The Giver

In The Giver by Lois Lowry, Jonas and his family lived in a community which had elders and a cheif Elder to choose for the whole community and make rules the community had to follow. Choosing for their parteners, jobs, children, everything. I would not want someone else to choose my future because even though in the book the elders think that it is best for everybody because there will be no pain since they almost always choose right, I think that sometimes choosing wrong is also important. If you've made a mistake, in the real world we live in, of course you might, no, you will get pain, physical or emotional. However, you will learn from your mistakes and choose the hopefully, choose the right thing for yourself next time. Also, the elders might choose wrongly, and you might not want what they have chose for you. I think that indepence is very significant and needed during your life time, because if someone else always choose for you, you will not know how to be independent, you make your own choices, protect yourself, speak up for yourself. When I read that Jonas was living in a world which there were no indepence and everyone had to do what others told them to, I felt sad for all the people and mad at the elders. How dare they choose for everyone! But when I read on, I understood how the elders wanted people to just stay safe with no pain, and was shocked by how this could be. 'Can a world like this reall exist?' was what I wondered about.

I prefer having a life which has, of course, ups and downs sometimes, but getting to choose for myself, doing what I want to to do, and, most importantly for me, choosing my own family. I hope Jonas's group will change and soon, have a wonderful life which also has some ups and downs! Go, Jonas!

What will happen...

After reading the Tripods- The White Mountains, I wondered what might happen in the next book, 'The City of Gold and Lead.' I also read the sneak peek and thought that it was unfair to Henry that he could not go to the Tripods' city. 'Why can't he go, too?' I wondered. I think that in the next book, Will, Beanpole and the other boy will go to the Tripods' city without Henry, but I also think that Henry will secretly follow them, so that the four of them can defeat the Tripods. I think that the four boys will become really good friends, especially because they are always going to have to be together. About Eloise, I think that Will will meet her and persuade her to come with him. I predict that Eloise will follow him because she now hated the Tripods because they had done something horrible to her, perhaps like almost killing her. I really want to read the next book because for one thing, I want to find out whether my predictions are true or not, and, for the other thing, I want to find out what will happen if my predictions aren't true. 

I enjoyed the book while I disliked some parts of how the author had written it. My favorite part of the book was when Beanpole had to cut the small metal thing from Will's arm. I had liked that part so much because the author had described the pain very well, especially when he wrote: 'the pain was excruciating.' I also liked the book because it contained courage and bravery in its pages, waiting for a reader to read it over and over again. of course, not every page was full of bravery and courage, like in the chapter 'The Castle of the Red Tower', Will had shown us, or me, his doubts and horror, but he had overcome it just fine. However, I disliked how the author had ended the book. It had no details to explain more clearly of how the three boys got to the top of the White Mountains. If I was the author, I would have wrote the ending like this: 'We walked up to the top of the White Mountains. My arm still hurt, but not as bad. Henry kept on falling, and Beanpole had no strength, but all the same, we walked on. There, greeting us, I saw Ozymandias. "Henry! Beanpole!" I cried. "Look! He is Ozymandias, the man who sent me here!" I started to walk fat, then ran towards him. "So, Will," he said. "I see you have made the journey with two more companions." He smiled at me. As soon as Henry and Beanpole caught up with me, boys and girls came towards us and gave us a cup of water. We, finally, were welcome. We had made it. However, it was not the end, for, it was just the beginning.' I personally thought that the story would have been loved more if the author wrote something like this. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Three cheers for the White Mountains!

-THE END-

The White Mountains

In the chapter 'The Castle of the Red Tower', Will had a doubt about leaving the Castle because he knew that it would not be a easy journey to the White Mountains; he didn't even know if he, Henry and Beanpole would get there. He felt secure and happy when he was staying with the Comte, the Comtesse and especially Eloise. If he stayed there, he knew that he was going to have a luxurious life, getting a lot of attention. One example in page 121 said: 'There was, it seemed, so much to look forward to.' this showed how Will was looking forward to all the things that were going to happen, and he looked forward to them because he liked living in the castle; he enjoyed his present life. Another example in page 124, said: ' A future here, in this rich lovely country, in the castle, with Eloise... Providing the Capping was a success, I told reminded myself.' This passage showed how Will was imagining his future in the Red Castle with Eloise, perhaps, as his wife. He also had thought about he capping, and he didn't mind as much of it than before. Will had thought about getting Capped, and I think he was okay with because his feelings towards Eloise was too strong. The last example in page 125 said: 'To live life wretchedly, like a hunted animal, suffering hardship and despair-or this life, with its fullness and security and happiness.' This passage compared between the two life- one with hardship and despair, and one with security and happiness. 

