assessment

essay 5
PREJUDICE
_____(TS)The homeless and some of the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird are the same; they are discriminated against, they are hated, and they are second class citizens.
(SD)In To Kill a Mockingbird, blacks were discriminated against for the color of their skin.
(CM)People called them names such as "darky" or "negro," and the whites would look down on the poor black community.
(CM)An example of this would be Mr. Ewel taking Tom Robinson to court for raping his daughter; even though Tom Robinson is inocent, he is convicted by a white jury and later shot and killed while in jail.
(SD)The homeless are victims of prejudice too and many people turn their backs on them.
(CM)Most people think all homeless people are drug addicts or alcoholics, when most of them are not.
(CM)Some people believe the homeless are not educated or have a gambling problem.
(SD)Boo Radley
(CM)eating flesh...
(CM)ect...
(CS)

Assuming you meant slavery in the USA, then yes the 13th amendment was the definintive point that outlawed slavery in the United States. However, the Emancipation Proclamation (issued in January, 1863) declared that all states brought back into the Union by military force would have their slaves freed. Though this act did not immediately free any slaves (slave states still loyal to the Union were specifically exempt) it set up a legal framework for what to do with slaves in occupied territories. As Union forces occupied sections of the South, they were sure to free slaves. By the time the 13th amendment passed, the vast majority of slaves were already free and the institution in all liklihood doomed with out the final amendment.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080418203028AAmohUI

Essay 13, draft

Colin Burlingham
Mr. H Salsich
8 English
1/27/10

Change:

Change To Kill a Mockingbird

and in My Life.

_____(TS)Change, according to dictionary.com, means "to transform or convert." (CS)This transformation comes into each and every person's life, from myself to the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

_____(TS)Change is a big topic in chapter 24 of To Kill a Mockingbird. (SD)During the chapter, Scout, a wild young girl with a big curiosity, changed tremendously during a meeting with her “Aunty.” (CM)When she found out about Tom Robinson being shot and killed, she walked back into the meeting, proudly and courageously, with Ms. Maudie and her aunt; if this happened a year ago, she would have been drenched in tears. (CM)In addition, when "Aunty" arrived, she said Scout would become more proper and when they were back in the room, Scout thought, “If Aunty could be a lady at a time like this, so could I," which shows how she is starting to convert into a woman like her aunt. (SD)Another person who showed change in the chapter was “Aunty”. (CM)When the family found out Tom was dead, “Aunty” showed feelings for Atticus saying these things tore Atticus apart. (CM)Aunt Alexandria showed feelings, in front of Scout and Ms. Maudie, filling the air with kindness and sadness, shocking Scout (loose sentence). (CS)Change comes up constantly in chapter 24 and also in my life.

_____(TS)My life, a wild roller coaster, full of suspense, changes constantly (Periodic Sentence). (SD)One of the many changes I have experienced is my knowledge. (CM)Over the past few years, my mind has grown uncontrollably and it continues to grow. (CM)A few years ago, I didn't know half the things I now do such as periodic sentences or what a solute is, but now, I can give almost the exact definition. (SD)Another example of change in my life is my maturity. (CM)A few years ago, I probably laughed at farts and different things like that. (CM)Farts are not funny now, and will never again be funny. (CS)Change is a reoccurring theme in my life and in the book, To Kill a Mockingbird.

_____(TS)Every person will see change in their lives and this transformation comes naturally. (CS)The characters in To Kill a Mockingbird and myself also have all experienced change and will continue to change for the rest of our lives.

Self Assessment for Essay 12

Colin

Mr. H Salsich

8 English

1/26/10

1. One writing issue I am continuing to work on:
_____When I first wrote this, I forgot to incorporate To Kill a Mockingbird in it, so this is still a work in progress.

2. One strong point I see in this piece of writing:
_____All the information in this essay is completely true and I feel like that is a very strong aspect for this essay.

3. One possible weak point I see:
_____I think this essay could still be smoother because some of the transitions are a little rough.

4. The grade I would give myself:

_____For this essay, I would give my self a B because I feel I worked hard on this, but there are still somethings that are a little week and need to be strengthened.

