Odyssey Quickwrite

What makes a hero? Write down the names of people, real or fictional, whom you consider heroic. Then, list character traits that you think a hero should have. Are these traits universal, or do they reflect only our own cloture add to you notes as you read the Odyssey.


A hero is someone who does right by justice, and only does what right. He stands for justice and he wants what is fair for everyone. Often, a hero is also someone who saves people from  bad events. People that I think are heroic is Hercules, Superman, Spider man, Odysseus, etc. As a hero, you should have a strong sense of justice, good morals, fair, unbiased, and always willing to help out others. These traits are usually universal between all heroes, because heroes need to be unbiased and willing to help. Heroes ask for justice between all people so then there would be no arguments. Heroes aim for the same goal, so the traits they have a usually the same or universal. 

Animal Farm Movie/Book Difference

The difference between the book and the movie is that the book had more details. While watching the movie, they don't narrate. Without the narration, I wasn't sure what they were trying to show at some scenes. In the movie they sang the national anthem for the Unite Kingdom, which you can't really do in a book. The movie also kinds of exaggerates the details. For example the fire when they were burning the books. In fact, in the movie, they didn't burn the books like the movie. In the book, it said that Napoleon tricked Roxy into being on his side, but they never showed that in the movie. Most of the main events were the same, but of course, the book was more detailed. There were some details that were altered in the movie, but it didn't stray far from the original idea of the book.

Beware of the dog quick write

There is an old saying, “Appearances can be deceiving.” Have you ever been misled by the appearance of someone or something? List some situations in which people might be deceived. Why might they be misled? How might they discover that their initial impressions were wrong? Jot down your responses.

Yes, I have been misled by the appearance of someone or something. I know that everyone have been misled by some one's appearance before, especially if they looked really innocent or sweet. A lot of times I've been misled by people appearance because at first they're all nice, then they become really untrustworthy. I've also been misled by the appearance of something, especially things that are simple.  I once saw a book mark that was a pen at the same time! People might be deceived when they imagine too far from the reality. Sometime when you expect someone or something to have a certain quality just from their appearance, you can often be deceived. To be misled you can either be misled by the person or thing, or it can be because you allowed yourself to be misled using your own imagination. To discover that their initial impressions were wrong you spend time with the person or thing. When you spend time, you find out more about them, allowing you to know whether they appear to be what they seem.

What is bullying? Have you been bullied? What happened?

Bullying is making other people feel bad or hurting them emotionally or physically. Bullying is when someone or a group of people going up against one person and putting them down on their self-esteem. The main thing that makes a person a bully is making other people's self-esteem go down. For example, when you call other people names that they don't like, it's a verbal abuse, and considered as verbal bullying. If the person who you're calling doesn't like the name they are called, then you should stop. It's also another form of harassment, which is kind of another way of bullying. Bullying can also be when you hurt someone, both emotionally and or physically. When you hurt someone emotionally, it's when you play around with their feelings and allow them to get hurt. For example, you make a comment about how they look or how they dress. Telling someone that they are ugly or really short like a dwarf is offensive to the person, so it's considered bullying. Physically bullying someone is when you hurt one another on purpose. For example, you or a group of people gain up on one person and start beating him or her up. You're purposely hurting that person, so it's considered physical bullying. One thing that all of those have in common is that it lowers the person's self-esteem. As you've noticed, the people who are bullied have lower self-esteem than the people who are the bullies. It's because they've been put down, and made them feel like they don't fit in, or they shouldn't do what they do, in other words, be themselves.
Yes, I have been bullied, both emotionally, physically, and verbally. I've been bullied ever since I was in kindergarten up til around the end of seventh grade. Even till now I'm bullied, but personally, I consider it as teasing and not really bullying. Ever since I was little, I'm always called short, and I use to take that as an insult. I've been called nasty names that are inappropriate for school, and of course names that related to waste and junk. I would also get bossed around, act as if I'm a slave for other people. I was always controlled by people because they would threaten me if I didn't do what they asked. One time that I remember most vividly would be when I was in kindergarten. My "friend" told me to get something for her in the bathroom at the very end of the room. I walked in and suddenly she closed the door, lights, and locked me inside the bathroom. Ever since then, I was afraid of the dark. Another unforgettable memory was in fifth grade. My classmates accused me calling another one of my classmates a bad word. No one would believe that I did not do such thing, at the end of the year at our water balloon party, people would throw water at me. Not just water balloons, but the water inside water bottles as well. One of the most recent one would be in sixth grade. My so called friends started talking bad behind my back to my best friend at the time. For some reason, she believed her and she started spreading the rumor even further. For a couple of weeks, all my friends isolated them from myself. During class time I would be all alone, and sometimes I would have some people who were willing to work with me. Ever since the end of seventh grade I've been teased, but not bullied.

American History Quickwrite

• The earthquake of 911: Many buildings were destroyed, but luckily our apartment was fine. While it happened, I could feel the whole house shaking back and forth. Our whole family came together and grouped in the living room. It made me think about my family and my life, but mostly, I was just scared.
• The tsunami in Japan(2011): Many of my friend's family back in California has relatives living in Japan. Hearing from all my Japanese friends talking about how worried they are about their relatives, it made me think about the tsunami. What if it hit the West coast, or if it hit Taiwan? It made me think how valuable our lives are, and how you have to treasure each moment with your family and friends.
• At around 2010, a law in California was proposed that all teenagers born during the year 1995 and after, can only drive when they're 18 years of age. Before, all teenagers could learn how to drive and get their license if you turn 15, but now we have to wait until we're 18. I'm not sure if the law was passed or not, but so far, I think it didn't pass.

Turning Points Quickwrite

The people that inspire me about risk-taking are people that are brave and strong. Harry Potter was a big risk-taker, he was never afraid to face the dangers and the evil. When he was in the race for the Goblet of Fire, he stood in front and fought Voldemort. Harry didn’t run away or turn away from this risk he’s taking, and fighting him. Another character is the soldier in Iraq, or any soldiers. The soldiers who fought in wars are inspiration risk-takers since they faced up front with war and fought for our country. Soldiers risk their lives to save thousand and even millions. They never back down from justice or war, they go out into the battlefield and face whatever comes their way and sets out to complete their mission. One of the most inspirational people is Barack Obama. He took a risk to run for president because he's an African American. I have nothing against African Americans, but there was never an African American who became president. He took a big step, and this resulted in a big event that will be marked down in history. Obama is the first ever African American president, who is risking his own life to do that. As you know, when you become president, there will always be people who are dissatisfied with you, so there might be people who want to kill you. Obama is risking his life to make America better, trying to make this country a better place again. Trying to fix up the mistakes that the last president made.

To Da-duh, in Memoriam Quickwrite

I would consider myself more of a city slicker rather than a country bumpkin. I can relate and associate more things to a city slicker than a country bumpkin, because I've lived in the city for more than half my life.

Country Bumpkin

• walk everywhere I go
• watch really little TV
• surrounded by nature (trees)
• not a lot of people at my school

City Slicker

• use the computer a lot
• has the small apartment
• a lot of people
• cars everywhere
• variety of transportations
• poluted atmosphere
• rely on technology
• noisy
• downtown is very busy with a lot of people
• food stores around every corner