Chris Essay 10
12/9/09
Mr. Salsich
English

Metaphors, A Way to Describe:
An Essay on the Analysis of Metaphors In To Kill a Mockingbird, and My Life

(TS) Metaphors can be more descriptive and powerful than a long list of adjectives. (CM) One way to describe a person is to list all of the adjectives that relate to them, but isn’t it easier, and more powerful to use a metaphor? (CM) Using the appropriate metaphor, you can, with a simple group of words, capture a person’s appearance and character. (CS-Thesis) No matter who you are, all people have a metaphor to describe them, from a cocky little man, to a boy from Connecticut.

(TS) In Chapter Seventeen of To Kill a Mockingbird, Scout refers to Mr. Ewell as a “red little rooster” several times as he testifies in court. (SD) I can see why Scout refers to him as one. Just like a rooster, Mr. Ewell is boastful and confident. (CM) Roosters walk tall and proud with their chests bulging out. For example, on page 236, while they are in the courtroom, Scout said, “…He seemed to grow ruddy again; his chest swelled, and once more he was a little red rooster.” (CM) Also, roosters are small creatures, yet they walk with the confidence of something at least four times their size, and Mr. Ewell is the same way: he walks and talks with the confidence of a powerful man. (SD) Another reason this metaphor is true, and Mr. Ewell really is like a rooster, is his intelligence, or rather, lack of it. (CM) Have you ever seen a smart rooster? No. They walk around with the confidence that they know everything, yet they are the complete opposite, and Mr. Ewell is just like this. (CM) For example, on page 238 Mr. Gilmer asks Mr. Ewell, “About your writing with your left hand, are you ambidextrous, Mr. Ewell?” Mr. Ewell responds, “I most positively am not, I can use one hand just as good as the other.” This clearly shows the little red rooster’s lack of intelligence because any educated person would know that someone who can use each hand as well as the other, is ambidextrous. (CS) This little red rooster, who “thought Atticus (was) an easy match,” was stunned when he was reduced to a pale, weak and tiny man by a simple question from this so called “easy match.” (Compound- Complex Sentence)

(TS) One way to describe a person is to use hundreds of adjectives, but sometimes, it is just as powerful to describe the person using a simple metaphor. The metaphor that best describes me is: I am a drifting cloud. (SD) Unlike the red little rooster in To Kill a Mockingbird, this metaphor is not a physical description, but it still describes me very well because just like a drifting cloud, I silently watch the world. (CM) I take a back row seat, watching the world go by. (CM) I am not alone,  as I watch the world silently, because my friends, like a mass of other clouds, join me. (SD) Sometimes, I get angry, and I get tired of simply watching; so I take control. (CM) I grow larger, and I block out the world’s precious sunlight, which covers the vast expanses of earth with a gloomy gray, and then I let out my anger, like a cloud lets out its’ rain. (Compound- Complex Sentence) (CM) When I am angry or sad, I feel like everything around me is gloomier, and I believe I have caused this, just like a cloud. (SD) A cloud is something we should all try to be; it is the perfect mix of personalities. (CM) One personality a cloud has, is it is a driver: If you are constantly in control of things, constantly leading, you may miss some things, so it is a good thing to take a back seat every once in a while. For instance, while riding in the car with my mom I will often point something out outside the car and ask my mom, “Did you see that?” She will almost always remark, “No, I’m concentrating on driving.” (CM) If we are always in control, always “driving” our cloud, we are so focused on what we are doing that we often miss out on some things, and this is why we should sometimes hand the wheel to someone else, jump in the back seat, and watch and listen as we travel about our lives. (CS) If you always take control of your cloud, you may get where you want to go, but you will miss many splendid things along the way. On the other hand, if you always take the back seat, letting your cloud drift freely, you may observe many great things, but you will never get exactly where you want to go. You must attain the perfect mix of these qualities if you want to succeed in life, if you want to be the best cloud that you can be.

(TS) Metaphors are very powerful in life, as well as in writing. (CM) In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee could have easily taken up an entire page describing what Mr. Ewell was like, but I think a metaphor was a much better way of doing it. (CM) When Scout referred to Mr. Ewell as a “little red rooster” a vivid image was conjured up in my mind of a little red man that is confident and boastful. (CS) Every person in the world has a metaphor to describe him or herselfs, whether they’re calm and gentle, or angry and violent. So, this drifting cloud wants to know, what’s your metaphor?

