The Sacrifice By: Kathleen Benner Duble pgs.208

The Sacrifice if a very heartfelt, loving book. It is about a family back in the late 1600's in Salem, Massachusetts. In this little town there is a suspicion of witches. Being a town and community of really strict religion and rule this seemed outrageous. The town goes crazy. And the Faulkner family gets devoured by the madness.

The main character in this book sticks out to me as Abigail Faulkner. The younger daughter in the Faulkner family. She is a very strong willed character, yes she is frightened but she holds herself together thoughout the chaos. Her sister Dorothy is also a big part, she being the stronger and more gathered of the two sisters. She helps her sister and teaches her alot throughout their time together. These young girls only ages 10 and 12 get accused of practicing witchcraft, and get thrown in the Salem jail. For months they sit and wait for their trial. Together they make it though this hard time.

This book is based on a very true period of time in history. Alot of these stories really happened and took place. People were killed and murdered due to accusations of witchcraft. Women and children were burned on crosses infront of towns and towns of people. This story is very true and that is why I enjoyed it so much. The realism of the story drags you in and you can not put the book down.

I really enjoyed this book and believe it is a very good example of the power of family unity and trust. It really opened my eyes to alot of things, and I believe it is a book that everyone should read at some point in their life. You can check it out in Mrs. Gillmore's room.:)

Argument: For what would you risk your life?

Assertion/Claim

People risks their lives for things they feel vital or important to them everyday.

For your friends?
Family?
Your country?
For a stranger?
Your rights?

Humans have a natural nurturing instinct, which makes us feel we need to stand up for and protect our family and friends, even if it means risking our lives.

• Commentary 1: For example, mothers with their children, as providers they have a natural feeling that makes them bend over backwards to provide and be the best they can. Even If it means risking their own life.
• Commentary 2: And soldiers, fighting for their country, they are out their protecting what they feel to be theirs. We have so many willing soldiers over seas fighting for our country, for our freedom, for everything we know to be.
• Commentary 3: Mr. Luther King Jr. said, " A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." Mr. Luther King was very brave, bravery, maybe that's what this all boils down to, he risked not only his life but his families life to stop segregation.

The power of the mind is so powerful that sometimes it is hard, and even impossible to overcome it. And even though maybe what we feel to be right might not be, we will do whatever it takes to make it the way we feel, or have been taught to be right.

• Commentary 1: Also like when the 911 terrorist attacks accorded. Those bombers believed they were doing what was best to protect their country and their people. Even though what they did was very wrong, they risked, or sacrificed their lives more or less for what they believed to be right.
• Commentary 2: Last but not least, Anne Frank, a very brave young woman risked her life for the lives of complete strangers. She took people in her home and hid them from the German Nazis'. Knowing that is she were caught if would be sure death or worse.

Opposing Claims

• A lot of people say " " that they would risk their lives for things that are important to them, when in reality they are to selfish and self conceded to risk their own lives for anyone. They would be too worried about their own well- being to try and help or care for someone else.
• And others, were simply born without the will to protect, without that nurturing instinct.

My rebuttal

• Although sometimes I have said something that I didn't mean, or said I would do something I didn't. I honestly can safe that if someone in my family, or someone I love were in danger I would risk my life for them. And maybe one day when the world makes more sense to me, when I am older, I will have feelings like this about a lot more things in life.

