A Hustler's Fantasy

True To The Game By Terri Woods
pg 1 - pg 132

True To The Game by Terri Woods has this character named Gena that has to be the popular girl, that everyone knows of. If Gena isn't the popular one then she feels miserable. Gena seems like a real and believable character. You got the kinds of people who don't "fit in" in school, at their jobs, and maybe even their own family. Then you got the popular kids who have to be seen and shown off. It may not be just from their prettiest, or even their intelligence, it may just be having a relationship with the biggest drug dealer in the city. Quadir, is the drug dealers name. To him Gena is the one. All the other girl's don't mean nothing to him as he say's. He makes a lot of money. Everyone wants someone that makes money. Quadir makes it the illegal way. That isn't always the way to go necessarly there is other ways to make money. THE RIGHT WAY.
In Quadir's eyes, he's been looking for Gena for awhile. He has secrets but doesn't tell Gena. Gena is suppose to be his girlfriend, why he doesn't tell her things, things that she should know before she starts falling in love with him. Gena has a family and so does Quadir. They abandon what they have to go on a vacation. Isn't quite a vacation when things get hectic on the other part of the city. If you were Gena would you think about the consequences that you would have if you started a relationship with a drug dealer?

God Dont Like Ugly by Mary Monroe

i am in to a new book now a new project this is shante i know i left you hanging but i wont this time. But this book is about two young females a shy awkward overweight child who is not pretty at all. in she meets this girl that is very pretty and very popular and she wants to be friends with her. her dreams come true and in the summer the girl Rhonda Nelson chooses her to be her friend. she found some one she can talk to and tell her secrets to. also in the story the little girl is being raped. and one of the little experience woman hood and the other one doesnt. the book is good so far.
by shante

True TO THE GAME

True to the Game by TERRI WOODS pg 1- pg 132

My impressions of the book so far is that it's a good book. True to the Game is thrilling and exciting. You would never think of what happened would have happened. How the author wrote the book it helps you to get into the book and help you understand he book better. By the author writing how she does, you can really put yourself into the characters place and there situations. The book isn't about older people that are out of my range but kids that are in my age bracket. By the kids being in my age bracket it helps you relate to the kids and there situations. I can't relate to the book but people I know can relate to the book . Page after page it gets more and more exciting. I can't wait to flip the next page to see what happens next. This book is better than I thought it was going to be. The book really tells the truth about the real "Players" in the book. What the people in the real world on the street do.

Group Response

The group chose Young Adult literature because we were really unable to agree on a different genre. One wanted this genre others wanted that.We just argued about a genre. By picking this genre we would have a better variety of books to choose from. All the people in the group like different kinds of books. The young adult literature genre we have a bigger variety than the other genres.

We think that people read this genre because the books that are young adult literature can appear to us to be true. Even though they are fiction books they still feel like they are real. Young adult literature fiction books are basically going on in everyday life even though they are not true, you can compare them to real situations.

It's humanity that it provides is there heart and their brain. Some people can relate to fiction books. When they see a title or read the back of a book they might feel like that is the right book for them. There may be a young adult book that might not catch their eye right away but when they read the book the might like it.

Assessment - Indy Reading Project - December

Frado - 3.25/5 Responses

The two responses on the separate characters start to shed some good insight into motivation.  Make sure you keep up next project.

Crystalyn - 5/5 Responses

I didn't know that this book made reference to The Blizzard of 77.  I can't believe you were in 4th grade for that Thanksgiving blizzard where all the kids got stuck at school.  I remember having seniors write about it happening during their sophomore year.  Man I'm getting old.  I remember having off school for a week for the Blizzard of 85.  Good times.  On a side note, I have to get off my butt and read some Connie Porter.  

Shante - 3/5 Responses

I need you to talk about the book more specifically.  That last response reeks of b(ad) s(tuff).  You have to keep up with the work.

Brittany - 5/5 Responses

Brittany, sounds like Jessica is under a lot of pressure, most of it self inflicted.  You're kind of overworking yourself by telling all that plot.  Stick to the questions.   They'll help you focus.