Essay 12

Colin Burlingham Mr. H Salsich 8 English 1/21/10 “No son, it’s not right.” (Lee, p. 184): An Essay About This Quote in To Kill a Mockingbird and in My Life _____(TS)There are always things that are not right in this world. (CM)According to Dictionary.com, "right" means, "in accordance with what is good, proper or just." (CM)If I am in need of the right guidance, I usually go to my dad, who points me in the "proper" direction and in the book To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus does the same for his son, Jem. (CS)In fact, I have heard the words "no son, it's not right" as much in my life as Jem has heard it in his. _____(TS)The quote, “no son, it’s not right,” brings back many memories in my life and the lives of Jem and Scout. (SD)The clearest memory I can think of took place two years ago when my family and I were up in Vermont and, reading the local town paper, I came across an article about a car bomber who blew up a market and many people were hurt or killed (S-V SPLIT). (CM) This was terrible, and my dad, who just happened to be looking over my shoulder, could tell what I was thinking. (CM)He knew the guidance I needed and said, “no son, that’s not right.” (SD)In To Kill a Mockingbird, the phrase, "No son, it's not right" came up in one important part of the book, right after Tom Robinson's trial. (CM)At the time, Jem was very mad because Tom had lost the trial and Jem kept saying it was not "right," and Atticus agreed with him. (CM)In most situations in the book, when something was not right, it was Atticus who comforted Jem in his time of confusion, just as in my life, it’s my dad who comforts me when I am confused; we have this bond of comfort in common. (SD) On a smaller scale, when my cat died in my neighbor's yard, we were all extremely upset. (CM) Knowing the neighbors had put out rat poison, I felt that my cat died unnecessarily. (CM) While I was still grieving, I told my dad about the loss of my cat; he replied, “I know it’s wrong son, but its life,” and this made me feel angry. (CS)As you can see, this quote and the concept of what’s right is meaningful me, and to the characters in To Kill a Mockingbird. _____(TS)To me, right means, "correct guidance, proper and true." (CM)Things that are right, are like the sun and the moon; they come and go constantly. (CM)"Right" is a reoccurring theme in To Kill a Mockingbird as well as in my life. (CS)We will always find a path to follow in our life, one that is just and true; the question is, will we take it?

Unexpected Visit

Colin

1/16/10

Warm Shelter

Today, I had a very unexpected visit with one of the people I saw at the shelter. He was on the side of the road on root 1 in Pawcatulk. Like the classic hitch hiker, he had his thumb up in the air and was trying to get to the True Value near Old Mystic Village. On the way, he was talking to me and my parents about cars. His car was taken from him a few months ago, and his ride to Mystic blew him off. He was going there to meat a friend and buy his old car. This was cool meeting one of the people not in the warm shelter and I hope it happens again.

Visit 8

Colin
1/14/10
The Warm Shelter

_____THIS WAS BY FAR THE LEAST SATISFYING VISIT YET!!!!! When I got there, two ladies were putting the food down and setting it up, so I figured I would be serving the beef stew. I went to get on my gloves and instantly one of the ladies snapped at me. "You have to wash your hands before you put on the gloves." I did not see the point in this, but I did what she said. Once done, I went over and asked if I could help in any way, and she told me to rip the paper towels and put them in a basket to use like napkins. Now, this made no sense. Why could the people not just rip the paper towels for themselves and plus, at the end of the meal, the cleanup crew would most likely throw them away thinking that something was put on top of them. As my state of boredom progressed, the meal began and I went over to the beef stew and reached for the ladle when the woman immediately took it out of my hand. She served the stew, while I was stuck putting bread rolls on the plates. The worst part of the meal was near the end of my shift. In my last blog, I mentioned the "beany weenies" man, and he ate like everyone else. I was standing near the bread, and I saw him look at me, and tilt his bowl down, requesting for more in his own way. I instantly said, "of course you can have more", since there was an entire second baking dish of stew, so he stood up to come and get more. The woman looked at me, and then at him and barked "You can't have more until 6:20 pm". This was outrageous, considering the meal ended at 6:30 pm and most everyone had already eaten. He then slowly sat down looking quite sad and ate a very small piece of cake, He then left. Out of all my visits, this was by far the worst, and I hope it will not happen again.

Visit 7

Colin
1/12/10
The Warm Shelter

_____As I looked deeper under the surface today, I noticed that the people were extremely courteous to me. When I first walked in, a man outside with a cigarette turned to me and said said, "your back again! Man, you should get an A+ on this for working so hard," and these few words showed me how grateful he was for helping to feed his hungered stomach. A little bit later, I was serving right after the big rush had passed and a woman came up and asked who my teacher was. I told her Mr. H. Salsich was in charge of the assessment project and she then said, "I should write him a letter to tell him how hard your working." She was absolutely serious about this, but some people came in so she had to go sit down. After that, at around 6:00 pm, a man came up and said we could go and thanked me for my "exceptional service", and that he would finish serving and clean up. This was his way of thanking me for all my hard work so I got my coat and headed for the door. As I passed another lady, she stopped me and also thanked me, and then I left. These people are full of gratitude and are always willing to share their thanks with me.

