Dear Ellen Hopkins,
I've recently finished ready your book Crank. I have gained so much respect for you after reading your book. It probably took a lot of courage to put out the pain you and your family had experienced into the world in the form of writing. I also plan to read the rest of the books in the Crank series. Your novel has taught many people about drug use, rational and irrational decision making, and love. But your book has personally taught me, to never give into peer pressure, and how easy it is to fall into the hands of addiction.
The first thing Crank has taught me is not to give into peer pressure. Peer pressure is everywhere. No matter what - good or evil - Its always trying to come out and toy with your head and heart. Your book shows how easy it is to fall into pure pressure. If you don't feel comfortable doing something, then don't do it! Even if people think you're a loser for not going with the crowd, don't do something you don't want to do. Love, can influence a lot of decisions a person makes. It's alsovery big part of peer pressure. Your significant other, or the person you're interested in can easily manipulate you into thinking "he/she won't like me unless I do what they say, so I MUST do it." If your significant other really loved you, they wouldn't force you into doing something you're not comfortable doing.
I also learned how easy it is to fall into the hands of addiction. Personally, I've seen this happen a lot but, the way you wrote about falling into the hands of addiction and how hard it was to get out of it in Crank really spoke to me. I never could imagine that drugs could have that kind of effect on people. You've also taught me that due to using drugs not only is it hard to get rid of your addiction, but you taught me how irrational and desperate each of Bree's actions were influenced by the "monster." While reading all I could do is gasp and cry at the things Bree had gone through. Addiction will always be a problem, world wide. No matter where you are there are drugs somewhere in your area. There are a ton of people addicted to drugs or alcohol, sometimes both.
The first thing Crank has taught me is not to give into peer pressure. Peer pressure is everywhere. No matter what - good or evil - Its always trying to come out and toy with your head and heart. Your book shows how easy it is to fall into pure pressure. If you don't feel comfortable doing something, then don't do it! Even if people think you're a loser for not going with the crowd, don't do something you don't want to do. Love, can influence a lot of decisions a person makes. It's alsovery big part of peer pressure. Your significant other, or the person you're interested in can easily manipulate you into thinking "he/she won't like me unless I do what they say, so I MUST do it." If your significant other really loved you, they wouldn't force you into doing something you're not comfortable doing.
I also learned how easy it is to fall into the hands of addiction. Personally, I've seen this happen a lot but, the way you wrote about falling into the hands of addiction and how hard it was to get out of it in Crank really spoke to me. I never could imagine that drugs could have that kind of effect on people. You've also taught me that due to using drugs not only is it hard to get rid of your addiction, but you taught me how irrational and desperate each of Bree's actions were influenced by the "monster." While reading all I could do is gasp and cry at the things Bree had gone through. Addiction will always be a problem, world wide. No matter where you are there are drugs somewhere in your area. There are a ton of people addicted to drugs or alcohol, sometimes both.
Promises

At the cost of being away from family and not having a very personal life, celebrities must sacrifice it all for their careers. This song was dedicated to Jhene Aiko's brother that passed and her young daughter, Namiko. Although Jhene Aiko knows the price of fame is costly, in her song Promises she sends out a message to not only her daughter, but to her listeners that "anything can happen" but in the end everything will be okay no matter what and to stay strong.
Jhene begins her first verse with "I've been coming home late night / I've been sleeping past daylight / I'm waking up you're not by my side / Baby that ain't right." Jhene creates an antithesis, using the words "night" and "daylight" creating a balance. Aiko is explains the struggle she has to constantly faces as a celebrity. She can't get see her daughter as much as she wants to due to always being on tour and in the studio. Fame causes many celebrities to lose precious family time. Sometimes celebrities miss important moments in their child's life. They also are absent for big events and if their child is injured emotionally or physically. Aiko sings, "So every single little moment / I can't be there to hold your hand / I need for you to know that / .. / Anything should happen, anything should happen / Cause anything could, ... / Know that you'll be alright, know that you'll be alright." She's constantly using alliteration to convince her child and listeners that everything will be alright, although loved ones are not there to help and support them in their time of need. She is also telling her daughter that she needs to be strong because she's not always going to be there as often as she'd like to be. Just another example proving that the price of fame is costly.
