in the book The Faults in our Stars the two main characters are very different. Hazel is looking on the downside of cancer and she is always acting like she is going to die. Gus is very optimistic and try's to do everything. He try's not to focus on the downside of cancer and he try's to live life to the fullest. Hazel try's to do things that she knows she can't do, and so does Gus. This is one of their similarities. Hazel always dreams about things she wants to do. On the other hand, Gus arranges and makes the things hazel wants to do happen. One example of this is that hazel dreamed of meeting the author of one of her favorite books. Gus emailed him and the author got them plane tickets and a hotel for their stay in Amsterdam. I am only halfway into the book, so I don't know everything about the characters yet. 

My Sci-Fi Piece

Doctor George Alfer was getting ready to present his new time machine. 10 

minutes until he was up. Nobody has ever tried to go back in time because it is too 

dangerous. George wanted to go back in time and see when his parents first met, 

because when George was a kid, they were never at home but at work. he wanted to 

alter their past and make them have new jobs so George could have had a better 

childhood.

“George, its time to present your creation” says Mcsnaf, the organizer of the 

event. As George stepped out onto the stage, he saw many powerful leaders and 

organizations waiting to see the worlds first time machine.  

“Hello everyone, may I please have your attention?” says George. The crowd turns and  

a lump forms in Georges throat. President Eisendoch is at the event, and he knows that 

he cannot let him down.

“Today will be a breakthrough for mankind, and this event will change history” says 

George. The crowed claps and roars. 

“I will place myself in this time capsule and go back to the year 1967, and hopefully 

return safely and unharmed. wish me luck.” 

After saying that, George placed himself in the capsule and clicked the activation 

button. There was a deafening roar and then suddenly George and the time capsule 

were gone.

George was traveling at the speed of light. He could see the time particles 

passing him as he traveled through the earths atmosphere. Years were wizzing by his 

face and he knew he was nearing the year 1967.

The capsule was slowing down and George could see the cars driving around 

the street. but these cars were the vintage cars that George would see in a museum. He 

couldn't believe it! His time machine worked! George landed the time machine without 

looking. suddenly there was the sound of cracking bones and a shrill. “what happened!” 

George cried out.he looked under the capsule and his mom was crushed underneath. 

Georges head felt light. “this means that i am erased from history” he thinks in his head.

when George returns back to the future, all of his friends greet him. 

“hey jack, it worked!”

“You changed history!”

“whos jack?” said George,

“do you not remember yourself? your mother is Anna and your father is John.”

“NO! Thats not right! my mother is…”

George remembered that he killed his mother, so that means he was born as a different 

person. 

“My time machine worked! it actually worked! I altered the course of my life” George 

shouts out.

“Matt, your going to be late to school!” I groan and roll out of bed. Oh crap! 

Its 8:30, and school starts at 8:40. I rush out of the door and run to school. As i 

pass the deli on the corner of my block, I see a man who is limping, and his ear is 

bleeding. I wonder if he's OK i thought in my head. But i don't have time to ask. 

I arrive at the red front door of my school, just as 1^st period bell rings.

Yesssssss!! I think to myself as I walk to homeroom. My footsteps are the only 

sound in the blue school hallway. as i near my class, i hear faint crunches and 

groans. The door is ajar, and the man I saw at the deli was eating the kidney of  a 

kid, unrecognizable from all the blood. The man looks up at me, and from the 

corner of my eye, the kid who was just slaughtered is standing, and limping 

towards me. I turn around and dash out the school door. Outside, the sun is 

gleaming down on me and the trees are full of birds.   Everyone around me is 

moaning and walking, no limping toward me. 

I run down main street and fumble through my pockets to find my silver 

keys to the front door of my house. Oh god, I forgot my keys! I thought to myself. 

The things were closing in all around me. I bash through the door of my house 

and run down the wooden hall to the kitchen, and grab a stainless steel knife, 

which was originally used to cut fish, but it would work for people. I stab the man 

in the stomach, and blood spurts all over the wooden counter, but he's still alive 

somehow. I am perspiring and about to retch. the man, now on the floor grabs my 

leg and bites it. I try to cry out, but there is no pain.

“Matt? Hello? Can you answer the question or not?” I wearily sit up and 

scratch my head. “What did you say?” 

“Do you need to see the guidance councilor about your concentration problems?” 

says my teacher mr. Dylan. 

“No thanks mr. Dylan.”

“Im not giving you a choice, your failing my class matt, and you need to get your 

grades up fast, because the end of the school year is in 2 weeks.” 

A wave of shock washed over me.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean that you have gotten all 65s on my tests, and you have done your 

homework once.” Wow. Thats a shocker. I gathered my school supplies and 

walked out of the classroom. I could tell that every set of eyes in the classroom 

were glued on me.

