Much Ado About Nothing.

I have enjoyed Much Ado About Nothing so far. My favorite character is Claudio, as he is extremely brave and manly, yet caring and sensitive. Because it's a comedy, I know that everything is going to turn out ok, but I also know that Don John is going to do everything in his power to ruin things. I think that Hero and Claudio would be such a cute couple, and should definitely get married. I also really like the idea that we watch the scenes on film after reading the passages because it gives you a better idea of what is going on. Though it looks unlikely so far, I also believe that Benedick and Beatrice might fall in love. They seem to have the same ideas about life, and I think they could get along well even though they never stop bickering! I am excited to read more as a class! Next scene I play Hero.

Life of Pi... what happened this week!

Survival is a key word in the book Life of Pi. Pi is still living in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean. He explains to us how the Bengal tiger got his name. He was a cub, captured in the rain forest with his mother, by a hunter. Information was sent about him to the Pondicherry zoo. The cub had been named thirsty, but it kept getting mixed up with the hunters name, which was Richard Parker. Mr. Patel finds it so funny, he keeps the tiger's name as Richard Parker. On the lifeboat, Pi gets really thirsty. He searched the boat, and finds some cans of water and various items to eat. He is happy for what he's found, but decides that Richard is a real threat to his life. He then makes a separate raft attached to the boat, in order to keep a distance from the tiger. The Tiger is getting hungry too, and kills the hyena for a snack. Pi later realizes that is raft might not be such a hot idea. Richard Parker can swim, and will kill Pi if he really gets hungry. Also, tigers can drink saline water. The only way Pi has the slightest chance of surviving is if he gets along with his animal pal. Then, Richard Parker lets out some sort of noise that Pi remembers as a sign that a tiger means no harm. He thinks it would be a good idea to try to train the thing, and makes a whip out of a whistle, and yells out loud to prove he is the alpha male. Richard hates the sound of the whistle, and lies down on the bottom of the boat. Could Pi's plan be working? I wonder if he will survive.

Enchanted!

This weekend, I saw the movie Enchanted with the little girls I babysit. I have to say, it was really cute. It started out the typical fairytale. A beautiful maiden named Giselle was singing in the forest, hoping to one day find her true love. Then, a handsome prince sweeps her off her feet, saving her from a nasty troll, and hoping to marry her the next day. Giselle goes to the wedding, but is pushed into a fountain by her evil stepmother. She ends up in New York City, and is in disbelief about how everyone is so cold, and mean. Then, she is taken home by a handsome lawyer by the request of his daughter. Giselle originally believes in love at first sight, but ends up taking a different view on love. Her prince charming comes to rescue her the next day, but Giselle is not in love with him any more. They go to a ball in New York City, and you can tell she is really in love with the real life man. But it's not over yet. The evil stepmother comes to the ball, and poisons Giselle. She is awakened not by the prince, but the real man's kiss. The stepmother attempts to take over everything, but is slayed by Giselle and her true love. It ends with Giselle still in New York, and the prince with the lawyer's ex-girlfriend back in the fairytale land. Everything still ends up happily ever after, but not in the typical sense of a fairytale.

Into The Plot of Life of Pi.

Life of Pi is starting to get really exciting. Pi is aboard a boat called the Tsimtsum on his way to North America. All of the sudden, he wakes at a loud noise. He tries to wake his brother Ravi, but can't. He leaves the cabins and climbs to the main deck. He sees that the boat is tilted completely to one side and is making terrible noises. Pi begins to worry. Then, some Chinese crewmen put a life jacket on him and toss him over the side of the boat. He lands in a lifeboat on the side of the ship, but then a zebra jumps in after him and the lifeboat falls into the water. The ship in which his family are still on sinks, and then a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker boards the lifeboat. Scared, Pi jumps into the water. He figures this is not a good idea when he sees the sharks circle around him. Pi gets back into the lifeboat, but only sees the zebra and no tiger. The Zebra is injured with a broken leg. Then, a hyena appears, and Pi figures the tiger must have drowned because it couldn't live on the same boat as the hyena. Next, an Orangutan named Orange Juice floats up to the lifeboat and gets in. Pi saves the net in which she arrived. Pi realizes that his family is probably dead. He tries to make a barrier between himself and the other animals out of fear. Also, that night is horrifying for him because he doesn't know what could happen. Daylight comes, and the hyena eats the Zebra alive. Then, it eats the Orangutan. Pi is already in great fear when he notices Richard Parker under a bench. He then falls asleep. I am really starting to enjoy this book, and am excited to read more!

