Erin

toc =My Journal=

Water Issues
I like. I like to know how the enviorment is going and what people do now to help make it cleaner,safer, and better. I also learned that the soil that goes in the water takes away oxygen and makes some living organisms die. I wish. I wish that people would start thinking about our world and what's goning to happen in the future. They could contribute to pick up trash, so it wont go in the water, recycle to let factories use less water, and much more. I wonder. What will happen to the earth if we pollute too much?

Long Walk to Water
People might go to another country where there is freedom and the population of our country would go down. Also, people would begin making a plan to lose the government's power. The people would think that the government was crazy since we learn history to not make the same mistakes, but unfortunately the government doesn't listen in social studies. Sudan has about 569,200 refugees camps today. Poeple can lend money or donate something to them, or they can build more houses. I think the U.S should get involved because they people there need them to get involved and just imagining how it would be like makes The U.S can care for them by donating or some people might even go to sudan and help people. The U.S can compare the progress they have made to when they didn't help.

Wonder
1/21/14 I felt different when I went to my friend's church a few months ago. I'm still not comfortable with that place especially when I have to be involved with a large group. I am thinking that it may be because I'm shy, but even if I am, I usually would be comfortable in a few months. Everybody tries to fit in, but it's harder than it looks.

Part One: August Chapter One
Ordinary 1/21/14 August meant that other people see him as an ugly and weird person. They probably think that he was really a disgust or a disgrace. Everyone thinks August isn't ordinary because of his face, and if he wasn't born with that face people would think he was normal. August mentions that he eats ice cream, rides his bike, plays ball, and has an XBox as the other kids do or have. August also mentions that ordinary kids don't make other kids run away screaming on playgrounds, or that other people don't stare at ordinary people. On the inside, August is ordinary, but on the outside, he is not or at least others don't see him that way.

Chapter 10
The Grand Tour 1/23/14 Well, many people do think physical disabilities equals mentally slow is what I think. For example, Julian thinks that August doesn't even have a chance to be in the science elective. The science elective is really smart kids since it is the hardest elective of all electives in the school. He said mean comments about how August was homeschooled and how August's mother wasn't even a teacher on page twenty-nine Julian even made a comment about his face and his hair. "What's the deal with your face? I mean, were you in a fire or something?" asked Julian. "Why is your hair so long?" Julian said to me. Even if everyone besides August thinks he's weird, I didn't think people had to comment about it. Jack Will and Charlotte were obviously nicer to August than Julian. People think just because you're different from others, means your brain is also messed up too. I strongly disagree with that thought. People don't know what is going on with other people's personal lives. I think physical disability doesn't mean you are mentally slow. I predict that August will be on the science elective because he is smart. What I am thinking is that people just doesn't want to be near someone who is not ordinary, they probably think that that person is gross and not acceptable. People always stays away from the new and get closer to the old or popular. You should really think about what others are feeling and how you would feel if you were that person. Even if you are mentally slow you can always learn.

Chapter 16
Lamb to the Slaughter/Choose Kind 1/27/17 No, the teacher probably didn't know who Darth Sidious or his situation was. If the teacher knew more about the characters in Star Star Wars, I think Ms. Petosa would just interrupt the conversation after Julian talks about Darth Sidious, and let another student speak. Ms. Petosa might give Julian a look, and at the end of class, maybe she would talk to Julian about what had happened. There might be a possibility of Julian moving to another class. Mr. Browne was really tall and had a yellow beard. His handwriting was big and sloppy on the chalkboard. Browne was the type who thought people should believe in themselves and believe in who they are. He gave everyone a chance to talk if they wanted to without being called on. Mr. Browne loves to have fun with the students in class, and makes everyone laugh. I believe that he doesn't really care about August as must as the others do because he sees August as an ordinary person. I would want Mr. Browne as a teacher because he is really into making the subject more interesting. Also, he is into being kind rather than being right. The quote that I really love on page forty-eight is "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." I think I can also enjoy learning different facts in school. I can tell that Mr. Browne is a gentle and caring person. He didn't even pause for a millionth of a second after looking at August and kept talking. He also didn't give shiny smiles to August. I think I would have an enjoyable time and learn something at the same time.

