Face-to-Face

     I read thoroughly about the 9-11-2001 and 12-7-1941 stories and it was very shocking to hear the people's stories about how they heard of the news and how people reacted to it. The story that stood out to me was the Golzar Kheiltash story. She was explaining that she was in bed until her roommate started screaming. She was trying to figure out why she was freaking out and that's when she saw the television screen to see the tower collapsing. She then heard the news reporter say that the Palestinian terrorist organization has taken credit for this attack. She then knew that the it was going to happen. People would start criticizing Palestinian Americans. The news was the same for the Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor happened. America discriminated these people just because they were in shock and they were afraid. I feel bad for those people who had to go through that terrible time.
  
     The second section I listened to was the Loss section. These people lived in fear for a long. Many never knew if their privacy was being invaded or if people were hacking their cell phones while listening to their conversations. The people had to be very careful of what they said and what they wrote on emails, etc. If they put terrorist or Bin Laden in anything, they are put on a list or are red-flagged. I feel pretty bad for these people. I would not want my privacy to be invaded and I would not want to live in fear.

     The theme for everything we have done today is pretty obvious. People are being judged by various things about them, from there race to their religious beliefs. Usually these events occur after a very important or shocking event that has happened. From MLK death to 9/11, these people are experiencing these events after a big impact in our history. I think America is responding like this because we are scared of what has happened or we are scared it's going to happen again. You shouldn't judge people by the color of their skin, but the person they are inside.

 

 

Reading Response #4: The Hobbit

 

 

     The turn for the worst has occurred to Bilbo and his clan of dwarves. Smaug has left the city of Arahbor and decided to fly to Lake Town, which is populated with thousands of innocent people. Smaug then decides to show the dwarves whose is the "real" king under the mountain. He swoops down and kills hundreds of people. But one civilian named Barg, finds a huge spear specially made to kill dragons like Smaug. He shoots it killing the dragon and saving his town from complete destruction. This whole part of the book reminds me too much of the terrible attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. I can picture the destruction on that day and how it could impact the lives of the people of Lake Town, if they were real. I wonder how the people of Lake Town feel about Bilbo and the dwarves waking the dragon and making him kill many of their loved ones.

 

    

 

 

This picture to the left is how I can picture Lake Town during the attack from Smaug. The fire everywhere shows how much would have survived after the attack. These people's lives are going to go through a major change.

 

 

 

 

One quote that sticks out to me in the book is when Bilbo tried convincing Smaug not to go to Lake Town. He's trying his best to convince him not to go, but Smaug decides to go and make them all watch him kill innocent people. Bilbo then says,

 

"Oh god, what have we done." (pg. 298).

 

This quote gives you chills and it just makes you get on the edge of your seat waiting and wanting to find out what happens next in the story. It explains in just a few short words that the dragon coming and attacking the town is all there fault. Tolkien does a good job in creating suspense for the reader and writing a well rounded story to this part so far.



Reading Response #3: The Hobbit

     The Hobbit has taken a huge turn from a relatively slow introduction into an intense climax. The group of dwarves have just found a new entry into their homeland of Arahbor away from the dragon, Smaug. The dwarves selfishly force Bilbo into going into their homeland to find a powerful jewel that has the power to control all of the lands around there. While Bilbo is searching for the jewel, he accidentally approaches Smaug who is sleeping in a huge pool of gold. Bilbo makes too much noise trying to leave and he wakes the huge, fire-breathing dragon. This part is so intense and nail-biting that it makes you have to read and see what happens next. 

    

     The picture above is how I can picture Bilbo seeing Smaug for the first time scene. The picture shows just how small the Hobbit is compared to the magnificent beast sleeping on a carpet of gold as far as the eye can see. Bilbo doesn't have much of a chance to get out of this situation.

     A quote that stood out to me was when Thorin (the dwarf leader) made Bilbo go into the tunnels to try and sneak past Smaug. It says,

     "As Thorin carefully explained, Mr Baggins was still officially their expert burglar and investigator. If he liked to risk a light, that was his affair. They would wait in the tunnel for his report."

     This quote truly reveals what Bilbo's true purpose was when they asked him to join their quest. It's sad because Bilbo had no clue he would have to find a tiny jewel that is most likely guarded by a dragon who most likely will kill him. Thorin kept this to himself and has caused Bilbo to perhaps lose his life just for some strangers whom he barley knows. I do have a feeling that Thorin will realize that he made a mistake and might feel guilty for sending Bilbo out there all  by himself.