Chris Essay 9

12/3/09
English
Mr. Salsich

Irony:

In To Kill a Mockingbird, and the World Around Us

(TS) Irony is one of the best tools to use in writing. (CM) Irony, carefully inserted into writing, can be very effective. You may be reading along, when suddenly, you come across irony and you are pleasantly surprised; you suddenly become more interested, and want to keep reading on. (Thesis) This is true in To Kill a Mockingbird as well as my own life. I may just be moving along, when suddenly I come across irony and it brightens my day.

(TS) There are many examples of irony in To Kill a Mockingbird. (SD)One piece of irony found in the book was on page 202 when the mob comes to hurt Tom Robinson; they ask if he’s there. Atticus replies, “He is, and he’s asleep. Don’t wake him up.” After Atticus told them not to wake Tom, they began to whisper. (Dep. Adv. Clause). (CM) This is ironic because if their intention was to harm Tom Robinson, one would think they would keep talking loudly, but instead they obey Atticus. (CM) This is very comical irony, and it shows that maybe the mob of farmers weren’t the smartest people. (SD) Another piece of irony found in To Kill a Mockingbird are the mixed children; the children who have one parent that is black and one that is white. (CM) This is ironic because even if they look white, they are not accepted by whites because they have, “black blood,” and the opposite if they look black. (CM) Even if they look like a certain race, they are associated with the other race and not accepted into society. This is ironic. (SD) One other thing that was ironic was when Scout stopped the mob outside the jailhouse. (CM) This is ironic because Atticus, a big adult, could do nothing to stop the mob, yet a little girl stopped them, and sent them home. (CM) This is also ironic because Atticus would have tried to stop them with force, but Scout stopped them in their tracks, simply with words .(CS) Irony can be a very powerful tool in writing. You may be calmly reading through a book, when suddenly you notice some irony, and it may surprise you, and keep you interested.

(TS) Although irony is abundant in To Kill a Mockingbird, there is also a lot of irony found in life. (SD) One example of irony that I have seen was in an article in a news paper about a fire boat burning and sinking. (CM) One reason why this is ironic is because a fire boat is supposed to put fires out, but instead this one caught on fire and sank. (CM) Also, a fire boat is meant to save people, buildings, or other boats, but in this instance it needed to be saved. (SD) Another piece of irony that I have noticed in my life is that, when watching some movies, you may know things before the character does. (CM) This is ironic because you are just watching, the character is the one “living” the story; yet you know things that are going to happen before the he or she knows. (CM) You may know what will happen to the character in the end, while he or she has no idea what is going to happen. (SD) One very big irony I have come across, and I’m sure everyone else has, is the Titanic. (CM) This is ironic because the Titanic was said to be “unsinkable”, yet it sank in 1912. (Dep. Adv. Clause) (CM) Ironically, such a massive and robust metal ship sank because of a simple block of ice. (CS) Life may present you with many ironic instances, some are subtle, but others are very blatant.

(TS) When you come across irony, it can be a lot of fun. (CM) I may be reading along, or slowly going about my day when suddenly I come across irony. (CM) As I come across this irony, I stop reading or stop what I am doing, and as I think about the irony a smile comes to my face. (CM) This brightens my spirits and urges me to continue reading. That is why irony is so important, and I’m glad Harper Lee used many great examples of it in her book. (CS) Next time you read or go about your day, keep a look out for irony, and if you find it, stop what you’re doing and think about it for a few seconds, and If you’re lucky, a smile may form across your face.

Chris Essay 8

11/18/09
Mr. Salsich
English

The Sense of Feeling Unwanted:

One of the Worst Feelings

(TS) Have you ever felt unwanted? Most likely, you have. (CM) Feeling unwanted is a part of life; everyone feels unwanted at some point in their life. (CM) At times this feeling of being unwanted can be the worst feeling in the world, and this is very difficult. (Thesis) The feeling of being unwanted can attack everyone, from a small country boy, to a big football player.

