2nd Draft Argument Essay

“The important task of literature is to free man, not to censor him”-Anais Nin. Parents and teachers should not ban A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz for comprising inappropriate language and content for middle school students. A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz is about the main character Martin Dean and his son Terry Dean and their unique life. The book shouldn't be banned because it is a well acclaimed book, showing the consequences of bullying which kids these days need to know about; while the book does have sexual content and profane language, it is something that teens are already exposed to.

Many parents believe that many young adult books that their children are reading have hideously distorted portrayals of life and reality. One of those parents are Meghan Cox Gurdon. She complains about depravity and hideously portrayals in young adult literature. Unlike Gurdon, the author of Why the Best Books are Written in Blood states, “When I think of the poverty stricken, sexually and physically abused, self-loathing Native American teenager I was, I only wish, that I’d been given the opportunity to read the… the books that Ms. Gurdon believes to be irredeemable.”(Sherman Alexie). Also A fraction of the whole by Steve Toltz is seen as not hideous, but “grows in the shadow of great expectations.”(New York Times). It has also been recently listed for the Man Booker Prize. This shows that A Fraction of the whole shouldn't be banned because it is a highly acclaimed book and teaches kids how to cope with their problems.

Another reason why A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz should not be banned is because the inappropriate language and content in the book is something teens are already exposed and introduced to in reality, so the content isn't out of the ordinary life of a teenager. For example, words like “condom” which is used on page 372 of A Fraction of the Whole isn't a new word heard by students. They are familiar with the word. The violent and sexual content isn't written in explicit detail, so it doesn't make the reader uncomfortable to the point where their minds are scarred. Also, while there is cussing in the book it isn't frequently used but instead philosophical sayings and ideas are filled in the book that will make the reader think. For example in the book Toltz writes, “True creative power isolates one and demands something that has to be subtracted from the enjoyment of life” (Toltz 560). This will make middle school students stop and really think about the quote which is good for class subjects.

           The final reason why the book A Fraction of the Whole shouldn't be ban is because there is a need for young people to know the consequences and effects of bullying. The book A Fraction of the Whole teaches suicides is not only a result of teens being bullied and pushed over the edge but that adults also commit suicide when pushed over the edge when bullied by teens. For example in the book it states, “I [Terry] missed all the signs. I didn't interpret the nail-biting as a cry for help or as an indication that he would soon be rotting dumbly in the earth. After Brett’s death, I dissected that afternoon in my head countless times…I could’ve said something, or done something, to change his mind. Now I wonder, why do we wish our loved ones back to life if they were so obviously miserable?”(Toltz 306). In this part of the book Terry Dean’s only friend Brett has committed suicide. He is grieving but knows that Brett is better off dead. Also in the next couple pages in the book, the death of Brett makes his father and teacher depressed. Terry ends up playing a prank that would push his teacher over the edge and commit suicide himself like his dead son. The book also accurately portrayals a teens point of view on sensitive topics and topics that are very normal in a teenager’s life.

          A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz shouldn't be banned just because of inappropriate language and content. The book opens the mind to really about our surroundings and how it affects us and one way the author shows it is by using things from our daily life such as language and putting some meaning to it. Read the book and decide whether or not the book should be banned but keep in mind that the most important task of literature is to free man, not to censor him.

Monday Muses: Inspiring Myself

2 years ago, when I was in sixth grade, I went on a trip with my class 603 and Ms. Isaac to this cool place where you could feel the way blind people live. The point of the trip was to use our other senses besides sight so our writing could be more detailed and interesting. Also it would make our writing more visual and realistic to the reader. Anyways, I never expected the trip to inspire me and open up my eyes in a new way.

On this trip they took us into a room in groups. We sat on these lighted cubes, it was really cool. The lights slowly started to become dimmer and dimmer and the room became darker and darker until the room was pitch black. I couldn't see anything, not even shapes of things moving around, which by the way is what you see in the dark usually.

Our sight was taking away to be in a blind man’s perspective and they gave us walking sticks like the ones blind people use. It was an unbelievable experience. They took us to these rooms I suppose, I couldn't see where I was going, obviously. All I can say is that it’s an experience that was totally new to me. They took us to these part of the building where we went upstairs and downstairs, a room that sounded like a forest, a room with different sized doors, a train I think, because it felt like one. We couldn't see so you really had to use your senses and really think about what was in front of you. I can say one thing though, we weren't calm and cool at all. Everyone’s hands were everywhere trying to find someone around them or trying to guess who they were. I was clenching on to my best friends hand the entire time so I wouldn't get lost.

