Coming Of Age

What Is Coming of Age? :

   Coming Of Age is when a young person's transitions from their childhood to their adulthood. So, for coming of age a young adult undergoes some situation and/or inner turmoil in his/her life, which helps them with their growth and development as a human being.Some young adults come to realization of reality when they face cruelty in the world, death, racism, violence and hatred. While others deal with friends,family and community issues.Some Books Are great for coming of age as a novel. Like the following:

• The Catcher In The Rye
• To Kill A Mocking Bird
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
• The Giver
• The Hobbit
• The Outsiders
• The Bluest Eye
• The Girl Who Fell From The Sky

     And much More Books. But One Book that i read What The Girl Who Fell From The Sky. The book was filled with a lot of situations that could of brought my main character to her coming of age. For one she had to deal with living in a new home with her grandmother. She realy didnt have much memory of ehat had happened to her mom, dad and brother. SHe also felt like a loner in the story. She was different than everyone else, because of the way she looked. She was the only girl with blue eyes and brown skin. yes, my main character was lost, but she knew for sure that she was black. She went through most of the changes teenage girls do at her age. School, boys, friends and foes, family problems, and that lust to be loved for who they really are.
   Each of these book tells a story. The story of some kids life that started off normal, But dramatically changed because of an issue that happened to them. And with that situation they came into realization of the world around them. They became a bit wiser,  and a step closer into adulthood.

Coming of age

                                 Coming Of Age Reading Response

          I am reading the book “The Girl Who Fell From The Sky”, by Heidi W. Durrow. In the book the main character is a girl named Rachel. She is living now living with her grandmother and her Aunt Loretta in a new town. From her past, to her present and to her future Rachel goes through many changes in her life. The three main changes that I noticed is the fact that she is living in a new town and shes trying to fit in, she is enrolled into a new school and she is living with her grandmother. Rachel starts of by being the smart, shy, well-behaved, and well mannered child. But throughout the book That changes little by little. She adopts to the new life, changes the way she dresses, the way she talks and her attraction to boys.

Rachel is feeling like “The New-Girl” and misses her Mor (which is a danish word for mother), her brother Robbie and her Pop (her Dad). Some things that her Aunt Loretta does reminds her of her Mor, and deep down she is still that danish girl from Portland, Oregon. I think this because Rachel is the new girl and everything and everyone is new to her. Yes, they may change the way she looks on the outside, and try to change the way she acts, but she will always be the same danish girl she always has been. For example, on page 2 Rachel says, “ When Mor was little she used to have two braids in her hair too.” But her aunt decides to do something different with her hair. To Rachel she knows it doesn’t matter if she didn’t agree, shes just a “Doll”. On page 3 Rachel says,“I see a girl in the mirror when shes done, and she is not me.”

       Coming to a new town, means a new Middle school for Rachel. I noticed in the beginning she wants to work hard and focus, even though shes being teased and bullied by the other kids. She usually just deals with it and holds back her tears. For example,in the beginning of the book there's a girl named Tamika Washington who goes to Rachel’s middle school bullied Rachel, she pulled her braids, teases her about the way she looks, and threatens to beat her up. Rachel is frightened by Tamika a tries to stay out of her way. But by the middle of the book her attitude changes. Yes, she still keeps up with her good grades, but she attracted more to boys and can't really tolerate the teasing. Tamika now goes to the same high school as Rachel, but things have changed. On page 170 Tamika says, “She a ho. Think she all cute. She fast like those white girls. She slept with half the basketball team. She touch my man I’ll slap her.” A Part of Rachel that wants to stop being sad, and to stop being hurt and not cry. Turns around so quick like she doesn’t even know herself and says, “FUCK OFF,” and punches Tamika so hard she stumbles back and her nose begins to bleed.

          At first Rachel doesn’t know much about her grandmother. For example on page 2 she says “ Grandma is still a stranger to me. I know only know a few things about Grandma. She's a gardener. She has soft hands, and she smells like lavender.” As she gets to know her grandmother more she does as she is told. She shows her grandmother and her friends respect and manners. She goes to church with her grandmother every Sunday. And she keeps her grades up and behaves herself. She and her grandmother never talk about Rachel's Mor or Her Pop, But they are always on Rachel's mind. But the older Rachel gets the more she actually notices about her Grandmother and the more she dislikes her. Like how shes almost always drinking and she becomes less close to her grandmother as she used to be. For example she stops going to church as often as she usually does. On page 150-151 Rachel and her grandmother get into and argument about Rachel’s Mother. Rachel does something shes never done before, she yells at her and says,” You're a damn lie- that newspaper story proves it. My mom didn’t do a damn thing!”