(TS) Feeling unwanted is a major theme found throughout To Kill a Mockingbird, especially in Chapter 14. (SD) In Chapter 14, Dill, who is one of the main characters, runs away from home because he feels unwanted. (Adjective clause and Complex sentence) (CM) While Dill’s parents treat him with kindness; they do not show the sort of affection he expects, and this makes him feel unwanted. (CM) His parents may give him gifts, but they do not talk to him, or play with him, they leave him alone and expect him to be happy. (SD) I believe that Scout is another of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird that feels unwanted. (CM) Her brother makes her feel unwanted when he treats her like she’s a disease. (CM) The people of Maycomb also treat her badly, “because she is different.” They make her feel unwanted in her own town. (SD) Also, Atticus is another character that feels slightly unwanted. (CM) When he was being strict with Scout, Scout wanted him to go away, she wanted her kind, gentle father back, so Atticus must have felt unwanted. (CM) Lastly, he must have felt unwanted when Aunt Alexandra was talking about getting rid of Cal. Aunt Alexandra could get rid of Cal and be happy if he was not there. (CS) I believe that there are many examples of people feeling unwanted in Chapter 14, and throughout the book.

(TS) Imagine what it would be like to live in a home where you feel unwanted, a home where you feel that your parents do not love you. (SD) In the movie The Blind Side, the main character Michael Oher felt this way growing up. (CM) He grew up in a broken home, where he was unwanted by his parents. (CM) He did not have many friends, and felt like he was not wanted where he was living. (SD) When Michael was a teenager, he was taken in by the Touhys, who were a kind and caring family. (adj. clause) (CM) The Touhys were a nice family, and suddenly Michael felt loved again. (CM) Slowly the Touhys became more then a kind family taking him in, they became his family. (SD) With the help of the Touhys, Michael brought his grades up, and played high school football. (CM) Michael became one of the top ranked left tackles in the country, and received a scholarship to The University of Mississippi. He eventually graduated with high honors and a degree in criminal justice, but he also graduated as a star football player. (CM) After graduating, Michael was drafted into the NFL, and is now playing for the Baltimore Ravens. (CS) I believe that this movie truly shows that someone can rise from a poor, broken home, where he feels unwanted, and truly succeed in life.

(TS) There are many emotions throughout the world, but perhaps the worst is feeling unwanted. (CM) The feeling of being unwanted isn’t just a feeling like anger, a feeling that comes and goes. (CM) The feeling of being unwanted sticks with you constantly; following you around, like a shadow, wherever you go. (CS) Many people feel unwanted at some point in their lives, including me, but we all must deal with this, and keep moving forward, living life to its fullest.

Chris Collins

11/5/09
Mr. Salsich
English

English Class:

Room for Improvements

(TS) To me, education is one of the most important aspects in my life, and I am blessed to have the privilege of learning Eighth Grade English at Pine Point School. I believe that over the course of the year so far, I have become a better English student, but there is always room for improvement. (SD) Additionally, I have learned how to write a good essay in a shorter amount of time. (CM) I have learned the value of using “chunks” to strengthen an essay. (CM) I have not only become better at writing essays, I have also become faster. I can now write a good essay in half the time it previously took. (SD) I have also been introduced to Socratic Seminars, and have begun to like them. (CM) I believe that Socratic Seminars, created by the Greek philosopher Socrates, are very interesting. (CM) Also, Socratic Seminars allow me to voice my opinions and ideas about the book, as well as hear my fellow classmates’. (SD) Although I have improved greatly, I believe I could improve even more, especially at writing essays. (CM) I have become a good essay writer, however, there are a still few simple, easily correctable punctuation errors that are hurting my essays. (CM) Also, although my wording is ok, I need to use more sophisticated and descriptive words in my essays. (SD) Nobody is perfect, no matter how good you are at something there is always room for improvement.

Chris Essay 7
10/28/09
Mr. Salsich
English

FINAL DRAFT

My biggest Fear:

Loneliness

(TS) Edmund Burke once said, “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear,” in my opinion fear is the most powerful emotion. (CM) Fear can make you do things that are irrational. (CM) It makes you do the first thing that comes to mind rather than let you think about it, and make the best decision. (CS) Fear is found everywhere, and within us all. The fear that is inside me is the fear of being alone. Fear can bring out mistakes, and irrational decisions, but these experiences make us all better people.

