Essay

During everyone’s life, they will go through a time in which they will have to fight their own mind. In Kesha’s song, Praying, she goes through a time, where not only she is fighting someone else, but she is also fighting with her own mind. In Parrot in the Oven, the main character Manny is going through both of these conflicts. He has to “do better than his brother” is what his mother says. His brother has just dropped of college, and now Manny HAS to do better than his brother. So, while he is fighting this mental fight, he is also having to fight real life problems, such as his father being abusive, and his sister (Magda) getting pregnant, having an abortion, and Manny himself joining a gang!

A common theme in both Praying and Parrot in the Oven is that both Kesha and Manny are going through tough times, and they both need to find a way to get better, both mentally and physically.

In Praying, Kesha shows us that even though things are bad right now, they can and will get better. This goes very well with Parrot in the Oven. I think Praying and Parrot in the Oven are very close to each other.

The book I have been reading for the past 3 week (my life is wasted away)

Is called Parrot in the Oven, by Victor Martinez. This book’s theme is that “Even though things are bad, it will get better.” This means that while things may be bad right now, they will get better eventually.

From the very beginning, it was obvious that Manny is going through a tough time, with his father being a psycho, and his mother dealing with it, with his brother recently dropped out of college, and now Manny has to prove he can do better. According to his mom, he NEEDS to do better that his brother. He needs to get into college, and stay there.

But, unfortunately, with his brother being a bum, “He flips through jobs quicker than a thumb does to a deck of cards.” It also points out the fact that Manny’s father thinks

There’s a lot of different word choice in this book, such the title itself. What the title (Parrot in the Oven) simply means that because Manny is Mexican, and is an immigrant, it means there’s only a matter of time, before it all crashes and burns.  Manny’s father continues to say things like his family is a handful of pennies, that they are a lower class. This proves that he thinks less of his entirely family.

Nearing the end of the story, we find out that Manny’s sister, Magda is pregnant. Sadly, she has a miscarriage.  The fetus is found in the bathroom, inside the toilet. Also, as we near the end of the story, we see that Manny joins a gang. This seems to end very badly. As they are messing with an older person, Manny realizes he can do so much better.

And that, folks,

Is the

END

Recently, my book group began reading the book, called Parrot in the Oven, where a boy named Manny is the main character. It takes place in the 1990’s, and his brother has just gotten kicked out of Harvard, “The number one best school,” Is what his mom says. Now, with college coming up, Manny is trying to get into Yale, he must try very hard.

Manny faces many things, including verbal abuse from his father, his brother drinking, and his mother trying to get him to be better than his drop-out brother. While I don’t want to spoil the story, you really should read this! This is one of the FIRST realistic-fiction books (Novel) I have ever read. It’s a good book!! I recommend you read it on your own time.

Bullying.

A common problem in any school, whether it’s Primary, Secondary, or Upper school.  Picture this. You’re the new kid, someone who loves to wear bright, weird clothes. But, immediately, everybody thinks you’re weird. Not worth their 2 seconds, to say hello. They talk about you behind your back, saying rude things, not caring how it affected you. Here are some stats for you.  Over 3.2 MILLION kids are bullied in ONE year. Out of those 3.2 million, over 4,000 of those bullied kids commit or try to commit suicide.  Imagine that was you, in the position.

Depression is a common factor in bullying, as well as withdrawal from people, even family. Some even turn to self-harm. “Sure, I’ve been bullied, but haven’t we all at one point or another?” Says one 8th grader.  While this may be true, and lot of times it can escalate quickly. From what may start out as teasing, can lead to depression, and even then, suicide.

Some people have been asked, by an Anonymous person, what they would’ve/have done when someone was bullied.

“Well, I mean, it was hard to watch, but it’s not like you’re just going to step in. I wouldn’t want to get hurt! That’s just a dumb thing to do.” Says one 7th grader.

“I would step in! Even if it was an older person being the bully, I would step in!” Says a fierce 6th grader.

An interview with a former victim, who wishes to remain anonymous and we will call them Sam, shows us just what bullying can do.

“Sometimes it would get so bad, that my mom would basically have to drag me out of my bed,” Sam says, “Sometimes, I would wonder, ‘Why me?’ I mean, what did I do that was so bad that I had to be bullied for it? I would stick to myself, my grades dropped, and I withdrew from pretty much everyone.  It was really bad. And, yes… It’s hard to admit, but there WERE times I was thinking about taking my own life.”

