A butterfly symbolizes hope.
It can also help you cope. They are like little souls. They can play important roles. Forward and backward their eyes can look. Even when Ben's life was took. They fly beautifully in the sky. Remember to look for them as they are passing by.
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If I were In the last few chapters we experience the court room with the main characters. What surprised me was how both Digger and J.T. pleaded guilty. Master Williams kept asking them "Do you still wish to enter a guilty plea". In the past month Digger said "I'll deny it till the day I die!" What really surprises me is that he doesn't want to fight it anymore after everything that happened.
What Digger said that was really important was that... "I also want everyone in here to know that my friend Brady Parks... that Brady should be in no way blamed or looked down on for what happened. I don't hold nothin' against you Brady. And i'm sorry I lied to you... well, you were right , and no one ever forgettin'. That day in the field after school? You asked how I'd would feel if Hank or LeeAnn in the kayak?" I thought this was really important because all this time Digger was ignoring Brady and not taking the blame for what happened, and now he is taking full responsibility. This shows me that Digger still cares a lot for Brady. He had changed his ways and is taking ownership for his wrong doing. If I were in the courtroom in Digger's shoes, I would have owned up to my mistakes like he did and I would have felt for the DIAngelo's because of what I did. "Alone together. That's what we were. Together in this room with all these people, I had never felt more alone." When talking about the Lion King with Ben, Brady learned a life lesson... Ben:"Why they doing that, Bwady" Brady:"Because he's bad." Ben: "No Scaw's not bad, he's just being mean." What Ben was trying to say is, sometimes people make mean decisions, but that doesn't mean that they are bad. In the book Red Kayak, Digger and J.T. made a bad decision by drilling holes in the DIAngelo's kayak. Digger and J.T. aren't necessarily bad people, they just made a bad choice. I can relate this to my life because of what is happening in the world today. There are people out there who are doing very mean and horrible things. I realize that those people aren't bad people, they are just being mean. They make some bad choices and that can sometimes mean that they are having personal issues and some things are happening in their lives.Being mean is a way to cope with their problems and express their emotions. For example, a bully may be doing things that are not very nice, but that doesn't mean they are not bad people. Text to self: I can connect to Brady because he did the right thing, even though it wasn't easy. Sometimes I am in situations and making the right choice can really be hard because anger can drive you into doing the wrong thing. He was in a situation that was really difficult and I have been in his shoes before. Like they always say, "doin what's right isn't always easy".
Text to text: This book can connect to A Face First because both Kelly and Brady were suffering fighting their own battles. Kelly was suffering from her burns and her friends were starting to separate from her. Brady was suffering because he was in a really tough situation and didn't know what to do with the drill. His friends were separating from him and started to ignore him after Ben's death. Text to world: Red Kayak can connect with the world today because of what is going on with Isis, Paris, and all the terrorists. People are making bad decisions because of peer pressure, anger, and just not good choices. Digger and J.T. made some bad choices by drilling holes in the kayak because of anger and retaliation towards the DIAngelos. In this chapter, we see how quickly relationships can change. I think the relationship between Brady and Mrs. DIAngelo, his parents, and Digger and J.T. are in jeopardy at this point. I think that Mrs. DIAngelo will be mortified with Brady because of his actions and will try and stay away from him. I also think that Brady's parents will be very upset with him because he kept this a secret for so long and their family will start to have problems and fight. Lastly, I think that Digger and J.T. will be shocked that Brady told the cops and their friendship will end and they will be torn apart because of this situation. I don't think that there is anything that can change how these relationships will end up because what Brady, Digger, and J.T did just cannot be forgiven. Brady knew that this would happen if he told his parents and the truth came out, so nothing will ever be the same.
We find out that Digger's home life is far worse than we thought. I think that his home life has a lot to do with his behavior. I also believe that this is an excuse for his behavior because he might be stressed and upset because his parents are fighting so much. Sometimes people act out when things aren't going well in another aspect of their life. This has never happened to me, but I know that Digger's situation relates to a bully's behavior. When someone is being mean to you or they are acting out a lot, it is because they are having very difficult problems in their life. Acting out like this is how people sometimes express their feelings and emotions.
