Prompt Three: Spring Break ( Japan vs. America)

1991. Many plays and novels use contrasting places (for example, two countries, two cities or towns, two houses, or the land and the sea) to represent opposed forces or ideas that are central to the meaning of the work. Choose a novel or play that contrasts two such places. Write an essay explaining how the places differ, what each place represents, and how their contrast contributes to the meaning of the work.

Japan vs. America

In Joy Kogawa’s historical book Obasan one family has been put in a contradiction between two countries, Canada (also considered America) and Japan. America their new land where they are free to create their own future and Japan their homeland where their culture and ancestors have came from. This novel takes place in the 1950s, also in the time of World War II when Japan, Germany and Italy united to take over the world. During such a time of chaos and confusion, the American government gave the Japanese Canadians two options, to move into an internment camp with others like them, or to go back home to Japan, the country they were fighting.


Those who stayed in America were put under strict supervision because their home had become the enemy and the American government did not know how the war started it and who took part of it. For the remaining Japanese who returned to Japan were hit by either one of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
In America you are given the right to be free and to make your own life, but that fortune was taken away from Japanese Americans because of the greed that the Japanese government displaced. Americans believed in the individual where as Japan believed in the whole, meaning the population. But neither were thinking about the people that they were governing. By Japan connecting with the other top countries of the world to dominate against the rest they weren’t thinking about their people, their lovely home, and what could be the outcome of all this commotion. Those Japanese Americans were isolated and treated poorly from everyone else. Their freedom was also taken away from them unwillingly. And the citizens of Japan suffered greatly from the atomic bomb hits. They either lost their family or parts of their bodies, which lead to diseases such as cancer and/or an amputation later.


The main character Naomi Nakane and her family were separated during WW II. Her aunty (Obasan) took her and her brother far away from America and lived off into an unknown abandoned down called Slocan to get away from the internment camps in America. During this time Naomi’s grandmother and mother went back to Japan, where Naomi’s mother had her facial tissue and some of her bones in her face blown out during the atomic bombing on Hiroshima. While grandfather Nakane and their father stayed in the American Japanese internment camps where they were severely beaten and died of starvation. Naomi and her brother Stephen never saw their mother, father, or grandparents after 1950, because the war had separated and eventually killed each of them.


These contrasting countries were only looking out for what they thought was best for everyone, but in the end they ended up hurting their own citizens. Something to think about while where in World War III huh?

Briony Tallis, a character in conflict

Prompt 2: Choose a character in a novel or play of your choice (from the AP List!) and write about the conflict(s) that arise since they are in conflict with the society they are from. This may be socially, religiously, and/or morally. Dig deep! You should also address whether your character comes to a good/bad fate due to this conflict(s).

In the novel, Atonement by Ian McEwan, Briony Tallis falls madly in love with her family’s maid’s son, Robbie Turner who happens to be head over heels for her older sister, Cecilia. An opportunity of revenge approaches her and she takes full advantage of the situation when she tells her seeking family that the culprit, who raped her cousin Lola, the night her cousins ran away, was Robbie. Briony, a usually sweet, truthful, innocent child was not asked many questions when she made this false accusation because her mother and father would never associate their perfect daughter with a lie. Briony’s sister Cecilia believed that Robbie was not capable of rape and challenged her sister on this note. This created unease between the sisters because Briony Tallis was in conflict with her human morals.
Robbie Turner, an impeccable innocent man was sent away to fight in World War II where is life was timelessly at risk every day. He trained himself to be closed and not to let anyone or anything stand in his way. However he was unable to escape his love for his childhood sweetheart, Cecilia Tallis. She believed him like no other, even before he explained that he did not commit the crime. While away at war, they kept their love strong. They wrote letters and meet up whenever Robbie was in town for something. But their thoughts deceived them because no matter how hard they tried to make it work, they were separated until the war ended, which was unknown at the time.
Briony Tallis knew right from wrong but blamed her actions on her age. Saying that she was too young to know what the outcome would be from her blaming Robbie for such a big crime. She comes to terms with her fault 5 years later because she has had time to think about her irrational actions while all her sister gave to her was silence. Missing her sister while being ignored helped her to see her internal conflict with herself. This conflict was created whenever she didn’t get everything the way she wanted it. In the end Briony Tallis realizes what she did is utterly cruel for a human being to act that way to another human being. But it was too late.