After this interview, it became obvious that this person, Sam, was not alone. As we interviewed more people, it became very clear, that bullying was a HUGE issue.  Suicide and depression very often go overlooked. But even now, with new insults, and people who think they are so much better, it’s hard NOT to be picked on, or even bullied.  But here are some ways you can stop bullying.

– Stand up!! Everybody feels better if you stand up for them! Plus it gives a little shock to the bully.

– Become friends with the victim! It makes them feel not so alone.

– Don’t cheer on the bully!! That itself, is just common knowledge.

Just these things on their own, can help you stand up to bullies. Or, JUST WALK AWAY. You, yourself, can stand up to the bully, by walking away from the conflict.

Show the bully you are sick and tired of being picked on, constantly. Come up with a witty comment! Just continue to be your beautiful, amazing, smart self! Don’t let the bully kick you down anymore!

Bullying.

A common problem in any school, whether it’s Primary, Secondary, or Upper school.  Picture this. You’re the new kid, someone who loves to wear bright, weird clothes. But, immediately, everybody thinks you’re weird. Not worth their 2 seconds, to say hello. They talk about you behind your back, saying rude things, not caring how it affected you. Here are some stats for you.  Over 3.2 MILLION kids are bullied in ONE year. Out of those 3.2 million, over 4,000 of those bullied kids commit or try to commit suicide.  Imagine that was you, in the position.

Depression is a common factor in bullying, as well as withdrawal from people, even family. Some even turn to self-harm. “Sure, I’ve been bullied, but haven’t we all at one point or another?” Says one 8th grader.  While this may be true, and lot of times it can escalate quickly. From what may start out as teasing, can lead to depression, and even then, suicide.

Some people have been asked, by an Anonymous person, what they would’ve/have done when someone was bullied.

“Well, I mean, it was hard to watch, but it’s not like you’re just going to step in. I wouldn’t want to get hurt! That’s just a dumb thing to do.” Says one 7th grader.

“I would step in! Even if it was an older person being the bully, I would step in!” Says a fierce 6th grader.

An interview with a former victim, who wishes to remain anonymous and we will call them Sam, shows us just what bullying can do.

“Sometimes it would get so bad, that my mom would basically have to drag me out of my bed,” Sam says, “Sometimes, I would wonder, ‘Why me?’ I mean, what did I do that was so bad that I had to be bullied for it? I would stick to myself, my grades dropped, and I withdrew from pretty much everyone.  It was really bad. And, yes… It’s hard to admit, but there WERE times I was thinking about taking my own life.”

After this interview, it became obvious that this person, Sam, was not alone. As we interviewed more people, it became very clear, that bullying was a HUGE issue.  Suicide and depression very often go overlooked. But even now, with new insults, and people who think they are so much better, it’s hard NOT to be picked on, or even bullied.  But here are some ways you can stop bullying.

• Stand up!! Everybody feels better if you stand up for them! Plus it gives a little shock to the bully.
• Become friends with the victim! It makes them feel not so alone.
• Don’t cheer on the bully!! That itself, is just common knowledge.

Just these things on their own, can help you stand up to bullies. Or, JUST WALK AWAY.

Blackhawk Students in Shock by Numbers at the Bullying Assembly!

In May of 2017, the students of BlackHawk Middle School had to go to an Assembly. The Assembly was about Bullying/Drugs/Suicide/Self-Harm, and MANY of the kids were surprised about the “stats” in said topics. While, the entire assembly was indeed serious, there was times when we could dance, to a band that had come to BlackHawk, to spice up the assembly. “How many of you have thought of/have done self-harm?” The stats were shocking. Nearly 63% of BlackHawk’s 7th and 8th graders have thought of, and/or have done self-harm.

The assembly was, indeed, very heart-hitting, and hurtful, considering how many people have considered, and/or have done drugs, self-harm, have been bullied, or abused.

The last book that I’ve read is called The Elite, By Kiera Cass. It is the second book in the Selection series. It’s about the last 6 in the selection, a place where they will be chosen as princess.  35 went in, and only 1 comes out. The book I’m reading is the final book in the Selection series, called The One. I think that the main character, America, will be crowned princess.

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