In the book, Will still had concerns and questions about what it would like to be capped. In page 123, it said: 'When the Cap was put on, the doubts vanished. How great a loss was that? Was it a loss at all? The Tripods, apart from the act of Capping itself, did not seem to interfere much with men.' I think that Will was thinking: 'What's so bad to be Capped when we don't have any doubts after it?' and I think he also thought again about the Tripods: 'Are they really bad?' or 'But they only interfere with Capping!' Another example was in page 122: 'They were Capped, they accepted the Tripods and all they stood for, but that did not prevent them from being, as I had seen in the Comte and the Comtesse and Eloise and now in others, warmhearted, generous and brave. And happy.' This passage explained how Will thought about the Comte, the Comtesse and Eloise and how they were still like normal people: warmhearted, generous, brave and happy. I think that Will wanted to be like them too and I also think that he wondered in he would be able to be like them if he was Capped. The last example, in page 121, said: 'Whatever privileges I was given, I would still be a sheep among sheep. In the morning, though, waking early, I thought of it again. I rejected it again, too, firmly but less quickly, and with a feeling in virtuous to do so.' This passage showed how Will kept on thinking about Capping. I think that Will wanted to be Capped but he could not choose easily because of loyalty to his friends. He kept on trying to push the thoughts about Capping out of his mind, but I suppose it was hard for Will to do so. These concerns relate to a lack of freedom because if Will chose to be capped, his mind would not be free. In page 125, it had said that 'I had thought at first that the Comtesse and the others might have been curious about I and want to know how a boy had come by such a possession; but they had shown no interest at all in it. They kept no relics of the skill of the ancients, and time meant nothing to them.' These concerns relate to a lack of freedom because when Will said that the Comtesse and others showed no interest in his watch and time meant nothing to them, it clearly showed that they weren't free, but only controlled. 

Will finally decided to leave behind the castle after he found out that Eloise is going to leave. He was shocked that Eloise was leaving, and had decided better for himself. In page 137, it said: I went back to my room, and undressed, tried to sleep. There were too many kinds of horror. Horror at what had happened to Eloise. Horror of the creatures who could do this sort of thing to others. Horror, above all, at how closely I had come to falling-no, to throwing myself-into something beside which suicide was clean and good. What had happened was not Eloise's fault. She had accepted the capping as countless others had done, not understanding and knowing no alternative. But I had understood, and had known better. I thought of the blankness in Beanpole's face, the contempt in Henry's, the last time I had seen them, and was ashamed.'This showed that Will thought Eloise, the Comte and the Comtesse were the same as all the other Capped people, and how he was horrified of what he could have done-being Capped. He decided then that freedom was the most important thing, and he went on with his journey and found Beanpole and Henry. Together, the three boys reached the White Mountains, in despite of what might have ended the three boys journey which was: anything.

BAND - POWER OF THE VOID

The International School of Kuala Lumpur provides ( silence) an exceptional education that challenges each student to develop (silence) the attitudes, skills, knowledge and understanding to become a highly sucessful, spirited, socially responsible global citizen.

I feel like adding a silence after the word 'provides' and 'develop' creates the best tention. When you add a VOID after provides and develop, the audience might have questions about what the school provides, and what each student develop, and would feel nervous and tense. The tention would be building up inside the audience, waiting for the reader to read on the ISKL Misson Statement. In visual art, the tention was built up from audience also by making them keep interest in it, and keep wondering. For example, in the movie 'Jurassic Park,' the tention was built up by questions like: 'When is the T-rex coming?' or 'what's the T-rex going to do?' With paintings, there was a red dot in the middle of many green dots, and that made the red dot stand out more (to me). I kept asking myself: ' What is the red dot doing there?' Today at school, we read a story that also had tention inside it, and then talked about it. I realized that there were so many void around us that created tention and that I hadn't really thought deeply about it until now. I feel that I can understand it now, and I will think about it more than before. I'm gald we studied tention, or power of the void in band.

Building a Snowman!

During the Winter holidays, I visited South Korea, which is my home country. When I stepped out of the airport, it was freezing. I could feel the wind that was as sharp as a blade surrounding me, and I could see pure white, clean snow falling from the sky. I decided that I would make a snowman before I went back to Malaysia, and smiled at the thought of a finished snowman.