And Still We Rise Prompt #3

For week #2: Two things! Write them in ONE blog!

Miesha: "My Talent is Perserverance"
*What is your talent/gift?
*What are you going to do with it?
*Compare your talent with Miesha's

Literary Connection: Jesus' Parable of the Talents NOTE: In ancient times, a measure of gold was called a talent: There once was a master and he had three servants. He goes on a trip and gives gold to each of them. The first one spends it having a good time, the second one purchases a rug in the market place. The third one goes out into the fields and buries it. When the master returns, he asks them what they did with the gold. The first one says, "I spent it and had a great time with my friends." The master says, "Very Good." The second one says, "I purchased a rug in the marketplace." The master says, "Very Good." The third one says, "Master, you will be most proud of me! I buried it in the fields and here it is!" The master beats him and send him out of his house.

What do you think is Jesus' point? What lesson does he teach and how does it connect to you and Miesha? How does this story work on more than one level?

This post is due by Tues, January 19th! Be sure to do it by the 18th to do comments!


My talent is time management. Throughout the years I have been bombarded with many responsibilities and obligations that have built up over time. Some of which include working an average of 40 hours a week and babysitting my two younger cousins Tanner and Hunter. Although I get overwhelmed with the obligations of being a teenager also, I seem to always find time to manage and get everything done! It even surprises me too. This year most definitely been has difficult out of all my years of high school, like everyone I had to apply for colleges and scholarships. I never knew it could be so excited yet so time consuming. Along with taking AP literature and keeping up with my Senior Project deadlines, at the beginning of August I moved out of my mom’s house and into my auntie’s house because of constant disagreements with my mother’s boyfriend. The change was difficult for me; however I managed my time well to get to and from school, along with picking up my cousins everyday from school, then rushing to get to work at 5.

In some way I feel as though I can relate to Miesha out of all the character’s in the story, because she was not really raised by her mother or father, her brother was her surrogate parent. The same way like my Aunty (my mother’s sister) is for me. In my childhood, my mom would work a lot to, like Miesha’s mother so I would hardly see her, as a child my grandma and two other aunties nurtured me. And as I got older, one of those Aunties, my Aunty Trisha, mainly took on the responsibility to care for me. Also Miesha works and she works hard. Sometimes she just always seemed to put her schooling and part time job in front of her social life which is similar to what I went through last year. My junior year of high school was hell. I was constantly working, probably 50 hours a week, to help my mom pay for our rent because her boyfriend was out of work and had child support to pay for. So within this time I didn’t really get to go out or have a social life other than when I was in school, and even then I was mostly trying to finish my homework before I had to report to work. Miesha’s financial situations with her family smoothed over, just as mine have now. I only work about 35- 40 hours a week. My life is still crazy though. Most days I wake up go to school, then get out early because of half day, then I run over to Waikele Elementary to pick my two cousins up from school, take them to Kumon, Karate, Soccer Practice (when season is in), Swim lessons, doctors appointments, etc. Then I have to be at work by 5, I don’t get home till 11, then I begin to do my homework, and I go to sleep and wake up and do it all over again. It is difficult, but I seem to get it all done.

Like everyone we all have our problems, but we all get through them one way or another. The best way I found out for me to get through my day is planning everything accordingly and going from there. It’s difficult, but I love the feeling of being crazy and knowing that I’m helping my family and myself. I still make time for my friends and for myself. But I sacrifice things such as watching TV, but I have learned to accept the fact that life itself is crazy, and I plan to get managing my time well and that’s the only way I know how to get through things.

Response to Jesus Excerpt

I think that the reason Jesus was upset with the third servant for burying his gold, was because that was considered his talent. He just let it go to waste, where as if the other servants went out and enjoyed themselves, whether it was buying a rug or having a great time with their friends. All in all you should never let your talent go to waste no matter what it is. As for Miesha, she perseveres through everything that is thrown her way, by doing so she is able to live life, yes she struggles but I’m sure she thinks it is worth it at the end of the day. As for me, I am decent at managing time, sometimes I fail but each day I am happy to have helped my family, and that I am independent.

Prompt One: Symbol

Task: Read the following prompt and answer to the best of your ability! Choose a symbol used in a novel or play of your choice and discuss its function in the world of the work. Be sure to give the title of the work and its author in the Introduction paragraph. You should strive for 4 - 5 paragraphs. Good Luck! After posting, read and comment on 4 other postings. Your comments should be helpful to the writer and may be things you noticed, something for them to think about, and some words of encouragement. You must complete your essay and your comments by Tuesday, January 12th!