Tom Parks told his son, "Doin what's right is not always the easiest thing." A time when I followed this advice was when I was angry at my mom last week. I stormed off because anger took a toll on me and doing what was right wasn't so easy. Sometimes anger will drive you into doing the wrong thing instead of following the right. My instincts were to storm off and yell instead of talking out the problem. I considered apologizing and that is what I did. I made it right again and I felt pretty relieved and happy that I made the right choice.
On Brady's way to Rhode Island he gets a chance to think about what he is going to do. If I were Brady, I would tell my parents first because they always know the right thing to do in situations like this. I would also call the police because Mrs. DIAngelo shouldn't be the one to blame for her son's death. I would have a long talk with Mrs. DIAngelo and explain everything that happened with the drill. Finally, I wouldn't have touched the drill in the first place and I would have left it in the spot it came from so my fingerprints would't be on the evidence. Even though my friends would get in trouble, sometimes you just have to do the right thing.
In chapters 17 - 22 Brady saw Digger again and told him that he still has the drill in his house. Brady explains to Digger how he would feel if it was his little brother or sister in that kayak and asks the question... "You think you can just walk away and say everybody would forget about it." (Realizing he will never forget about what happened to Ben and his sister dying.) In these chapters, we also learn that Digger's parents have been having big fights lately and whenever they have a fight, Digger's mom takes the kids and leaves for two days.
Brady also takes a train to Rhode Island and spends a fun week with his aunt Janet and his two cousins Kevin and Emily. He finds a picture of Amanda, realizing that he never saw a picture of her. His aunt let him keep the picture to look at whenever he needed to see her smile. Brady made the decision of throwing the drill in the bay remembering the time when Digger saved his life in the water and knowing it will be too much for J.T. to handle because his dad is very sick in the hospital. He says that he is "protecting J.T and Digger and his parents as well." Lastly, Mr. Parks is not going to the Crisfield because now he is going to respect the bay's balance more. Brady also asks his dad if he could use the Miss Amanda to haul out the red kayak that sill lurks in the waters of the Corsica Rivers.
Brady: "J.T., I found the drill in the boathouse!"
JT: "What are you talking about Brady?" Brady: "Did you and Digger drill holes in the kayak?" JT: "We were only joking! I didn't want Ben to die!" Brady: "Well he did! Why would you and Digger ever do something like that!" JT: "Digger wanted to get back at the DIAngelo's, so he figured they would "go for a swim"." Brady: "I am going to go to Digger's house and confront him!" JT: "No! Don't go without me!" Brady: "Well I am, and you two are going to get in serious trouble!" JT: "I don't know why you are doing this to us. We used to be best friends." Brady: "After Ben died, you and Digger have been ignoring me. I really cared about Ben, and now he's dead!" JT: "Please don't turn us in!" Brady: "It is not my problem that you and Digger decided to steal my dad's drill and drill holes in their kayak!" JT: " Well, you were the one who had the idea." Brady: "What?" JT: "Remember that day on the beach when you had he idea of drilling holes in the kayak?" Brady: "I was only kidding. You and Digger actually decided it was a good idea to do it." JT: "It was a mistake!" Brady: "We didn't want them to get hurt!" JT: "Was it? Was it really a mistake that you guys killed a little boy?" Audio At the end of chapter 13, Brady found the missing drill his dad was looking for. I think the possibilities that answer the questions in his mind are... "Did Digger do this?" "Is it my fault that I put this idea in his head?" "I was only joking." " Its all my fault that Ben died!" "Why would Digger go to this extreme?" "Why did I make that kind of horrible comment?"
I think that Brady will finally express his feelings to his parents and let them know about the drill. Also, I think that Brady will confront Digger and J.T. and ask them if they drilled holes in the DIAngelo's kayak. Lastly, I think that Mrs. DIAngelo will find the drill and think that Brady did this to Ben and it was his fault that her son died. "Was it an accident... or something more?" In chapters 11 & 12, Brady began to visit Mrs. DIAngelo in this tough time. He recommended a butterfly garden for her to cope with Ben's death. The type of plants Mrs. Parks recommended for the butterfly garden are shrubs like: azaleas, rhododendrons, spicebush, and a wisteria vine. Flat rocks were important because then the butterflies can warm up before they take off. Colors like yellow, purple, and blue are symbolic because those are the colors the butterflies like the best. The most important flower and color is the butterfly bush and the lavender because they get a lot of butterflies. The butterfly garden helped Mrs. Parks in the coping of her daughter's death because she believes that butterflies are like spirits. Maybe even Amanda's spirit. In Chapter 10, J.T. and Digger were clearly avoiding Brady. I think they were doing this because they were there that morning they saw Mrs. DIAngelo and Ben with Brady. They must have felt that they should have been part of the search. They also might have been jealous of Brady being a "hero" and might be hiding something and trying not to be around Brady. I would feel really hurt because I would want Alyssa and Gia to comfort me if something like this happened. I would feel really rejected and confused if they were ignoring me at a time like this. I would ask them why they were ignoring me and resolve the problem. I would also try to make up with them because their friendship is extremely important to me.