One morning, at my grandmother's house, I looked outside, and found the garden filled with snow, snow, and more snow, and it was still snowing! I suddenly remembered that yesterday, the Korean news had said that it would be snowing 25~30 cm thick, and that in Korea, we would be having a white Christmas this year! (2009) It was very rare in Korea to snow this much, so I was shocked. 'I guess the reporter told us the truth',I thought. I asked my aunt if we could go to the mall, but she said we had to stay at home because the road was stuck with snow. She also told me that everyone used the subway to go to work. I was so bored and upset... and was mad at snow for not letting me have some fun.

"Julie?" My aunt called. "Julie, do you want to build a snowman with me in the garden?" I sat up straight, not listening to the TV at all. Would I like to build a snowman? Yes please!

"Of course I do!" I shouted back. "I do, I do, I do!" I put on my thickest pants and long-sleeve shirts, along with 2 coats (really warm ones), a hat, a scarf, gloves and my boots. Even then, it was so cold. My aunt was already outside, making the body of the snowman, and I started making the head, too. Even though I tried to make the head bigger, the snow wouldn't stick. 'What if I spray water in the snow? Will the snow stick?' I thought, and went inside to get some water. As I sprayed water on the snow, It melted and stuck together, so it was easier to roll the snowhead much more bigger. Then, we put the head and body together. The snowman was almost finished and it looked short and chubby. 

"Something missing?" Asked my aunt. I looked and realized that I hadn't put any eyes, nose, mouth and a hat! First of all, I asked my aunt if I could have some beans. She brought me them and I put the black beans for the mouth, eyes, and a extra tie, and the white-red bean for the nose. Next, I picked up some branches that had fallen beneath the trees, and used them as arms and hands for the snowman. Lastly, I took off my penguin hat and put in on it. It fit perfectly and the snowman looked so cute! I lay down and made snowangels with my aunt next it. It was cool! (In both ways!)

It turned out to be that I had a great time because of snow! Thank you very much, snow! (Even though I don't want you to come this much in the next Winter in 2010~2011!) I loved building a snowman- I think it was the best winter ever! I hope I get to make a bigger one next time.

THE END

THE PAST HALF OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

BY: JULIE

For the past half of the school year, I have learned new things and new skills. One of the new skills that that I have gained was in band. My band teacher, Mr.Housego, asked me if I would like to play the bass clarinet for one trimester. I wanted to have a go on it, and also wanted an experience, so I said 'yes'. The bass clarinet was challenging for me and I think that was a new skill I learned: how to play the bass clarinet and also, how to try something challenging. I also think that I picked a good choice of accepting Mr.Housego's suggestion.Now, I can play the bass clarinet better than when I first played it!

Another challenge I handled was the lockers and combinations. At first, I was not used to lockers and I couldn't open them very well. To make it more challenging, there were also P.E. and band lockers and I thought: 'Wow, I 'm never going to memorize all of these combinatins!' For the first week or so, I had to bring my planner which had my combinations written on it to everywhere. Then, I slowly got used to the lockers and I soon remembered every single combination and that really surprised me. Now I'm doing fine with my lockers, and for me, it's not a challenge anymore.

A skill I want to learn is in art. I want to learn how to do modeling with clay, which we will be learning. I really have fun in art because I can show my ideas, draw them, and do everything freely. I positively contributed to the 6th grade community by being a responsible student. From ISKL Melawati to ISKL Ampang was a great change for me and especially, we had much more responsibility. At first, all the responsibility I had was too heavy for me. However, as time flew by and I got used to being a middle school student, it wasn't a big, heavy bag anymore! I realized that it was just what I needed to do in my normal life, only a little more! I think that my responsibility is going to get heavier as I get older, but, I promised myself that I'll try my best.

I have set two goals for the new year and the next 6 months. One of them I really want to accomplish is mandarin. I am currently taking mandarin classes as an elective at school, and I enjoy them. I hope I'll get more and more better and by the time when it's the summer holidays again, that I'll be a lot better at mandarin than I am right now. I am planning to revise more at home that I am doing currently by using my mandarin notebook, or asking help from my tuition teacher. Another goal I want to accomplish is about Humanities. I want to become a better writer and reader. I believe that if I want to become a better writer, I have to become a better reader so that I can imagine more exciting stories to write. To accomplish this goal, I'm going to borrow more challenging books from the library and also ask friends and teachers and also my parents for writing advice. I think 2010 will be a wonderful school year!