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.