Chapter 30
Jack Will 1/29/14 Before the last part about Halloween, I really thought that Jack Will was a pretty nice kid. He hung out with August, came to his birthday party, talked with August, and actually saw August as an ordinary person or so I thought. I was really happy for August to meet friends including Jack. When I first met Jack, I was suspicious and thought that he had to be nice to August for Mr. Tushman. In the middle, I regretted what I had said, and in the end, I was right. On page seventy-seven, I was extremely shocked that Jack Will actually said such words. Maybe Jack said it to actually be normal or not be embarrassed because I have felt that feeling before. I wanted to not know a certain person and not be embarrassed. Maybe Jack Will said those comments about August because he truly meant it and hated hanging out with August. Maybe he said it because he just didn't want is status in friendship to recede with the popular kids. I still do not know the truth until I read further out. I felt sorry for August, and I know that people don't want you to be sorry for them, but I still do feel that way. I think that August was still very brave to not tell his mother. If I were him, I would tell my parents right away and keep crying until I fall asleep. I don't think anything as in August's situation happened to me, or I at least didn't find out how someone truly felt about me. I have though felt very sad and betrayed in my life. With that being said, August must be having a hard time holding back everything after hearing what Jack said. If someone said that about be I would be sad and furious at the same time, but to me I think August felt not angry, but disappointed and heartbroken.

Chapter 32
A Tour of the Galaxy 2/2/14 When Via or Olivia said that the Galaxy was changing, she meant that the atmosphere was different this year. Everyone was changing to a newer self making the planets hard to align themselves. For example, Miranda changed her usual style by dying her hair bright pink, cutting it to a super-cute bob, and wearing a tube top. Miranda used to be very prude about clothes and hairstyles. She would act as if Via was just a casual friend and not a friend who has been with you for some years. Also, Ella has not changed as much as Miranda, but she has also changed her usual style to something else. August has enrolled school and actually kept going to it. If I were Via, I would ask August a ton of questions relating to friends and school. Via has noticed that all of the geeky styles August would take time to do were now gone after the enrollment. He has especially changed after the Halloween incident making Via surprised. Via's parents were changing by spending less time with August, and Mom was really becoming worried for both of her children. Everyone including the astroids and the comets were changing making the atmosphere also change.

Chapter 47
Time to Think 2/2/14 Via's speech was actually very encouraging to me, but I thought that it didn't really arrive to August. I especially loved it when Via talked about normal people would have unpleasant days in school. I was thinking that maybe Via was able to say the deep thought about friends to August because of Miranda. If I were Via, I would say to August that everyone has unpleasant days in school and sometimes it's the really unpleasant ones and sometimes it's the just a little worse ones. I would tell my problem about Ella and Miranda. I thought Via's speech was very deep and understandable to make August go back to school. To tell the truth, it is hard to explain how I really felt about Via's speech, but I really thought it was inspiring. Unfortunately, I thought August was just going back to school because Via was just annoying him about Jack and the other happenings in school, though I was relieved that August was going back. Also, at the end, I thought Via really cared about Miranda and wanted to be her best friend again.

Chapters 48-53
Summer's description 2/3/14 Summer is a true friend to not just August but to everyone she is friends with. She has long wavy brown hair, she has leaf green eyes, and she has a tan. August also says that Summer looked like her name. Summer is always very fun and cheerful, and she sometimes says to August "cool beans." She is still a fan of unicorns and playing at recess, and August plays with her and helps her out sometimes. Summer's father died after a surgery, but she still has her mother and she has no siblings. She believes that when someone is dead they go to heaven for a little while and the person's soul would be reborn into this world again. Summer didn't really care about the Plague game, so she kept playing with August. Summer sat with August on the first day of school since she felt bad for him. Later on, she realizes that she sits with August because she thinks that August is fun and nice. Summer even said,"He was such a good sport about himself." She also said the this was one of the reasons she admired August on page 129. Summer feels as if she could tell August everything since he is nice, fun, and honest. Summer feels as if "Zombie Kid" was her best friend whom she could be with everyday. For example, Summer said that she would rather hang around with August rather than to be really popular. She even left Savanna's party since she said horrible comments about August making Summer feel bad. I have felt that feeling when someone started being really nice to me when all the other kids just ignored me since I was new. Summer also does not appreciate it when accused of something especially when she didn't do anything. This is clearly explained on page 126 when August accuses Summer of only hanging out with him because of Mr. Tushman. I have felt that feeling when someone started being really when all the other kids just ignored me since I was new.

