What's 811 Reading? discussion

Choose a character from your text. This may be the protagonist, antagonist, or a secondary character. Identify the character's greatest weakness and discuss how it has impacted his/her life.

Please consult your rubric and models to ensure that you are doing your best work!

For a “4”: Did I….
• Write a topic sentence that provided the title, author, and genre of my text?
• Provide context of what is happening in the text, so my reader understands what I’m talking about?
• Find a direct quote from the text that proves my idea?
• Thoroughly explain the significance of my quote/how it proves my idea?
• Check for correct punctuation and spelling?

In Carl Deuker's realistic fiction novel, Night Hoops, the protagonist, Nick Abbott's greatest weakness is sharing the ball as a point guard and leader of the basketball team. Nick Abbott is a 12 year-old boy who struggles to work with teammate Trent Dawson from moving and sharing the ball. Nick was told from his Mother that sometimes, he just has to share the basketball in order to win games. However, Nick was a streaky shooter, so passing wasn't his greatest strengths. Nick's mother once told him,"Sometimes, you just have to move the ball. I mean, you're a point guard, right? And point guards shares the ball mors than attempting shots. So, you're going to change your role as a player and find a way to work with Trent as great teammates." This quote shows Nick's greatest weakness because he doesn't like sharing the ball and he can't control himself from changing his role as a player. However, if Nick never finds a way to have great team chemistry with Trent and his team, he was never going to lead his team with a championship. Therefore, this is why I chose this as Nick's greatest weakness.

In Caroline b. Cooney's ralistic fiction novel What ever happened to Janie my main character Janie's weakness is that she is to trusting meaning that when she saw that face on the milk carton she first assumed that it was Jennie spring but she can't be that sure it could be a setup or a trick to mess up her mind."Hey i think i know this girl she looks a little like Jennie Spring but it can't be."(65)This quote means that Janie could be right she is just seeing things.In conclusion I think Janie's weakness is she too trusting because of the face on the milk carton.

In Markus Zusaks historical fiction novel The Book Thief, a weakness that best describes the protagonist is lack of education. The main character Liesel Meminger a nine year-old girl who is Jewish, who lives with her foster parents during World War II. The reason Liesel has a lack of education is because her dad is a communist and Nazis see that as a threat. Liesel steals books and reads them. Liesel loves to read she will do almost anything, that includes stealing them. “One was a book thief. The other stole the sky." This quote shows how Liesel stole books but someone else stole something bigger. Liesel really did not do anything bad, actually she did something that will not only help her but other Jewish kids who do not have an education as well.

In Rick Riordans fantasy novel The red pyramid, what's happening so far is that Carter and Sadie are going to rescue there dad but they need a car, so they call in Clay-man. Clay-mans weakness is that he has no legs. "I'm the genius out of all you kids, so I demand you give me LEGS!" This quote shows that Clay-man is furious that he has no legs, and in a way, he's sort of a prisoner. When he says that "I'm the genius out of all you kids" he means that he is smarter than them because he taught them magic and gave them knowledge and unlimited books.

Linger
In Maggie Stiefvater's fanstaty romance novel Linger, Sam's greatest weakness is lieing to people. Sam is 18 years old who is not a werewolf anymore and now being a human being again. When Sam was in a shop working in a book store and all of the sudden a police office named Koenig (unknown character) came and talked to him about Olivia (Grace's best friend). He knew that he wasn't the best lie like is his girlfriend Grace (17 years old, knows how to lie, and in a relationship with Sam). "I wondered if this was how Grace spilled out her most useful lies -- by manipulating them into something she could believe." This quote shows that Sam wished that Grace was here with him when Officer Koenig was asking all the questions, and so for Grace will tell him the useful lies to keep Sam very quiet. Therefore, Sam's greatest weakness is telling very bad lies.

In the book Begging for Change by Sharon G. Flake, the protagonist Raspberry's greatest weakness is the greed for money. Raspberry is really poor. Her father is a homeless man who lives on the street and begs for money. Raspberry and her mom live together in an area where there are many kids that do drugs, very loud at night and always end up jail somehow. Since Raspberry, lives in a poor family, she always tries to earn money by doing as many jobs as she can. She even steals from her friend making her friend Zora lose trust in her. "I change the subject, ' cause I ain't gonna tell Ja'nae what I done, and I ain't gonna give Zora the money back neither" (47). This quote shows that Rasperry's weakness is the greed for money. She would do anything for money even steal from a good friend. This made Zora loe her trust in Raspberry and she's waiting for an apology but Raspberry won't admit it because she;s too greedy for money. This shows that Raspberry's greatest weakness is the greed for money.

In the book Go Ask Alice by Simon Pulse, the protagonist because weakness is drugs. I say this because one incident that happened that proves drugs is her weakness is when she was in love with this boy that she was willing to sell drugs to kids who were 9-12 years young. "And II hate being a high school dropout, but I dare not even write for my transcripts, knowing you and Richie might follow them. I'm leaving you a note beloved family, but it can never tell you how sacred you are to me." This quote shows that the protagonist was hurt that she had to leave her life behind because she had did drugs with her ex boyfriend. Though, she ran away because she turned him in and she needed a break from everything. She was ashamed of everything she had done, so she though running away would help. This proves that drugs are her weakness.

