Blog Post #2- Song Lyrics - Linkin Park- Numb

The song Numb by Linkin Park is one of my favorite songs! I have never thought about giving the poem more meaning, to go deep in the poem and unravel what the song is trying to say. Obviously, everyone just likes music, there's no explanation. Numb has a good rhythm in my opinion, and the singer just makes you fall asleep. Many like this song but never think about the lyrics, just like me until I did this blog post.Throughout the poem, there is repetition and strong words. I think that this song is about someone having a difficult life and is unpopular and gets bullied.

I think this because of two of the repetitive lines in the song. The lines says "I've become so numb, I can't feel you there/Become so tired, so much more aware". This line is repeated three times throughout the poem, this makes me believe that this is an important line. When it says "I've become so numb, I can't feel you there", I think that this means that the person has already experienced so much bullying that it's like nothing anymore. It's happened so much that the narrator can't feel that bullying is a threat anymore. The second line "Become so tired, so more more aware" is also repetitive. I think that this line means that the narrator is tired of the bullying, but he/she is becoming more aware of the situation. The most important repetitive line in this song is "Every step that I take is another mistake to you". I think this because it shows that the narrator is getting ignored and not cared for. I don't think that Linkin Park meant that "every step he/she takes is another mistake" for real. I think that this line means that everything the narrator does is ignored and that no one cares. This is why it says "another mistake to you", it's considered a mistake and a bad thing every time the narrator does something it likes to do. Even though the narrator likes it, the crowd and other people or classmates don't like it so that's why it's a "mistake". If it's not bullying, then it's some other sort of problem.

This is probably another song about social problems like bullying if I'm correct about my theory. Bullying is one of the world's top issues, it has constantly strained many peoples' lives. Bullying has forced many to commit suicide and many to suffer from the pain everyday. Cyber-bullying also affects kids and others. Bullying happens mostly at school because people judge others and just doesn't like someone in particular. They feel that they are superior just because they think that the person they are bullying is ugly or whatever. Bullying is a huge issue, it could turn someone down and make them feel depressed and sad. It is recommended that if you are bullied, you are suppose to tell someone you trust. But what if you're in a situation like the narrator of the poem, no one likes her and she has no one she trusts. This would really make her life feel miserable and possibly lead to suicide. Even if people tell others, many don't do anything to change bullying. Just because you don't get bullied doesn't mean that the issue doesn't apply to you. Many are bullied and you should care, it is the right thing to do and is also a good way to open up new friendships.

Blog Post #1-Informational/Nonfiction Writing

The article Hug a Hoodie: What the U.K. Teaches Us About Making a Sweatshirt a Symbol by Tim Fernolz is an informational article about a recent incident in Florida. The article talks about many opinions public people had about this incident. A 17-year old kid called Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Florida about a month ago. He was killed by George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin was watching basketball with his dad when halftime occurred. He decided to go out and get some snacks, he bought some iced tea and Skittles. After he bought snacks, he headed home. Just when he got outside, there was a light drizzle. Trayvon decided to put his hood on, he then hurried back home. On his way, he noticed someone following him, which was George Zimmerman. Zimmerman was the Neighborhood Watch, he suspected that Trayvon was a criminal and was possibly a dangerous target. Trayvon had his hands in his pockets and was running, which made him look like a suspicious target. Zimmerman called the police and told them about it, the police told him to stop following him. He kept following him and then a fight began, Trayvon was shot in the chest. He was not arrested or charged because he claimed that it was self-defense. He said that he attacked him first and many are still trying to find evidence and witnesses. The poor boy died only at age 17, he was almost an adult and was going to get his driver's license. Through this incident, Tim tried to persuade us that hoodies are bad for outwear and people shouldn't wear them outside, especially when you have your hands in your pockets.

Tim tried to persuade us that wearing hoodies are bad for outwear and people shouldn't wear them outside and have their hands in their pockets. He is trying to tell us that wearing hoods can make you look very suspicious and make others think differently about you. Like Trayvon, Zimmerman thought he was a criminal but he was really a nice and innocent African American boy. For example, Rivera said on his show Friday. “I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin’s death as George Zimmerman was.” I think that this means that the hoodie was the primary cause of his death, the hoodie was just as responsible as Zimmerman killing Trayvon. The hoodie was the main reason why Zimmerman had his suspicions on him. Tim was trying to tell us the results of wearing a hoodie while walking down the street, it could mean your life. Another example that Tim tried to persuade us was "Some British observers blame the United States for “hoodie” culture, saying it originated in hip-hop and captures the medium’s defiant posture." Tim is trying to persuade us that hoodie culture created what we have today. It's our fault that we shaped our culture like that and that's why hoodies are bad. Another example is a quote from Rivera, “I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters, particularly, to not let their young children go out wearing hoodies,” Rivera said. Because there are a lot of racism these days against Latinos and blacks, wearing hoodies would give off a lot of suspicion to the community. Especially since there are black, many people have different stereotypes on each race.

My response to this article is that I am shocked. Even though slavery ended hundreds of years ago, there is still racism and stereotypes against blacks. Blacks are still treated unfairly, and just because they have a hood on, people suspect them of thievery and that they are a criminal. I am always thinking how different people get treated differently because of different characteristics we have. There are always stereotypes against each other, but after all we're all human. We are the same species and the same race so why should we harm each other and harass each other? Shooting people for no good reason is bad, there was some kind of racist issue involved. Zimmerman was white and Trayvon was black, Zimmerman suspected him because he was black. People are constantly judging a book by its own cover, just like they judge people. This article helped people and realize what the problem is and why people shouldn't wear hoodies, because people can easily judge you and can possibly do harm to you.

His life sucks alright.....

The book The Recruit by Robert Muchamore is a very fast paced exciting book about a young kid and his life. I have only started reading this book. I can tell that this book will be sort of like the Alex Rider series, since I read the blurb. Although I have just started reading the book, there are a lot of issues and problems that are going on in the main character, or James' life. He's so young and we already see a lot of issues, death, peer pressure, and more.

First, one issue in the book that I've seen so far is the most tragic thing that can happen to a teen, death. He's only 11 years old! James' mom dies all of a sudden from a stroke, he is left all alone. All he has is a step-dad that is mean spirited. He finds a way to take James' sister away to make James' life even more miserable. James' and his step-dad have this parent child relationship, James' hates his step-dad because he hates him. Not many peoples' moms die when their only a teenager. This is why I think that James' is one of the unluckiest people in the world, his mom dies and then his step-dad abandons him.

A second issue I see in the book so far is peer pressure. When James' agree to hang out with one of the most violent gangs. The gang peer pressures him into joining their gang and peer pressuring James to do a lot of bad crimes. They broke into a shop and stole some cars. James isn't even confident with himself. He doesn't really quite trust them, but if he denied the offer to join their gang, it would make him look like a scaredy cat. For example, when James made a joke about Vince, Vince was about to beat him up and make him lick the floor ten times.

In conclusion, James' life is very complicated. He's so young and is already encountering so many problems. The book is very entertaining so far. I can't wait till James gets recruited into CHERUB.I hope there will be more fast paced action. I am also hoping for a change from James, I hope he'll become nicer and won't hang out with the gang. Life is tough these days, especially for teenagers. In reality, a lot of teens are experiencing what James is feeling. He feels lost, he has to go to daycare.