(TS) To me the absolute worst feeling is feeling alone, and this is my biggest fear. (SD) First of all, I love being around people, and parties are filled with people. (CM) I love going to parties, I feel comfortable and happy. (CM) Being surrounded by people and talking to them is a lot of fun. (SD) When I was younger I would often have very scary nightmares about being alone. (CM) In one, I would be in a field, alone, with no trees and no birds, and I would be running for miles, searching for an end to the field. An end I would never find. (CM) I would also dream that I was in a white abyss, endless white in all directions. (SD) I also do not enjoy being alone at home. (CM) If my parents leave and I am alone, I feel uncomfortable, insecure, and I wish they were there, so I could have someone to talk to. (CM) I also seldom spend the weekends alone, I am nearly always surrounded by friends. (SD) Being alone, with nothing to do, and no one to talk to, no sounds, nothing as far as you can see; to me, that is the scariest thing in the world.

(TS) Fear surrounds us, it is in every body’s minds, their imaginations, and it is lurking around every corner, waiting for its next victim. (SD) I have had many scary experiences in my life, but by far, getting lost at Six Flags was the scariest. (CM) I was seven years old, and I went with my parents to have a little fun. (CM) I went from happy, to very fearful in a matter of seconds. (SD) I was playing on a seamlessly harmless group of water slides when I suddenly found myself lost. (CM) I was having too much fun, I got a little distracted, and I realized I didn’t know where I was. (CM) I went down the slide smiling and happy, but as soon as I reached the bottom and realized I did not know where I was, and my smile quickly faded into a look of despair. (SD) When I came out the bottom I realized that the maze of crisscrossing slides had confused me, and I came out in an unfamiliar area. (CM) I panicked, ran around, searching through the mob of people for my parents. (CM) After a few minutes of this panicked behavior, I came to my senses, observed my surroundings, and eventually found my way back to my worried parents. (CS) Fear is always there, waiting to strike, and when it does it can cause you to panic.

(CS) When fear attacks it makes us do things that are irrational, but we must over power this fear, come to our senses, and react to our situation. (CM) If fear wins this battle, we may panic and make a bad decision. (CM) However, we can also fight hard to stay calm and collected, and win the battle, beating fear. (CS) Fear makes us panic, and when we are in this state, we can make bad decisions. When I panicked and started to run around, I realized that I only found myself more lost, I realized that fear was winning, so I calmed down and eventually found my way to my parents. If you are ever caught in this same situation, simply take a deep breath, relax, assess your situation, and you will defeat your greatest opponent: fear.

Chris Essay 6
10/21/09
Mr. Salsich
English

Feather:
Two Colors, Two Personalities, One Person

(TS) The first moment that I saw the feather in class, with its two contrasting colors and the many stems, I instantly knew this was more than a feather; it was my life. (CM)The black and white represent two different personalities of the same person. (CM) Also, a feather has many stems, many difficulties, just like my life. (Thesis) There are many ways that the feather relates to chapter seven in Two Kill a Mockingbird, as well as my own life.

(TS) Two colors, two personalities, one person. (Anaphora) (SD) Like the bright cheerful white part of the feather, one of Jem’s moods is happy and talkative. (CM) Jem was very talkative with Scout about the items they found in the tree hole. (CM) Jem was also in a good mood when he was learning about Egyptians and was happy to re-lay his knowledge to Scout. (SD) However, like the black part of the feather, Jem also has a deeper, more reserved personality. (CM) When Jem found the pants folded on the fence and completely mended, he went into a quiet reserved state and thought to himself. (CM) After Mr. Radley had plugged the tree hole to, “prevent the tree from rotting,” Jem stood outside and thought about it for a long time. (SD) Jem’s contrasting personalities sometimes intersect, and blend together, just like on the feather. (CM) After he had thought about the pants for a while, he was still quiet and thinking, but he was beginning to talk to Scout and itching to tell her about it. (CM) Even though Jem has two very different personalities, most of the time he is in the blended part of them, a little of each. (CS) Without the two contrasting personalities, Jem would be an incomplete person; half a feather.