Visit 6

Colin
1/11/10
Warm Shelter

_____As I volunteer more and more at the worm shelter, the people are beginning to recognize me and are more comfortable in my presence. Today, a church brought in the dinner of hot dogs and beans and as I was serving it, some conversations began between myself and those brave people. One man I was talking to was very nice and he started telling me how this dinner reminded him about his childhood. Every Saturday, his mother would make hot dogs and beans served with plain bread to remind them of how poor they were. At this thought, he chuckled to himself quietly. As I continued to talk to him, he started telling me of all the names his family thought of to try to make the meal sound better, but "non of them seemed to help." Some of the most common names he mentioned were "franks and beans, beans and franks, hot dogs and beans, beans and dogs, and dogs and beans", but one of the stranger ones he mentioned was "beany weenies," and I sort of liked this name. From now on, I will call hot dogs and beans, "beany weenies." Seeing this dinner brought back some good memories for this man and it also reminded him of how poor he was. Telling me this story showed me that he had become more comfortable and open with me. He has seen my face every night this week, and this is why he has begun to recognize me. I hope in my next few visits, more people will tell me stories of their past and will get to know me to.

Essay 11, First Draft

Colin Burlingham

Mr. H Salsich

8 English

1/12/10

FEAR:

Fear in To Kill A Mockingbird

And in My Life

_____Fear. What is it; where is it; why is it? We often ask ourselves these three basic questions, but have you ever gotten an answer? Have you ever taken the time to look? While I was in the midst of reading To Kill a Mockingbird, fear seemed to be a theme that occurred over and over again and this got me thinking of fear in my own life.

_____ What is fear? According to Dictionary.com fear is "a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, or pain." Fear can come up in every area of your life: in your house; in your car; or even in your school. I know I have experience fear in all aspects of my life. When I was younger, one of my biggest fears was the dark emptiness surrounding me in all directions. Like a thick fog, the shadows would move in and demolish the vision of those stuck within. To prevent this nasty darkness from suffocating me, I would do different things, such as using a night-light or leaving the door open. I can remember playing a game, Ghost-Ghost in the Grave Yard, a game we would play in the basement with two friends, Cathy and Joanne. This game was sort of like Hide and Go Seek, but it was played in complete darkness. I would always leave the light on at the top of the stairs to play, and on one winter’s night, I was playing with them and my sister. Not knowing they had all gone and I was down, deep in the blackened depths beneath my house for so long, I started to see figures move. Scared, I desperately tried to find my way to the ladder that climbed to the heavens above. When I found it, my fear was gone. Three hours in dark solitude, kept company by a solitary thought in my mind, “RUN”.

_____Fear in To Kill a Mockingbird comes up constantly. In Chapter Ten, a strange sight occurs. Scout and Jem see an "old dog down yonder" stumbling toward them. With one leg almost shorter than the others, he moves slowly; it is almost impossible to see the inches of his paw on the pavement. When Cal sees this dog, she freaks. Running as fast as she can; she grabs the phone and instantly calls Atticus. "Mad dog!" She shouts into the phone and hangs up. Now, with even more fear flows through her veins, thinking the Radley family doesn't know this beast is walking aimlessly through the streets. She bangs on their door, but it does no good. Fear. No matter who or where, all people will posses this emotion, this pain, this curse.

_____Where is Fear? Can anyone tell for sure? Is fear nowhere, or everywhere? Fear can be found in every corner of every room; in every street in every city. From Heaven to Hell, you can find fear just about everywhere. Years ago, I went on a boat to a small island called The White Island, up in Maine. We stopped and picnicked on this deserted island, like a crumb in a puddle; we sat, ate small lunches we prepared, and left. A few others and myself went to walk around this morsel, and the others took a shortcut back while I went the long way. When I got back, I was the only one. Alone in solitude, I sat, fearing they would not come back. Fearing I would be stuck on this small rock they call an island. Ten minutes passed and I saw something in the distance. It was my family speeding to the rescue. Apparently, with the rush of a forgotten ferry to the mainland, they did not look to see who was on the vessel. Reunited with the crowd, we sped back and it was then that I realized fear is everywhere and I will never forget that.