Chapters 54-74
Hypocrite 2/4/14 Jack called himself a hypocrite because he pretends to be August's best and true friend. For example, on the first day of school, Jack was more used to August's face than anyone else, but when he realizes that August was going to be going sitting alone, Jack sits as far away from August as possible. He sat next to Isaiah and Luca, kids Jack didn't even know. Jack just wanted to hang around with the "ordinary" kids at school, especially since he spends most of his time with August since he was in the class August was in. Everyone was starring, talking, making up names about August and his face behind hid back, but Jack didn't stand up for August and was just a bystander. Jack basically was different on the inside from outside of himself. I have felt that feeling before. A person I didn't even know was just sitting somewhere, but I just looked and walked away. Though, I really felt weird, bad, and different on the inside as I passed by that person.

Predicting
2/4/14 From Justin's part, I am expected to learn what Justin thinks and reacts to August in his prospective. Also, what he thinks about August's whole family, Via's friends, August's friends, and Justin's own friends. I expect to learn more about Justin's family and his life. I expect to learn another lesson about relationships in life, and how to apply them. Justin was probably shocked when seeing August at first, but I think he will become used to August and start to be his friend. The author stuck Justin in as a part because she probably wanted everyone to think what someone else thought about someone or something in the character's perspective. Also, the author wanted you to learn new lessons and quotes in this part. If the author didn't put Justin in, readers might say that the book was a little boring since the last chapter in part four really makes readers want to learn more about Justin. This also makes the book more interesting and exciting to read. The comments that I am saying are what I think the reasons are, and if were an author I would do the same way as the author who made Wonder.

Lowercase
2/5/14 The author probably used lowercased letters because Justin himself might remind the author of something. Maybe it is because Justin was just a minor character meaning he is still very important though not as important as August, Via, and Jack Will. Justin is special in a way because he becomes an important character as we all read further into the book. This is what I think why the author used the lowercased letters, but I actually searched up this question. R.J. Palacio said that she played the trombone for seven years, and when she had to play the really low notes, R.J. thought that those notes on the musical staff looked close to lowercase letters of the alphabet. With that being said, Justin was a musician who thinks in musical terms, and to Palacio, it seemed natural to use lowercased letter for Justin. I also play an instrument, but I have never thought that the lower notes looked closely alike to the alphabet. This makes me think that the author had a large imagination to think that, and now that I know, the notes do look a little alike to the letters of the alphabet.

Chapter 73-80
2/5/14 Justin is an important character because he is Via's boyfriend and August's friend. Justin is basically part of August's family. Justin is really kind to August unlike Julian and his friends, Justin is also nice enough to stand up to Julian and his two friends for bullying Jack Will. He especially takes a large role of being Via's boyfriend for about four months. This let's us know more about Via, August, and maybe even Miranda.

Chapter 90-95
Miranda's role in the novel is definitely important because of the situation she is in with Via's family. I can't imagine a not having Miranda in the novel. I actually believed that Miranda was a sweet person because of the way she treats August. The people who have been nice to August without pretending was really nice and considerate. Miranda wasn't the type of person who would physically or mentally do something wrong. Miranda feels safer in Via's home than her own because of how exciting it is to be with August, but more importantly, the way Via's family treats each other. Miranda's parents is currently divorced which leads to not having much love, but Via's family loves everyone in their family so much. They enjoy making jokes, playing with each other, and listening to someone's problem. Via's family treats others as if they were part of their family. Even though Miranda knew how much she loved acting, Miranda even gave up her main part in the play as Emily because what is the point of trying your best and being extraordinary if no one that loved and cared about her came to see it. August's family, of course, cared about Miranda and loved her, though Miranda never realized. My prediction is that Via and Miranda would be friends again because I think Via knew why everything happened all this time and at the end, Via put her arm around Miranda and said, "You're definitely coming." This was said after Miranda refused going to a late-night dinner with Via's family.