Reading Response3

Matty and his sister Callie spent huge amount of time to find Murdoch. But they couldn’t. What they know about Murdoch is his name and what he looks like. At first they laid for him at where they met but he didn’t show up again. They just hoped to get lucky but they didn’t get any information and time just passed. Matty was about to give up to find him.

But on Matty’s 14^th birth day, his sister Callie came by and said “It’s a birth day present. Take it”. She passed a piece of paper. It was Murdoch’s address. Matty was surprised and asked how she got such information. She replied that she had simply gone to an online phone book, typed “Murdoch” in the first name field and “Massachusetts” in the state field, and then methodically gone through the alphabet for the last name. For Matty, it’s the best present he had ever got. And then, they planned to go meet Murdoch right away because their mother Mrs. Nikki didn’t come back yet and they couldn’t go outside without her permission. But when they tried to take an action, Mrs. Nikki was already at home and came to see them.

She noticed what Matty had in his hand and took it. She took a few second and said “Who’s this guy?” Matty answered “Nobody, you wouldn’t like him anyway”. But she interrupted and said “I know you guys set me up on a date. I was just thinking it was time to find someone new. I’ll pay this Murdoch a visit tomorrow. Don’t worry, I’ll be at my most charming. He’ll love me”

Reading Response 2

The first chapter of this book has been written in the form of a long letter from Matthew to his sister Emmy. In his letter, he talked about some past things like how he and Callie and Emmy grew up in their childhood.

They didn’t have a father, so they lived with their mother named Mrs. Nikki. She has been known to have a bit of temper problem. She loves their kids, actually too much.

One particular night in August, it was over a hundred degrees and so humid. Those three kids were locked in one apartment on the third floor of the house which became like the inside of an oven. But the only person, their mother Nikki, who can take care of them was not there because she had a date. Why didn’t she just let them go out? It’s because “I want my kiddies safe”. That’s the only reason she didn’t allow them to do go out.


But they got out of that crazy hot room by slipping out a window and climbing down the fire escape. Then, they went to a convenience store to buy some ice candy. When they got into the store, they felt a breath of air-conditioning stroked their sweaty cheek. But they also felt a problem at the store. There were two guys. One was tall and seemed 40 years old. The other one was his child. The child stole some staffs just like Arfred and the father found it and got angry, he hit his son’s cheek again and again. But there was a kid who tried to stop that. his name was Arfred. He said “Hit me. Come on. Better me than the kid. Why not? You want to.” Then the father stopped hitting. That was the first time Matthew and his sister met him who might figure out their problem.

Reading Response 1

At this quote, I have started to read new book which is “The Rules of Survival”


This is the story of Matthew Walsh of South Boston, and his sisters, Callie and Emmy.
It's written in the form of a long letter to Matthew’s youngest sister Emmy.

Why did he write a such long letter to them?
Well, That's because he has been trying to help them and himself.

In the letter, he taught Matthew's rules of survival to get away with problem.
He says: "Emmy, the events we lived through taught me to be sure of nothing about other people. They taught me to expect danger around every corner. They taught me to understand that there are people in this world who mean you harm. And sometimes, they’re people who say they love you, and mean it."

Matty has been protecting his sisters from their enemy for a long time.
The enemy who mean them harm.
The enemy who loves them.
Who's enemy?
It's their mother.

As you can imagine, this is not funny story at all. May be that makes you feel depression. This is all about doemstic violence. But that's exactly why I chose this. this is written why it takes place and how to deal with. May be this could happen anywhere. we should notice ASAP. and when it happens, someone around this problem has got do something.

Blog Reflection (How did you feel about maintaining a BLOG?)

To maintain the blog, I experienced some difficulties which are publishing blog periodically and making my blog interesting.

After this activity, I realized that it’s really difficult to make a blog enjoyable to all people who read the blog. Obviously, it really depends on people. They are laughing at something funny based on their culture, country and own experience. That makes me upset and lazy to post an article.

But now I learned that I don’t have to care about readers so much. So I would like to do more personally if I could. Our teacher Mr. Tim says”Writing is connecting to readers” So to connect, I need to expose what I am first. Then, the readers consider if the writer and they have something in common. Even if there are no common things, the readers can think like”This writer thinks a thing in different way as mine. It’s unique, it’s interesting” I think, this is one of connecting.

5th reading response

Like I said in 4th reading response, Leonara saved Esther.
Her brave action has spread out through the town because the journalist Reynard wrote the article about this. Consequently, Leonara as become a hero and everyone admired her. But this seems little bit strange to me. Do you remember Leonara had had the trouble before she saved Esther. I tell you again for those who forgot. She was bullied by most people because of her black skin and lack of mother. But now, she gets loved suddenly. From my experience, I am always taught that people cannot change their behavior so suddenly, especially to the person that they have bullied before. If I were them, may be I would bullied her more because I feel like “I cannot admit that even that girl saved one’s life, but I didn’t do anything good. If I admit, I also have to admit that I am more useless than the girl I always bully! So, I got confused.




