Tenth 5,4,3,2,1

10/24/08

5 comments:
-Robert is going home to go to the protest down south to hopefully make a change, and make people change their minda about their ways of racism.
-This protest was a a sit-in to stop the segregation in the south.
-The main point of the ending of this novel is the protest that was basically based off the real life situation of the large group of teenagers who had a sit-in as a form of protest.
-This is important that the teenagers did a non-violent protest, becuase one it would spare them any violence back, and two it would show that blacks weren't what other groups said they were.
-Overall ROb has grown as a perosn in general taking on big roles, and growing very mature. His parents in the end are proud of him.

4 Questions:
-What does Robert hope will happen at the protest?
-Is this protest based off the one that happened when Martin Luther King Jr. was the black civil rights leader?
-Did anyone back off from the protest because they thought something would go wrong?
-Does Rob the kind of change he has made overtime?

3 Words:
-Mimeograph (Houston 241): a printing machine with an ink-fed drum, around which a cut waxed stencil is placed and which rotates as successive sheets of paper are fed into it.
-Luncheonette (Houston 241): a small restaurant or lunchroom where light meals are served.
-Jodhpurs (Houston 278): riding breeches cut very full over the hips and tapering at the knees to become tightfitting from the knees to the ankles.

2 Literary Devices:
-Metaphor: "The air was electric..." (Houston 245). This is a metaphor because it compares electric to the air, but it doesn't use the word as or like.
-Similie: "Draper the next day feeling like a hero," (Houston 248). This is a similiebecause it uses the word like to make a comparison.

1 Summary Sentence: This last section of my ROAR book is basically about the sit-in protest that many teenagers of the south led in order to make change.

Nineth 5,4,3,2,1

10/24/08

5 comments:
-Rob is really focused in school in his wanting to make the honor roll.
-If Rob makes the honor roll, it will show the white people who are racist, that not all blacks are stupid.
-Robert is really showing his teachers how intelligent he is through his work in school.
-It is great how RObert's teachers see his potential, and past his skin color.
-I think it is great how Robert is determined to change a society's way of thinking about black people.

4 Questions:
-Why is the honor roll so significant to Rob?
-What is the Reconstruction period?
-Why does Robert think there needs to be somewhat of another Civil War in the south in order for racism to somewhat be gone?
-Why does Mr. Gregor doubt what Robert is tryin to do, if he had just said how great and how much potential Robert had?

3 Words:
-Furlough (Houston 226): a usually temporary layoff from work.
-Innocuous (Houston 230): harmless; innoxious.
-Leaflet (Houston 233): a small flat or folded sheet of printed matter, as an advertisement or notice, usually intended for free distribution.

2 Literary Devices:
-Similie: "I felt the weight of her presence, but it seemed lighter, as though the anchor was slowly being raised before the boat sailed out of the harbor" (Houston 240). This is a similie because it makes a comparison between two different things, using the word as.
-Personification: "The air was dry and sweet..." (Houston 241). THis is personification because it gives the air human characteristics.

1 Summary Sentence:In this nineth section of my reading Robert gets really focused in his school ork in his attempt to make the honor roll, and prove a whole society system wrong.

Eighth 5,4,3,2,1

10/23/08

5 comments:
-The racism in this story is rediculous to the point that whites are calling santa black because someone had a decoration of santa, and it was dirty.
-We see that once these several racial conjectures are made, ROb gets sick of it, and decides he wants to leave the South for too.
-It is funny how Mrs. Gibson tries to arrange for Rob's marriage because he really doesn't want anything to do with it.
-Robert starts to want to stand up for his rights once he returns to the south.
-It seems as if blacks in he south are so used to the constant racism, that they don't feel anything can be done.

4 questions:
-Why doesn't Rob stand up for himself or his race when he his faced with racism?
-Why does Rob's parents say he will be like Mr. Gibson if he does not graduate?
-Why does ROb all of a sudden become sort of a rebel?
-Do you think that blacks in the south are used to the racism so they don't care about doing anything to change it?


3 words (or more for extra credit):
-Bromides (Houston 174): A tiresome person; a bore.
-Brooding (Houston 176): preoccupied with depressing, morbid, or painful memories or thoughts.
-Perfunctory (Houston 177): performed merely as a routine duty; hasty and superficial.