          In conclusion, Rachel goes through many changes in her life. And this is a great example of coming of age. Because just like Rachel, teens today are starting to grow up and learn more about themselves. They change either because of a situation or the people around them. Just like Rachel we may grow up having one set of personalities but a few years later they change, because we change. By the end of the book Rachel gains wisdom. “Wisdom doesn’t necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself.”-Tom Wilson. Rachel is a good role model to most kids going through what shes going through. And its more that what meets the eye. I want the reader to think that growing up isn’t a bad thing, but its a way to experience more in life. To understand yourself better than when you where younger. To experience new knowledge and lessons of life.

                                                   

Promt

Commands, Advice and Directions adults give you. What do you agree/Disagree with?

1.            "Stay Away From Strangers"

              I disagree with this command. Yes, some strangers you should avoid and not talk to. But isn't everyone a stranger at first? Don't  you start off not knowing someone and until you talk to them or introduce your self that's when you start to get to know the person. So maybe this command can be verified.  Maybe for smaller children the ages 10 and younger tell them not to talk to adults they don't know. Random people on the streets. But telling kids not to talk to strangers is telling them not to talk to anyone they don't already know. But, i kinda agree with this command, because you dont always know who someone is. They can be a child molester, a kidnapper or a dangerous person. But i don't think this command is that effective because kids still talk to strangers and today they are being kidnapped, raped or harmed by people on the streets. Saying "stay away from strangers", is one thing but enforcing them to listen and do it is another.

     2.       "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."
           
           I agree, no matter what happens in life, life will always go on. its a good thing to say to most teens. Especially when they are going on in their life and they feel as though the world has come to and end(trust me Ive had this feeling before), Telling them that life goes on is something that always helps. And this quote is true life does go on, a person dies, but life will still continue. Never let a dramatic event in your life.,stop you from living. but also take into account that as you grow up so do others and together they mature and see that the world is finally opening up for them.

Promt #3

Prompt Number 3: Who Am I? Who Was I? And Who I Want To Be?

•     Who Was I?

             I used to be the quiet, shy keep to myself kind of girl. I used to not really know who i was or who i wanted to become. Growing up was hard for me since i really didn't have my mother around, but someone that substituted for her. I also didn't know my father so i never had that "Father, Daughter" Felling. When i was young i always felt like and outsider. Like everyone else was against me. I was too shy to make friends, but i had some. I was loved by almost everyone for how sweet i was, and how smart and talented i was. I was always told by the adults around me " Your gonna be someone great, and helpful in this world". I was quiet at home, and most did what i had to do and didn't argue with my grandparents who i lived with. I drawed, sang , dance and had no worries in the world. That's who i was.

•    Who am i?

                I am that loud girl youll hear from a distance. I'm fun, funny and full of life. I like to try new things and meet new people.I'm loved by almost everyone except for the people that envy me. I have my own type of style and always try to stand out in my own way. I never follow the crowd, because like my grandfather said "I Am A Leader,Not A Follower". I know my friends like a book and i am the type of person that would always have your back no matter what. People know they can trust me and ccome to me when they need any type of help. My personality attracts everyone. I cant say im perfect, But im getting there. Yea i have my flaws and dealing with the process of growning up. Like haveing boyfriends, my family issues, friends and most of all the trust i have for most people. Im creative and i try not to make poeple bring me down, Thats who i am.

•     Who i want to be?

             I want to be someone that can help the world. Today i am a teen and i see that our world that we live in have a lot of issues. And i want to be that person to try and solve some of theses issues. I really care for almost anything, so things like homelessness and poverty really touch my heart. I wish to help those out there who don't have much, who are living out on the streets, who have no place for them and their family to be. Or i can help the world by saving lives. Either by being a doctor in a hospital or by being a police officer and making our streets of new york a better place for people to feel safe and live in. I say its not about the money its about the feeling you get from doing something good to others. I also want to be a mother and have a family. To be proud of what Ive done and be able to be happy. That's who i want to be.

