Empathy!

Making a reader feel empathy is not an easy thing to do. Empathy is emotion, emotion creates empathy. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Creating empathy is what makes a book exciting, and what makes a reader want to read more. Authors try and create a feeling of empathy in their readers. They do this in a way that the reader can relate their emotions to the characters. I think a way of adding empathy into a book is through the character, the character would have to be realistic, so that we can relate. There are many ways to create empathy including adding a lot of detail, using a great amount of powerful adjectives, and even writing in ways in which the reader is able to relate and understand in how the character is feeling.

For example in The Breadwinner there were many great examples of empathy one of my favourites was: "Then, late one afternoon, Parvana came home from work to find two men gently helping her father up the steps to the apartment. He was alive. At least part of the nightmare was over." In my mind that is a good example of writing. While reading it I could picture the scene clearly in my mind. I felt empathy for Parvana after reading it.

A Responsibility!

Parvana was tired of all of the pain and blood. She wanted to be in a classroom with all of her friends, talking about their homework and games. She's tired of it all.

I think to being Parvana's shoes would be a hard and stressful thing. I would be getting up early in the mornings, having to dress up as a boy, and then off to work. At work I would be selling things that were too expensive for even my family to purchase. Pushing my way throughout the crowds hoping no one would notice that I am a girl, thinking to myself what could happen if I were to get caught. Would I get killed? Would they beat me? What would happen. Dragging myself through the streets wondering what the next day would bring, would the Taliban take over my family, would they destroy my home? What would happen? Hearing screams of horror as I worked, watching people being hurt, some of their body parts being chopped right off, would be a terrible experience. I would be the one that my family relied on to get them what they needed, and help to not make them starve to death. I think that would be such a tough thing to do, just knowing that everything is totally unpredictable and that anything could happen. I don't think I would be able to cope in such a situation. Parvana lives a tough life, a true living horror.

The Holocaust - Eva Olsson

"The worst memory was the way my Mother died." Said Eva Olsson.


The other day Middle School and Upper School got together to listen to a presentation by Eva Olsson. She spoke to us about the Holocaust. Until Eva spoke to us I had absolutely no understanding of what the Holocaust was. Her speech had a very strong, inspirational meaning from start to end. The one thing that she emphasized most, I think was to not use the word "hate." Eva explained to us how hate killed a lot of people, she also told us that we should NOT use that word EVER. I know that next time I think about using the word hate, I will say "dislike" instead.

What Eva spoke to us about, made me feel pain for all of those people who had gone through such tragedy. Her journey sounded horrifying. All I could think about was how terrible it sounded and how lucky I am not to be going through such a thing. She told us about the camps that the victims attended, which sounded very scary. I think from what she described i would be most afraid of the gas showers. She said that they would throw them into showers of gas and just that sounds bad, well they didn't even turn them off until the person was DEAD! That sounds absolutely horrible.

I think that over all Eva Olsson's speech was very powerful. I think that saying this I am speaking for everyone in which she put a strong message into our heads. Each and every day we can think about how lucky we are to be safe. Her speech was absolutely amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone who would want to listen to a fantastic and inspirational speech.

Working in teams or in a group is a great experience, but to be able to be on one or in one you have to take charge and be responsible! While working on a team or in a group, you have to have the courage to stand up and be a leader. For example if you needed some ideas each person should be involved and should have some input in the idea making session. I think that you should be able to talk in front of people without being scared or too nervous. Showing up at practices and/or meetings is something that is also important when you are apart of a team or group. All of these skills and abilities are important when you are participating in something like this.


There are always things and skills that can stop a group from working well together. Some things that could stop a team from working well are things such as lack of teamwork, or people not wanting to do the activity. Those kinds of things are important on a team and if you don’t do them then you really shouldn't be apart of the group or team. If you are on a team with someone that you are not very fond of or you’re not friends with them, you should not exclude or ignore them. Everyone is on the team, and everyone should have an equal amount of say or play. A team works TOGETHER.

In my opinion I think that when you are on a team or in a group you have made a commitment and you have to stick with it. A team is made up of a group of people, a group of people who are willing to work together. I think that the success of the team comes from each and every last one of the members, and it comes from their ability to work with others. Teams or groups are a lot of fun.

Does Clothing Shape Who You Are?

Does clothing shape who you are?
Today if you walked into your local mall wearing sweats and an old T-shirt, what are people going to think of you? I think that today everyone is itching for the latest trends, everyone wants them, or some say "need" them. To me clothes show your personality, they show whether you put time in to picking out what you wear, or whether you slap on the clothes that are next in your closet.

What kind of style do you have? What kind of music do you like? You can show all of those things with what you're wearing. A band T-shirt can show off the type of music you like, a hat of your favourite baseball team could show your likings as well. In my opinion clothing does shape who you are in some ways. For instance if you're attending a job interview and you're wearing old, ripped, dirty clothes and the person beside you is wearing a nicely tailored suit, who do you think is going to get the job? Obviously the man in the tailored suit, who looks professional and ready to work.

Clothing makes a first impression on people whether you like it or not. Even though you're told not to "judge a book by it's cover" people do, and sometimes it's not always nice. Your first impression of a person is something that they will remember forever. Everyone wears their clothes in their own way.
I do believe that clothing shapes who you are in some ways.