

Sold

                 
              Sold is about a 10 year old girl who needs money really bad. Her stepdad doesn't like Lakshmi but her mother loves her but she hates step dad. only reason she married the step dad is to get money. Lakshmi lives in a house with no roof. The step dad sells Lakshmi to a woman called auntie bimla for 10 grand to put a roof over there head literally.. Lakshmi first think she getting sold as a maid. Later on in the book Lakshmi get in a room alone with a man than the man start to slowly come closing to Lakshmi. Lakshmi runs out of the room and goes straight to auntie bimla then auntie explains everything to her. Lakshmi slowly learns the truth . The aunt tell her "do you want to leave?"
Lakshmi nod auntie replies " well you can leave as soon as you earn ten grand from all of your customer. Lakshmi doesn't ant to do it at first but then she is drug and then learn/tries to live with the fact she gets raped everyday.Lakshmi start to accept the fact that she will do anything to get out there as soon as possible but at the same time she doesn't want to do it.

              Lakshmi at first hate getting raped every day so to get out of there she needs money from her customer. Lakshmi promised herself that she will stop at nothing to get as much as money fro her customer. On one hand its a good thing she could leave faster, But another hand she is just giving and accepting the face shes a prostitute

                I agree with Lakshmi. She has to pay at least 10 grand in rupees to auntie bimla to get out of the prostitution business. If she needs to take money from the customer then so be it any money at all will benefit her.  For example in the text it says, " I had another customer this one was very wealthy so i did whatever i can to please him and when he went to the bathroom i slowly reached into his pocket and took all of his cash and he didn't even notices a thing". Also Lakshmi did extra thing to get more money. It may be painful but Lakshmi is committed and want to leave as soon as possible.

                 Lakshmi is only ten year old girl who has many choice to do in life, But she live in a poor life where she will do anything for her parent. There are more girls in the world who are being sold against their will.People go to houses where they hold prostitution and other illegal thing. People in america just have kids go to school while outside the country people have no home and then get kidnapped and gets force to do things against there will. Lakshmi happened to be one of those people.

                  In conclusion, Lakshmi want to do anything to get out of her house and see her family. Also anything to make sure the family is safe. Lakshmi gets sold to a prostitution house. She is doing thing against her will. All for her family. She wants to leave the dreadful place and go live with he family but auntie bimla is making that hard for her. She does thing but not against her will but for the money. She really lover her family is she doe anything to see them again.