That day on the trip inspired me to appreciate what I have. We take our sight for granted and don’t realize how hard or confusing life is without it. Without it we couldn't see the beautiful colors and people around us and the world.  Without sight we would be living in a world full of darkness which seems really scary to me at least because I’m afraid of the dark. Not only has the trip inspired me to appreciate my sight but has also inspired me to appreciate blind people. I think it’s amazing how they use their other senses like touch and hearing to their advantage and still being able to do most of the things we do in our daily lives.

1st Draft Argument Essay

Parents and teachers should not ban A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz for comprising inappropriate language and content for middle school students. The book shouldn't be banned because it is a well acclaimed book, showing the consequences of bullying which kids these days need to know about; while the book does have sexual content and profane language, it is something that teens are already exposed to.

Many parents believe that many young adult books that their children are reading have hideously distorted portrayals of life and reality. One of those parents are Meghan Cox Gurdon. She complains about depravity and hideously portrayals in young adult literature. Unlike Gurdon, the author of Why the Best Books are Written in Blood states, “When I think of the poverty stricken, sexually and physically abused, self-loathing Native American teenager I was, I only wish, that I’d been given the opportunity to read the… the books that Ms. Gurdon believes to be irredeemable. Also A fraction of the whole by Steve Toltz is seen as not hideous, but “grows in the shadow of great expectations.” It has also been recently listed for the Man Booker Prize. This shows that A Fraction of the whole shouldn't be banned because it is a highly acclaimed book and teaches kids how to cope with their problems.

Another reason why A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz should not be banned is because the inappropriate language and content in the book is something teens are already exposed and introduced to in reality, so the content isn't out of the ordinary life of a teenager. For example, words like “condom” which is used on page 372 of A Fraction of the Whole isn't a new word heard by students. They are familiar with the word. The violent and sexual content isn't written in explicit detail, so it doesn't make the reader uncomfortable to the point where their minds are scarred. Also, while there is cussing in the book it isn't frequently used but instead philosophical sayings and ideas are filled in the book that will make the reader think. For example in the book it states, “True creative power isolates one and demands something that has to be subtracted from the enjoyment of life” (p560). This will make middle school students stop and really think about the quote which is good for class subjects.

           The final reason why the book A Fraction of the Whole shouldn't be ban is because there is a need for young people to know the consequences and effects of bullying. The book A Fraction of the Whole teaches suicides is not only a result of teens being bullied and pushed over the edge but that adults also commit suicide when pushed over the edge when bullied by teens. For example in the book it states, “I missed all the signs. I didn't interpret the nail-biting as a cry for help or as an indication that he would soon be rotting dumbly in the earth. After Brett’s death, I dissected that afternoon in my head countless times…I could’ve said something, or done something, to change his mind. Now I wonder, why do we wish our loved ones back to life if they were so obviously miserable?” The book also accurately portrayals a teens point of view on sensitive topics and topics that are very normal in a teenager’s life.

          In conclusion, A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz shouldn't be banned just because of inappropriate language and content. The book opens the mind to really about our surroundings and how it affects us and one way the author shows it is by using things from our daily life such as language and putting some meaning to it. Read the book and decide whether or not the book should be banned.

Monday Muses: Childhood Memories

I remember my childhood memories as little adventures I've taken. Most of them which I took with my best friend Duhita who is a year older than me.

          One of many adventures I took with her was to the Chinese food restaurant called Twin Lins to order some chicken and broccoli, our favorite. So at the time I was only seven and she was eight. My dad gave me a dollar every day before he went to work and I would save it up in my piggy bank. I used to live in the same apartment building as her grandmother so when she came over her dad give her money for a snack.

So one day we decided we were going to buy some Chinese food and it would be our little secret. Well technically it’s not a secret anymore because you’re reading this but anyways you get the jest. At the time my grandparents were out of the country and my parents were at work so her grandma was also babysitting me along with Duhita.

So when her grandmother went to take her daily nap, Duhita and I set out on our adventure. We took this carton of oil that her grandmother had in her kitchen and put it between the door and the wall so the outside door wouldn't lock us out. We were only seven, obviously we didn't have keys, so this was the perfect solution. We walked the long journey of 10 feet to the Chinese restaurant, we had reached our destiny. There we had ordered our food and had paid with twenty quarters since we didn't have any actual dollars. The lady at the counter was confused but didn't say anything. So we waited for our food which took only a few minutes but which seemed like a life to a seven year old me. It felt even longer because we had to make it back home and finish eating before her grandmother woke up. It was like a race to the finish before the time bomb exploded. It was epic. When we got our food we raced home and being the kids we are eating was a competition which I happily won.

