Black Hawk Down - Blog 4

These recent chapters in the last section were really confusing to me so I had to reread a few parts because it skipped around, and there was just a lot of information in this part. I thought it was really cool and funny to see what the base was like back at the hangar where the soldiers stayed to wait for missions and such. It seemed like a fun place to be. But going back to the battlefield was a big put down. Everyone was taking all of these stupid chances, and going off on their own to fight. The two sniper too, who probably will make it out alive, but it just seemed stupid for them to go off just the two of them. Also, I really like the aspect of the book from that 14 year old Somalian. I think it really adds an aspect to the book, or another point of view, that I would not have thought about otherwise.

Black Hawk Down - Blog 3

In this section it has surprised me at what lack of communication the soldiers have with their help and each other. First of all the whole thing about not getting the right directions made me really made because they would've ended this whole conflict a lot sooner if the caravan got the the crash site quickly. Also, half the soldier did not even know why there were in the humvees, and some thought that they were even going home, which was kind of sad because they were just going into worse battles. Furthermore, the injuries in this part were astonishing because some soldier were just stupid and going out into the open. Also, the Somalians weren't that smart either with their tactic of standing on either side of the street, and practically shooting each other.

Black Hawk Down - Blog 2

These chapters were a little bit confusing to me because it skipped between many different people quickly. It started out as a Somalian, who I think was the person they wanted to capture, but then a missile came and owned them. Then it switched to the Somalian boy who was scared and caught in the middle of the war. I saw two parts of the American soldier at this part too. At one time they spared the Somalian boy because he had no weapon, then killed a man because he had a weapon. When a women came out crying to the man the soldiers shot her too in fright because they were startled. This showed me how the war had already taken the mental toll on the soldiers. Also, to me this is where the main conflict comes. On the back of the book it says that the soldiers were in a huge firefight all night when the mission should have only been a few hours. Saving and protecting the men from the fallen helicopter, and themselves in my mind is what the book will be about.

Black Hawk Down - Blog 1

I think that this is a good book so far. It has some weird humor that makes the book more lively, but it is also very violent such as when they shoot people through the head, but it is not as bad as A Long Way Gone. I thought that the first chapter was really dumb though because the stupid guy got too much ammo and let go of the rope and hurt himself. Then they spent the whole chapter trying to find a medic, and didn't even move to where they were supposed to go. I also thought it was strange when they were talking about Pilla's dead body. I know that he was shot through the head and his face was obliterated, but they referred to his body as 'it' not him. That bothered me a little.

Choice Book Choices

1. Black Hawk Down
2. Boy in the Stripped Pajamas
3. To Kill a Mockingbird
4. Go Ask Alice

A long way gone Ch 21

This chapter was a terrible ending to the book. Seeing that he could never escape from the war and that the killing and terror would follow him everywhere was terrible. He was leading a happy life finally and then the war destroys it again. Also when he said that some of his friends that were rehabilitated with him rejoined the army, and that if they saw him they would kill him. Also the only way for him to escape was to go illegally to another country. The number of roadblocks were also really surprising, and the way that the just sucked the money out of the people made me really mad. This chapter was a really bad ending.

A long way gone Ch 19-20

I was surprised at the way that Ishmael got to America. I was almost sure that he would go there for school. It also surprised me how much freedom that his uncle gave him, and that he didn’t even know that Ishmael was really going to America until he actually got there. I also noticed that the events that happen in these chapters are really descriptive from Ishmael’s point of view, and he seems to be completely rehabilitated. Furthermore it made me laugh a little when he didn’t know what to do with the elevator. I guess that he never had the chance to use them, but I didn’t expect him to be a little afraid when he went into the elevator. What he thought New York was going to be like was pretty funny too because he thought it would be like the rap songs with everybody going around killing other people. These chapters were probably the happiest in a long time.

A long way gone Ch 17-18

I think that Ishmael’s main treatment comes into play these two chapters, Esther. She tries to make friends with Ishmael, and even makes him smile and let out his emotions for the first time in a really long time. He is cautious with her, and in return it seems that she is cautious with him too, but is also trying to be open with him to bring out his openness. I also noticed how the violence started to calm down in these chapters, which is always good. I am still wondering how Ishmael gets to the United States. I think it will end up with a school opportunity that he can’t get in Africa because the beginning of the book starts with that one quote of one of his friends from college, but I’m not certain.

A long way gone Ch 15-16

Now is when we can see the full extent of what desensitizing him has done. First of all he hides a bayonet and threatens the kill the guard who is checking him if he reports it. Then when he is in the hospital a phrase “you can take the boy out of the war, but not the war out of the boy” comes into my mind. They separate into sides yet again and a fight breaks out. Even though they only have bayonets they still slash at the other kids and kill 3 of them before enough guards forcefully separate them. Also hearing that the kids who joined the rebels joined because the government killed their families was really weird because that was the same argument the government was using, just in reverse. Also, the violence that stays with them in how fights would break out everyday disturbed me, but what got me the most was how the facilitators at these camps could stand so much. They were beat up, and one guy was even stabbed in the foot, but they always came back smiling and said, “It’s not your fault.” That just amazed me that someone could have so much determination for this cause.

