Gates of Fire Blog Post

Chapter 8, Page 72, 10-30-08

"..if Ariston was afraid of him, then he was a coward. And if he wasn't, he was reckless and ignorant, which was even worse."

Now before this sentence these exact thoughts ran through my head. When I read it I literally smiled. It was like the author was reading my mind. But the author does bring up a good point. In this type of situation it is extremely difficult to make a decision. I don't even know what I would choose. The author says being reckless and ignorant is worse, but I have to disagree. I'm still thinking about what to say in that scenario.

Chapter 9, Page 82, 10-30-08

"I swung with everything I had. Alexandros spun and dropped, face-fist into the dirt, blood and spittle slinging from the side of his mouth."

This whole scene is extremely intense. It was really one of the few moments in the book where I was not able to stop. This is near the end. After I read it I stopped and read it 3 more times. This quote is just perfect. I absolutely love how the author paints the scene. I don't know about you but I can see a young solider, tired, swinging using all of his energy, and his opponent falling down, blood gushing out of his mouth. Yes the scene sounds ugly but just read that quote again and you'll see a crisp clip playing again and again in your mind.


Chapter 10, Page 88, 10-30-08

"I fear the sea anytime, but never more than on a moonless night and in the hands of strangers."

With Halloween tomorrow, you couldn't have said it better. I actually shivered when I read this line. I personally love the sea, and would love it when the moon is out. But when that disappears and you're surrounded by strangers, it's a little spooky. I would hate to be there. But it gets worse when they are forced to swim to land. I could never survive the intense training and war based life that these people lived.

Gates of Fire: 3 Dialectic Journals

Chapter 4: 10-27-08, Page 24

"Fifty of them!" the man still shouted, while his wife struggled to tug him back to the safety of the trees. "Five! One would have saved us!" (Referring to how the Spartans could have saved the city)

The above quote shows the deep belief in the Spartans amongst the Greeks. This man believed a single Spartan could have prevented an entire city from entering collapse. Obviously the Greeks worshiped their warriors. I was amazed. It's very interesting how they are treated like gods, and how the boy all wanted to grow up to be just like them.

Chapter 5: 10-27-08, Page 37

"Oh God," my cousin said when she saw my hands.

What amazed me was up until this sentence I did not imagine his hands were in as bad condition as they were. I thought this for several reasons. For starters he cried the entire time. Yes I sympathize for him because he's only ten years old. In addition he didn't describe his hands in detail. At this sentence, the very last sentence of the chapter, I knew his hands would play a big role in the following chapters, and that they were badly hurt. Amazing how throwing in another person's words can really just stop you and make you think.

Chapter 6: 10-27-08, Page 39

"I would never hold a spear nor grip a sword."

I personally have never held a spear or sword, and I don't care. This devastated the boy, and made him want to die. This really shows you how much ancient Greece put an emphasis on being a solider/ warrior. It was every boy's dream to grow up and become a Spartan fighter. Today war is considered to many as an evil thing, something that should never happen (Why do you think Bush's approval rating is so low?) We fortunately still honor those who serve our country. Today children want to be anything from doctors to firefighters (above picture) and even lawyers. It's amazing how things change.

The Media and the 2008 Election

These days, most Americans will base their votes based on what they hear In the media. This could be anything from analysis to debate coverage and those hour long documentaries with the cool music. That's why it is SO important the media covers this election right. And they haven't.

It gets really frustrating for me to try to figure out what's going on (in terms of the election) Every station has it's side, and it so rare to find someone that is actually fair and balanced. That's why it's up to the viewer do determine the real facts - which can be difficult at times.

What do I do? Number one I listen closely and figure out when these stupid left or right wing people are taking sides. Sometimes it's quite obvious, sometimes you need to pay close attention. Number 2 listen to what both sides have to say. Yes watch both Fox News and MSNBC, and try to figure out the center line. Yes I'll admit there are some fair and balanced people, but not only are they hard to find, sometimes it's good to get all 3 sides of the story!

You can try to come up with your own way of figuring out this election, but just don't take a side and stick to it (That's what I did just a few weeks ago) I discovered that both sides stretch the truth, and now I'm open to both candidates ideas. Hopefully you can be too!

Interesting article that basically says the point I'm trying to get across. http://www.thinkmoderate.com/2007/06/corporate-media-has-decided-2008.html

My Heros

10 News Anchor: Carol Labeau
Unknown to many, one person I am inspired by is Carol LeBeau from 10 news. The reason I chose this image is because I think it shows her deep passion for others, including animals. It shows that she doesn't like an animal because they're messy, gross, or chews things. She does love them for their loyalty, braveness, and commitment. Overlooking the negatives and staring the positives straight in the eye is the best gift of all.


She's my hero because I can't recall one time she quit. She also manages to inspire others through her unique ability to create and construct artistic products. Finally she manages to stay on the right side of a dispute, and even if you disagree you know that she's right.

Preview, Predict, and CODE

Our class read the Secret Life of Bees. At the beginning we were instructed to jot down our ideas on what the book would end up being about.

All my predictions were actually accurate. Yes this is mostly due to the fact that my predictions were shallow in terms of specifics. For example,"I think at first I will be bored. But then I will begin to get hooked," which is how all my books end up.

Some of the more accurate predictions would have to be how the book would be about discovering a new world. I was right. In the book the main character Lily, discovers a new life of beekeeping with the Boatwright sisters. She is also introduced to a new religion. She may not have exactly discovered "A new world," but she managed to discover a whole new life.

In one of my predictions I said that it would be both challenging and easy because I noticed several words I was new to. But as I read the book I realized that it was actually quite simple. The occasional unknown word would appear every 20-30 pages.

Alliteration, Consonance, and Assonance

This weekend I did homework. And some silly stuff I can't see clearly. I worked hard. I glared and Stared at my computer's screen and was scared. It was eight which is late and I blanked. My reading foundation was still white and clean.

I wished I could sip a mocha. But berating and beating myself I began to work. After two long hours, I was nowhere near done.

Finally I felt fright. I had to finish. I grabbed the Secret Life of Bees and began to read. I finally finished filling it out.


The End.