Writting Prompt #2

Writting Prompt Number 2
Questions:

1. What I Want For Life?
2. What Carrer I Want To Proceed?
3. Where Do I Want To Live?
4. What Do I Want To Accomplish As A Teen?
5. What Are My-End-Of-The-Year Middle School Goal?
6. WHat Are My Goals In Highschool?
7. What Courses Do I Want TO Take In High School?
8. Art(Creativity) Or Medical?
9. Do I Want To Go To College?
10. Am I Ready To Leave Home?

Question Number 6: What Are My Goals For High School?

      In High school i want to accomplish many things. For one i  would like to keep getting good grades> If i can i want to get better grades than what i get in the 8th grade. I also want to try new subjects to extend my knowledge beyond what it is now. I really enjoy ELA and Social Studies class, with the teachers being interactive with the students I am wble to be more succesful in class. I want to join high scholl extracirriclular classes. A sports team, or maybe a robotics team. In High School i want to explore my educational options. By doing this it would help me to become a smarter student and proactive in my High School community. but mostly in school I will remain true to myself but also be open to options I have never experienced before.
        

Response to A book Revised

Book Title: Sand Dollar Summer
Authour: Kimbery K. Jones

 
          


           Well this book is basically about a 12 year old girl named Lise. Lise has a great life with her parents. But unfortantley lise mother had a horrible car accident. This car accient gave her motheer many injuries, and life lise scared. She thought that her life was falling apart from that moment. So as her mother got better she too them on a trip. For the summer they went to live in this old house on the beach in Manie. This was the first time that Lise has been so close to the ocean before, and she was terrified. The point of this whole family trip was to recuperate thier lifes. This plan seemed so inncote that it might actually work. O fcourse you know the trip had its uos and downs for both lIse and her mother. Drama, love , Trst  and much more. But at the end of the summer everything ended welll. Lises life went back to they way it was, before that tragic acccident. Once again she felt safe, and happy.
            I think that this book is very interestuing. I mean like i love the way the book has text to world connections. How  the authour took something that happens all the time in the real world and based her story around that topic. I like hoe the book shows the meanta; break down of a child who has a parent thats been in an accident. The book shows how they break down, how they react and how that can total change your life.

Narritive Poem For Please Dont Take My Air Jordans

Please Don't Take My Air Jordans
Poem by Reg E. Gaines:
my air jordans cost a hundred with tax
my suede starters jacket says raiders on the back
i'm stylin . . . smilin . . . lookin real mean cuz
it ain't about bein heard just bein seen

my leather adidas baseball cap
matches my fake gucci backpack
there's nobody out there looks good as me
but the gear costs money it sure ain't free

and i gots no job no money at all
but it's easy to steal fresh gear from the mall
parents say i shouldn't but i know i should
gots ta do what i can to make sure i look good

and the reason i have to look real fly
well to tell ya the truth man i don't know why
i guess it makes me feel special inside
when i'm wearin fresh gear i don't have to hide

but i really must get some new gear soon
or my ego will pop like a ten cent balloon
but security's tight at all the shops
everyday there are more and more cops

my crew's laughin at me cuz i'm wearin old gear
school's almost over summer is near
and i'm sportin torn jordans and need somethin new
there's only one thing left to do

cut school friday catch the subway downtown
check out my victims hangin around
maybe i'll get lucky and find easy prey
gots to get some new gear there's no other way

i'm ready and willin i'm packin my gun
this is serious bizness it sure ain't no fun
but i can't have my posse laughin at me
i'll cop somethin dope just wait you'll see

come out a the station west 4th near the park
brothers shootin hoops and someone remarks
HEY HOMES . . . WHERE'D YOU GET THOSE DEF NIKES
as i said to myself. . . i likes em . . . i likes

they were q-tip white bright and blinded my eyes
the red emblem of michael looked as if it could fly
not one spot of dirt the airs were brand new
had my pistol knew just what to do

followed him very closely behind
waited until it was just the right time
made a left turn on houston pulled out my gun and screamed
GIMME THEM JORDANS . . . and he tried ta run

took off fast but didn't get far
i fired (POW) he fell between two parked cars
he was coughin/cryin/blood dripped on the street
and i snatched them air jordans off a his feet

while layin there dyin all he could say was
please . . . don't take my air jordans away . . .
you think he'd be worried about stayin alive
as i took off with the jordans there were tears in his eyes

the very next day i bopped into school
with my brand new air jordans man was i cool
i killed to get them but hey . . . i don't care
cuz now. . . i needs a new jacket to wear
My Narritive Poem:

Looking Like Me Anit Easy you see
I got money you see
I get what i want
gucci
Addas
You know you cant meet ma syle
im a whole nother mile
away from you my child
so lemme tell you this
Im fressshhh
You see
100% flee
Imma Mobb To The Mall
Stacks of money
Thats how i ball
Get dem jordans
Niggahs have
So i Also Have thier swag
Dont need kill
To survive
Like other niggahs out her
Im number one
New Swag
New Day

Response to Other Peoples Blogs

            Well i read The following Blogs:

•             Anna Veronica's Blog
•             Jasmine Pacheco
•             Sarah Safran

 Anna Veronica: For One Anna"s blog shows allot of detailed observations. She really goes deep into understanding poems, sonnets, ect. All of her blogs show that she really understood the detailed aspects of the sonnets. Unlike some people her blogs are long and full of detail, you can hear her voice in her blogs. She really expresses her feelings and points of views in each one of her blogs. Sometimes she even compares her sellf or uses text to world compareasions too. She elborates and deve;lopes her ideas. She shows forceful and powerful voices in her blogs. I really llike her poems about And important thing that happened to her. I like how she wrote it for one, Two i like the rythm that she had. Theres alot to say about her blogs and she is grewat at putting her voice into everything she writes.

Jasmine Pacheco:  For one i like the theme that jazzy picked for her blogg. Its very claming and mellow. I also like how for one of her side bars she has a quote from a poet and its very inspiring. I also like how in some of her blogs she adds a visual so you can see, and it describes whats shes saying. Her responses seems like she had a nice flow while writting the response. It seems like she had some nice ideas, and you kinda get idea or like some inspiration from her blog.

Sarah Safran: I like her blog responses because they all really explain what she's thinking. Even though you haven't read whatever she read, you can still get a lot about it by just reading her responses. Also I think she really cares about the stuff that she writes and thinks deeply about all of them.

Envey

Money talk first
Money talks last
You Anit Worth Shit
Runnin mouth for my cash
Stay off my ass
You on that low class
My status way pass
Than what ya 12th grade pasted
Im always real
Im never fake
Trust me im a heavey set
I'll make an earthquake
One move is all i make
To make ya B**** ass shake

Poem

That Sepcial Person

Dark chocolate skin
And brown eyes
His feelings were hidden
And so were mines
6 foot
And soft red lips
Always jealous
But i knew he cared
Hugs and kisses were alwayed shared

Strong bold body
Sweet and sour
Was how he acted

Freestyle Rapping
Funny and controleed
A big warm heart
And a strong bold soul
Yea thats him
Hes my gold

Poem

Dead Friendship

Our friendship
Has never meant nothing
Even from where it all began
Its just memories in the sand
A dead wish
Brought to life
Yet unborn
Sticks and stones, may break my bones
But your pain is the pill to heal that up
You just been used
And played puppet
We share nothing
We have nothing to relate to
Your friendship is nothing, but a dead end
and a dead long memory
Something that you'd wish
We had again
Say goodbye to your long
And distant past
You sit and wish that we
can be friends again
Get a grip
GeT A LIFE
Cuz im gone

POEM

I want

I want a smile
I want a hug
I want a mile
Of sugar plums
I want a daisy
For hen its rainy
I want to fly
And touch the sky
I want a dad
Like I've never had
I just want
That special
Love song
That you have
Just a song
That I can have

Poem

Bullying

A word
Cuts deep
Deep into your skin
A push
Lets you fall
You get tears
After all
A puch
Leaves brusies
A memory
You cant forget
A gang
Defenceless
Its you agaisnt
Them
A bat
YOUR OUT!!!!
In the hospital you go
Your mother sheads tears
Your father shows his fears
The silence
Its safe
Its the best thing you know
After all
Thats how
Bullying goes.