2 Literary Devices:
-Metaphor: "His raccoon eyes..." (Houston 169). This is a metaphor because it compares santa's eyes wit ones of a raccoon without using the word like or as.
-Simlie: " She was standing on the other side of the room in a floral print dress that covered her big, heavyset frame like a tent" (Houston 172). This is a similie because it makes a comparison between two non-similar things using the word like.

1 Summary sentence: This section is about how Rob returns home for Christmas, and realizes how much he hates it in the south.

Seventh 5,4,3,2,1,

10/23/08
5 comments:
-We see that Rob enjoys to read often. He remembers when he was young his mother read to him.
-We finally see that Rob may be homesick when he is remembering his parents.
-We see the racism that there is when Rob gets into a conflict with the woman who say he is a communist.
-ROb is a very observant student who always pays attention to what is going on around him.
-Robert is becomng a very mature young man, as he tries to find new things for himself to keep him busy durng the school year.

4 Questions:
-Did being at Draper make ROb become further away or more independent from his parents?
-Does Rob ever consider wanting to quit going to Draper because of the racism against blacks?
-Did Rob ever feel a slight unequality from Mr. Gregor as he moved uo in grades?
-Why doesn't ROb's parents visit him often?

3 Words (or more):
-Eliciting (Houston 139): To call forth, draw out, or provoke.
-Bemused (Houston 139): bewildered or confused.
-Florid (Houston 168): reddish; ruddy; rosy
-Minstrel (Houston 169): a medieval poet and musician who sang or recited while accompanying himself on a stringed instrument, either as a member of a noble household or as an itinerant troubadour.

2 literary devices:
-Similie: "It was pitch black, like a bottomless pit," (Houston 147). This is a similie because it compares to things using the word like.
-Personificaton: "I fled outside onto the busy sidewalk..." (Houston 169).This is perosnification because sidewalks can't be busy.

1 Summary Sentence:THis section of my reading was basically about Rob becoming more ature and growing up, starting to find ne opprotunities for himself.

Sixth 5,4,3,2,1

10/22/08
5 Comments:
-I really noticed that Rob and Burns have built a strong relationship with each other over the school year.
-Rob kind of feels as if he has made a strong bond with members of Draper.
-Even though ROb has kind of changed as a person, he still has his common sense.
-Again we see a sense of racism because a lot of people though ti was wrong to hang with blacks.
-We see that Rob may be falling for a girl named Jinxie whom he has had his eye on for a while.

4 Questions:
-Does Rob sympathize his friends?
-How come his friends take the harrassment?
-Does home symbolize anything for Rob?
- How does ROb classify his friends?

3 Words:
-Bemused (HOuston 139): lost in thought; preoccupied.
-Squadron (Houston 145): a portion of a naval fleet or a detachment of warships; a subdivision of a fleet.
-Beatific (Houston 147): bestowing bliss, blessings, happiness, or the like.

2 Literary Devices:
- Similie: ...their earlier reluctance to act decisively with Tyron as a lack of backbone" (Houston 142). THis is a similie because it makes a comparison using the word as.
- Personification: "...with hard eyes..."(Houston 146). This is personification because eyes can't be hard.

1 Summary Sentence: This section of my reading is basically Rob and Gordie going home, and remmebering about their past moments.

Fifth 5,4,3,2,1

10/22/08

5 comments about the book:
- We still see some traces of blacks being under whites. It's not being a slave, jus kind of a symbol.
-We can see that Rob is very interested in girls, and many of the girls he sees reminds him of the girls at home.
-I feel that it is kind of against Rob's morals to do something against his beliefs.
- The novel towards the ending is losing interest.
-This novel seems to have a little affirmative action.

4 Questions I have:
-Why does Rob let peer pressure force him into doing something he doesn't want to do.?
-Why does Houston spend a lot of time on other people?
-Does affirmative action take place in this novel?
-What does Rob feel about the sudden proposotion?