What I think I love the most of childhood memories is that what seems like such a simple task now was like and adventure when we were kids. It made things seem like a fairy tale  That’s why the best memories are from our childhood in my opinion.

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

“Whatever you do to animals, you do to yourself” I just finished reading Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen, and it took me on an emotional toll which is hard to do. The book is about 15 year old Cole Matthews who smashed Peter Driscal’s skull into the sidewalk. Now Cole has to choose between prison and Native American Circle Justice where he lives in isolation for one year. He chooses Circle Justice. When he is mauled by a mysterious white bear and almost dies, his soul is saved. It sounds like a cliché but it’s true. The theme of the book is change. That people can change for the better. A very positive them for such a dark book.

A part of the book that shows the theme change, is on page 203 where you can see Cole has changed. In the book Cole thinks, “Cole crawled into bed but tossed fitfully. He remembered his own close brush with death and how terrified he’d been. It haunted him to think that Peter had tried to end his life on purpose. How scared must he be to actually go searching for death?” In this part of the book Cole finds out that Peter, who Cole smashed his head brutally into the sidewalk had tried to commit suicide but failed. This part shows change because Cole shows feelings such as regret, sorry, and pitiful instead of the “old” Cole who was cold-blooded teen who was numb to any feels besides anger and revenge. Sounds like a sad and terrible life to me. This part of the book also shows change because he realizes what he has caused with violence and it haunts him to see that he is the real reason why Peter wants to commit suicide. Deep stuff huh?

Another part of the book that shows change is on page 239 when Cole tells Peter, “This morning we forgave each other, we also forgave ourselves… we allowed ourselves to become a part of the big circle. That’s why we saw the Spirit Bear”.  That’s sounds inspirational doesn't it? Makes you want to get up and smell the roses, but anyways back to the change in this part of the book. In the beginning of the book Cole had only picked the Circle Justice to avoid jail. It meant nothing more to him. He would be the one who would lie in the healing circles about how he was improving as a person. Now the Circle Justice was a way of life. The thing that gave him a new life and soul. He understood that the Circle Justice had healed him and Peter and really had changed and improved. This text also shows the theme change because he was also trying to show and explain to Peter that the Circle Justice had done well for Peter too.

I really enjoyed this book. In the beginning it had seemed a bit boring but when Cole has the encounter with the Spirit Bear the book got really interesting and I didn't want to close the book. The theme change really stood out. Usually it’s the characters or the problem that you first see but in this book I knew what the theme was right off the back which is a good thing.

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz

                    Sometimes knowing who the protagonist in a book is hard.  I'm currently on page 277 out of the 561 pages in the book A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz. So far I can't get enough of this book. The quote "Sane families are all alike- but every crazy family is crazy in its own way" summarizes the book so far accurately. Being a good chunk into the book, I’m still unsure of who the protagonist in the book is. There are two possible choices for the protagonist; either Martin Dean, the brother of the famous criminal Terry Dean or Jasper Dean the son of Martin Dean. It's hard to figure who is the main character because one-third of the book is all a flashback of Martin Dean’s childhood and then of him as a young adult. Therefore, one would think that Martin Dean is the main character, but you can also argue that Jasper is the main character because he is the one who is being told the story of his father's childhood to and after the long flashback the story goes back to present time in Jasper point of view.

 Martin Dean is hard to describe since he hasn't found himself yet. He has always been a supporting character in other people’s lives trying to help them get to their goals even if they aren't the best ones. He even admits in the book he doesn't know who he really is and what his purpose is. For example in the book he self analyzes himself, “My problem is I can’t sum myself up in one sentence. All I know is who I am not. And I've noticed there is a tacit agreement among most people that they’ll at least try to adjust to their environment. I've always felt the urge to rebel against it.” (269). Thus, I listed him as a possible protagonist because usually in a book the main character doesn't really know who he is and the throughout the book he finds his purpose and himself and goes through a great journey on the plot mountain. In most books, the main character won’t tell you that he hasn't found himself but this is no ordinary book. Martin Dean has gone through a lot in his life such as being in a coma and being bedridden sick for the first few years of his life to his brother becoming a cold blooded serial killer. From there, going on to help a criminal publish his on textbook on how to become a criminal and then finding out that his cancerous mother was slowly poisoning him by feeding him rat poison along with his food.  It's pretty easy to see why he ends up in nut house. What I really think lands him in a mental asylum is that he is a natural philosopher, he observes every little thing and questions it. He doesn't see it as normal society would. He reads a lot and has a lot of time to ponder. When you have that much time to think, you tend to over think.  When you over think you, you end up on the edge of the brink. Hey that rhymes!

