It // Building Suspense

This past weekend I started reading It, by Stephen King. Stephen King is the author of many suspenseful, horror filled books. I had not previously read a Stephen King book and was very excited to start reading It. In the first chapter of It a little boy is playing outside in the rain, he has a little paper boat his sick older brother made for him. The boy, George sails the boat along the side of the road, near the storm drain. Then the boat sails into the storm drain, and George looks down trying to find it. This first chapter is very suspenseful because you know that something bad is going to happen to George, and then George sees a clown in a storm drain. He describes the clown as nice and very friendly looking but with the creepy smell of a cellar beneath the friendliness. But still George chooses to trust this storm-drain clown and then, he dies.
I was so surprised that George would die in the first chapter, and also surprised at how much of an emotional connection I already had with him. Although you knew that George was going to die that day it was so suspenseful, just to wait for his death not knowing what would happen to him or when. "The piano began once more-Für Elise again. Stuttering Bill never forgot that piece, and even many years later it never failed to bring gooseflesh to his arms and back; his heart would drop and he would remember: My mother was playing that the day Georgie died." (King 9) This line from the book made me sit on the edge of my seat, and it added a lot of suspense to the first chapter. Only from the first chapter I can tell that Stephen King is very good at adding suspense to his novels.

Krista Ramsey Articles

The article I choose talks about why preschool is a necessary step in schooling. It supports this claim  by saying some children  don't have as many advantages as others that they start in kindergarten behind others, also that preschool starts some of the necessary habits and learning techniques that help with learning abilities.

"Now think about children who have every advantage stripped away – no books, no dependable adults, no conversation, no music, no art materials, no structure, no emotional warmth. Where exactly do they go every day without preschool? How exactly do they prepare to sit next to super-ready kids like yours in kindergarten?" 
This line from the article really impacted me because it made me realize that preschool really prepares children who need it for kindergarten and the rest of their life.  Because of the way that the author wrote this sentence, by creating a situation and then ending it with a question it really made me think about children who don't have as good opportunities as some people do. Ms. Ramsey also compares the children with less opportunities to privileged children, how that will affect them in class. 

When Ms. Ramsey's writes she uses emotion to her advantage. Such as in the "Super Bowl QB's Score Points For Great Style" she writes about situations that pull the reader in and make them want to help join her cause.  "The sight of sports jerseys and sweat pants at a carefully planned memorial service could be hurtful." In the articles Ms. Ramsey writes she also states other side affects of the issue. As examples from "For Better Vision, Kids Need Time Outdoors." She writes about why too much time on electronics are bad for your eyes but she also adds other things too much screen time can affect, "You can’t help but worry what all that screen time is doing to his posture, social skills and grades. But more and more experts are wondering what it’s doing to kids’ vision."

If I were to ever meet Ms. Ramsey I would ask her these three questions.
1. What are some articles you've written that you feel very strongly about?
2. If you weren't a writer what do you see yourself doing?
3. What are some experiences you've been able to have because of your job?

Preschool Is A Must

symbolism // It's Kind Of A Funny Story

Craig• For Craig I choose a brain map. In the map you can see a bridge, a bicycle, and an A+. The bridge is what connects Craig to the girl, presumably Noelle, the bicycle is what Craig loves, to just ride around on his bicycle all day, the A+ symbolizes how Craig always tries his hardest to succeed. When Craig gets to the mental hospital he has a lot of time to think and get better, he does this by drawing "brain maps." Craig becomes consummate at making brain maps.

Noelle• Noelle is very pretty, and people liked her mostly for how she looked. She didn't like that so she cut three scars in her face, so people wouldn't only like her for her beauty. Noelle wanted people to like her for what was on the inside not the outside. "I cut my face because too many-too many people wanted something from me." (Vizzini 364) Noelle is a very good person, and had great fortitude. Unfortunately not everyone could see that, many people only liked her for her beauty.

Nia• Craig always had a crush on Nia, even though she was dating his best friend. When Craig found out that they both had depression he realized they had even more in common than he had previously thought. But then after Nia and Aaron break up Nia comes to the mental hospital and she makes out with Craig. Craig thinks she's super cute, and awesome. But then Craig realizes that although Nia is cute she's not a very good person. Like an apple with a worm in it, she seems really cool on the outside but she's really not on the inside.

Aaron• Both of Aaron's parents take pills for depression, and throughout the book he finds out that so does his girlfriend and best friend. "Every form of medication in the book. Mom, too. And then me, with the pot. . . when you come right down to it, there isn't anyone in the household who isn't seriously drugged except the fish." (Vizzini 396). Aaron got freaked out when he found out about Nia and Craig being on depression pills because he doesn't want his whole life to be "controlled" by drugs. Aaron felt like medication and him were inextricable, that they would always be together which frightened him.

It's Kind of a Funny Story // most important line from a chapter

"And what is that nightmare Craig?"
"Life."

Craig is a freshman in high school when the "shift" happens. Craig suddenly becomes depressed and can't eat or focus. This quote shows that Craig is suicidal. This sentence is what Craig tries to deal with for the rest of the book, trying to make  life into something that is not a nightmare. Craig goes to a very elite private high school that only turns like into a bigger nightmare. With homework piling up each week.
I think that later on in the novel as the plot develops more Craig will make his life into something much better than a nightmare, either by joining an activity, meeting a girl, or just solving it with himself. Craig was talking to his therapist when he said this so I think that he might get depression pills to take. This is the most important line from this chapter because it shows that Craig has a bad perception of the world, and of life. This line shows that life makes him stressed out. I also predict that Craig is going to get worse before he gets better, that he might become very depressed before he is happy again.