A long way gone Ch 13-14

This was the point when he just snapped. He just could not handle seeing his friends die around him, the experience just fueled his vengeance and hate for the rebels. He just started killing and killing and he became the cold-hearted killer that he had been running away from for all those chapters before. Now he is on drugs, which means to me that he is completely the person he hated before. He is being controlled like a little robot of the government and is being used as a tool. Ishmael doesn’t really have a say in any of this either which makes me mad because his mind is being destroyed at this part because of the violence and killing. Even though he gets that sense of place and accomplishment this is still tearing at him on the inside. I’m sure that these experiences and horrors now will come back to him forever.

Choice Books

I really don't care what book we read.

A long way gone Ch 13-14

These chapters have been the worse so far in this entire book. We see in the battle how Ishmael doesn’t shoot. He just sits there at first watching his friends die. He does not begin to kill until the commander makes him kill one person, then he goes crazy. He starts to feel the anger that is burning inside and kills everyone he sees in the forest. His need for revenge greatens and he only stops killing when he has to retreat. Seeing Ishmael as a killer is probably the most ironic part of this book. For the first 12 chapters he has hated the people that killed and has been running away from them this whole time. Also he begins to be completely desensitized. The drugs that they give him everyday make him feel invincible and powerful and his daily routine of killing is pounded into his head forever.

A long way gone Ch 11-12

In the beginning of chapter 11 I was half expecting something good, and the other half of me knew that something bad was about to happen. This section started off with the boys laughing and joking around, just being themselves, happy because they thought that they were going to see their families again, but I already knew that he wouldn’t so I had to expect the worst. What I did not see coming was Ishmael screaming and kicking the walls, hurting his friends, they only travel companions and people he could trust. When they were hiding and listening to the rebels that made me mad too. Listening to how they were proud of themselves for destroying 3 villages, and especially proud of this village because they killed everyone sickened me. In chapter 12, Ishmael was captured as a child soldier. Even though the higher officers allowed them to play soccer, Ishmael still distanced himself from the group and sat alone. Then I start to see how the government soldiers started to desensitize them. The soldier tells them to visualize their practice dummy, a banana tree, as a rebel, and the rebel that killed their family, and that they had get revenge. It is this revenge that I think will continue to drive Ishmael.

A long way gone Ch 10

It was nice to see the change in the villages’ attitudes in this chapter. They actually found some happiness and fun where they went instead of being called demons or devils and being punished just for trying to avoid actually being turned into one. It was nice to see that they could be kids again. But of course something bad had to happen, the death of one of their comrades in their group of refugees, Saidu. It was terrible because nothing sudden happened, it was just like his will to live left him and he died quietly. At least he did not have to suffer and die from the rebels, and was buried properly. It was really sad though because the man that helped them bury him told Ishmael and his group that they would always know where he lay, but as he thought to himself he realized that he would probably never be able to return again.

A long way gone Ch 8-9

These two chapters seemed a little happier than the other ones. The only bad parts in this chapter are that his memories continued to haunt him. Even though he was doing fairly well in the forest with good protection in the tree, food, and water, the loneliness was tearing at him. Then he met up with the other boys, some of which he knew, which was much better because he would have strength in numbers and would finally get rid of his loneliness. The best part of this section is when they see the ocean for the first time. At first how he described it sounded like there was a tank coming down the road. Then there was the kind man who brought them food. He seemed so separate from all the violence that was going on in his country, so free from the memories that tether other people down to fear, but as we all know even he had small precautions in not telling the boys his name.

A long way gone Ch 6-7

The chapters in these books just keep getting sadder and sadder. I cannot wait for a change of events but I know it will only get worse because he is still not in the transition where he will be a soldier that is not afraid to kill. What really got to me in these chapters is when Ishmael got separated from his brother. It is just terrible that he was separated from the only family he has left and would never see him again. I could imagine myself being split away from my older sibling in the middle of a war, never to see her again. That would really put me down. It is amazing that Ishmael still continued to run away and escape for his on life. This just goes to tell me that even though the soldier have not started to desensitize him they are doing a perfect job of making it so he has to only fend and worry about himself.

A long way gone Ch 3-5

These chapters were very disgusting in my mind. First of all in the beginning it was somewhat good news for the boys, they found shelter and a place to stay at, which was a nice pick up from the chapter before it in my mind, but then the rebels attacked. The description of the people trying to escape was sickening, especially they guy who got blown up by the grenade. The way it was said of how the blood rained down made me cringe and I almost had to stop reading for a little bit. The part that really got to me was the way the rebels treated them when they got captured. They started to screw around with the old man, which really pissed me off, especially because the elders were supposed to be respected people in their society. Also how they pretended to kill him but missed on purpose just for fun. Then there was they way they almost started to desensitize them, and when I read that Junior might have seen his brother die, it made me really sad. I would hate to see my sister die in front of me.