(TS) A feather is made up of a large center stem, from which many smaller stems extend, and this can be related to my own life in many ways. (SD) The middle stem is my life, and out of this stem erupt many difficulties that I may face. (CM) For instance, there are little things like lots of homework, or my friend being mad at me that I must deal with. (CM) However, there are also many larger problems like a loved one dying. (SD) In life, I have also encountered many happy moments. (CM) Spending time with friends is one of those happy moments in my life. (CM) I also believe that my past Christmases are happy moments in my life. Waking up and opening presents, and being surrounded by my family is amazing, and I will remember those memories forever. (SD) Also, when you drop the feather, it spins slowly, falling to the ground. (CM) It does not spin fast and fall to the ground at high speeds, it does not slowly drift to the ground taking an eternity, it falls at the perfect speed, not slow and boring, or fast and reckless (Anaphora). This is how life should flow, slow yet steady. (CS) Sad memories and happy memories weave together to create the feather of our lives. It is these contrasting memories help to balance our lives, allowing them to flow along at a perfect pace.

(TS) A feather can be related to someone’s’ life in many ways. (CM) The black and white blended together into one feather, are like Jem’s contrasting personalities blended seamlessly together into one person. (CM) Also, the feather has many small stems, just like I have many difficulties in my own life; however these difficulties make me who I am; they keep my flying. (CS) These contrasting personalities, these difficulties, they weave together perfectly to create magnificent feathers that make each and every one of us special.

Chris Essay 5
October 14, 2009
Mr. Salsich
English

FINAL DRAFT
Privacy:
A world of seclusion

(TS) Privacy: The quality or condition of being secluded from the presence or view of others. (CM) This is a great definition of privacy. (CM) If you are a private person, you are secluded, concealed from the public. (thesis) I believe that there are two types of people in this world; ones that are private, and ones that are public. And, without this diversity, the world would be very different.

(TS) I believe that privacy is a very important theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, and in chapter five specifically. (SD) Arthur Radley is the most private person in the book. (CM) He never goes outside, he just stays in the comfort of his home. This makes him private because no one really knows what he looks like. (CM) The windows at the Radleys’ house are close and the shutters are drawn. Nobody knows what he does inside his house. (SD) Dill is also a very private person. (CM) Although he is good friends with Jem and Scout, he keeps many aspects of his life secretive. For instance, he says his father is many different things; he doesn’t stick with one thing that his dad actually does. (CM) Also, Dill says that he has a mother and father but he doesn’t really talk about them much; he is very secretive about them. (SD) However, one character in this book is not very private: Miss Maudie. (CM) Boo Radley is private and secluded; however, Miss Maudie is very public, and sociable (Antithesis). (CM) Miss Maudie also talks to Jem, Scout and Dill, lets them play in her yard, and sometimes bakes them cakes. She also talks to them about things that happen in her life. She is definitely not a private person. (CS) In everyday life, we notice that some people are very secretive, while others talk about things. (Antithesis) There are many great examples of this in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird.

(TS) Privacy is not restricted to within To Kill a Mockingbird; there are many private people in this world, and many that are not. (SD) I myself am not a private person, nor a public person. (CM) Unlike the Radleys, I do not stay in my home, blocking out the world; I talk to people, and go out into the world. (CM) However, unlike some people, I do not like being alone with everyone watching me; for instance, performing on a stage. (SD) There are also some people I know that are very private; for example, my Uncle Doug’s father, Frank. (CM) Frank, private and unsociable, stays in his home most of the time. (Appositive) He makes his own food or has his food delivered. (CM) He also doesn’t like to talk, and is uncomfortable amongst large numbers of people. (SD) As a stark contrast, my Uncle Doug, is a very public person. (CM) He is a nurse, so he is around lots of people every day and he really enjoys it. (CM) He is also very talkative, and rarely found sitting around his house. (CS)

(TS) Whether they are found in To Kill a Mockingbird, or in the world around us, private people and public people are everywhere. It is this mix, this diversity, which makes up the world we live in. (CM) There are people in the book that are private, including Dill and Boo, but there are also public people, like Miss Maudie. (CM) However, there are also many public and private people in the real world, and I know many. (CS) The world sometimes seems like it has a tinted window, a one way mirror. As we look at the private people around us we see nothing, an empty house. However, what we do not know is that there are truly people behind that mirror, watching the world go by while they do nothing.