This poem expresses how I see this social issue.... Bullying... Bullying is a very deep and harmful topic. It happens everywhere. This needs to be stop. Kids are bullied for allot. Their race, how tall or short they are, how fat or skinny they maybe, where they come from, how the speak, the way they dress, their sexuality is something that recently is being provoked. Bullying needs to be talked about it schools so this process of kid thinking they can say or do anything they want. To a child just because they don't like something about them. That needs to stop. Its a horrible action against people. And most of them just wont stand for it. So you know what they do, they commit suicide.

Poem

                                        Ocean
                                       Endless
                                     Navy blue
                                   Crystal clear
                                  And salty too
                                From east to west
                                    You spread
                             Crashing and thrashing
                             Dissolving in the sand
                                 Cold my touch
                               Yes its the ocean
                                 One thing that
                                        I lust

Poem

                                   Where I am From

                              I'm from Jamaica
                       I'm from my mother kameka
                   I'm from the silent ocean breeze
                               In sunny Florida
                   I'm from the laughter of children
                               I'm from the sun
                                    Bright
                                    Sunny
                                And full of life
                                    I'm from death
                                       The beauty of it
                                          The tears you shed
                             Because of it
                                 The feeling
                                        Of depressing
                                               Around it
                                                           I'm from music
                                                       Different beats
                                                     Different sounds
                                                 Different meanings
                                          All around
               From loud to silent
                     To high and low
                           I'm from my sister
                                  Her broad smile
                                     The glistening eyes
                                                   I'm just me
                                                            A girl
                                          I'm Kayla

Reading challenge

           I  Read the book Sold this month. Well basically i read the book in a day. The book had really connected to me, it was so meaningful, deep, depressing, and each word on each page really got a reaction out of me. This book was full of allot of drama, fear, religion, betrayal, trust, rape, family,and much more. The book includes allot of social issues that are deal with in real life today like: rape, family loss, abuse,poverty, love,al actions and much more. The one thing in the book that made me love it so much was how it took place. It started depressing with a family that lives in a village and they are poor. Its a family of four a daughter, a baby boy , the mother and the father.
               Their family used to be bigger but each season when they had a child the child would die of some sort of sickness.Basically the main character wants good thing for her family. She aims for getting a new tin roof. Their father unfortunately is rude, lazy, and doesn't do much to help the family at all. I also don't like that in their religion the man always comes first.They only get to eat after then men had eaten till they are full, then they get what remains.That's unfair in my eyes for one they have more than one mouth to feed. Two they don't have enough food to give to all the family members if the father eats first, basically the rest other family starve.
         They must rub their feet n drink a sip of the water their feet was washed in as as sign or respect. That's sooo nasty its something that i would never do in my life at all its like who would do that and no one i don't care who they starvee cant tell me to do something like that as a sign or respect to a man.But, besides all this bad i love the fact that the girl is in love with a guy in her village that she has been watching for a while now and she has plans to marry him,
     To skip  farther into the book. They family becomes so poor because of the father and all of his gambling so they send the daughter to the city to be sold as a maid. But from there things go horribly wrong. She is on this long journey she goes through alot of other villages and cities and she leaves th life she had behind her. She carries her personal items which isn't that much and the strong weight of her family back home and how they will get along in life, but she promises to come back and tell them the stories of how great it was in the city. She had a big wondrous imagination of how the city would look but for the long journey she was on she never got to that wondrous place.
     Instead she gets a change of clothing, a new pink fluffy dress and matching shoes. To her she feels naked. She ends up in the home withe other girls in many colorful dresses and to her she thinks this is where she'll clean and stuff. Her first day of the 'job' she sees what her job is really meant to be. And she refuses to do this dirty job. For this she gets beaten all over her body and shes is starved without water for food for days. But what they don't know is shes knows how to serve without food, she can make her self seem full even though shes not. Until one day she get some yogurt from her bosses servant and instantly she knows she was drugged. She blacks out and awakes a little while later with no control over her body at all. And a guy one of the costumer does what he was there to do and she feels like she has no control over anything any more, so she lets it happen.
    She gets used to what she has to do to get out of there but she doesn't appreciate it at all. she see that the girls are leaving one by one, people around her getting sick,dieing....
   Well i don't wanna give away too much of the story so go ahead and read it your self it will really take you attenuation away like its taken mine. This book is a sure to keep, best read, attention grabbing, meaningful and social story. I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!

