Ben’s Comments (group member since Sep 11, 2012)

Ben’s comments from the 812 Discussion group.

In the realistic fiction book by S.E. Hinton called "The Outsiders", The character in which I need to become at one with is Darry. Darry has two brothers Ponyboy and Sodapop. When Darry was younger his parents where killed in a car accident. That was most likey the biggest conflict Darry has faced so far in the book. I say this because he then had to take on a parent role for both Soda and Pony.

Ben Friedman
I choose quote number one, because many of the other quotes stated that the [people dwelled within the same area while that is correct in some cases. A basketball team is a community but that’s does not inplie that they are all living in the same area. In addition I choose quote one due to its specificness twodrds the topic.

Ben Friedman
Superman and Me
In Sherman Alexie, “Superman and Me.” The author writes about how reading Superman comic book will turn him into an amazing reader. He though about paragraphs and how the groups of words had meaning. He learned to read to read faster then all of Indian classmates. This gave him the “Super Power” to be better then all of the others. He never gave up on expanding his knowledge despite the fact he lived on a Native American reservation. Superman was able to brake down doors and take risks in life. Sherman had to brake down stereotypes in life in order to succeed as well. This took a lot of strength and power to do what he did. Superman had to fight the villains and Sherman had to fight against the odds and the negative in his life.
Now I understand why the story is called “Superman and Me.” It called this because both Superman and Sherman had to fight to succeed they both had to have resilient will power to beat the odds and come out on top. They both had to defeat their own villains.

Alexie is a Spokane/Coeur d'Alene Indian born and raised in the Spokane Indian Reservation in WellPoint, Washington. His father held various jobs, including truck driver and logger and his mother was a social worker. Alexie was born hydrocephalic and underwent a brain operation at the age of 6 months, but was not expected to survive. When he did live, doctors predicted he would live with severe mental retardation. Although spared this, he did suffer through seizures and bed-wetting throughout his childhood. Preferring to stay inside, he developed a love for reading.
Sherman Alexia once wrote a very powerful and touching easy once about his life and what is was like growing up. The title of this piece is “Superman and I.” I feel although this piece was named what is for the following reasons. One reason I feel it was named this because. Superman has one weakness and it is kryptonite and that is the only thing that can stop him. This is in reference with Sherman because he is doing everything he can in life to succeed and there are only a few things holding him back in life.
Another reason why it may be called “Superman and Me.” Is known one knows who superman is unless he is in costume. He has to been seen to be reveled. Just like Sherman when he was younger knows one could believe the amount of knowledge he retained unless he reveled his true colors.

In the non-fiction novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian. By Sherman Alexie. The main character Arnold a 14 year old Native American boy growing up on the Spokan Indian reservation has battled many things in his life. Such as bullying and random spasms and the fact that he looks nothing alike the normal person. But he is still learning how to deal with his new school Reardon. Arnold left the reservation school due to the old and bad teacher and even older and worst books. In the book Arnold tells Penelope is crunch that “If you let people into your life a little bit, they can be pretty damn amazing.” What Arnold means when he says that is. If you allow someone to help you and show you things it can an amazing things for ones life. When Arnold tells Peopnelope this he means that if she allows people to talk to her and try to help her with her problems her life maybe easier and less stressful for her in the future.
There have been many times I can remember where if I where to have let someone talk to me it could have been pretty dam amazing. I can recall one time where I was nerviest about riding my new dirt bike and I did not want to listen to anyone about how to ride it or anything about it. I was trying to be a big shoot knows it all. And time after time I was unable to get the bike started and when I did get it up and running. I was not stuffiest enough to ride it. When I finally felt although it was impossible for me to do it on my own I gave in and with much embarrassment call my mom over. When she came over she pointed out the simplest thing to me I could have been riding for an hour at that point but I was too stubborn to allow her to show me. But as I said before I allowed her to talk to me and I go it right. This little story shows that if you do allow someone to teach you it can be pretty dam amazing.

In the non-fiction novel The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The main charter Arnold a 14 year old boy growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation has had many problems in his life such as bullying and much more. But Arnold is still dealing with his physical appearances. One reason why I think the chapter tittles may be “Slouching towards Thanksgiving;” is because no matter what he does in life he is always put on the back burning what I mean by that is he is never a main priories for people or anything. One piece of evidence from that text that shows this is in the chapter Halloween when Arnold is in school the class was talking about petrified wood and what it really is. When Arnold told his teacher he become very red in the face and started to yell and scream. But when one of Arnolds class mates told the teacher that Arnold was correct the teacher suddenly calmed down and praised the other child and now Arnold. This literally made Arnold slouch down in his chair. This shows how Arnold is slouching in and through the book and throughout school on a day-to-day basis.

The quote “To lose is to learn.” –Anonymous reflects Arnold and Rowley in the book, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie. One way the quote is shown in Arnold’s life is. In order to supply himself with a better education and a more hopeful future. Arnold has to loose. Arnold looses in may ways he looses because by leaving the reservation and his best friend to go to a white based school where native Americans are not welcome he is taking the risk of being shunned by both his tribal members and his new school. mates. This shows tat Arnold has to loose before he can learn because in order to achieve ultimate knowledge and a wonderful education he has to leave the reservation and per sure a whole entire new life style when he is in school.

Although the quote applies to Arnold slightly more it also affects Rowley. One way the quote is shown to affect Rowley is. By loosing Arnold he is now learning how to be more independent. This shows while Rowley is loosing his best friend he is also gaining independence. Another piece of evidence that shows how the quote also affects Rowley is now that Arnold is gone we can infer that Rowley is going to attempt to make an effect to become nicer to his piers and to make friends. This shows that even though Rowley is loosing a huge aspect of his life he may be able to drop the negative attitude and become and nicer person.