Semester 2 HW4

Andrew Krell
English 1001
Professor Young
February 21, 2016

After Frederick's death, all the brothers are ready to give up on their fight against slavery.  They have had enough.  Jason speaks for the brothers.  Owen, who is usually the leader of the brothers sits silently, even when asked by his father.  " 'Is that how you want it, Owen?'  Owen, setting atop his horse, looked away" (McBride 122).  

While Onion and Bob wait for Owen, they are found in the woods by pro-slavers named Chase and Randy.  They insist that it is not safe for Onion and Bob to travel alone on the trail, even if Onion claims he has papers.  As a result, Chase insists they travel with them and they are taken to Pikesville Hotel, a middle-rank hotel/whorehouse owned by an elderly white woman named Miss Abby.  

Along the way, Chase claims he saw John Brown get his head chopped off.  However, in Pikesville, he tries to take credit for John Brown's death.  Chase boasts, "I throwed every bullet I had at him sure as you standing there-" (McBride 140) to the several men and later to Pie, a beautiful prostitute with an explosive temper.

Upon seeing her, Onion instantly falls in love with Pie, despite her apparent bad attitude and derogatory comments towards him.  She discovers Onion's secret (the fact that he's a boy) but goes along with the coverup and even convinces Miss Abby to allow him to work waiting tables.    

One evening, Onion decides to visit the local slave pen in search of Bob.  When he sees a feeble-minded old lady named Sibonia, she starts throwing mud balls at him, stopped only by her sister, Libby.  Onion has a conversation with them both, and they can tell that he's a liar.  Once Libby leaves, Sibonia proves that she is faking her insanity when she glares at Onion and says "You sporting trouble, . . . playing folks for a fool" (McBride 164). 

  

Semester 2 HW3

Andrew Krell
English 101
Professor Young
February 7, 2016

          We are introduced to Kelly on page 58-59.  While Onion is hiding behind a tree, he witnesses a conversation between the drunken Kelly and his prisoner, Pardee.  Kelly is clearly a pro-slaver who is trying to force Pardee to sign a resolution.  He gives Pardee a paper and says, "I got several resolutions here saying the Free State men is liars and law-breaking thieves . . . You read them out loud.  Then sign them all" (McBride 59).  A discussion follows where Pardee refuses to sign, after looking at the papers and gives them back to Kelly to read to him.  Pardee blames not knowing what the paper says on poor eyesight, but it is clear from the conversation that Pardee is lying and he really cannot read.  It is not clear that Kelly can read either, because he refuses to read the paper for Pardee and even gives it to Nigger Bob to read out loud.  Later, both Pardee and Kelly admit they are illiterate, which brings a previous land title deal at Big Springs in question.  

"I can't read!" Pardee said.                                                                                                                  That stopped Kelly cold and he took his hands off Pardee like he was electrified.  "What?  You said you could!"    

"I was lying."

"What about that land title at Big Springs?  You said it was . . ."

"I don't know what that was.  You wanted it so damn bad!"

"You blockhead!" (McBride 63).

          

         The Red Shirts are pro-slavery soldiers.  Nigger Bob uses the term when he is telling Onion that  both John Brown and Dutch are murderers.  He tells Onion that, "[Dutch's] riding on Brown now.  Got a whole posse looking for 'em.  Every redshirt within a hundred miles is rolling these plains for him" (McBride 68).

Nigger Bob was a slave and the driver of the wagon in Kelly's posse.  When Kelly insisted Bob read Pardee's resolution papers, he said he could not read.  When Kelly forcefully persists, Bob anxiously says, "Een-y. Mean-y. Mine-y. Moe. One-two-three." to the amusement of everyone but Kelly.

Semester 2 HW2

Andrew Krell

English 1001

Professor Young

February 2, 2016

Nothing But the Whole Truth?

Lying in general is considered a sinful thing, and for good reason.  Dishonesty can lead to bad results for either the liar or their victim.  However, there are certain circumstances when lying is okay.  For instance, it would be okay to lie to protect yourself or someone from bodily harm.  If a violent or powerful person asked a question, and telling the truth may lead to someone getting hurt, you would be obligated to lie and protect yourself or the potential victim.  An example of this was the pre-civil war slaves who would tell any lie in order to survive.  In “The Good Lord Bird”, the main character, Onion, lies on many occasions because like other slaves, he said whatever he thought his master or any white man wanted him to say. Onion even crossdresses for several years while staying with John Brown’s army because he is afraid to contradict John Brown who mistakes his real name, “Henry” for “Henrietta”.  Onion believed his life would be easier and safer as a girl, since there was a bounty on him as a boy.  Not to mention, if he was a girl, no one would make him fight.  I also believe it is okay to lie to them if it means protecting a child’s innocence.  For instance, perpetuating a myth like Santa Claus.  It is a harmless lie that protects the innocence as a child.  How about telling a lie to protect a person from the cruelties of life?  Is lying a bad thing if no one is harmed and in fact someone is benefitting from “stretching the truth”?  While telling the truth is always the best policy, there are times when a lie is the kinder, better route.