War (extra peom)

War

I am at war
I'mam at war with a ton of things
And the enemy maybe
Winning
This battle
But no matter what
I have to win this war


The fatal moment
the crusal pain
The desire to over power
The rush of this game
Oh war
You might be unstoppable
But i will challenge you
And i promise you

WAR

I will
WIN

I just wanted it to be known that there's always war. If its not a war between states ins a person war. A war between people. The war of love. The war for survival. The war that everyone faces all the time. So there are those people, who will never give up. The fight back there war. Until the succeed and win.

The Starry Night Poem Response

Anne Sexton

That does not keep me from having a terrible need of -- shall I say the word -- religion. Then I go out at night to paint the stars.

--Vincent Van Gogh in a letter to his brother

The town does not exist
except where one black-haired tree slips
up like a drowned woman into the hot sky.
The town is silent. The night boils with eleven stars.
Oh starry starry night! This is how
I want to die.

It moves. They are all alive.
Even the moon bulges in its orange irons
to push children, like a god, from its eye.
The old unseen serpent swallows up the stars.
Oh starry starry night! This is how
I want to die:

into that rushing beast of the night,
sucked up by that great dragon, to split
from my life with no flag,
no belly,
no cry. My Response:

  In class we read the starry night. After reading this poem a few lines i had a few thoughts about the poem. For one i think the poet is trying to tell us that she is accepts death.She doesn't fear it at all she basically embraces it. So some line like 'The unseen serpent","that great dragon","beast of the night" to mean all of this sayings/descriptions shows powerful forces which i think she longs to surrendered to. She is like showing suicidal power  in her poem. Like the stanza that says "to split" it adds some compactions and difficulties towards the poem. The word"split" doesn't mean destroy in this poem but it actually means to break into many pieces.
       Also the stanza that says "no belly" can mean a few things. It can mean that she will have no belly literally,or that the word belly can refer to womb,and can also mean "inside". Saying that she has no inside, its a form of destruction. I think that the poet longs to become part of the sky, not literally but that saying has a religious meaning towards it. But i think he desperation for suicide, isn't for religion but for the need of infinite glory and power. This poem shows a mixture of both suicide, surrender, control, how she wants her life to end.
      The poem talks about the nature of life and the embrace of death.To me this poem just has a lot of power and strength towards it in the poem. it really grabs your attention.

Love (extra poems)

Love

Life is full of roses
But they arent all lovely
For us there are the same with throns
And some that are pitch black
Its up to you to pick out
The most beautiful
Of them all
Your have to find
That wonderful Red Rose

By Kayla Newman

Poetry

Poetry is....

Poems
Openly thought out
Every one's opinion respected
Truly fulfilled and meaningful
Religion is included
You share your mind

Your heart, your soul, your thoughts
All written down on paper
A word of memories, moments
And factors of life
Poetry is like the ocean
Its a hell of a ride
Hell yeah
That's what poetry is about!!

Ela Word Poems!!! Extra credit

Lengendary

Let me tell you a story
About a man.....

                   A Long time ago
                  ThEre was a man
                      Named Mr. luther king jr
                He Gave people hope
          Almost Everyone looked up to him
                      Never in his life
                      Did he, Mr.luther king jr
                   GAve up on his dreams
               So aRe
                      You a person of dreams?
 Well Mr. luther king jr was a man  of dreams and forever he will be Lengendary!
        

Ela Word Poems!!! Extra credit

Christmas HoHoHo

Whe Christmas time comes around santa sings a song, it  goes:

                                  Ho ho ho
                         All thrOugh the snow
                               OVer the roof tops
                       All the Elfs know
                        When Raindeers are coming
                          Its time to go
                  Ho ho ho its Christmas time in the snow

Well then main word in this poem is HOVER. Hover means to float over or got go over something. So this poem decribes when santa and his raindeers go OVER the roof tops and this action shower the meaning of the word HOVER.