All Tied Up

In the story "Ribbons" the grandma does a lot of weird things that have to do with her culture. One of that things the grandmother does is treat Stacy's little brother better than her like giving the little brother Stacy's ice cream bar. This is because “back in China boys are everything”. Another thing that the grandma had with her culture is her feet. In China they believed that if your feet were bent a certain way, it made you prettier. Physical contact is something the grandmother's culture kind of frowned upon. When Stacy hugged her grandma, the grandmother said, “Nice children don’t drool on people”.

In the United Sates, we do things for superficial beauty that goes way overboard. One of them is starving yourself by not eating at all, then puking it up. This is bad for you because once your body eats away all your fat, you still might think you aren't skinny enough so you still don't eat. To keep you alive, your body starts eating itself. Another attempt at superficial beauty is the way we dress. We wear what the boys think looks cute, like short skirts and short, tight fitting tops and showing lots of skin. Some people go to the super extreme and get plastic surgery so they can get rid of the part they despise. All of these things are wrong. You should  love yourself for who you are and how you look and not base your self worth on how others look or what they think about you.

Adventure, Cruel Love, and Determination

Authors note: This is to show my understanding of adding quotes from text and sentient fluency(witch I don't think i did good on at all)

What more could happen to these two teenagers?  In their short lives, one has been stranded on an island and sent to boarding school all while trying to maintain their relationship with one another.  In Under the Jolly Roger, the third book in the series by L.A. Meyer, Jacky travels to London to see Jamie resulting in a series of misunderstandings between the couple.  At the same time, London is at war with France and Jacky is kidnapped.  Adventure, determination, and cruel love are some of the common themes throughout the book.

Adventure is one of the things that Jacky Faber, the main character in this book, goes through. While on the ship, Jacky fought off french captains and their crews before taking their cargo. Jacky faced french spies that tried to kill her. Then there was the warning of mutiny from the crew to the captain”Hmmmmmmmm....the sound comes down from the rigging” humming is one of the few signs of mutiny. If the captain hurt her or made her lose her womanhood, the crew would make sure he paid the price for his actions.

Along with adventure, determination is another common theme featured within the book.  Jacky was determined to see Jaimy again.  Jacky travels all the way to London to find Jaimy. Upon arrival, she discovers that Jaimy’s mother doesn’t want Jacky to see him so she keeps pushing her away. This doesn’t stop Jacky though.  She dresses up like a jockey to get into a horse race for free to see Jaimy.  Jacky also shows determination by going through things she does not want to do so the people she cares about can do what they have to do. At one point, Jacky enters the officer’s quarters and encourages the officers to follow the captain’s orders even though they don’t want to.  She states,”If you try this, and I’m sure the men will be with you, all of you will have trouble to the end of your days because of it.  No, Sirs, I will not have that.... Now, go.  I can take care of myself.”  

Equally important is the idea of cruel love as seen in “Under the Jolly Roger”.  Jacky is in love with Jaimy and Jaimy is in love with Jacky, but Jaimy pretends to be going out with his cousin. Jacky saw it and did not know that the woman he was with was his cousin. Without hearing the true story, Jacky runs away because she thinks that Jaimy does not love her. Jacky desires to lose her virginity to someone she loves, but she almost loses it to someone who was going to use her for sport.  Lucky for her, he died before doing so. To make Jaimy mad and jealous just like he accidentally did to her, Jacky kissed Robin, a fellow midshipman on the Wolverine in front of Jaimy. “How does it feel, Jaimy?  Tell me, how does it feel?” thought Jacky while kissing Robin.  Jacky says she will never marry, but she is in love with two men, Jaimy and Robin, at the same time.  

Nothing is dull when it comes to the lives of Jacky and Jaimy. Especially with all the adventure, determination, and cruel love. Even though the third book is good so many people say that the fourth book is so much better.

Hold on to Dreams

What types of figurative language are being used in the text (metaphor, personification, rhyme, rhythm...etc)? The author used Metaphors, and personification in there poem

Why does the author use this type of imagery/language (purpose)? To discrid how life without dreams is sad, depressing, plan and that life does not move on, it gust dies with out dreams.