3 Words:
-Smoldered (Houston 115): to burn with little smoke and no flame.
-Impassive (Houston 116): without emotion; apathetic; unmoved.
-Bedraggled (Houston 117): to make limp and soiled, as with rain or dirt.

2 Literary Devices:
-Smilie: "Tyrone's face, a cruel smile, like the ones the boys at Draper flashed...," (Houston 117).
-Personification: "I repeated his poisionous words..." (Houston 122).

1 Summary Sentence: This section 5, Rob is knd of changing as a person, wishng he was white, and doing thing that just isn't how he was brought up.

Fourth 5,4,3,2,1

10/21/08

5 comments about the book:
-It's kind of ironic how aRob's father said that Rob may not want to go back to school after eating Gwen's food, because in the beginning the father wasn't sure of whether or not Rob should attend the school.
-I'm curioius to find out more why Rob thinks Michaux's vies were actually causing things to happen at home.
-In the novel I notice that Rob's mom and dad really focus on making Rob realize that race is a big deal
-It is important for the reader to realze how smart Robert. FOr example his vocabulary.
-It seems as if RObert and his father have conflicting views about hat RObert wants to do, because Rob's father still thinks he has a control on that.

4 Questions you may have:
-Do you think Rob's parents' views of the university have changed since the begnning of the novel?
-When was the NAACP created, and what's its main purpose?
-Why is race and diversity such a big deal to Robert's parents?
-What are some of the realizations RObert has about his family?

3 words (or more for extrac credit):
-Twinge: "I felt something more than a rwinge if longung for home," (Houston 76). (Defintion: a sudden sharp pain.)

-Emanating: "...by the frgrance of moth balls emanating from the overstuffed closet," (Houston 84). (Defintion: to flow out, issue, or proceed, as from a source or origin; come forth; originate.)

-Bourgeoisie: "...the children of the black bourgeoisie cannot escape..." (Houston 87). (Defintion: the class that, in contrast to the proletariat or wage-earning class, is primarily concerned with property values.)

-Repudiated: "sold by one and repudiated by the other..." (Houston 87). (Defintion: to reject as having no authority or binding force.)

-Semblance: "some semblance of a homeland," (Houston 87). (Definition: outward aspect or appearance.)

2 Literary Devices:
-Personification: "I let my father's words hover over the dining room table..." (Houston 75). This is personification because words can't hover.

- Simlie: "The gray stone building where Gordie lived took up an entire block and looked more like a bank than an apartment building," (Houston 93). This is a similie because it make a comparison using the word like.

1 Summary Sentence: Basically this chapter is about Robert hangind out with his family, and realzing different things about them.

Third 5,4,3,2,1

10/21/08

5 comments about the book:
-When Robert meets Maurice, we kind of find out the kind of music Robert likes to listen to.
- It is funny how in chapter six Rob kind of braces himself against most likely upcoming argument with his cousin Gwen.
- Gwen is introduced as a very somewhat nosey character who is always wanting to know something about someone else.
-Robert in the novel is the main character who baically never changes who he is, and never really stops being such an inquisitive person as a whole.
-Robert kind of thinks that if omething happens to one person most likely it's going to him.

4 Questions we may have:
- What kind of person does Rob see Maurice as?
- Why is Maurice such an important character in this book?
-Why is location such an important feature of the novel?
- hat does the rest of Rob's family think about him going to a predominantly white school?

3 Words (or mor for extra credit)
-Travails: "It sounded as though she wanted to hear about Vinnie's travails..." (Houston 65). (Definiton: To work strenuously; toil.)

-Reminiscent: "...although reminiscent of language I had heard before..." (Houston 66). (Definition: awakening memories of something similar; suggestive.)

-Bigotry: "...Draper was not immune from bigotry, and I wasn't certain what my own future would be like," (Houston 66). (Definition: stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own.)

2 Literary Devices:
-Personification: "...his face softened..." (Houston 58). This is personification because it gives a non-living thing, such as a face human actions.

-Metaphor: "The sun was setting and the sky was bright red, but belo the streets were dark, the paths of the maxe deep in shadow," (Houston 67). This is a metaphor because it compares two things but does not ue like or as.

1 Sumary Sentence: This section of my reading as basically about finding alittle more about Robert's likes and dislikes, and what he does and doesn't believe in.

