POEM RESPONSE:

           I just read a poem called “Incident” by Countee Cullen. After reading the word “nigger” in the poem, I realized that that very word is a symbol for racism. As this poem shows, racism isn’t affected by age, and it can hurt someone a whole lot. Racism is terrible, and it is shown in the poem through the word nigger.

            Racism doesn’t stop for age because in the poem, the speaker was a victim to an 8 year old! “Now I was eight and very small/ and he was no whit better” that indicates that the racist person was only 8 years old. That is awful. Racism is bad enough, but is especially bad when a young person is behind it. The kid went on to say: “Nigger.” This is where the symbol comes in. Just saying that word makes everything so bad. That is the racist part.

            The word nigger made the speaker forget everything else that happened whilst he was in Old Baltimore. “Of all the things that happened there/ that’s all that I remember”.  The only thing that he could remember was when he was called a “nigger.” That one word drowned all the good times that the speaker potentially had.

            I can relate to this poem in a way because one time, someone said something rude towards my religion. In camp I was waiting in line for lunch, when a boy my age came up to me and saw my Jewish necklace. He said, “I can skip a Jew!” and stood in front of me. I was very sad, and I never went back to that camp again. I was only like 8 years old as well.

            In conclusion, I think that the word “nigger” is a symbol to racism in the poem.         And racism may occur at young ages and it may change your whole life. Racism is a terrible thing that is expressed in this poem, and there should be a stop to it!

Rant on my phone


It is not fair that my parents take my phone away! They try to make me "check it in" and put it on the shelf everyday when I get home. They usually forget, but still. And they NEVER take my brother and sister's phones away. ITS NOT FAIR! They my phone away for the stupidest reasons. If I forget to do 2 small dishes--they take is away/ If I say a "bad word"--they take it away. If I accidentally bump into my sister, and it makes her cry--they take it away! Of course, my parents side with my sister, and say that "I knew it would upset her." Still--Why do they take my phone away! They act as thought I am a little kid who isn't responsible enough to have a phone! If they aren't going to let me use it, why let me get it?

     I am currently reading a book called HIgh Fidelity by Nick Hornby. It is about a guy named Rob who just broke up with his girlfriend Laura. This book is about him with relationships with his ex, and him with music. He owns a record shop. Although that in the beginning of the book Rob claims that he doesn't like his ex anymore, and that he wasn't hurt by the break-up, I know that he really still has feelings for Laura because he keeps trying to get back together with her, and he wants her to break up with her new boyfriend.
     One way that Rob has shown that he still likes Laura is that he keeps asking her if there is still a chance that they might get back together. Even if she is uncomfortable answering the question, he keeps on asking. A quote form the book is "'I just want to know where I stand. What chance I have.' 'I don't bloody know what bloody fucking chance you have. I'm trying to tell you that I'm confused, that I haven't been happy for ages, that we got ourselves into a terrible mess, that I've been seeing someone else. These are the important things.' 'I guess. But if you could just tell me roughly, it would help.'" That shows that even though she REALLY doesn't want to answer the question, he keeps on pushing her to answer it, because he really wants to get back with her.
     Another way that Rob shows it is that he constantly calls her. He calls like 6 or 7 times a day, and she doesn't answer. She doesn't answer, probably because she doesn't want to talk to him, rather than that she is busy. Rob doesn't seem to know this, and he keeps calling her, because he still has feelings for her and he wants to start dating her again.
     The final reason that you can see that Rob still likes Laura is that he keeps asking her about her relationship with her current boyfriend. He asks really personal questions that only prove that he really wants Laura back. One very personal question that he asks, is how has her sex been with her new boyfriend. She obviously doesn't want to answer that question, and based on that you can see that Rob is obviously jealous.
     All in all, Rob, although he claims he doesn't like Laura anymore, obviously still has feelings for her. He asks her personal questions about her relationship, he calls her nonstop, and practically begs her to go out with him again, by asking what chance he has with her. In my eyes, Rob is in love with Laura and he REALLY wants her back.