I also could see how Jasper Dean is the main character because he is the narrator of the book and the story is being told in his point of view, so it would make sense that he be the protagonist. He has his own problem in this book which is to get his old dad back mentally and to get his dad out of the mental asylum. While his problem is circled around Martin his father, he has internal problems. Most books, the main character has an external problem and an internal problem so when you compare a normal book to this book you would think Jasper is the main character because Martin at this point of the book, is just far off from normal and stable to really have an external problem because he is all over the place. Jasper is also trying to find himself and who he is and he has been searching all over to know about his dead mother Astrid who he just recently learned committed suicide by being blown up into pieces. His problem or issue fits a traditional plot mountain because as the story progresses his father is pushing him on the edge like the climax of a plot mountain. So it seems perfect that Jasper could be the protagonist.

          Hopefully by the next few pages or chapters I will know who the main character is. Whoever it is whether it’s Jasper or Martin I think the story would go on great because Jasper is turning into a mini Martin, so I’ll see where the story goes on from her.

Romeo's Ex Rosaline

Relationships of the Past  

           Everyone has at least heard of the classic tragedy of Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare. If you haven't, the story of Romeo and Juliet takes place in Verona, Italy where there is a ongoing fighting between the Montague and Capulet families. The young and handsome Romeo of the Montague family falls in love with the beautiful Juliet of the Capulet family and ends up secretly getting married. Knowing that neither family will accept the marriage,Juliet came up with a plan in which she would pretend to be dead with a potion  and then run away with Romeo when she awakes. 
           Now here's the reason why this is a classic; because of the late timing of Juliet's servant Friar Laurence getting the plan for escape to Romeo in time, Romeo hearing the news of Juliet being dead ran to her grave taking poison with him. He gave her on last kiss and drank the poison. When Juliet wakes up from the potion, upon seeing Romeo's dead body, she takes her own life. Epic ending isn't it? Now the story Romeo's Ex Rosaline by Lisa Fiedler tells the same exact story but from Rosaline's point of view and the reader gets to see what  happened to Rosaline when Romeo and Juliet fell in love and how she played a role in this story. 
           The main character, Rosaline, of the book Romeo's Ex Rosaline, has many strong relationships with characters such as Juliet (Rosaline's younger cousin) and Benvolio (Romeo's close Montague friend). Juliet being Rosaline's younger cousin, Rosaline relationship with her was that of a protector because Rosaline loved Juliet like a little sister. For example when Juliet told Rosaline that she was in love with Romeo and Romeo was in love with her only after spending two hours with him, Rosaline was skeptical about the their affection for each other. Rosaline had her reasons to be skeptical. For one thing, she couldn't accept the fact that Romeo truly loved Juliet because just a few days back Romeo was mourning about his unconditional love for Rosaline and after spending merely two hours with Juliet he had fallen in love again? Impossible. Rosaline believed that Romeo's words were hollow and unfounded and no good for her little Juliet. Although being the loving cousin she is, in the end she believed in her cousins love for Romeo and helped plan the escape which unfortunately ended up with the two lovers being dead. The death of Juliet made Rosaline a miserable soul and hated herself for letting any of this happen. 
           Romeo and Juliet weren't the only love story that occurred in the book. For Benvolio, seeing Rosaline was love at first sight where as Rosaline grew to love him as time went on.  Rosaline had started to fall in love with Benvolio when all this Romeo and Juliet drama was unfolding but what held back her love for Benvolio was that she promised and vowed to never marry and to stay chaste (virgin)  for the rest of her life and accomplishing that goal is hard when your in love with someone. So after the death of Juliet, Rosaline goes off to study medicine like she planned to do from the beginning. Which shows the amount of determination Rosaline has for the thing she had her mind set on. After her studies she came back to her home town where Benvolio remained unmarried. They end up getting married and live happily ever after. 
               This book was a very fun and interesting book I read over the summer. It was interesting because the relationships in this book were very deep and more complex to resemble real people. the relationships were more mature and developed. It wasn't just a person liking or disliking another person, it was more than that which made this book so fun to read. I didn't want the book to end, I wanted to see how the relationship between the feuding families families changed. All in all this was a great book I read in the summer.