Chris Collins
October 7, 2009
Mr. Salsich
English
FINAL DRAFT
Education:
A Key to Life

(TS) Education is one of the most important aspects of our lives. (CM) Education is found everywhere and in everyone. (CM) Without education we would not know how to do some of the simplest things in life, like ride a bike or eat and drink. (CS) Education is one of the keys to life and the doors to its mystery are found everywhere, and once they are opened the discoveries waiting there makes us all better people.

(TS) Even though Atticus did not receive a formal education, he feels strongly that Scout should. (SD) He thinks Scout should go to school; he doesn’t think that the Ewells should be forced to go to school. He also believes the Ewells, a dirty and disgraceful family should not be forced into learning. (Appositive S-V Split) (CM) Atticus believes that, “There are ways of keeping them in school by force, but it’s silly to force people like the Ewells into a new environment,” if they really have absolutely no desire to learn, what’s the point of keeping them in school. (CM) This is different than Scout, Scout wants to read, but just doesn’t like her teacher and thinks that school is boring. (SD) Atticus believes that school is necessary for Scout. (CM) Atticus tells Scout that she is a, “common folk,” and needs to abide by the laws. (CM) Scout wonders why the Ewells don’t have to go to school, and Atticus tells her that the Ewells are an exception. He says in some circumstances people, “Allow them certain privileges by the simple method of becoming blind to some of the Ewells’ activities,” to help them survive. These privileges include no school and allowing Mr. Ewell to hunt out of season. They let them do this to help make the children’s lives better, they don’t force them to go to school if they really don’t want to learn, and they let him hunt out of season so the kids don’t starve. (SD) Scout tells Atticus that one of the reasons she does not want to go to school is because she does not like Ms. Caroline. (CM) Atticus gives her some advice, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it,” you can never truly know what a person is thinking until you look at things from their point of view. (CM) Atticus makes a deal with Scout; he tells her that if she is nice to Miss Caroline and goes to school, she and Atticus can continue to read. (CS) Education is very important; it opens many doors in life that without the gift of knowledge, would remain sealed.

(TS)Education is not isolated within the walls of a classroom, it can be found everywhere, and in everything we do. (SD) I know that I, and many others, learn things by making mistakes. (CM) For example, If I am writing an essay I may spell a word wrong. When my teacher grades the essay and tells me that I spelt the word wrong, I can go back and fix it. I learn from my mistake and hopefully do not make that mistake again. (CM) Also, in To Kill a Mockingbird Scout makes the mistake of talking back to Miss Caroline, putting herself in a bad situation, but she learns from her mistake. (Participle closer) (SD) Everyone, including myself, learns from everyday life. (CM) When we went to the opera on Wednesday, I was not only listening to delightful music, I was gaining knowledge. If I had never gone to the opera, I would not have learned about opera music, I may not even know what it sounds like. (CM) Also, my mom drives me to school every day. If I had not watched her drive everyday like this, I would know nothing about driving. I would not know that there is a gas pedal and a brake, and I would not know that green means go and red means stop. (SD) However, one cannot learn everything by doing nothing and just living. We must also attend school, and like Atticus, I agree that school is very important. (CM) I have had the pleasure to attend Pine Point School since kindergarten. (CM) Pine Point School has helped me to gain more knowledge then I could ever gain on my own. (CS) Education is one of the most important things in life, we spend our entire life constantly gaining knowledge, and this knowledge makes us all better people.

(TS) I and many other people think that education is one of the most important things in life. (CM) Atticus wants his kids to go to school and get an education. (CM) I also believe that going to school is essential. (CS) Life is like an endless hallway, door after door after door, and education is the key to unlocking all of these doors. Education is powerful, and the knowledge we unlock with it can make us all better people.