In the second verse, Jhene sings about her brother who as passed. She sings "Don't think I can make it / I don't think I can make it / But then I hear you say that / I bet not do nothing crazy / Cause Nami really needs you." The first two lines creates an antistrophe. She repeats "don't think I can make it", showing that at times she feels really down and alone because she doesn't have her brother anymore. Aiko sings "cause Nami really needs you." Her brother was always there helping out with her daughter because she's a single mom and always traveling. So not only is Jhene alone but Nami has lost a male role model and a caretaker. Aiko sings: "Know that I am right by your side / Know that you are right by my side", creating an anaphora by repeating the line "know that." In this lyric Jhene sings to her brother that although he has passed he will always be in her heart. The death of her brother has affected Jhene badly and this verse instead of telling other people they need to be strong, she's telling herself that she needs to be strong.
Becoming a celebrity affects a person's personal life a lot. Celebrites can miss many important events in their child's life. A celebrity sometimes won't be able to even have time to mourn over a loved ones death because they're so busy with tours, being in the studio and other things. Although Aiko realizes this, she knows she must stay strong for not only her but for her daughter. She is also sending out a message to her listeners that everything will be okay and to stay strong. This whole song ties in perfectly with the title, Promises. Throughout the whole song Aiko states promises to her daughter and to her deceased brother. Although she may promise some things, the question is, will she really try as hard as she can to keep these promises?
Jhene begins her first verse with "I've been coming home late night / I've been sleeping past daylight / I'm waking up you're not by my side / Baby that ain't right." Jhene creates an antithesis, using the words "night" and "daylight" creating a balance. Aiko is explains the struggle she has to constantly faces as a celebrity. She can't get see her daughter as much as she wants to due to always being on tour and in the studio. Fame causes many celebrities to lose precious family time. Sometimes celebrities miss important moments in their child's life. They also are absent for big events and if their child is injured emotionally or physically. Aiko sings, "So every single little moment / I can't be there to hold your hand / I need for you to know that / .. / Anything should happen, anything should happen / Cause anything could, ... / Know that you'll be alright, know that you'll be alright." She's constantly using alliteration to convince her child and listeners that everything will be alright, although loved ones are not there to help and support them in their time of need. She is also telling her daughter that she needs to be strong because she's not always going to be there as often as she'd like to be. Just another example proving that the price of fame is costly.
In the second verse, Jhene sings about her brother who as passed. She sings "Don't think I can make it / I don't think I can make it / But then I hear you say that / I bet not do nothing crazy / Cause Nami really needs you." The first two lines creates an antistrophe. She repeats "don't think I can make it", showing that at times she feels really down and alone because she doesn't have her brother anymore. Aiko sings "cause Nami really needs you." Her brother was always there helping out with her daughter because she's a single mom and always traveling. So not only is Jhene alone but Nami has lost a male role model and a caretaker. Aiko sings: "Know that I am right by your side / Know that you are right by my side", creating an anaphora by repeating the line "know that." In this lyric Jhene sings to her brother that although he has passed he will always be in her heart. The death of her brother has affected Jhene badly and this verse instead of telling other people they need to be strong, she's telling herself that she needs to be strong.
Becoming a celebrity affects a person's personal life a lot. Celebrites can miss many important events in their child's life. A celebrity sometimes won't be able to even have time to mourn over a loved ones death because they're so busy with tours, being in the studio and other things. Although Aiko realizes this, she knows she must stay strong for not only her but for her daughter. She is also sending out a message to her listeners that everything will be okay and to stay strong. This whole song ties in perfectly with the title, Promises. Throughout the whole song Aiko states promises to her daughter and to her deceased brother. Although she may promise some things, the question is, will she really try as hard as she can to keep these promises?