A week passes. I have been studying all night for mr. Dylans math test, my 

eyes are bloodshot and my mind is delirious. I glance over my shoulder to look at 

the clock, and it says 1:30 AM. I need sleep I think to myself, but i have to study 

or else I will fail his test and I will have to go to summer school. Even after 

pounding a 5 hour energy, I cannot stay up any longer. my eyelids droop shut 

and I am knocked out. Buzz Buzz Buzz. 

“Shut up alarm clock” I mumble. Oh no! Todays the test and I am so tired I can 

barely brush my teeth. 

The school bell rings, marking 1^st period. The test is 2^nd period. I cram in 

some last minute studying on my way to mr. Dylans room.

Its time for the test.

-3+2=11

7--12=23

32--38=16

-19+12=3

I hand in my test to mr. Dylan, and he frowns and furrows his brow. 

“Matt, you got every question wrong, I dont know how to put this, but your going 

to summer school.”

Authors craft

Jasper Townsend Class 707

3/24/14

            The 2 poems “aquatinted with the night” by Robert Frost, and “we grow 

accustomed to the dark” by Emily Dickinson both both use authors craft for showing 

depression. In Frosts poem, there is no hope and the speaker is lost in depression. In 

Dickinson's poem, we learn that the speaker is experiencing depression, but the 

speaker still has hope. Between these poems, the authors express depression 

differently by using different structures, point of views, and imagery.

             In these 2 poems, the point of view affects the way the speaker is feeling. In the 

poem by Frost, he only uses “i”, which says that he is alone. In Dickinson's poem, she 

uses the “we” voice, which indicates that there are more people, that the speaker isn't 

by their self. In Dickinson's poem, the speaker says  “We uncertain step for newness of 

the night.” This is showing the reader that the speaker is not alone. In Frosts poem, the 

speaker says “I have walked out….” This shows the reader that the speaker is alone. 

The “i” voice makes the reader feel isolated and depressed. On the other hand, when 

an author uses the “we” voice, it makes the reader feel like they are not alone and there 

is still hope. The “we” voice also is more comforting than the “i” voice.

In these 2 poems, depression is also shown in the structure. In Frosts poem, the 

structure is very compact and organized, consisting of rhyme schemes. This shows that 

the speaker is used to being in the dark, used to being in a state of depression, and it is 

not a new experience. The author says that “down the saddest city lane...dropped my 

eyes, unwilling to explain.” This is an example of one of the multiple rhyme schemes. In 

Dickinson's poem, there are multiple dashes in each stanza, making the poem very 

choppy and  awkward. This resembles a new experience for the speaker- depression. 

The author demonstrates this by saying such as “A moment - We uncertain step…

Darknesses…” This is showing that the speaker is stepping into a new feeling of 

darkness. 

            These 2 poems also use imagery to create a picture of depression and what the 

speaker are feeling and seeing. With Frosts poem, all of the images are sad and 

depressing, representing the speakers feelings. the author uses imagery such as 

“...outwalked the furthest city light.” This is showing the reader that the speaker has out 

walked the last light of hope. This is also showing that the speaker has no hope in 

himself, that there is no way to make himself happy again. Dickinson's poem insinuates 

that there is still a flicker of hope in the distance. She creates this feeling by using 

imagery such as “...Life steps almost straight.” This means that life is almost normal

again, how the speakers life used to be. The author also shows hope in imagery by 

saying “...Darkness alters-….” This is showing that the speaker is changing, and is 

seeing hope once again.  

            All in all, the poem “aquatinted with the night” is insinuating that when someone 

is sucked into a state of depression, they need comforting and loving. “we grow 

accustomed to the dark” shows us that people need to believe in themselves when they 

are depressed, and they cannot give up and let depression win. this is also showing us 

that we are not alone, and there are always helping hands. 

two poem essay

The two poems “My Papas Waltz” by Theodore Roethke and “Those Winter 

Sundays” by Robert Hayden both show a child and father relationship. In “My Papas 

Waltz”, we see an evening with a father and son who are waltzing around the kitchen, 

showing a close relationship. In the poem “Those Winter Sundays” we see a child who 

doesn't realize how much he loves his father. 

In “My Papas Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the father comes back from work, has 

a drink, and with his child, “we romped until the pans slid from the shelves...” This 

sentence is showing a son and dad waltzing around the kitchen, and having a good time 

with each other. The speaker is showing the reader how much affection the dad has 

towards his son. When the son and father are dancing, the “...mothers continence could 

not unfrown itself.” The speaker is telling us that the mother is annoyed because pans 

were falling from the shelves and they were dancing in the kitchen. When it was time for 

bed the dad “then waltzed me off to bed, still clinging to your shirt.” This shows that the 

child was exhausted after a pleasant and entertaining evening dancing with his father. 