FINAL DRAFT

Company:
An Essay From Chapter Three of To Kill a Mockingbird

September 30, 2009

Chris

Mr. Salsich

English

(TS) If your were a guest in someone's home wouldn't you want to be treated kindly? (CM) You would not want to be criticized for being different, you would want to be welcomed. (CM) You may be different from them, and they need to respect this and treat you with kindness. (Thesis) As Scout found out, being honest is not always the best thing. Sometimes keeping your opinions to yourself is the best thing to do.

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(TS) Throughout your life you are bound to have guests at some point, and you must treat them with kindness. (SD) When Scout is talking to Walter, she asks things like, “But he’s gone and drowned his dinner in syrup,” Calpurnia finally pulls her aside to have a talk with her. (CM) “Hush your mouth! Don’t matter who they are, anybody sets foot in this house’s yo’ comp’ ny, and don’t you let me catch you remarkin’ on their ways like you was so high and mighty!” Cal is exactly right; you should always treat your guests with kindness. (CM) However, Scout did not treat her guest kindly, and she was scolded. (SD) Even though Scout was not being kind to her guests, she was just being honest. (CM) She was not trying to be mean she was just stating how she felt. (CM) Although honesty is usually a good thing, sometimes it is just better to keep your thoughts to yourself. (CS) Scout learned a good lesson in this chapter, she learned that there are many people in this world, and everyone is different.

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(TS) In my own life, I have been around guests that I did not particularly like many times. (SD) One time my aunt, uncle and other cousins came up. I love my aunt, but at the time I really didn't feel like having company. (CM) Also, My aunt smokes and I really didn't enjoy smelling smoke for two days. (CM) My aunt and uncle are very loud people, and they stayed up very late, which was rather annoying when I was tired and trying to sleep. (SD) Although I didn't want the guests to be there, they were there so I had to accept the situation, and welcome them. (CM) I kept my opinions to myself, and treated them with kindness. (CM) Scout did the opposite, and shared her opinions about Walter, and although she was only being honest, it made her guest feel bad. (CS) I did not make the same mistake as Scout, I was able to keep my opinions to myself, and realize that my aunt was just different from what I was used to.

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(TS) You must always treat other people the way you want to be treated. (CM) Everybody, including guests are different, and you need to respect this. (CM) If they do something that is different to you, it could be normal to them, and that is okay. Don't try to tell them what they are doing is not right. (CS) Honesty is a wonderful quality to possess, but on some few occasions it is better to keep your opinions to yourself.

FINAL DRAFT
Education:
A theme found in To Kill a Mockingbird

Chris Collins

September 23, 2009
Mr. Salsich
English

(Opening) As Allan Bloom once said, "Education is the movement from darkness to light," education is the transition between knowing little, to becoming very knowledgeable. (CM) Education is like a blank canvas, you start empty, white, but as you move your way up the ranks of learning, you begin to become a beautiful painting. (CM) Education is very important to us all; it is a way of life. (Thesis) Education is written about in books as well as experienced in life. In fact, to even write a book you must have an education.

(TS) “Don’t talk back to me, sit up in your chair and be quiet!” Imagine if your teacher started yelling at you like this, and made you go stand in the corner. In chapter two of To Kill a Mockingbird, I noticed that the theme of education was very prevalent, and I also noticed that it was different than the education I am used to. (SD) For example, when Scout began to read at an advanced level, instead of being rewarded, she was scolded. (CM) This shows that the teacher was very strict, and the education system was different. (CM) Now, students are praised instead of being yelled at for good work. (SD) Also, when Scout explained the Cunningham’s situation to Miss Caroline, instead of Miss Caroline thanking her, she hit the back of Scouts hand with a ruler. (CM) This is very different from what we see today. (CM) Now the student would be thanked, not punished. (SD) Lastly, in chapter two Miss Caroline used the Dewey Decimal System to teach her class. (CM) This system was a series of flash cards with words, letters on phrases written on them. (CM) What was different was that if the students got one wrong they would be scolded. (CS) From reading chapter two of To Kill a Mockingbird I have concluded that during the time this book was written, education was very different than it is now.

