Up Up & Down

Mr. Mayo

March 5, 2008

Tears of a Tiger

            In the beginning of ‘Tears of a Tiger’ written by Sharon M. Draper, Andy’s [the main character] whole attitude was good. Andrew was happy; he was happy because he had almost everything. A gorgeous girlfriend, the best of friend in the whole world, a good spot on the basketball team and the teachers are nice to him. He was the jokester of the school. He lived like there was no tomorrow; until him and his friends [Robbie; Gerald; Tyrone and BJ] had a few beers; except BJ, and Andy was driving. Andy and everyone in the car was having the best time and didn’t noticed that he lost control of the wheel and lost his best friend; Robbie. NOW; Andy’s whole attitude changed to this emotional wreck. He had constant mood swings of the night he lost Robbie. The moods Andy has been having had worried many people around his life. The emotions Andy has were mostly depression of the whole crash. Yeah; many people lost Robbie too, not just Andy; but it was for some reason; harder for Andrew to get over the death. The depressions lead to Andy committing suicide.

            The relationships Andy has with his closest friends were not doing so well because Andy has been acting all cranky and depression; which isn’t really fun to be around. His closest friends were Tyrone; BJ; and Gerald. They worried so much about his moods; they actually went to the guidance’s counselor’s office to ask for help with their dear friend [Andy]. Going to see this lady; to them wasn’t any help because all she said was that Andy was getting help outside of school, so nothing really came out of that visit. Andy’s relationship with his father isn’t so good, because they don’t understand each other. Andy doesn’t understand why his father calls him ‘Andrew’ instead of ‘Andy’ like everyone else in the world. The reason of that fact was because his father wanted a name for his that couldn’t become a nickname of any sort, he wanted the best for Andrew. He didn’t want him to be compared to the ‘white’ people; like how he was. He didn’t enjoy his past life because; all he was trying to do was prove himself to the white people. That’s why he has such a good vocabulary. His relationship with his brother ‘Monty’ was great. I loved how Monty was looked up to Andy and ask him questions about life; about girls; about basketball. Monty truly looked up to him as a tiger; but he disappointed him by killing himself.

            This book, ‘Tears of a Tiger’, was one of the greatest books I’ve ever read, I would totally recommend this book in a heartbeat; because of all the love dramas; the family problems and the school life, its just like the real world. People die in car crash BECAUSE of teens drinking; the over use of alcohol is really popular. The girlfriend/boyfriend problems in the book are so true in the real world and the family AND the school problems. So many people can relate to this book; which makes is so good and a great book to read. The author literally used real life terms to create a book like such one. When you read this book; it’s like your painting a picture in your mind about what is happening. The intensive actions happening and the wordings, its just amazing. I would totally recommend this book because it’s such an awesome book!

            So in conclusion, of this book ‘Tears of a Tiger’, the importance of it was the fact that; we should never drink and drive in ANY terms, and committing suicide is never the answer to depression. The reason that we shouldn’t drink AND drive is because; the use of alcohol makes our brains numb and we wouldn’t have control of the wheel. We will lose the control of the car and crash it. Sometimes someone will die, sometimes no one would but that is not a chance anyone should take. Tears of a Tiger are an example of a way where young teens are killed. Robbie died from a drinking and driving accident, he was a very successful student that is great in basketball and the ways with the girls. He dieing affected many people and the way they usually act with him. When he died, many people were depressed; especially his best friend Andy; who actually was the drunken driver to ‘murder’ him. That lost made him really depressed; so depressed he killed himself. That has so many connections to people in this world; because yes, young teens die in a drink and drive accident; and yes people do get it over it faster then others. Some just still depression and blame themselves. Just like Andy did; he blamed himself so much; of how unfair that Robbie died because of him. That fact that Andy blamed himself SO much, entered him into a life of depression, that depression was too overwhelming, he committed suicide. Committing suicide is NEVER an answer to any thing in life, but that was the one Andy choose and left many people in confusion and hurt. This book is so real, reading it draws a picture in your mind; about the accident and the suicide. It paints a picture of WHAT to do and what NOT to do.           