A long way gone Ch 1-2

These first too chapters really came suddenly. It seemed really happy at first because they were just being kids. They were doing something they loved to do too, rap. It really did start to get to me what this book was going to be like though when the kids started to go back to their home village. First of all to me it was an extremely stupid idea, but if I was in their shoes I might have done the same thing. Secondly it really mad me disgusted when they started to talk about the people who weren’t so lucky, especially the baby. Just the mental image of it in my mind was disgusting and it was something that I could not stop thinking about. This passage told me a lot about the rebel though, and how they did not care who they killed, they have no mercy.

British and Ibo

At first the Ibo town was destroyed by the white people so there was a sense of danger and mystery surrounding them, so when they arrived in Okonkwo’s motherland everybody wanted to see them. The villagers were amused by the Christian religion so they let them stay. Soon people became attracted to the new religion because of the songs and ideas. The tribal people soon began to understand how the Christians could not accept their ideas and culture. When Okonkwo returned to his fatherland he saw how different it was. Although not everyone was converted, quite a few were. They leader of this church however was very kind. He actually tried to understand the different traditions and the religion of the Ibo. This improved the relations between the two different groups. Everything fell apart when Mr. Brown, the nice person, got sick and they replaced him with Mr. Smith. This man is not very nice and only saw the villagers as things to make profit off of. The judicial system got worse too. They gave people that were low in the social class the job of a court messenger. These people became corrupt and were mean to the Ibo. In the end the British viewed the Africans way of life as savage and wrong. They were like Mr. Smith and saw everything in black and white, black being evil, and in their minds black being the African culture.

Okonkwo's ignorance

Okonkwo is physically strong, but nowhere near being mentally strong. He cannot see and accept the fact that other people can be caring and show emotion. He does have admiration for his wives, especially his second wife Ekwefi, but he thinks it is weak to show that so he still beats her. This instability of his emotion causes a lot of anger that he takes out again on his wives, like in the incident where one of his wives takes off some leaves from a banana tree and he beats her for it. Most of his mishaps with this stuff appear in his son Nwoye. He tries to harden this kid to be manly and strong even though he is not, but will work hard. He wants him to be a person with no weaknesses such as admiration and caring for other people, which he is full of. Also when Okonkwo is trying to show strength by not having a “women virtue” he ends up killing an adopted son, Ikemefuma. This also effects Nwoye, and he becomes very tired of Okonkwo’s ability to understand him, so he goes Christian to leave his dad.

Okonkwo

I think that Okonkwo is bad person. He is very mentally weak with a giant ego, which always leads him to beating his family even though he likes them. He is also so unstable and mean that when his wife pulled a few leaves off of a banana tree he beat her then tried to shoot her, but missed because he’s a crappy shot. Furthermore, when he is “taking Ikemefuma back to his village” he kills him. Ikemefuma tries to escape and runs to Okonkwo calling for him to help him, he just kills him like its nothing just to prove to his fellow villagers that he is not weak. He is also very strict with his son. If his son cries or shows any sign of weakness he beats him. He cannot realize that his son is different than him and is not obsessed with violence and drinking palm wine out of human heads.

Things of Unfairness

I believe that P.S.’s treatment was not fair. He did not go into that class planning to cheat to get a 100%, he just wanted to pass so that his father would be pleased with him. After failing the exam last year he thought that failing this year would be so catastrophic that he would never be able to face his father or the other generation of Wilkinson’s that graduated from this school. His friends weren’t happy with P.S. cheating, but they were not mad with him. Mabrey said that P.S. was a smart kid who everyone liked, and was confused why P.S. cheated. There was also that one person who wasn’t really a friend of P.S. He was being over-protective of the honor system and seemed like he was trying to impress the headmaster by asking P.S. questions. The faculty was very confused why P.S. cheated because they never had the insight on P.S.’s life like a reader of the story would. He even said that he might never be able to understand P.S’s reason for cheating. The most surprising reaction was from Phil’s father. The father wanted to embrace P.S. and tell him everything was going to be all right but couldn’t. He wasn’t mad at all, and even made jokes about it. All in all, nobody was mad or disappointed about P.S. cheating, just confused.

Friday Fill-Ins

1. The last meal I had at a restaurant was BBQ chicken pizza.

2. Reading is something I intensely dislike.

3. The full moon is awesome.

4. "Hi" is one of my favorite local expressions.

5. Sometimes it's best to just stop and think.

6. Dark Knight is the best movie I've seen so far this year!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to sleeping, tomorrow my plans include working at the farm and Sunday, I want to play airsoft at my friends house!

Changing Impression

My mom runs a horse farm up in Sheridan and I go up there to help quite a bit and I meet many different people. I met this one girl about 7 years ago when my sister started to ride horses, this was at a different barn however, but it moved to the one that my mom owns now. She was a really nice person; always happy and seemed to me like the person who would never get into trouble. She was also an avid rider and was very involved in the world of horses. She seemed to me like the person who would get good grades and have a large circle of friends. A few months ago, my mom told me that the girl, who is only currently 17, did bad things and was going to give birth to a baby soon. I never would have thought that she was the kind of person who would go out and do that kind of stuff. I was a little shocked first, and was mad at myself for never seeing that she wasn’t the kind of person I really thought she was. It was very disappointed in her and myself.

I am here.

Ello Ms. Pfanschmidt! I am able to post on my blog.