Blog Review

For this blog review, I read Katie's blog post on her independent reading book, Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Katie does a great job summarizing this book. She explains the concept of 'paying forward.' The book has many different ideas all throughout the book.

I have never read this book, but Katie's response makes me want to read it. It looks so fascinating the idea of paying it forward. I learned a few things about the book Pay it Forward. For example, the main character Trevor, has a project todo. He comes up with the idea to try to change the world with small deeds. He does a nice act for one person and in return, he asks them todo the same but with three other people. In addition, I learned that Trevor, thinks he didn't succeed in doing a good thing to help change the world in a small way. Trevor doesn't just struggle with school problems, but with family ones too. His mother is alone, and his teacher ends with her. But at the same time, Trevor's father returns to try to make a relationship with his son, which is a big social issue not just in the book. Clearly, this book has a few deep issues, and Katie does a great job of making us aware of that in her blog post.

I think one deep issue mentioned in this book, is parent and children relationships. His father abandon him and his mother. Trevor and his mother have a special bond now. And it is common in books to have someone who abandon them, make another appearance to try to rebuild a connection they may have had. But that is a hard thing todo. you can't just pick up where you left off. This issue is big, and doesn't have one answer. Another idea mentioned, is changing the world. Trevor in the beginning believes that he can't possibly change the world, since he is just a young boy. When he starts the paying it forward project, for a bit he believes he can change the world, but a bit later he believes it was a flop. That nothing had changed, and he was back where he started, just a small boy who wanted to change the world in a small way. But in end he did. Even though the world is a huge place, a small boy, with a big dream, and who believes in himself can change the world, even if in the smallest of ways. 

Lastly, the structure of Katie's post is done well. It is done in a good sequence, with a summary, details to support it, and her opinion if the book, and what she thinks of the notion of paying it forward. Katie's opinions are strong, and supported well with evidence from the book. Her response has motivated me to read Pay it Forward and the book itself has inspired me as well. 



http://katie141.blogspot.com/2014/12/reading-response-on-pay-it-forward.html

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis

Cape Cod Mystery: A Surge of Stranded Turtles 

By James Gorman

In the article “Cape Cod Mystery: A Surge of Stranded Turtles” by James Gorman wants to inform us on the fact that turtles, but more specific sea turtles are endangered of becoming extinct due to natural or man made causes. Gorman uses statics of how many turtles were found stranded in the Cape Cod Bay area; for example, “previous record years were 1989, with 100 turtles; 1999, when 163 were found; and 2012, with 413.” He compares the years and how many turtles found with their migration habits and breeding numbers. The numbers compared seem to be increasing as the years go by. Gorman makes that clear with static comparisons. These examples show how a lot has changed in the past twenty years, and the numbers have gotten to big to reverse this obstacle, because of climate change and global warming, which are sometimes man made caused.

James Gorman doesn’t want us to volunteer in Cape Cod, or donate money in this article, but to alert us of what is going on in the seas, and of these ancient, gentle creatures. Gorman wants us to feel pity on the animals and sympathetic towards the turtles. For example, Gorman interviewed experts and volunteers who have helped rescue sea turtles in the past years. An expert stated, “Nesting fell of in 2010, after the Deepwater horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It rebounded in the next two years, but fell again in 2013 and 2014... About 11,500 nests were counted this year, compared with 20,000 in 2011.” He only includes facts, and not opinions or theories of his own or from any experts in the area. The closest statement to an opinion, is when Gorman said, that the numbers of turtles has increased, maybe, due to the temperatures in the waters warming because of global warming, causing larger waves of stranded turtles coming into the Cape Cod Bay. The facts help his position on trying on trying to inform us, but it makes the argument weak because it shows how little Gorman can infer about the situation.

I was moved by this article, and what is happening to these turtles. Gorman does a good job on warning us about the dangers happening to these prehistoric sea creatures. Also, I would like to know if this is happening in other places as well, and not just in the Cape Cod Bay. I think everyone should be more aware about everything happening around us, even if it is small, it still matters. And that is what Gorman is trying to tell us, and I totally agree.