Dear Betty Smith,
I have recently read - but have not finished - your book Joy in The Morning. It's a little strange reading this novel because everything in the 1920s is so much more different than 2014. The slang, clothes, even the taboos, manners and expectations are slightly different than present day. So far your novel has taught me that, if you can try hard enough, you can achieve your goals.
Your novel has taught me to work hard so I can fulfill my dreams. Annie is the perfect example for this. Annie is pretty much illiterate growing up and was always home working on chores. But once Annie learned how to read and write a little, she began to love it. Annie has a very thick Irish accent and her husband, Carl (a law student), is constantly correcting Annie's grammar, and vocabulary. For example, Carl corrects Annie when she tries to say "fundamentally" but instead pronounces it as "funnel-melody". Annie and Carl live in a dorm at Carl's university. Since Annie doesn't know anyone, she walks around the corridors of the campus alone. At first she'd go to the library and read books at the speed of light. Then one day she stumbles upon a literature class and decides to listen in and instantly falls in love. She is so inspired by the lecture she begins to write her own plays and continues to listen in on the class while writing notes. This is Annie's first step into achieving her goal. All she's trying to do is learn as much as she can and make her writing flourish and create plays as amazing as Shakespeare himself. Annie continues to listen in on the lectures until one day the professor comes outside and invites her into the classroom to learn like the rest of the students. Even though Annie has many writing and grammatical errors, one of her plays ends up being one of the best in the class, according to her professor. This is Annie's goal just getting started. Having her play be the best in the class is a great accomplishment for someone with no educational background growing up. It shows that you can do anything even if you don't go to school. You just have to try hard enough.
This book takes place in the 1920's and sexism is an everyday battle for women. Annie is sometimes insulted by her own husband for writing plays, but in Carl's point of view he's just teasing her lightly and it's no big deal. For example, Annie usually uses her relationship with Carl as inspiration for her plays. She sometimes write very corny and cheesy lines. One time Carl read one of her plays and began to tease her over the corniness of it. But Annie stays strong - although she's actually very sensitive - and brushes aside Carl's comments. Even though sometimes her husband can be rude, he still supports her writing. This is also helping Annie create more literature because she has someone who's supporting her love for learning and also someone who's always correcting her. Although it may get annoying, every time Carl corrects her it helps her improve her writing.
In conclusion Annie has taught me that if you try hard enough you can reach your goals. This lesson is very inspirational especially because this year is the year that counts the most. So if I try hard enough in my classes I can achieve that acceptance letter from my college of first choice. Annie's strong and stubborn personality kept pushing herself to try hard and do something that will affect her in a positive way in the long run. This mentality is the key to becoming successful.
Your novel has taught me to work hard so I can fulfill my dreams. Annie is the perfect example for this. Annie is pretty much illiterate growing up and was always home working on chores. But once Annie learned how to read and write a little, she began to love it. Annie has a very thick Irish accent and her husband, Carl (a law student), is constantly correcting Annie's grammar, and vocabulary. For example, Carl corrects Annie when she tries to say "fundamentally" but instead pronounces it as "funnel-melody". Annie and Carl live in a dorm at Carl's university. Since Annie doesn't know anyone, she walks around the corridors of the campus alone. At first she'd go to the library and read books at the speed of light. Then one day she stumbles upon a literature class and decides to listen in and instantly falls in love. She is so inspired by the lecture she begins to write her own plays and continues to listen in on the class while writing notes. This is Annie's first step into achieving her goal. All she's trying to do is learn as much as she can and make her writing flourish and create plays as amazing as Shakespeare himself. Annie continues to listen in on the lectures until one day the professor comes outside and invites her into the classroom to learn like the rest of the students. Even though Annie has many writing and grammatical errors, one of her plays ends up being one of the best in the class, according to her professor. This is Annie's goal just getting started. Having her play be the best in the class is a great accomplishment for someone with no educational background growing up. It shows that you can do anything even if you don't go to school. You just have to try hard enough.