  

Chinese Handcuffs By: Chris Crutcher

In my story the characterization of the characters was great and well put by the Chris Crutcher. While reading Chinese Handcuffs Chris really made it seems as if I knew Dillon and Jennifer all my life. In the prologue when Chris was telling about Dillon and his track meet it made me seem as if I was there. Like when he said " He tear off his gogles and hands them to stacy,poised with the bicycle and his gym short, which he pulls on over the wet suit as she hands him his reeboks. The socks are a little hard to get on over his wet feet, and he loses some time drying them. Chris Cruthcher has a nact for describing good characterictics

All-Bright Court

As we all know my book setting was near Buffalo in Lacawana New York 1977. In 1977 the huge blizzard had hit in buffalo so this means it also hit Lacawana because there that close. Last year in 2006 we had a bad storm also that just nocked most of the power out And when I was in fourth grade the same happened but just with alot of snow. There has always been terriable weather in Buffalo.
One of the conflicts that happened in my book that relate to my life was when Sam had to meet his son Mikey after school to help him through the snow. The blizzard in 1977 was so bad that Mikey couldnt really walk through it so he feel and alot of snow fail on top of him. So his father came to his rescue and pulled him out the snow and took him home. The same thing happened to me in the fourth grade after school when I was walking home. The only thing different is my mother didnt pull me out the snow but she draged me home.

Jennifer's Character

Also in my story I have another character her name is Jennifer she's not the main character but she a big part of the story. Jennifer is a basketball star everyone thinks she's the best in the state but she has to defend that honor against there rival school Wakefield and there star point guard Renee Halfmoon. So far during my story I seen Jennifer evolve into a better basketball player and a better person. Events such as how when her grandfather passed away she took it hard but she did not let that change her life. Jennifer has a lot of things to deal with in her life she tries to protect her little sister from the things her father did to her. Jennifer little sister is to young to understand but Jennifer isn't. She hides what her father did to well but she is evolving to rise above that and become better at everything she do.

Dillon's Character

In my story Chinese Handcuffs, so far my main character is Dillon. He is track star but he still have many things he tries to deal with in his life. He have a caring family that love him a lot but as all family's there's downfalls. While reading this book I can tell in character actions that he has evolve through the story a little in what I read. A event that seem to had evolve Dillon was the tragic death of his older brother Preston who committed suicide by shooting himself. Such things of this nature is what change an character. Since the death of his brother Dillon tries to use his brother mistakes and tries to become a better person in life. Dillon get his inspiration for playing sports and being great at it because he don't want to see his life crumble as his brother did. This is what evolve characters!

All-Bright Court

There are good and bad things that happens in the book I read. A situation was when Sam's son Mikey wanted to know where babies come from. Mikey ased his parents and they they told him about the birds and the bees and Mikey really didnt get it so he asked his girl friend about it. When Mikey asked her she said Ill show you. So this means two young children lost both of there virginity at the age of eight years old. This situation is also even more sad because I feel that the little girl had to malested at maybe even a young age from having sex.
I am very puzzeled and confused because I feel that maybe Mikey's parents could of explained sex better to his child than he did and told him how bad it was and how un-safe it was for a boy his age. If they would of told him that maybe Mikey would of said no to the little girl and told her some new information she didnt know about to prevent her from doing the same so young. Im also puzzeled and confused because I wanted to know where were the parents when all this was happening and thinking of if it was really the parent's fault.

The Color Purple

Hey you guys it shante again im also reading another book call The Color Purple everybody should be fimilar with it. Its a story when racism was going. The white people thought they where better then blacks. Blacks where treated so bad. one of the characters have a baby in with her being black they took her baby from her..but i dont wanna tell you too much.. how bout you read the book and watch the movie and compare it jus like i am doing..

I like the movie so far better then the book the book adds different thing then the movie. In the movie i think you can connect to the character even more and even better, because you see what they are going threw, but if you have a very good imagination you love the book. i mean i have an good imagnations but i like thing right in front of me so i can see whats going on. but im going to finish reading the book so i can tell you much much more....