Second 5,4,3,2,1

10/20/08

5 comments going on in the book:
-In this second part of the reading we can see that Rob doesn't really think highly of Dillard because of Dillard's views.
-Rob is a young man who is very insightful, and has a good state of mind.
-Rob is somewhat outspoken cuious person.
-The novel takes place during the time period where there is still racism and segregation.
- It's funny how Houston still incorporated what people would call "black talk."

4 Questions I may have:
-Why doesn't Howard let Robert show is feelings externally towards different people?
-Are the different characters based off of real life people?
-Why is it so important that segregation and racism is being stressed to Rob?
- Why doesn't Houston put in some feelings of the non-major characters in the novel?

3 Words (or maybe more for extra credit)
-Infirmary: "I moved to the infirmary..." (Houston 32). (Definition: a place for the care of the infirm, sick, or injured; hospital or facility serving as a hospital.)

-Pensively: "He was staring pensively out the window and barely seemed to notice..." (Houston 36). (Definiton: dreamily or wistfully thoughtful).

-Inimitable: "...king of the local disc jockeys, was touting the show in his inimitable style" (Houston 44). (Definiton: Defying imitation; matchless.)

2 Literary Devices:
- Personification: "As the bus rumbled..." (Houston 38). This is personificatio because it gave a human action to a non-living object.

- Similie: "When he saw me turn around, he waved his hand briefly, like a grandfather watching his grandson cross a busy street..." (Houston 57). This is a similie because it makes a comparison using the word like.

1 Summary Sentence: Basically this seciton of my reading was about Rob getting more used to his environment, and kind of understanding what his mother was telling him in the beginning.

First 5,4,3,2,1

10-13-08

5 comments going on in the book:

-In the novel, we can see that the main character has received an honorable spot in an all white university. He is the first lack student there.

-The main character's parents are parents who have to be won over, and persuaded in order for them to trust something or someone.

-The main character is a teenage boy who has been given the worse of the worse resources education wise because of the racism of where he is from.

-The Univsersity that Rob Barrett is attending seems to be a school that looks out for him, and thinks about the benefits he has.

-It seems out of the ordinary for Rob to be attending the university because he is the only black student there in many years.

4 questions I may have:

-Why does he choose to go to an all white school instead of a school where he and his parents are more comfortable?

-Why does his parents have a hard time accepting that their son might be a good environment?

-Does it surprise Rob's parents that at the university the people seemed to be nicer than they expected?

-Why does Rob feel that his parents would take him home at any random moment if the school in my own opinion is fairly nice?

3 words (or more for extra credit):

- Embodiment: "...for I was the embodiment of her dreams..." (Houston 11). (Definition: to embrace or comprise.)

-Pompadour: "... with long red hair that looked as though it had just been combed into a wet pompadour," (Houston 18). (Defintion: an arrangement of a man's hair in which it is brushed up high from the forehead.)

-Tarnished: "...who was considered a god, if slightly tarnished, by everone at home," (Houston 24). (Definiton: To dull the luster of; discolor, especially by exposure to air or dirt.)

-Indignities: "...to maintain his composure in the face of such idignities, but I could tell from his voice that he was starting to unravel," (Houston 26). (Defintion: disgrace or disgraceful action.)

-Plight: "I sympathized with Vinnie's plight, but not enough to become any kind of martyr," (Houston 28-29). (Definition: a condition, state, or situation, esp. an unfavorable or unfortunate one.)

-Martyr: ""I sympathized with Vinnie's plight, but not enough to become any kind of martyr," (Houston 28-29). (Definition: a person who is put to death or endures great suffering on behalf of any belief, principle, or cause.)

2 Literary Devices:

-Personification: "Dad turned over the big Buick engine and it rumbled to life," (Houston 12). This is personification because it talks about an engine rumbling to life. Engines can't rumble, and they can't come to life.

- Similie: "The brilliant green lawn surrounded us like the sea..." (Houston 17). This is a similie because it compares a green lawn with the sea using the word like.

1 Summary Sentence: This first section was basically about the main character, Rob basically moving into the university and basically getting the hang of things.