1. The thing about Andy’s behavior is that he has these constant mood swings and emotional breakdown. All of these are coming from the pain of losing him best friend Robert. This has got Andy’s friends worried about him because the crash has been long gone and he is still depress about this lost. His academic score is lowing by the days he misbehaves. He can do much better and everyone knows that he can but he is not. He’s not trying his best on anything, which has gotten his friends very much worried. Not just his friends; but also his teachers that KNOWS he is bright and that he can do way better then what he is doing now. BJ and Tyrone went to see their school counselor was because of Andy. Their visitation to the counselor was because a concern about their dear friend Andy. Before they had gone to the counselor, Andy had stormed out of the café after a quick argument with one of them. When Andy stormed out; it left BJ and Tyrone very puzzled. Which all lead them to see the school counselor, thinking she would help Andy, but when they got to the counselor, she didn’t do anything to help them, all she did was tell them Andy’s personal business. What she told them was that Andy was getting outside help from a psychiatrist and they shouldn’t be worried because he is getting better. So then BJ and Tyrone just left the counselors.
2. What Keisha wrote, ‘Nobody comes to high school for the teachers-not really, we come to see our friends.’ This actually is true in a middle school based life. Many don’t really care about the classes they have, or the teachers they have, they come to see their friends. School is basically another hang-out spot. Sometimes students can’t really hang out with each other so they just chill together in school. After the weekend is over, students can’t wait to see their friends. Teachers most the time yell and give lots of work to the students, and sometimes they get it done with their friends but sometimes they don’t. So that’s why I think students come to school to see friends and NOT the teachers.
3. By Keisha writing, ‘Andy has many good friends who care about him. Even though nobody can take Robbie’s place, all of us, as friends, can survive the situation’, means that Andy has many friends that suffered from the same lose that he has and that they are getting over the lost. Keisha is stating that she cares about Andy. Stating that Andy has people that cares for him and that they want to help. All Andy has to do is seek for the help that is offered by all his good friends, instead of keeping everything bottled up inside and resulting in an emotional breakdown.
4. If I was one of Andy’s friends, I would definitely help him out. The reason why I would help him out is because I never like seeing a friend of mines suffering, even thought I probably hate that person, I would never just let that person go on hurt, psychically or mentally. I was actually sit Andy down and listen to what he has to say about the accident and give him feedback on this lost.

So far in the book, I learned that Rob’s parents still care about the whole basketball team and Andy. His parents still supports the basketball team; they still attend the games. The thing that surpised Andy was that Rob’s parents called him on Christmas day. He is already thinking that they hate him because the car crash that happened killed their son.
I think Andy should call him because they would actually think that he killed him on purpose. Since he isn’t calling him. I would think that. So Andy should just cal and apologize to Rob’s parents about the accident.
The classes that Andy has to take, I believe that it is actually helping him; by talking time to talk about what and how he is feeling towards the death of his best friend would help. He should contiue taking those helpful classes.

The probelms with Andy externally, is that Andy is showing unnessicary anger towards people he rarely yells at; weird additudes towards everyone. He is only happy with his girlfriend Kiesha. It’s scaring his friends that worry deeply about his emotional outburstes.
Andy’s internal conflicts are scary beond outrage! He dreams about Robert, and it scares him. He keeps things bottled up inside until he talks it out with his phychiatrist. Which makes his internal conflict even worse.
The differences between internal and external is that internal is what is inside of thing or someone. External is the outside feelings of something or someone.
My prediction of what is going to happen next is that Andy is going to see the phychiatrist and not really tell him anything. Kiesha is proably going to get tired of the weird emotional breakdowns and be mad at him for a while but still have hope of him getting better. B.J and Tyrone is proably going to tired to talk to Andy’s about how he is acting and he is going to getting disappointed for some reason. That’s my prediction!