By: Shante Purdue

Random Family 5

How do characters change or evolve throughout the course of the story? What events trigger such changes?Characters change throughout the story because of many events. Coco who is Jessica's sister-in-law has changed dramatically. She goes from having Cesar ( who is Jessica's brother ) has her boyfriend to falling in love with him after only being with him for a couple of months. Coco plans her whole life out with Cesar. Cesar isn't the best man to be with because he is involved in drugs and gangs. He thinks he can trust his gang members but he thought wrong. Before he gets put in jail unexpectantly he gets Coco pregnant. They face they face the matters that Coco is pregnant and keep the child and take care of it. After Coco has her first baby, Mercedes, Cesar is running around with other girls. Coco should have just let him go right then and there.

When Coco finds out that Cesar is messing around with other girls, Coco thinks it's okay and does the same. Soon after he's put in jail, Coco gets pregnant again but it's not by Cesar. Coco changes her ways and tries to hide that she isn't pregnant from Cesar, but people talk and he found out. While he's in jail they write letters to each other and Cesar isn't to happy about Coco, but Coco doesn't really care because Cesar is locked in jail. What can she do when her baby daddy is in jail? Nothing.

Cesar gets out of jail and still doesn't change his ways. Coco tries to move on but she can't resist Cesar. She ends up pregnant again by Cesar and few months pass and Cesar's back in jail. What can she really do with him? He is in and out of jail and not doing nothing for the babies he has. Coco on her own finds a place to stay with her children. Places were she has stayed were comfortable for her. So she looks for better places. Weeks later she finds a man who wants to be with her and her children not just her. Coco looks at him like he is ridiculous but accepts his offer. Moving far away from her old activities and habits and starts herself a new life. By her babies father being locked up in jail made her realize that she doesn't need him. He isn't worth nothing, because she raised her children by herself . Nobody really helped her at her young age.

All- Bright Court

Have you ever loved your character so much that you actually wanted to ask them a question about themselves? If so then you should probably read this book. The character that I want to a question is Sam.I would ask him what made him such a strong person such as going so hard for what he believes in. For example what made him adopt the little and go through all that trouble and hard work for that little girl. I would like to know so I can be more encouraged and inspired. I felt that maybe his pass from going through the same type of experience that the little girl went through when he was growing up could have been the reason. But I wont be able to find out if since the character is just make believe thats why I like non-fiction movies and books.

Random family 4

The book is very interesting. This book can relate to many girls in the society today. Most girls want to have a boyfriend, get tattoos, go partying, and having sex. Why is that? To me personally to fit in. Jessica has to face terrible consequences for messing with a boy who she says she is in love with. She said that about a couple of her boyfriends that she had in the book. The one that she stays with is tatted allover body. 6 tattoos in his honoring. That is not something that looks cute. There not married, don't have any kids together, they just have sex together and she lives in his house. Jessica doesn't have a job. She thinks that every time she needs some money, that her boy George gone give her money all the time. Jessica has 3 three kids that she doesn't even take care of. Her mother and a girl named Milagro she calls her friend watch her kids. Having 3 kids didn't change the way she thought or took care of them.

Boy George makes a lot of money, but not the legal way. The way he makes it is buy selling crack, heroin, and weed. He has a few mils that he works out of to get his drugs transported. His ex- girl friends work for him, his boys, and some of his family members. Later Jessica starts working for boy George in one of his mills. Jessica is his girl but boy George has many other girls. They use codes to talk about there drugs . One day when Jessica was talking in code over the phone, she did not realize that her phone was tapped. Boy George got caught and Jessica was accused but never put in jail.

Months later Jessica was caught and put in jail. Now she never will be able to see her children. She was away from her family, but soon she realized what she was doing was awful. That the wasn't the way she had to live.