In Chapter 9, Brady talks about the butterfly garden and how it reminds him of his sister Amanda. I think Mrs. Parks got rid of everything that reminded her of Amanda because it might be too painful to see something that brought back memories of her. Mrs. Parks doesn't talk at all about Amanda and the only materialistic thing that is left of her is the boat Miss Amanda. Mrs Parks blames herself for what happened because she thought she should of checked on the baby that night. "There is nothing in our house to even suggest Amanda existed. Not a stuffed animal, or a picture, or a piece of clothing -- nothing." This has never happened to me or anyone I know, but we remember someone who has passed away in a much different manner. We usually keep something in memory of that person. For example, we have a picture of my great grandma in our kitchen to remember her everyday. Also, every time we see a butterfly, it is a symbol that the people who have departed are watching over us everyday. In Chapter 8, Brady experienced many emotions. Last year I was angry at something and it soon turned into sadness. It was a Wednesday afternoon at a normal gym class when I broke my finger. I was pretty angry at first because I always get hurt and I didn't want to miss out on anything. Well, that anger quickly turned into sadness because I just realized that I had basketball practice the next day. I was really excited about the season because our team was really good and we made it to the championships. Although basketball isn't about winning. Anyways, I was really sad because I had to watch my teammates have fun on the court and I was really missing out. But, as a team player it was my job to still come to every practice and every game. I would sit with my team and cheer them on and before I knew it, the championship game was right around the corner. Brady's emotions were all over the place because he was in shock and sad but at the same time he was feeling guilt. Brady thought he could have done more than he did for Ben, and he could have. He could have called out to them that morning of the accident. Maybe Ben could still be alive right now. Some of Brady's feelings at the end of the chapter when he peered in the water were sadness, anger, guilt, and shock. "When I leaned over to peer into the river , the water was not brown and full of sediment, but perfectly clear. And at the bottom, a few feet down, I could see the red kayak." In chapter 7, a reporter called Brady and wanted to interview him about the accident that occurred on that Monday. The reporter made it really seem like Brady was a hero. I think that the article the reporter wrote was too dramatic and exaggerated. For example... "...plucked a three - year old child from the frigid waters of the Corsica River.... while speeding through pelting rain to waiting rescuers." (page 44) I think that Brady should have mentioned that he and his friends saw the DIAngelo's on the red kayak that morning when the water was rough. Also, I think that the reporter could have made it less dramatic and stuck to the facts. Maybe he could have talked more about the condition of Mrs. DIAngelo and Ben. Did they experience hypothermia or brain damage? Where exactly did Brady save Ben? What about Mrs. DIAngelo, where did they save her? This is what I think should have been included in the article the reporter wrote.
At the end of chapter 5, Brady stopped his boat "right in the middle of the Corsica River"... to pray. This was out of the ordinary because he isn't the type of person who prays much. "Hardly at all really." This made him feel very emotional because he had tears in his eyes when he did this in the middle of the Corsica River in the pouring rain. Fate worked in his favor because if Mr. Parks hadn't been working in the shop that Monday, and was out on the water, he wouldn't have gotten Brady from school and Brady wouldn't have saved Ben. But, luckily Dad was able to get Brady from school to save Ben in the frigid waters of the Corsica River.
The outcome of the incident has been quite tragic for Mr. DIAngelo, Mrs. DIAngelo, and Ben after that morning. If some of these characters could have done anything differently, I don't think any of this would have happened...