Christmas Movies!

There have been many Christmas movies on TV, and I have been watching some of them. Jingle all the Way is the most recent one I have watched. It was actually filmed in a house not more than a block away from mine. My house, and the park across from my house, are filmed for a few seconds when the characters are driving in the neighborhood. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a dad who is always busy, and never has time for his family life. It is Christmas time, and he was supposed to buy his son the Turbo-Man action figure weeks ago. It is the most popular toy of the season, and sold out everywhere. The movie is about his journey to find the toy and win back his family's support. It is a happy ending, and of course he ends up with his family's love. Oh yeah, my brothers friend was filmed in the movie. His foot appeared in the scene at a crazy toy store when Arnold is attempting to buy a Turbo-Man, and he got $100 for it. Anyway, you should watch the movie! It was a good one.

The research paper!

I've been working hard on my research paper, and have actually had fun researching uniforms. I've learned a lot from the articles I've read. Many people support uniforms. Research leads to the conclusion that uniforms have benefits such as decreased violence, higher test scores, less teasing, increased school attendance, lower clothing costs, and higher student confidence. Also, parents report an easier morning routine. Studies have supported this data, and now uniforms are moving from private schools, to public ones. On the other hand, many don't approve of uniforms. Arguments against them are definitely present. Some claim a violation of the 14th amendment, others say they have paid much more than fits into their budget for the outfits, researchers are skeptical about the benefits partly because other factors may contribute, and kids just don't like wearing them. I've taken pretty much a middle ground on the issue. I think uniforms can be very beneficial, and schools should consider adopting them with exceptions to help those who can't afford it, and transfers to schools that don't require them. Hopefully my paper will come together!

Still Setting The Scene

I'm on about page 90 in my book, and still things haven't heated up. Pi describes his life as a child. He was very interested in religion as a boy. He was raised in Hinduism, but walking into a church at age fourteen, decides to be Christan. Pi then explains how he became a Muslim at age fifteen. It began when Pi met a Muslim baker Mr. Satish Kumar, who, in the middle of a conversation with Pi, excused himself to pray. Pi watched the routine and returned later to ask the baker about his religion; the baker explained that Islam is about the Beloved. Pi began to pray with Mr. Kumar and to visit a local mosque. He later tells his parents he has decided to be all three at the same time. His parents tell him he has to choose one, but he says he just wants to love God. Mr. Patel, Pi's father, decides that it is time for him to move to Canada, because he is annoyed with the Indian government. Pi and his brother Ravi are unsure. Mr. Patel sells many of his zoo animals, but plans to take some with in a cargo ship with the family. Pi remembers setting sail and being very excited, but he also remembers his mothers apprehension. I think it will get exciting very soon. This is where the problem is going to come in. Can't wait to keep reading.

Pi from Life of Pi

Pi is the main character in the book I'm reading, Life of Pi. The story is told from his point of view, and he is definitely the main character in the book. Pi is very smart, and his dad owns a zoo. He thinks deeper, and is more analytical than most people I know. Though many think it is cruel to own a zoo and keep animals caged, Pi explains it differently. He says that putting animals in a zoo is not much different for them than being in the wild, if anything, it is better. They mark their territory in the wild, and it is about the same size as the cage they are in. Also, in the wild, they struggle to get food, and sometimes don't receive a days meal, but in a zoo they are fed regularly. Pi is originally from India. He has a very close relationship with his parents, and grandparents. Pi, again, seems very intelligent, and educated. I think he will be able to handle any problems he encounters later in the book.