(TS) Education is a major theme in chapter two, but I also experience education in my own life, and the type of education is really different than in To Kill a Mockingbird. (SD) Pine Point has been a major part of my education since kindergarten. (CM) Unlike Miss Caroline, the teachers at Pine Point are very kind. (CM) If you are more advanced at something, like math or reading, than other students, you are not yelled at, you are congratulated. (SD) Also, At Pine Point, unlike in the book, you have the freedom to say what you want. (CM) In the book when Scout tried to tell Miss Caroline about the Cunningham’s situation, she was smacked on the hand with a ruler. (CM) If I did this at Pine Point, I would be thanked for the information, instead of punished. (SD) Lastly, the way school is taught is also different at Pine Point. (CM) In the book Miss Caroline used flash cards with letter, words and phrases written on them to teach the class. If they got one wrong they would be scolded. (CM) I remember back to first grade, and I remember using flash cards to help us learn new words. However, if we got one wrong we were definitely not scolded. (CS) I am honored to be a student at Pine Point, it is certainly better than going to the school written about in the book.

(Closing) Education is about gaining knowledge. (CM) It is about going from knowing very little, to knowing a lot. (CM) The way they learn in the book is very different than the way I learn. (Thesis) Education is always different, and it is found in books as well as in real life.

Chris Collins
September 27, 2009
Mr. Salsich
English 8

FINAL DRAFT:
Mystery

(Opening) Karl von Clausewitz once said, “Although our intellect always longs for clarity and certainty, our nature often finds uncertainty fascinating.” (CM) We are constantly surrounded by mystery, and although we often desperately want to know the truth, sometimes we are even more interested in the unknown. (CM) The unknown is so fascinating; it can often draw people in like moths to a glowing lantern. (Thesis) Mystery is found in many books, like To Kill a Mockingbird, but it is also found in reality.

(TS) To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, is filled with mystery. There are many things and characters in this book that are mysterious. (SD) For example, the Radleys’ are mysterious people. (CM) They imprison themselves inside their home and rarely come out, except at night. (CM) Boo Radley is surrounded by a lot of mystery. It is legend that every night he comes out while everyone is asleep, and walks around the neighborhood and through people’s backyards. He is thought of as a tall, monstrous person. As the narrator says, “Inside the house lives a malevolent phantom.” (SD) Another mysterious character in the book is the narrator. (CM) We know her name is Jean and that she is a female, but we do not learn how old she is. (CM) She could be talking about recent years when she was in first grade, or she could be talking about many years ago. (SD) There is one more mystery in this book, the town. I believe that their town is a bit strange and mysterious. (CM) Their way of life is different; they don’t have money to pay for things, so they pay with things they make, for example, food. (CM) Maycomb is also a bit of a ghost town, all of the people move slowly, and they do the same thing every day. (CS) If an outsider ventured into this small town, they might think it and its people are a little strange and mysterious.

(TS) One of my own neighbors, Nancy, is mysterious like many of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. (SD) Like the Radleys in the novel, Nancy stays in her home most of the time. (CM) When I drive past the house every morning to go to school, it appears deserted. The grass is slightly overgrown, and there are no cars in the driveway. (CM) When she does, on occasion, venture out of her home, it is usually for short periods of time. (SD) Also, Nancy is very mysterious because she always knows what is going on in the neighborhood. (CM) When I or my parents go for walks, she will occasionally come quickly out of her house and begin to talk to us. (CM) She will say strange things like, “Oh, I saw you driving to work at seven o’ clock yesterday.” (SD) Nancy is also strange in appearance. (CM) She is a short old lady that has layers and layers of makeup caked on her face. (CM) She also wears long old fashioned dresses, with many large necklaces. (CS) Books, like To Kill a Mockingbird, are filled with many mysterious characters and events, but mystery is not limited to novel; it is found in everyday life.

(Opening) It is human nature to be curious, and curiosity and mystery stick together like magnets. (CM) When people are confronted with the unknown, they are often curious to get answers. (CM) However, when people are about to be confronted with the truth, they often fear it. (CM) For example, when Jem was dared to run up to the Radleys’ house, his curiosity about the unknown drove him to complete the dare, but as soon as he touched the house, his fear of the unknown overcame him, and it forced him to turn around and run away. (CS) There are many books that contain mystery, but life also contains lots of mystery, and it often makes people curious.