Random Family

The motivation that Jessica has is other girls in the book. When Jessica gets around her friends and they dress better than her , or there boyfriends look better than hers she has to go out and get clothes and a better looking boyfriend. A boyfriend she doen't even need she goes out and looks for one. A world without biys to her is like she has nothing else to do. When her mom finds a good, nice, boyfriend Jessica has to make sure that her boyfriend is better.

Growing up in a poor part of the city makes Jessica want to be better than everyone else. Just because she lives were she lives doen't mean that she can't dress nice or have the hottest jewerly, or even the cutest boyfriend. She only cares about herself it seems like. If she was alone and no boy would want to be around her she might go crazy.

Motivation in her eyes is being better than everybody else. When one has something that she doesn't, next thing you know she's out getting that thing that she really doesn't need. Why is she like this? Only she knows. chool doesn't matter to her but when she gets busted and locked for a while her attitude changes towards everything.

The Allure of the West

<i>Into the Wild</i>, Jon Krakauer, pgs 144-207 (end)

<i>Death of a Salesman</i>, Arthur Miller, pgs 1-97

So, I finished <i>Into the Wild</i> and started rereading a book that I'm studying with my AP Literature class.  As I read the first act of the play I was struck by the similarity between Chris McCandless and many of the characters from <i>Death of a Salesman</i>.  The main character of this story, Willy Loman frets over a missed opportunity to accompany his older brother to Alaska to make money. Instead he is 60 and stuck in a dead end sales job.  Interestingly enough, Willy's father abandoned <i>him</i> as a child to also seek fortune in Alaska.  In a weird twist, Willy is disappointed in his son Biff because he is constantly seeking work outside of the norm of the day.  He's worked on cattle farms and other jobs that Willy does not respect.  Biff explains that he likes these jobs because he's not stuck inside at a desk and can be out in the open air.

In American culture the west has always been symbolic of the open frontier, a vast unexplored wilderness where a man could make his living outside of the realm of laws and societal constraints.  It's interesting that these two books, written 50 years apart, have such similar themes.

Does anyone else know of any characters who seek a life outside of society?  Anyone have a friend or family member who constantly wants to go out on the open road?  What do you think drives a person to feel like this?

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All Bright Court By Connie Porter

I am pulled towards the character called Mikey who plays the little boy in the story. I can relate to him because everybody be dogging him and dont think to ask him about his back round, and the bad thing about it is he is a little boy he's not even a teenager he hasn't even experienced life yet. Connecting this back into my life I was talk about when i was a little girl because i was fat i was skinny like the rest of my friends. People would dog me make me fill little, i can jus imgain wat that little boy going there. being talked aboput isnt good in everybody should be able to see where i am comming from because some point in time in everbody life they have been talked. in they know it hurt deep down inside.

Chinese Handcuffs By: Chris Crutcher

Antonio Reese

Chinese Handcuffs By: Chris Crutcher

My book is about these two student athlete's who are friends. One is a female name Jennifer Lawless and she play basketball, and the other is a male name Dillon Hemingway and he run track. They both are fighters, fighting to push away the pain in their lives. Only together can they survive, look horror straight in the eye, and pull themselves away from the wrongs that have been done to them.

My book was written by Coonnie Porter as a novel called All- Bright Court. The book is about a young black man trying to find him self who actually live near Buffalo,New York. But in a colorfully painted but crumbling housing project near Buffalo, steel mill. This novel is full of wisdom,grace and poetry. In this novel it had alot of diffirent characters such as Sam, Mary Kate and Mikey. My favorite character was Sam because he didnt just remind me of myself but others that I see or be around that I understand as a person. What my grandmother use to always say about me was she's not stupid, selfish or bad but she's just mis-understood and thats the same way I feel about Sam.
When you read a book do the character seem real and believable? Are you able to relate all their predicaments? And do they ever start to remind you of yourself? My answer is yes i feel their is actually a real and believable person because I be so into the story or book that I feel that the whole book is real. The charater Sam diffinently reminds me of myself because I feel I can relate to him such as children life responsibilities and even family.