What impact does this type of imagery/language have on?

a.     the overall tone the author is trying to convey

1.     the author is trying to convey is encouraging to the reader

b.     the overall mood the reader feels from this language is sad, determined to hold on to their dreams for as long as they can.

When reading the poem I felt discouraged but at the same time I am more determined to hold on to my dreams.

Ruthless Jack

Authors note: This to to show my under standing of a paribal. it is a paribul of This is Just to Say but put in Jacky point of view, who is a theaf, loves prizes she gets off of piret ships and frances war ships(the enemy)

I have stolen

the gold

that were in

the ships depths

and which

you were probably

keeping

to yourself

Forgive me

they were beautiful

worth so much

and so valuable

Two of the Same

She is a mere reflection of me. All the same but the looks. We both love running around, catching bright colorful butterflies, to dancing the waltz all night, until we fall asleep on the dance floor. It is amazing how we are two of the same and two of a kind. Like the two girls in the little story up above are two of the same, Jackie and I are also two of the same.

One thing Jackie and I have in common is overreacting. We both overreact by jumping to conclusions before we gather all the facts. When we overreact, we both tend to cry. One example for Jackie is, she saw Jaimy with another girl who was his cousin and thought it was his new girlfriend, so she ran off crying, not knowing it was his cousin. An example for me is I got a C on a test and then I broke out crying.

Overreacting is not the only thing we have in common, we are both are very adventurous. Jacky and I both want to go see the world. How Jackie is trying to see the world, is pretending to be a boy to get on a British navy ship and she successfully succeeded at that. She also left the Lawson Peabody  school for girls to go explore the city. The way I am trying to see the world is exploring woods and persuading my parents to take me to other countries.

The last thing Jackie and I have in common other than the overreacting and being adventurous is, we are both determined people. Jackie is determined to marry her love Jaimy, she tries everything in her power to get a letter to him even if it is breaking some rules. What I am determined to do is not cry, so I take action steps like asking questions and trying not to give up too easily.

Knowing that you and a friend or someone who does not  even exist are two of a kind, makes you try to wrap your mind around things. Jackie and I both enjoy tons of fun activities, but the most important issue is for us to continue in our efforts to reach the goals we set to improve ourselves.

The Move's impact

Author's Notes: this is to show my understanding of cause and effect

Nothing seems the same, everything packed away in boxes upon boxes. Today we are loading all of the boxes onto a truck that will be taking it to some new house my parents have bought, up north. My family and I are going to the new house today too, but I don’t see why we can’t keep our house we already own. Nothing was left in our house after we loaded everything on the truck, nothing, not one thing. All the animals were in the car, while I was saying goodbye to all the rooms, my hiding places and my favorite room of all, my toy room. Crying in the car, watching the one house that will remain in my memory forever and ever, vanishing right before my eyes, behind the trees. In my life, one major event was moving to Pewaukee Wisconsin. This move affected everyone in my family in many ways.

Most of the effects the move had on me were bad, but there was some ok ones. Like how I cry everyday because I hate the school district I am going to and I am not close to a real beach with an OCEAN. Another way the move has affected me is holding a grudge on my dad for not talking to me about it until they were looking at houses up in little Pewaukee WI and I will never, ever forgive him for it. One other way that the move had affected me was that I had to make new friends, which was a good thing and bad thing. The bad part about it is that I am shy so it takes a long time for me to make friends and a good thing about that was I meet new people to hang out with.

The move did not just affect me it also affected my family. One of the ways it has affected my family was a bigger house which I don’t really care about because we are not growing the family. My dad got a better paying job so we have more money but i’m still mad at dad though. Better school district for my sister and I, but I hate the school district more and more every day because of how the school is computer based, but I don’t hate the teachers. Last thing that the move has affected my family is that we are closer to relatives which is a good and bad thing only because i get to spend more time with them, but some can get on my nerves very quickly.


As we packed up my boxes that day, I was angry, frustrated, and mad. Little did I truly know that the move would have a humungous impact on me. Parents must realize before deciding to move how their children will react to the move and how it might affect the rest of their lives

The Revealons

Authors Note: Bloody Jack was written in Jacky’s point of view. This is a creative piece in Jaimy’s point of view when Jacky revealed to just him that he is really a she.

