Final Blog Post Monday Muses: Childhood Memories

   Back in the 5th grade the majority of kids were freaking out because everyone was SO anxious to find out what middle school they got into. I really wanted to go to 51, and so did my best friend Angela. 

 On May 23rd 2011, we found out that was the day we were getting our acceptance letters. Time went on and before we knew the guidance counselor came in our room with our middle school acceptance letters. BUT. We weren't allowed to open them until after-school when our parents came to pick us up. Most kids just took their letters to the bathroom and openend their letters there.But I waited..because I wanted to open my letter with my best friend who was in the other class. So our teachers escorted us to the school yard where our parents came to pick us up. I didn't see my mom, (of course this  was the day she decided to show up twenty years late) I ran over to Angela, and asked her "What school did you get into??!!" she responded jumping up and down '' MS.51!!'' I was so happy for her even though I didn't open my letter yet, because I knew how bad she wanted to go to this school. "OH MY GOD" I said jumping up and down. "Wait let me see your letter." Angela said. "Why...?" I asked puzzled as she took the letter out of my hand. "Because.." she said"This paper is really see-through so I can just put your envelope up to the light and tell you what school you got into.''  "okay." I responded nervously. "YOU GOT INTO 51!'' she said jumping up and down "YAY!" I said happily.

  Ever since the day when we got our acceptance letters, we talked about how excited we were to get in. All summer long we talked about ms.51, we were excited but so nervous at the same time. What if we don't make friends? What if were not in the same class? What will the kids and teachers be like? We wondered... 

 Before we knew it, summer was over..And the first day of middle school was here.

Sadly Angela and I were not in the same class. I had the majority of people who went to ps.261 (my old school) in my class, and she had nobody. But the first day of 6th grade was fun and worth all the excitement. It was fun walking around at lunch, taking the bus home without my parents. Coming to 51 was a whole new sense of freedom.

Theme in Hate List

  The theme in the book Hate list is violence because the book is about a school shooting.

Valerie's boyfriend, Nick Levil was a drifting student who behaved strangely in the the last few months of his life. He'd been spending time with someone who wasn't a very good person. One day he brought in the "Hate List" (a list he and Valerie made, that consisted of all the names of those who we're mean or who they didn't like) and a gun and shot many of whom were on the list, Valerie, and himself. Nick was going through a phycological breakdown along with a mental spasm of some type.

 Another theme in the book is hatred and bullying. Nick and Valerie were always seen as the "weird kids" in school. So they started writing down names of the kids that were bothering them. One of the names included one of the popular girls Jenna who was so mean to Valerie. But Valerie never thought it would go this far. She never thought that one day her boyfriend would come to school and shoot almost everybody. Right when Nick was about to shoot Jenna, Valerie jumped in front of the bullet and took a shot to her leg and saved her life. I think this shows that people can change, although Valerie hated Jenna, she still wouldn't want to see her die.

Nick ended up dying and, most people ending up blaming Valerie for Nicks mistakes. And her life was spent in guilt. Her parents ended up getting divorced,her brother left the house,and she and her mom had to go to therapy to sort out there problems.Valerie kept having vivid flashbacks and dreams of the violent shooting.

 I found this book interesting to track the theme because there were so many themes from bullying,to hatred,to violence,family tension, and suicide.