This book takes place in the 1920's and sexism is an everyday battle for women. Annie is sometimes insulted by her own husband for writing plays, but in Carl's point of view he's just teasing her lightly and it's no big deal. For example, Annie usually uses her relationship with Carl as inspiration for her plays. She sometimes write very corny and cheesy lines. One time Carl read one of her plays and began to tease her over the corniness of it. But Annie stays strong - although she's actually very sensitive - and brushes aside Carl's comments. Even though sometimes her husband can be rude, he still supports her writing. This is also helping Annie create more literature because she has someone who's supporting her love for learning and also someone who's always correcting her. Although it may get annoying, every time Carl corrects her it helps her improve her writing.
In conclusion Annie has taught me that if you try hard enough you can reach your goals. This lesson is very inspirational especially because this year is the year that counts the most. So if I try hard enough in my classes I can achieve that acceptance letter from my college of first choice. Annie's strong and stubborn personality kept pushing herself to try hard and do something that will affect her in a positive way in the long run. This mentality is the key to becoming successful.
Mom

I honestly never thought my mom would ever be diagnosed with cirrhosis. In general, I never imagined my mom would get diagnosed with anything in all honesty. High blood pressure is pretty common on her side of the family, but that's really it. Nothing big. Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver and also poor liver function. Usually caused by alcohol abuse or hepatitis B or C. My mom didn't have hepatitis B or C.
My parents used to socially drink (before my mom got diagnosed, and also before my dad got diagnosed with diabetes). You know, sometimes on the weekends, or maybe at parties. My mom never used to drink, but over time she'd end up drinking a beer or 2 every now and then. Then after a couple years the beers became hard liquor. She was still be able to manage her jobs and she was still a great mom. She worked every day, from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon. Then she'd go back to work at seven and come back home at nine. I guess you could say my mom was a workaholic. But I really look up to her, she's such a hard worker. She's a house cleaner, and sometimes she has to deal with the most unbelievable people. I know I wouldn't be able to handle the people she has to because I'd get annoyed so easily. Growing up, my mom always did anything she could to benefit my life. She always showed up my school functions, took me shopping, get my nails done, etc. She did everything she could to make sure I was okay and happy. I couldn't ask for a better mom.
Once she started abusing alcohol though, I wouldn't even want to be around her. She was a 48 year old woman acting like a teenager. My older sister had to become my second mom sometimes. She still to this day has the tendency to act like a mom. Sisters aren't supposed to be like that. Sisters are supposed to talk about boys and other girly stuff. But my sister had to be the one to tell me to get my sh*t together. My sister had to be the one to be on top of all of my school work. She was my literally my second mom. So i guess you could kind of blame my mom for forcing our relationship to become like this. I mean we're still super close. But I always feel like I can't bring her down. Or sometimes I might be too scared to tell her something. I don't know, it's weird.
My sister and I would always try and work together and try to have an intervention. Each time we told her how much we hated it she'd say "okay", "I know", "I'll stop". But she never really did. Over time my sister and I would just end up saying "whatever, we tried. she's digging her own grave." I know that sounds heartless to say or think about your mom but, it's just how we felt. We always tried to tell her but she just never listened to us.
My mom all of a sudden stopped eating. All she would do is throw up everything she ate. So we told her we had to take her to the hospital. She's a very stubborn woman so it took her a while to finally agree to go to the hospital for this. But eventually one Saturday morning my dad, mom and I made a trip to Nassau Hospital. It's honestly super nerve wracking having to wait until a doctor assists you and runs test. We arrived at the hospital at 10:00 AM and left until they admitted my mom around 9:00 PM because they discovered alcohol in her liver.
