Salem Witch Trails

Every day plays out the same, but something was different about today. Everyone was hanging out around the cemetery around nine or ten, it was getting late. A girl about my age was down by the pond tossing rocks in the water. The splashing of the rocks hitting the water caught my attention; it was like the girl could feel me looking at her because she was staring back at me. After a few seconds of continuous eye contact, she broke the silence, flailing her arms around and running in circles, her eyes seemed to be rolled back in her head, she was possessed! Apparently someone called the police, cops began to show up. All of a sudden I taste dirt, my face is in the ground and my wrists behind my back, throbbing. I try to wipe my face off on my sleeve, I ask what’s going on, but get no response. The next thing I know I’m being put into a jail cell with a few other women. Their conversation seizes, and they look up at me.
“Are you a witch too?” one asks.
I don’t respond, I know I’m not a witch, this is crazy! The ladies return to chattering, they begin to tell stories of being witches, when they first realized it, and now they have grown up with it. I try to explain that I’m not a witch, this is all a mistake.
A cop comes in and opens the door to the cell; we file out and go into the court room. The judge sits higher than everyone else, we all take our seats. The first lady is called, they question her about events of witchcraft that she has been included in, she pleads guilty, they send her back to the cell. A few others go ahead and now its almost my turn. The woman on the stand pleaded innocent. She was drug down from the stand and beheaded! I couldn’t believe it, I was innocent, but I didn’t want to die. Sweat started to pour down my face, chill bumps rose on my skin, and my heart was racing. They called my name, the crazy girl sat in the audience, staring at me, questioning began. I thought I was going to throw up, but instead it was word vomit, I shouted out guilty! I pleaded I was very guilty; a cop came and got me from the stand and led me back to the cell with the others who pleaded guilty.

Reflection on the year so far

So far in Ms. Huff’s English 11, I have learned quite a bit. I have definitely had to put up with a way heavier work load in this class than any other class before. There is always so much going on, so much planned with every class.
In writing, I have learned how to write and show what is going on so the reader will actually maybe see what I saw, instead of just telling it, I have never known to do that before this class. Also the muscle verbs, I am very used to just using simple verbs like run, look, and sit, but Ms. Huff introduced me to verbs that take things up a notch.
I do not like to read, especially when I have to journal about it, if I have to read, I like to be able to just do it and that be all I think about. It is very hard for me to understand what I am reading when I have to think about making connections to it or asking questions about, it confuses me.
Blogs…I’m not quite sure what to think about it. At first I had no idea how to work it, but now that I have more of an idea of what’s going on, its actually okay. The more I work with it throughout the year, I’m sure I will be a wise at it.

First Lit Circle

In our lit circle we are reading The Chocolate War. Our group spent most of the time trying to describe the book to me. Apparently it is about kids in like a private school, maybe a catholic one, and this group of boys have formed like a club and they are like the school's mafia. This group runs the school, they even intimidate the teachers, they get whatever they want and have everyone do it for them. They pick out students and give them assignments, which I really don't understand, they made someone go after school and unsrew all the srews in the desks and everything so the next day they would all fall apart. I'm trying to understand, i'll just have to read more to get caught up and maybe i'll get it.

"Cut" Text to world connection

There are many issues that teens today have. Several rely on inflicting pain or emotion to relieve the pressure. In Cut, Patricia McCormick shows a teenage girl who cuts herself because she believes it will put a stop to all of her other problems.
Cut begins with a normal teenage girl, who runs cross country and has a pretty normal everyday life. This all changes when things in her life start to get stressed, her little brother, Sam gets sick with very bad asthma, her mother is constantly worried about Sam and she’s always tired, and her dad is always gone on business. With everything that is going on around her, she decides to pick the knife up. Her parents, being so wrapped up in her little brother’s problems, don’t notice her habit that she has picked, but soon the school nurse discovers it. She is sent to a place call Sea Pines, but the guests refer to it as Sick Minds. Callie is there along with many other girls her age, each with different issues, some with eating disorders, eating too much or not eating at all, drug abuse problems, and many more. She spends most of her stay, silent, she goes to counseling everyday, but doesn’t speak. She finds instruments in the rehab that she is able to cut herself with, but cutting doesn’t seem to be getting the job done. She eventually wants to stop, she wants help, but she can’t do it alone.
Everyday teens are finding new ways to deal with their problems, whether it be with school, home, or out in the streets. Cutting, not eating, and using drugs should never be what someone has to refer to for help with their problems. Everyone needs help, it is a very tough world, but there are plenty of people to help you out. Go to your parents, they will always understand and do their best to help you.