The epic story of the Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini takes place between the 1930’s and 1990’s, in both countries of America and Afghanistan. It follows the growing up of a young Afghan boy named Amir. During his childhood Amir lived with his father and their trusted servants, Ali and Hassan. Although Hassan was his servant he was also his best friend. For years, Amir was longing for the acceptance of his heroic father, Baba, but he does not receive it until he wins a Kite Flying Contest in his hometown of Kabul, Afghanistan. And even then, he did not feel worthy of this approval because on the night of the competition he stood by and watched his best friend get brutally raped by another town boy, Assef. The guilt racked him and 5 years later he and his father migrated to America because the Soviets began invading their country.

Here in the land of freedom, the relationship between Amir and his father change. Simply because Baba’s status is lower which reveals a sense of weakness; which is a different side Amir has never seen before. Also because he finds out that Baba is also Hassan’s father and Amir is hit with the ultimate betrayal because he has always considered himself better than a slave, especially Hassan. In California, Amir meets another Afghan refugee named Soraya. They get married and Amir becomes a successful writer, and they are told that they are unable to conceive children. Amir’s father dies, and he is told that a local gang called the Taliban’s eject the Soviets out of Afghanistan causing even more turmoil and poverty throughout the country. Two Taliban officials kill Amir and his wife, and enslaved their son, Sohrab. When word travels back to Amir, he immediately takes action, and heads home to Kabul to redeem himself with Hassan, by freeing his son and giving him a better life in America.

The symbol of the story is in the title itself is a kite. An ordinary definition of the word kite would be something along the lines of a frame covered with thin material to be flown in the wind attached to the end of a long string. In this heroic tale, that is not the case, it symbolizes so much more. In Afghanistan, flying kites is a sport. The object of the game is to be the last kite flyer in the sky. Many contestants dip there string in molten glass to be break the other strings if they get caught or intertwined. In the game boys retrieve the kites and fly them around the earth. And that is exactly what Amir did in the book Kite Runner. He started off in Kabul, Afghanistan and traveled to America for a better life, and then he back to his home to retrieve Sohrab. And in time of his return everything was different; life was different, than he remembered it to be. In his fight to find and protect Hassan’s son, he had to dodge many things, including the new ways of the Taliban. Just like the in the game of Kite flying, he ran around the globe from one end to the other.

Another symbol of the kite is FREEDOM! When the soviets first invaded the home of the Afghan’s they lost their rights to freedom, speech, and religion all because of the want of territorial power and control. Many locals lost their homes, because they lost their jobs. And the situation got even worse when the Taliban’s fought for the land, and gained control of it. They killed anyone at anytime they felt, for any reason. Everyone in the town had lost all their money, by force. Many men could not afford to feed their families food other than, rice, bread, and soup, sometimes even nothing at all. The Talib children were taught to beat women for fun, as their husbands watched in torment, because if they fought back they would be shot. Sohrab, Hassan’s son grew up in this kind of world not knowing anything besides a life of poverty. Amir travels back and brings him to a life of opportunities in America. Sohrab is now free to have a life of his own including having dreams, dreams he can one day make a reality.

The last symbol of the kite is Friendship. In their childhood, Amir and Hassan both believed that they were each other’s best friends. But they knew that Hassan was a Hazara, lesser in status also as a servant, and that out of the two of them Amir would be eligible for a better life. Although Amir was angry and upset when he found out that he and Hassan were bothers, I think it just made the friendship even more significant because of all the things Hassan had down for Amir were so outrageously kind. When flying a kite it is always much more fun when you are doing it with someone, but in the end there is only one winner. In the story Kite Runner, Hassan does die, but Amir will carry him on in his heart forever. While alive Hassan pushed Amir to always find happiness and grab the chance of a better life the second it came around. He has also made Amir a man by returning to Afghanistan to save his son, Sohrab. This also provided him a family. Hassan has always been Amir’s kite runner.

