Assignment #3

In the chapter you read for last night, George talks about moving into his own place in Newark. He relays his experience being robbed at gun point, he talks about having his old friends over, and he shares that many of his old friends were "as deep into the streets as I was into school" (189). In many ways George is the pride of his entire neighborhood, but he says he felt weird going to school with people so priviledged and then returning home to a neighborhood filled with people struggling.


George allowed many people to move in with him- he felt he owed them at least that considering how lucky he was. Many of these people, however, were not always good influences in his life.

At the end of the chapter, George talks about how uncomfortable he was the first time he had to wear a tie- a requirement of one of his professors.

Today on your blog you have a few options. Pick TWO (only two) to write about in detail. They are all connected to the experiences George shared in this chapter. When you are finished, visit the blogs of your group members and leave a comment on their blogs. Your comment may be an agreement or disagreement, a question, a connection you make to your own life, etc.

Option One: Write one paragraph about a place or an event that has influenced who you are. Why is/was this place or event so important? How did it shape your morals or beliefs? Be sure you include a topic sentence, specific examples that support your topic sentence, and a final concluding sentence that wraps up your ideas.

Option Two: Write one paragraph about a time when someone really frustrated you. Change names for privacy. Explain why this person made you upset. How did you deal with this person? What did you learn about yourself as a result? Be sure you include a topic sentence, specific examples that support your topic sentence, and a final concluding sentence that wraps up your ideas.

Option Three: Write one paragraph about a time when you felt uncomfortable or out of place. Where were you? Who were you with? Why did you feel so out of place? What did you learn about yourself as a result? Be sure you include a topic sentence, specific examples that support your topic sentence, and a final concluding sentence that wraps up your ideas.

Assignment 2

Respond to the following question. Your answer should be at least one full, well-written paragraph. Explain your answers. Why do you think what you think?


1. In the selection called "Peer Pressure" George states that "friends have more influence on one another's lives than almost anyone else does, especially in those teenage years when kids are trying to discover who they really are. So hooking up with the wrong crowd can really get you down."

Do you agree with his comments? Why or why not? Have you seen other people try to pressure their friends to do things? (Good or bad) Have you felt pressure to behave in certain ways because of your friends?

WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED: Visit the blogs of your group members, read their comments, and leave one comment in which you agree or disagree with something they say (and explain why) or ask them a question about their response.

Introduction

On our blogs we will be discussing The Pact, and we will be modeling some of our own writing after the memoir style presented in the book. Things to remember: 1. Label your assignments clearly. For example, the assignment for today needs to be labeled on your blog as Assignment #1. 2. Complete blogs entirely. If you do not have time in class to finsih, you are responsible to finish the assignment on your own time within three days of class. 3. EDIT your writing. Before posting, read over your entries for spelling and grammar errors. You will loose points if you do not do this.

Assignment #1

Part One
In chapter 5 ("Caged") Rameck talks about how he had a lot of friends who were not good influences in his life. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, and even though he made the choice to engage in such behavior, he was influenced by the friends around him. Considering Rameck's experiences, answer the following questions. Use complete sentences, and write at least 7- 10 sentences total.

1. Why do you think Rameck made the choices he did? He knew right from wrong, so what motivated him to choose the "wrong" path as a teen?
2. Considering both his parents were drug addicts, was he really responsible for his actions? Explain your opinion.
3. Are young people responsible for their actions if they have no good role models or people to teach them the right way to live? Explain your opinion.
4. Who are the biggest influences in your own life? In what ways have they shaped you? What have they taught you?