My mom stayed in the hospital for almost a week. It was really weird not having her pack my lunch or saying bye to her every morning. Everyday after school we'd go to see her. It's really sad seeing someone you love connected to so many different wires. I don't know how my mom could stay so positive and strong throughout everything. I would honestly be so miserable if I was stuck in the hospital like her. When my mom finally found out about her cirrhosis she was with my sister. I know it might sound a little messed up, but I was kind of happy she ended up diagnosed. Life was finally able to hit her in the face and tell her to get her life together. And I was ready to help her fight this illness.
My mother was never a bad mother. She just walked the wrong path for a little while and couldn't find her way back. Although she will always have cirrhosis it's never going to change how much I will support her and love her. Ever since she has gotten diagnosed with cirrhosis it's made me want to do more. I'm planning on doing a walk to bring awareness to liver disease and raise money for research for liver diseases. I want to do whatever I can to help not only my mother but other people's mothers, sibling, fathers, uncles and aunts, and grandparents.
My parents used to socially drink (before my mom got diagnosed, and also before my dad got diagnosed with diabetes). You know, sometimes on the weekends, or maybe at parties. My mom never used to drink, but over time she'd end up drinking a beer or 2 every now and then. Then after a couple years the beers became hard liquor. She was still be able to manage her jobs and she was still a great mom. She worked every day, from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon. Then she'd go back to work at seven and come back home at nine. I guess you could say my mom was a workaholic. But I really look up to her, she's such a hard worker. She's a house cleaner, and sometimes she has to deal with the most unbelievable people. I know I wouldn't be able to handle the people she has to because I'd get annoyed so easily. Growing up, my mom always did anything she could to benefit my life. She always showed up my school functions, took me shopping, get my nails done, etc. She did everything she could to make sure I was okay and happy. I couldn't ask for a better mom.
Once she started abusing alcohol though, I wouldn't even want to be around her. She was a 48 year old woman acting like a teenager. My older sister had to become my second mom sometimes. She still to this day has the tendency to act like a mom. Sisters aren't supposed to be like that. Sisters are supposed to talk about boys and other girly stuff. But my sister had to be the one to tell me to get my sh*t together. My sister had to be the one to be on top of all of my school work. She was my literally my second mom. So i guess you could kind of blame my mom for forcing our relationship to become like this. I mean we're still super close. But I always feel like I can't bring her down. Or sometimes I might be too scared to tell her something. I don't know, it's weird.
My sister and I would always try and work together and try to have an intervention. Each time we told her how much we hated it she'd say "okay", "I know", "I'll stop". But she never really did. Over time my sister and I would just end up saying "whatever, we tried. she's digging her own grave." I know that sounds heartless to say or think about your mom but, it's just how we felt. We always tried to tell her but she just never listened to us.
My mom all of a sudden stopped eating. All she would do is throw up everything she ate. So we told her we had to take her to the hospital. She's a very stubborn woman so it took her a while to finally agree to go to the hospital for this. But eventually one Saturday morning my dad, mom and I made a trip to Nassau Hospital. It's honestly super nerve wracking having to wait until a doctor assists you and runs test. We arrived at the hospital at 10:00 AM and left until they admitted my mom around 9:00 PM because they discovered alcohol in her liver.
My mom stayed in the hospital for almost a week. It was really weird not having her pack my lunch or saying bye to her every morning. Everyday after school we'd go to see her. It's really sad seeing someone you love connected to so many different wires. I don't know how my mom could stay so positive and strong throughout everything. I would honestly be so miserable if I was stuck in the hospital like her. When my mom finally found out about her cirrhosis she was with my sister. I know it might sound a little messed up, but I was kind of happy she ended up diagnosed. Life was finally able to hit her in the face and tell her to get her life together. And I was ready to help her fight this illness.
My mother was never a bad mother. She just walked the wrong path for a little while and couldn't find her way back. Although she will always have cirrhosis it's never going to change how much I will support her and love her. Ever since she has gotten diagnosed with cirrhosis it's made me want to do more. I'm planning on doing a walk to bring awareness to liver disease and raise money for research for liver diseases. I want to do whatever I can to help not only my mother but other people's mothers, sibling, fathers, uncles and aunts, and grandparents.