I poked my head up on the mizzen top to see if Jacky was there. When I saw that he was I hopped up on the mizzen top and sat down and said nothing because I was vary nervous. What should I tell him? Should I tell him at all? I thought in my head during the long silence. Then I finally broke the silence and asked him “Why don’t you come up to the foretop with the rest of us anymore?”

Then he shook his head and said “No Jaimy.” Jacky said As sweetly as he always does. Augh, no Jaimy! No! “I just make all of you uncomfortable.” Jacky finished.  After that I did not know what to say, so I went back to contemplating and so there was more silence. All I could think of was what to say? How should I say it? Will he ever talk to me after I tell him? I should just stay away from that topic.

So I said “I’ll bet you regret getting the brotherhood tattoo now, don’t you?”

“No, I don’t regret it. When I got it we was all mates and I’ll always remember that time fondly.” Jacky said. Should I, should I? I should, no. I thought I decided to stay away from that topic. I was thinking in the silence.

Then all of a sudden, Jacky broke the silence. “What you want to say to me Jaimy?”How can he tell that I want to say something and that I’m scared too? Then he looked me in the eye but I couldn’t, would not meet his gaze.

“When I was mean to you...” I had a long break because I was so scared that he wouldn’t talk to me anymore but then I keep going. “I thought I …” Maybe I should stop but too late now. “I was becoming one of those sodomites,” I finished, it not coming out too easily. “Not with anyone else. Just with you.” I added on.

“You’ll just have to get over that, won’t you,” he said. “As it ain’t natural.” Then he went to his sewing. Neither one of us said anything for a while.

“I know it’s not natural and I know I’ll have to leave the service,” I finally manage to say; barely above a whisper, hoping he wouldn’t hear. “Good-bye Jacky. None of it was your fault.” I said when I begin to rise.

“Wait,” he said getting on his feet and me sitting back down. “Before you go, I want you hold this up so I can measure it.”

“Wh-What is it?” I asked very confused. Is it a dress, a new uniform? Why would he have a dress? Why would he be making a new uniform? He has a perfectly good one on.

“A dress,” he replied

“A dress? For whom?” I asked more confused than I have ever been.

“For me. Now stand up.” he commanded me. Why for him? Is he a sodomite like me? As I got up, he pulled off his white over shirt and he popped open the top four buttons of his vest. Wait, hold it he-he’s a girl? That means that I was not a sodomite. He, I mean she, ran his, no, her hand over her beautiful blond hair. To fluff it up or something I don’t really know. Then Jacky took a deep breath and said, “Ah yes. That certainly feels better. Now Jaimy, hold it up to me.” but I was to stunned to do anything other than stare at her “Take the dress, Jaimy, come on. Don’t be shy, now. Tuck it up against my ribs…” then she took my hands and lead them to her ribs, it felt nice. “Right, push it up there while I mark it. Hold it now.” I was trembling because I was by a girl this whole time and I didn’t know it. “There. Thanks,” she said and all I could do was stand there stunned like a idiot. She went back to her sewing, but did not button up her vest nor put on her shirt. Still all I could do is stand stunned at what just had happened. Then he looked up at me and said “What’s the matter, Jaimy? Ain’t-cha never seen a girl?”

It was a good ten minutes of me standing there thinking what just happened? I should go now, but I think she wants me to stay. Then I sat down for another ten minutes just looking at her. At last I came to my senses “What are we going to do, Jacky?” I said still stunned.

She got to her feet and she faced me, square on. “Well, Jaimy,” she said “you can kiss me, if you love me.” I did and that is where our romance began.

Analysis:

When the scene was originally told from Jacky’s point of view, the reader gets the idea that Jacky is cautious to go to the foretop with the rest of the ships boys because she fears they may be suspecting something. Jacky values friendship because she does not regret getting the brother hood tattoo. The reader also gets the impression that Jacky is not shy because she undresses to reveal that she is a girl instead of just telling him.

When the scene was changed to Jaimy’s point of view, the reader gets the impression that Jacky is a commanding boy because she ordered Jaimy to stand up. Another impression you get of Jacky from Jaimy’s point of view is that she does not like hanging around and goofing off with her friends. One more idea that a reader gets of Jacky is that she is very comfortable in any situation even if the is taking off her clothing in front of a guy to reveal that she is a girl.