         

Semester 2 HW1

Andrew Krell
Professor Young
1-30-16

Getting to Know Me

I run, swim, ski and bike, but all of which are for leisure only.  I don't like organized/team sports.  

I am most passionate about video games.  I spend most of my spare time playing them or researching them online.  I do not have a specific favorite game or series, but my preferred genres are RPGs and Platformers.

The most ridiculous lie I ever told was when I was only five years old.  My parents and I were at a friends house and I sat on the coffee table.  The table collapsed and when my parents came over, I told them that a monster flipped it over.

When I write, I usually like to have an outline or concept map to organize my thoughts. 

I started learning about writing papers in second or third grade.  However, I have always preferred writing fictitious stories and scripts.

The last book I read was called Looking for Alaska.  It is about a kid who transfers to a boarding school, and befriends a zealous girl named Alaska Young.

I never write on social media.  I don't even have an account.

The most important thing I want to learn this semester is learning how to write a strong thesis statement.  I know the structure of a paper.  I just have trouble putting things into words and expanding my thoughts to support the thesis.

My definition of a hero is someone who changes someone else's life for the better.

As a writer, I rate myself B or C.  As stated before, I know how to structure a paper, but I have trouble putting my thoughts into words and expressing them on paper.  

   

Entry 7

Andrew Krell

Professor Young

English 1100

November 9, 2015

Options for Andrew Krell's Essay 3

• Is violence in video games affecting children?
• Should we restrict immigration?
• Should we restrict the number of children mothers may bear?
• Do organic foods have health benefits?
• Do we need to have foreign language classes in school?
• Which is better? Bottled water or tap water?
• Is Donald Trump qualified to be President of the United States?
• Is Apple Watch worth buying?
• Is a dog or a cat a better companion?
• Does everyone need to go to college?

Entry 6

Andrew Krell
English 1100
Professor Young
October 26, 2015

Homework (Due October 27)

Quotes from Text - Still Separate, Still Unequal by Jonathan Kozol

"It stands today as one of the nation's most visible and problematic symbols of an expectation rapidly receding and a legacy substantially betrayed."  (Kozol 3)

" 'It's as if you have been put in a garage where, if they don't have room for something but aren't sure if they should throw it out, they put it there where they don't need to think of it again.' " (Kozol 4)

"If you close your eyes to the changing racial composition of the schools and look only at budget actions and political events, you're missing the assumptions that are underlying these decisions."

Toni Morrison

Entry 5

Andrew Krell

English 1100

Professor Young

September 24, 2015

I Do Want to Learn

Sad, but true, I agree would have to agree with Jean Anyon’s research claiming teachers provide different instruction based on the social class of their students.  Unfortunately, I think some teachers decide that their students cannot learn or do not want to learn because they are poor or may have parents who did not attend college, or maybe the parents do not speak English.  When a teacher decides their students have low potential, they do not teach to a higher potential.  

I happen to come from an upper-middle class family.  My father is a cardiologist and my mother is a nurse, but she did not work when I was younger.  Education was always a priority in my house.  I had to do my homework before I did anything else.  My teachers were always impressed by how prepared I was.  They knew my mother was diligent about making sure I did every assignment and more.  Unfortunately, some parents are unable to help their children the same way my mother helped me.  This may be true when both parents have to work, or when a parent does not understand the work.  These kids need a motivated, enthusiastic teacher who believes in them and can get them interested in whatever subject they are teaching.  I had some great teachers who made school interesting and relevant.  However, I was a victim of a teacher who showed a bias toward her students.  This teacher taught basic chemistry and honors chemistry.  When I was trying to download notes to study for an exam, I discovered the disparity between what the teacher posted for her honors class and the basic chemistry class.  The teacher made regular posts with detailed notes for her honors class and rarely posted anything for the basic class.  It made me feel like she did not think I was interested or wanted to learn because I was not in the upper-level class.  I understand Anyon’s observations. 

A child should never be made to feel like they cannot dream of being anything they want to be. It is not fair when a teacher assumes a child does not have the potential or drive to accomplish anything in life.  According to the adage, if you are told something often enough, you start believing it to be true.  The students in the lower social class schools will never be more than lower social class because they are taught not to be leaders but to be followers.