In “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden, the father even “sundays too...got 

up early... cracked hands that ached from weekday weather made banked fires blaze” 

This shows the reader that even on his day off, the father still gets up early to heat the 

house so his family would be warm. “No one ever thanked him.” the speaker is showing  

shows that his family took what he did for them for granted.Later as an adult the son 

realizes all that his father had done for him. He “had driven out the cold...polished my 

good shoes as well.” Looking back at all of the things his father had done for him, “what 

did I know, what did I know...” This shows that he should have been grateful for 

everything his father had done for him, and he shouldn't have ignored that. 

These two poems shared many things in common. both families were working 

class, and both fathers did many things to help their children. Both fathers showed their 

love for their children in different ways, such as dancing with them, or keeping them 

warm in the morning by waking up early to make a fire. 

character similarities and differences

          

           I have been reading the book allegiant in the divergent series by Veronica Roth. Ever since the first book the two main characters Tris and 4 (his real name is Tobias), have had many similarities and differences. In this blog i will be telling you what they are!

differences

           First off, 4 is a horrible lier. Nobody ever believes his fibs and canards. On the other side, Tris is phenomenal when it comes to lying. She always gets away with her bogus stories and bluffs. Another major difference is that Tris cannot pull a trigger on a gun without remembering shooting one of her best friends, Will. On the flip side, 4 doesn't even think before firing a bullet. 

similarities

           Since both people started off in Abnegation, the factor of selflessness, they put other peoples lives before their own. Another character trait both 4 and Tris have is that they are both very stubborn and often behave like smart alecks. This always gets them into heaps of trouble, and even sometimes their actions almost get them killed. This character trait also makes them want to rebel and leave the confines of the city, and no one knows what lies outside.

Should College Athletes be Paid?

By Jasper Townsend Class 707

While college athletes earn their schools millions of dollars a year, they are not 

given an actual paycheck. Instead they receive an academic scholarship, which pays for 

school, but not all living expenses, and this this has caused much debate between the 

NCAA and many college athletes across the nation. College sports is big business in 

the US and for all that these players do for their schools, they deserve some of these profits 

on top of their scholarships to ease the burden of daily living expenses.

One reason that college athletes should be paid is that many of them are living in 

poverty. According to www.ncpanow.org, “University of Texas football players’ fair 

market value was $513,922 but they lived $778 below the federal poverty line and had a 

$3,624 scholarship shortfall.” This shows that while they were generating money for 

their school and becoming stars, they were living under the poverty line. Another piece 

of evidence found by www.dailyfinance.com proves this point even further. “The report 

also found that the room-and-board provisions in a full scholarship leave 85% of players 

living on campus and 86% of players living off campus living below the federal poverty 

line.” This shows that athletes need paychecks so they are not living in poverty or at 

the very least, they should receive a stipend for living day to day. 

Another reason college athletes should be paid is that they do not have enough 

money for daily necessities. As said by www.theweek.com, “Because even full-ride 

athletic scholarships don't cover the full cost of attending school, athletes are often short 

a few thousand bucks for ancillary expenses on top of tuition, room and board, books, 

and fees: Money for gas, shampoo, and, yes, maybe a few beers.”  This quote shows that many 

students do not have enough money for basic objects and activities. In another source, 

www.dailycamera.com says “Miller, from Littleton, sympathizes with his out-of-state teammates 

who have to stretch their stipends even further to pay for flights home.” This shows that these 

players need to stretch their stipends so much thay even have to use it for airplane tickets to visit 

nephews.

Some may say that college athletes should not be paid because the athletes are 

not eligible for any other support. Students can be supported by their schools by 

receiving stipends. As said in an interview with Julian Hayes on the Hawks on 

www.usatoday.com, “There are simple things like gas money, toiletries, clothing — things that 

people take for granted. A student who is on an academic scholarship has time to bring in some 

extra income, whereas a full scholarship player most likely is not able to do that.” If the 

student receives a stipend, it is legal and helpful. 

College athletes should be paid living wages. Many of them are struggling to meet their 

daily needs, and these talented, young stars of tomorrow deserve better . They generate millions 

for their school, and  they deserve some of the profits.

Works Cited 

"Boulder DailyCamera.com: Colorado, News, Business, Sports, Homes, Jobs, Cars & Information - Boulder Daily Camera." Boulder DailyCamera.com: Colorado, News, Business, Sports, Homes, Jobs, Cars & Information - Boulder Daily Camera. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. <http://www.dailycamera.com/>. 

"DailyFinance." .com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. <http://www.dailyfinance.com/>. 

"Home | National College Players Association." Home | National College Players Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. <http://www.ncpanow.org/>. 

"USA TODAY: Latest World and US News." USA Today. Gannett, n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/>. 

"The Week Magazine: Political News and Cartoons, Current Events and Entertainment Online." The Week. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2014. <http://www.theweek.com/>.