People risks their lives for things they feel vital or important to them everyday.Humans have a natural nurturing instinct, which makes us feel we need to stand up for and protect our family and friends, even if it means risking our lives. For example, mothers with their children, as providers they have a natural feeling that makes them bend over backwards to provide and be the best they can. Even If it means risking their own life. And soldiers, fighting for their country, they are out their protecting what they feel to be theirs. We have so many willing soldiers over seas fighting for our country, for our freedom, for everything we know to be. Mr. Luther King Jr. said, " A man who won't die for something is not fit to live." Mr. Luther King was very brave, bravery, maybe that's what this all boils down to, he risked not only his life but his families life to stop segregation. The power of the mind is so powerful that sometimes it is hard, and even impossible to overcome it. And even though maybe what we feel to be right might not be, we will do whatever it takes to make it the way we feel, or have been taught to be right. Furthermore when the 911 terrorist attacks accorded. Those bombers believed they were doing what was best to protect their country and their people. Even though what they did was very wrong, they risked, or sacrificed their lives more or less for what they believed to be right. Last but not least, Anne Frank, a very brave young woman risked her life for the lives of complete strangers. She took people in her home and hid them from the German Nazis'. Knowing that is she were caught if would be sure death or worse. Some people however could go against my claim in selfishness or whatever it may be.A lot of people say " " that they would risk their lives for things that are important to them, when in reality they are to selfish and self conceded to risk their own lives for anyone. They would be too worried about their own well- being to try and help or care for someone else. And others, were simply born without the will to protect, without that nurturing instinct. Although sometimes I have said something that I didn't mean, or said I would do something I didn't. I honestly can safe that if someone in my family, or someone I love were in danger I would risk my life for them. And maybe one day when the world makes more sense to me, when I am older, I will have feelings like this about a lot more things in life. Therefore even after all of my research and evaluation I still stand by the statement that people will risk their lives for what they believe to be important, no matter what it may be.

I believe that in my writing I am both deductive and inductive. I use a lot of facts but I always have an opinion on them. I thinks its important everyone is heard.

Bullying

Once upon a time, when I was in 2Nd grade I had a broken leg. I had a big ugly cast on my leg and I could not get around very well. I was playing in the sand on the play ground underneath the monkey bars when some big, mean kid jumped right on my broke leg. I was do devastated that someone could be so mean. That is the first time I ever experienced bullying that I can remember. But certainly not the last. I completely despise bullying.

Missing By Catherine Macphail 191 pages

Missing is a novel about a family torn from the seems. A very suspenseful novel about how a schools bullying forces a troubled teenager to run away. Leaving his little sister to deal with his devastated parents. Who have gone completely crazy sense his disappearance. She is all by herself with out her brother. And feels misunderstood and unloved.

Maxine Moody's world has completely gone down the drain sense her brother ran away. And then ten months later is pronounced dead, but instead of giving up hope Maxine's heartbroken parents jet out in search, leaving Maxine behind with some family members. Felling unloved and unwanted Maxine rebels against school and everything else. And until one day a body in London is discovered with the same clothes Derek disappeared in she looses hope.

I can compare this book to Lot of things but two things that really stick out to me are the way that it compares to the book Chasing Brooklynn and the way it can compare to the world. It is a lot like that book because in both books they claim to see dead people, or something that is not real or should not be there. Brooklynn sees her friend Gabe that died of an over dose and Maxine is troubled by the thought that she just saw her brother Derek, who is supposed to be dead. I can also make a very easy connection to this book and the world. Kids that are being bullied and feel unloved run away all the time, or even worse. Bullying is a very serious conflict and should not be taken with a cup of tea. It is very detrimental to a lot of young kids and teenagers in this world today. And should be taken very seriously.

The characters in this book are all very different and yet very much the same and going through the same difficulties. Maxine, a very troubled little girl, is more or less the main character. She is struggling with the thought of being unloved and lost. She feels forgotten about by her parents and blames all these feelings on her brother. Derek, Maxine's runaway brother, is really a more subconscious character, But still even then he is a big part of the book. He is really the hole reason behind the book. Maxine's mother, not really a main character but still somewhat vital to the hole situation, is a very worrisome character. And she is alot of the reason Maxine feels and acts the way she does.

I enjoyed this book very much and really agree with the moral. I think that the message it sends out to teenage readers is very influential. Teens should read this book and somewhat better understand the damage of bullying and other harmful actions towards others. I encourage every young reader to pick up this book and give it a chance. Lots of thanks to Catherine Macphail.