And Still We Rise Assignment # 2

Period 4 Assignment #2: After reading this book review, what do you think your experience reading this book is going to be like? Do you tend to look at book reviews before you purchase a book? Do you use book reviews to influence your book purchases? Are you more apt to listen to a friend who recommends a book to you? Your response should be at least 250 words


I think that this book is going to make me go on an emotional rollercoaster. I really feel for these teenagers and all that they have to go through. I have gone through some traumatic experiences in my life but nothing compared to what these individuals face every day. They are like heroes to me, people that I can look up too because no matter what they experience there focus remains on school! I wish that I had the same outlook growing up, like a lot of people I let my problems take over my life and lost a lot of focus on these things. I have read very few books that I did not want to stop reading, and this is by far one of the best, and one that I can really relate my life to especially now because I am in AP literature. As far as reading a book review in order to inspire my reading of the book, well let’s just say that has never happened. I think that this is the first time that I have ever read a book review before and/or during my reading of a book. I thought they were more for an aftermath of the book kind of deal. I think that it is helpful though because it helps you gain an insight as to what the author wants the reader to gain and understand as a whole, during and after the reading of the book.
It is much easier to read a book on your own or one that someone has recommended than being forced to read one.

Assignment 1: Read pages 1 - 61 in the text! Write a response to the 1st 61 pages with this prompt: What is Crenshaw High School like in comparision to Mililani High School? You may write in terms of the community, the layout/enviornment of the school, and the students/faculty/teachers? This needs to be at least 300 words. You may use quotes from the text to support you





The absurdity that takes place every day at Los Angeles’s local High school, Crenshaw will mostly start to begin at Mililani High School when pigs fly. The daily lives that they lead are insane compared to those of the middle class children who attend Mililani High School. On a typical day, a Mililani student will wake up eat breakfast, jam it to school, live a dragged out schedule of classes, then go home and study, and probably only thinks about their wonderful opportunities once in a blue moon. Now comparing that to a student that attends Crenshaw, we will have a whole different view of a school day.
For example take a look at Olivia. She is a sweet, outgoing and independent foster care child. Already at the age of seven she was being beaten by her mother daily. The struggle she faced to run away, attend court (where her mother said she didn’t want her), and then be placed in a home with children that she had nothing in common with, other than the fact that they have no home, would be a challenge enough, yet she managed to stay on top of her school work which eventually placed her in GT courses. “The gifted magnet program, however, was a refuge for Olivia, and she immediately felt comfortable in the program. She met many other students, who like her, had wretched childhoods, yet had managed to stay focused on school and retain a love of learning.” (Pg. 12) Olivia is a miracle child who also works, drives illegally to get from place to place, takes rigorous classes, while living in a care home where things are constantly stolen from her. Nothing seems to defeat her. At Mililani High school, we are very lucky. We do not live in a tormented world, like the one Olivia sees every morning that she wakes up.
In the community there are many gangs who create violence with each other, over whose territory is what, and who holds a greater power. Many youngsters are pulled into these unfortunate groups in order to protect themselves from other groups. The lives that these people face are so outrageous, that every time they step out of their home, there is no security of them returning. At any second they could be shot by a drive by or they could get put in a situation that risks the lives of their forever. Sadikifu, a bright intelligent student at Crenshaw High School faces these issues everyday because he is a gang banger too. But he is different than all the rest, he has a future. He comes from a broken family, where his father left him and his mother, a mother who has dealt drugs. Sadi as many call him begins to change his life, when his best friend Chaos is killed on the street, while he is registering for AP and gifted classes. He begins to write poetry about his family and his neighborhood… “Tell me why. Why my dad and uncle were strung out on crack… that’s why I have to grow up strong and black I can’t let nothing hold me back. Tell me why where emancipated, but still segregated and hated.” (Pg. 37)

Many of my fellow classmates along with myself would probably not be able to handle living in this sort of community. Mililani is a very friendly town, both loving and supporting of its children. Growing up we have always been fortunate enough to play outside at our local park till it got dark, I don’t think that has even been an option for the children of Los Angeles. We have always been taught to set goals, and to strive to achieve them. Can you imagine what it’s like to not be able to dream? To not know if you were going to be alive or dead tomorrow? I sure can’t. All I know is by reading “And Still We Rise” I am grateful once again for all the things that I have been blessed with in my life. Mililani Town does have children that come from broken families and homes which are saddening, yet we all have the chance to be great because our community is like a family very willing to help take care of each other. This book helps reminds other people, such as the students of Mililani, that anything is possible no matter what the circumstances, as long as you are willing to work at whatever it is, that’s important to you.