Mr. DIAngelo- He was on a kayak in a river he wasn't familiar with. I think he could have asked a few people if it is safe to be on a kayak in that river. Digger- He didn't warn Mr. DIAngelo that it wan't safe to be on the river at that time because it was rough. He also said that it wouldn't be so bad if he fell in the river. I think he could have warned Mr. DIAngelo and called out to him. Carl- He told Brady that Mr. DIAngelo would paddle back if he was smart enough. I think he should of went back to the river and made him get out. Mr. Parks- He went separate from Brady when they were looking for Ben and his mom. He should have went with Brady because he cold have gotten Ben to an ambulance faster. Mrs. DIAngelo- She was on a kayak with a three year old who can't swim in a river that they were very unfamiliar about. She shouldn't have brought Ben and could have asked if it was a good and safe day to go on a kayak. Mr Parks was used to earn all his money from trapping crabs on the river, until one day his money source was taken away from him. About a year ago, the state legislature cut Mr. Park's workday from 14 hours to 8 hours. Then on top of that the governor took away the month of November which hurt them even more financially. After that, Mrs. Parks had to work extra hours at a nursing home and Mr. Parks was really upset. All of this happened because they were "fishing in the bay too hard". "To many crab pots, too many trot lines. You have to take the long look." A scientist had said this a Brady's school because there was too much pollution. I know that they have to cut down on the crabbing and fishing, but they shouldn't have taken away Mr. Parks' money source away from him. This is Mr. Park's crabbing.
Friendship in my opinion, is the relationship or bond between you and your friend that will last forever. To share a real friendship with someone, you have to trust one another and always be there for them when they need it most. You also need to always be kind, loyal, supportive, honest, and most importantly stand up for each other.
Throughout my 10 years here at AMBS, I have made many great friends that I now call my family. We have had our laughs, tears, and moments that we will never forget. I cherish these important memories with my friends everyday because you never know how much longer they will last. "Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what" -Unknown .... This is how much I love my "family"... this is how much my friendship with them means to me. In chapter 2, we meet may new characters who are very unique... Brady: The main character in the book who loves crabbing and fishing. He is similar to his father and lives on the Chesapeake bay. J.T: One of Brady's closest friends who is quite easy going. He also seems laid back. Digger: Another one of Brady's closest friends who is angry at Mr. DIAngelo because he took his property and knocked down his house. He seems rude, stuck up, and has a bad mouth. Carl: Brady's cousin who always picks up J.T., Digger, and Brady to go to school. Tilly: Brady's yellow lab who loves to play catch. Brady's dad: A water man half the year and carpenter the other half. The state legislature cut his workday from fourteen hours to eight. Mr. DIAngelo: The new neighbor who is unfamiliar about the Chesapeake Bay. He is also obsessed with physical fitness. Mrs. DIAngelo: Mr. DIAngelo's wife who is "good looking". Ben: Mr and Mrs DIAngelo's son who Brady babysits. This is Brady. This is Tilly, Brady's yellow lab. What does the Chesapeake Bay look like?
~ The Chesapeake Bay looks like a very long strip of water that seems like it will go on forever. There are boats, bridges, marshlands, small towns, famous landmarks, cliffs, and lots of sailors. Where is the Chesapeake Bay located? ~ The Chesapeake Bay is located in Maryland. What is the Chesapeake Bay known for? ~ The Chesapeake Bay is known for its seafood, boating, fishing, bridges, and crabbing. What do we learn from from this video? ~ We learn that there is more meaning to a body of water than you would think. Before I saw that video, I just thought that The Chesapeake Bay was something I had never heard of before. But now, I realize how much more meaning and beauty that The Chesapeake Bay holds. Why do you think it is important to the plot of the story? ~ I think it is important to the plot of the story because obviously The Chesapeake Bay must be very important to Brady because something happened there. Something tragic occurred because Brady can not leave it the past. 1. Priscilla Cummings was born on April 13, 1951.
2. No one inspired her to become an author, it was always a love of hers. 3. She has written over 21 books. 4. It takes her about a year to a year in a half to write a book. 5. She has a husband, John, and two children, William and Hannah. 6. She went to college at the University of New Hampshire. 7. She majored in English literature. 8. She does her best work in the morning. 9. In her free time she likes to read, take walks, watch movies, and spend time with her family. 10. Her favorite book is Charlotte's Webb. |
AuthorPriscilla Cummings |