Before the whole death of robert, Andy’s best friend, Andy’s grades was great; his look to everything was fine. But after the whole thing, it seems like Andy doesn’t care anymore about anything. He has temper tantrums with his girlfriend Keisha. He doesn’t care about his parents or what they say to him. He just mute him out. It a whole different Andy, ever since robeert died. I believe its depression; the death of his friend is getting to his head.
My opinion about this book, is that its a exciting book that you never know what is goin to happen next! I really like this book!

This story that I read in 7th period, was called, Looking For Work. It’s about a young boy name Little John. He wanted 2 feel special at home, so he thought that if he gotten a job, he would. BUt in the end, he was feeling special;; because his mother beated him for going out, house to house looking for a job. Little John met natives. He liked the way they dressed, so John asked his mother to buy him a dress like the natives were wearing. He wanted to have many friends, so he decided to be kind to have natives. The natives were nice back to him.
The climax of the story was that the little boy wanted to work so bad, he walked around the whole town, asking for jobs. Like raking leaves. But it didn’t work out.

The book ‘Monster’ was all about a 16 yeazr old boy named Steve Harmon, who is on trial for murder. Steve was apart of a robbery which turned into a murder. He’s a good child, but he was caught in a bad time and place. Steve was hangiong out with the wrong people; not even friends. He was with people who are total opposite of him. This book was full of regets; depression and fear. Steve was in court; firguring out if he was going to have anytime in jail. Steve verdict ended up being ‘INNOCENT’. Steve does not have anytime in jail, unlike James King and ‘Bobo’ Evans.
In this novel of ‘Monster’, Steve’s verdict was just, because Mr. Harmon did not get part of the part of the money that was stolen from Mr. Nestibitt. He didn’t give King or Evans a sign of the stroe being cleared. Steve just walked out the store like a regular person. Harmon did not shake

Is Steve Harom guilty? A questiopn still unanswered! He’s NOT gulity because he didn’t have the gun. He also didn’t get any of the share [of the money]. Steve wasn’t in the store when Mr. Nesbitt was murdered. The main that makes him NOT gulity is that Steve didn’t give Bobo or James a sign of the store being clean. He just walked out the store, like a regular customer.
Well, reasons that kinda proved that Steve is that he was suppose to be accomplice to the whole robbery plan. BUT other then that, Steve is COMPLETEY innocent!

We read our voice recording today. The recording was the reading of Monster. My part of the readin was pages 144-148. Most of my reading was showing the mood of regettfulness and saddness. He felt like he didn’t have any hope of actually being proved incocent.He was afraid of having to serve 25 to life. O’brien was trying to make him feel better by saying ‘No matter what any says’ she knows he is inncocent. But Steve IS really inncocent tho. He didn’t murder Mr. Nisbitt. The tone of the reading was depression. He is so depressed because he thinks this is the end of the road for him.

What I thought about the reading was it was a really eciting way to reading. Recording our voices while reading the book. I actually enjoyed reading and hearing my voice. I would actually want to try thisthing again!

            We hear a debate about a 11 murderer. He was being charged 2 years later. He had 10 years in an Junvile Prison. This to me, is a fair sentence for that boy. He was charged for 2nd-degree murder, because he shot a person on an addicented. Killing a stranger [in the street], but this kid didn’t know what he was doing.
         In the case of Steve [from Monster], He is 16 years old and DIDN’T murder that drugstore owner, he checked if the store was clear to come and rob it. The drugestore owner had the gun and the people inside the store prably grabbed it and shot the person. Steve was involved in the shooting. I don’t know why Steve is doing charge tho. If he if gonna be charge, he should not be charge as an adult, but he didn’t murder and because he is underaged. Nate [the little 11 year old murderer] got only 10 years in a juvenile house and was letted go after the years, Steve SHOULD NOT be charged WHATSOEVER [in my opinion].

    My opinion in this case is that underaged kids should not be charged as a adult prisoner, its wrong and unfair to a kids life. If they are being put in a prisoner home [with adults] they are going to get worse, not better. They wouldn’t learn from their mistakes because of the adults.