_____Fear is in every area of this amazing planet. In To Kill a Mockingbird, you will find fear in every chapter; every page; every line; and in almost every sentence. You can literally not go through a single chapter without experiencing some fear. From the fear of people to going to jail; you can not miss this emotion. On page 76, Scout is speaking of fear of Boo Radley crawling through the night. On page 86, Scout is scared of snow, thinking it was "the worlds end," and there is more: on page 92, there is a fire at Ms. Maudie's house with the whole town scared. On page 139, Scout was freaking out at what Jem was doing. On page 157, Scout was nervous the people at Cal's church would hurt her. On pages 201, 266, 270, and 282, you can find fear and there is much more. It is impossible to miss this cloud of impending danger in this book.

_____From time to time, I ask myself, why is fear? Fear is an emotion far older than time itself. We don't know why or how it became to be, but there are those legends, such as Pandora’s Box, a box carried by Pandora herself and when she opened this mystical object, terrible things were released upon the world, but one of the worst was fear. Legends can tell us nothing, or everything. It is all in what you believe, but until the day we truly find out why fear is, we will never know.

_____A great man once said, "There is nothing to fear, but fear itself (Franklin D. Roosevelt)." This quote connects in my life and in To Kill a Mockingbird. What is fear; where is fear; why is fear? You must not ask other people what, where or why fear takes place in our lives, but instead, ask what it would be like without fear. Is the thought of living without fear scare you?

Visit 5

Colin

1/11/10

The Warm Shelter

_____This, my fifth visit, was one of the most success trips so far in my opinion because they have started to interact more with me. I am not such a stranger and when I saw one man, he seemed surprised I was back. With serving on last Wednesday and Friday and going all this week, I hope they will be secure enough to have some full fledge conversations. One man was passing by me to collect his bounty for the day and I noticed he was wearing a cool hat. A hat with a bear and the fresh mountain air flowing through the forest. I told him it was cool, but in return, he mumbled "thanks," just loud enough for me to catch the deep rumble of his voice. In addition, when I first walked into this support facility, I started talking to the "Rockos." I noticed that he was taking pictures and after a picture of the spice rack, he turned around to take one of an empty table. A man next to the table instantly turned away and covered his face. This small movement has shown me that some of these brave civilians still are not secure with themselves. I hope in the days to come, I will learn more, see more, and get to be secure with the people around.

Visit 4

Colin Burlingham

1/8/10

The Warm Shelter

_____On Friday the eighth, I went to the Westerly Warm Shelter again to help serve to those brave citizens. This was the first time I saw the hired chef and he told me much about the shelter and what he does. On an average day, he said, "there are about 40," and you never know how much food to cook. On some days, you may get two or three, but on other days, the line can be going down the block with no end in sight. There is know pattern on when people come so it is hard to guess how many Ziggy should cook for. Ziggy also mentioned that people donate the same things over and over again. In the summer, they usually get so many hot dogs and burgers, they loose count and around Thanksgiving, all they get is turkey. Last year, they gave 37 turkeys to the St. Mary Warm Shelter because they were so over stocked. After two nights of turkey, I can see how it would get boring. In addition, while I was there, I noticed all the drinks were made by Coca Cola such as coke, sprite, or volt. I asked Ziggy about this and he explained to me these are all the drinks that nobody buys, and since they have expiration dates on them, they can't just put them back on the shelves. So instead of throwing them out, Coca Cola donates the leftover products. While I was there, I also saw a man with a cool beard which was like an upside down trapezoid and it was black at his chin and white at the tip. He was very quiet and I only heard him speak once and he said something about meditating. I felt very bad for him because he had a black eye and a very deep cut over his left eye filled with dry blood. He must have gotten in a fight recently. On my fourth visit, I have learned and saw more than any other visit so far and I am looking forward to next week.

Visit 3

Colin Burlingham
1/6/10
The Warm Shelter

_____Today I went on my second official visit to the Westerly Warm Shelter and I saw, helped and learned much. I got there at five, thirty and I instantly started to work; serving salad, refilling a Mexican casserole, and helping in any other way I could. The entire meal was a big success and the woman who made the food was told that it was, "the best meal I have ever had." The man who told her this was polite and he was wearing a green sweater. In addition, over winter break I was given a Princeton t-shirt by my cousin and while I was serving salad to one man, he started talking, telling me he went to Hartford Business School and then he said, "look where that's gotten me." I started feeling really bad for him because he was sad and very nice. Likewise, many people mere dressed normally and if I saw some of them on the street, I would not be able to tell they are poor or homeless. One of the men there had a black hat on and he had a scraggly mustache, but then there was a woman in a tan winter coat and a green shirt. One of the people there really stood out to me and he was wearing a big long sleeved green shirt with a small stain below the neck. I believe this visit has taught me more than the first one and I hope Fridays visit will be even better.