Anyway, the story keeps moving.
The journalist Reynard got a letter which warmed him to leave the town.
It’s because he wrote the article about Leonara and Esther.
So Reynard asked the head of local Klan what they knew about threat.
They said they didn’t send it.
What’s that supported to mean?
For me, the people who sent a letter must be Klan.
It’s funny Klan didn’t know who send a letter despite the fact that they runs the town.
But Why? Why does the Klan want Leonara to be alone anyhow?
Does she have some information that the Klan doesn’t want anyone to know?
I need to keep reading

4th reading response

When Leonara was on her way, she saw Esther.

Esther was picking up dandelions, talking about birds and kittens to them.

Meanwhile, Leonara heard the train whistle. It’s rushing down on Esther.

But Esther couldn’t notice. Actually Leonara didn’t think anything. She just move her legs, toward Esther. She was trying to rescue her. And……..

Seems like I and Leonara have something in common.

Both of us are brave. Even if we scared, finally we overcome the fear.

Let me get this straight, I got same experience as Leonara’s

That was when I was 16 and lived in Japan. I was on my way like Leonara. I saw a cat which was sitting on street. Then, suddenly the car showed up and came towad the cat.

But the cat didnt notice what would happen next.

So somehow I dashed to the cat without thinking.

But here is the difference between me and her.

She saved, but i didnt.

yeah, i'm not a hero who's comeing from fiction

Finally, the story gets moving to exciting part.

There is something called Ku Klux Klan. According to several people live in the

town, it does run the town.

Most people hate the Ku Klux Klan.

There is a guy named Merlin and got a girl friend.

Her name is Mary and she want to marry with him.

Marlin also likes Mary enough to marry.

But he doesn’t. The only reason he doesn’t want marry is Klan.

It’s because he never yet paid $10 to the Klan.

So he is not sure that Klan would make of her.

Just after few hours, both Merlin and Mary get arrested by Police.

Actually, I don’t know what happened then.

It’s because view point changed from Merlin to Iris.

According to her, Merlin tries to take his girl friend Mary from an orphanage to some where.

So he got caught for kid napping.

Why the hell did he do such a reckless thing? So far I got no idea.

Sara also says “…the Klan says they don’t stand against anyone. But a catholic, a jew, a negro, if they get arrested, and the judge was Klan, you can convince me that they would get a fair trial.”

Klan, so far they don’t seem good person.

in the end of this chapter, Leonora work up bsaturday night because the light coming through her bed room window changed.

it was on the hill across the valley. she saw a fire rising. but it was not wild fire.

2nd Independent Reading

I read Act 2 of “Witness” and that was quite unique to me. This chapter begins with some unknown event which didn’t take place in the “town”. That was about kidnapping. At this time, the narrator is Leanora Sutter. Remember who this little girl is. You can see her characteristic if want. It’s said in “1^st independent reading” Anyway, let’s get back to follow the story. Here is the narration about kidnapping by Leanora.

There was a boy in Chicago. He was rich and that’s exactly why he got kidnapped. The boy’s daddy paid $10,000 for kidnappers to make sure he was back and alive.

Only he was already dead even before the money came. He was naked in a ditch, miles away form his house.

He was four teen, but now he’s dead.

He was rich.

And he was white.

If you know Leanora’s back ground, you will feel “this must be implying something” It’s because Leanora is bullied at school by white because she is black. The boy who got kidnapped and killed was white. Despite the fact that kidnapping didn’t occur in the “town” and have not been involved the story apparently, why did she care so much anyhow? I’m still counfusing.

2nd Indepent

1st independent reading

As a matter of fact, the book "Witness" written by Karen Hesse takes different form from other books. There is no particular character as a narrator or protagonist. So all people who attend this book can be protagonist. The story is about “the town”. I realize “the town” is not specific, I read about 60 pages but have no idea what’s gonna happen next. There are several characters in this book.

Leanora Sutter- aged 12, is bullied because she is black and has no mother.

Sara-aged 42, is a farmer and take care of Esther.

Esther- aged 6, she saw something important. So I think she can be witness.

Jonny- aged 36, is clergyman. My first impression of him is crazy considering he thinks that Ester is devil and screamed at her.

Percelle- aged 66, is town constable. Actually, this guy killed Leanora’s mother indirectly. But Leanora doesn’t know it.

So far these guys have not been involved in each other because the story doesn’ take only one place. But those peaces gradually begin to come together.

There are still more characters in this book but I hesitate to introduce. Why? It’s because I worry if you can remember all guys in this book. Incidentally, I couldn’t

Witness

Witness- this is what i choose to read for improving my english.
at first i would choose another book that is about adventure, action or something like that.
but, eventually i choose this because it is attractive enough to make me change my mind.
let me describe more specificlly why i choose this.
it's because my instinct said so, that's it. so i'm just following orders.
"Witness" sounds interesting, yeah?
who saw what? for me, it's really interesting to me.
usually, i am likely to prefer such thing.