In the realistic fiction book, Darkness Before Dawn by Sharon M. Draper, the weakness my protagonist has is her boyfriends death. When he died, she was never the same. It was always coming back to her. She was always watching others having an amazing relationships and everyone was having fun but she just started crying. She was mostly always crying. She just stopped, school, slow, home, slow, and even with friends, slow, boys, out. That stopped her at everything.

In Rhuday Perkovich realistic fiction book, 8th Grade Super Zero, a weakness that Reggie McKnight has is being a total loser. Reggie began his first day back to school as an 8th grade student, right away, it was awful to him. people has been calling him "Pukey", and Hector Vega has been jabbing him in the back every day. His ex-best friend has been part of this too by teasing him also. "still waiting for your encore, Puke!" yells Donovan. "That last performance was...puke-tacular!"(25). This shows that Reggie has been treated like he's garbage because many people at his school has been teasing him since the year has began. even his ex-best friend has been teasing him by insulting his last performance on stage. What he needs to do is to find away to improve his image, make him more popular and respectful.

In Jeff Kinney's realistic fiction novel Diary of a wimpy kid, Greg's weakness is staying inside all summer long. Greg's mom is always trying to get her sun to get some fresh air but all he doe does is stay inside and play video games all day. He wraps his self in a blanket, close the shades, and starts playing. When Greg's mom opens the shades, and says " You should really let some sunlight in here..." (2). Then Greg hisses like he's a vampire because he doesn't want to be wrinkly like his mom when he's old like her. This quote shows that Greg doesn't like the sunlight and he doesn't like going out side. So therefore Greg's weakness is staying inside for the whole summer.

In Christopher Paolini's Fantasy novel, Eldest, Eragon's weakness is he doesn't have enough energy to do magic. He couldn't do much magic without tiring himself. To use magic, the magician needs to take the power from oneself to get the energy to use the spell. Eragon was very weak and couldn't do much magic while he was beginning his training and in his first battle. In Ellesmera, during the Blood-oath celebration, Eragon transformed into a half-elf-half-human. With this new ability, he still couldn't do much magic. When a rider, Murtagh, an old friend of Eragon, becomes evil, he was able to grasp Saphira, (Eragon's dragon) and Eragon. That combination of spells would have left Eragon breathless. "Even with my new abilities, such task would leave me gasping for air and unable to walk"(650). He says "new abilities" because he became an elf hybrid. Elves could do magic, so some of Eragon's magical powers has improved. However, he is still weak because the combination of those spells would have left him gasping for air and unable to walk while Murtagh would be able walk out just fine. Therefore Eragon's weakness is he doesn't have enough energy to do magic.

In Darren Shan's thriller novel Birth Of A Killer the main character Larten Crepsley's biggest weakness is that he dosen't know how to control his anger. Larten Crepsley is a young boy who worked at a factory before child labor laws existed. He worked in the factory with his cousin Vur. His boss Traz was really abusive and did not treat his workers well he was espically mean to Vur. Infact he killed Vur this angered Larten and he killed the Traz by stabbing him to death. Then he meets Seba Nile which is a vampire. Larten tells him about how he killed someone and how guilty he feels and how he feels evil Seba assures Larten that he is not evil and that he would test his blood if his blood was sweet then he was evil. Seba taste his blood and says to Larten that he has mixed blood.but says "you will need to tread cautiously through life and guard your emotions carefully if you wish to master them.But in my opinion you choose good."This quote shows that Larten biggest weakness is that he dosen't know how to control his anger because Seba dosen't even know him and tells him in his own way to control his anger and to be carful of his emotions because they might get the better of him.Also this shows that Larten biggest weakness because he killed someone because of it.

In R.L. Stine's realistic fiction "How I got my Shrunken Head," Mark's biggest fear is his shrunken head. A shrunken head is a toy from a jungle sent from his aunt. Mark's aunt is a plant discoverer in random jungles. Ever since Mark recieved his shrunken head, he might saw allusions from the shrunken head. The shruken head floats and glow it's eye. When Mark's mom come, the shrunken head stops whatever it is doing. Mark's mom thinks Mark was acting up ever since his dad left the family. Mark suggested, "Maybe I am seeing allusions, maybe I should move on." This quote shows that he needs somebody to be a father to him. Mark's mom was dating a guy. Maybe he will be a perfect father, I hope.

In Christopher Paolini's realistic fiction novel Brisingr Eragon's biggest weakness is his magic. It is his biggest weakness because using certain spells can kill him. In the novel, Eragon is trying to find all of Galbotorix's magicians so he can kill them before they scry him and tell Galbotorix where he is. However, Galbotorix's magicians also know how to use magic. If Eragon tries to use magic to kill a magician who is stronger than him, the magic would kill him instead."If a magician is more powerful than you, you could be killed!"(108) This quote shows that Eragon's biggest weakness is magic, because it can kill Eragon if he isn't careful enough.

In 50 Cent's autobiography, From Pieces To Weight, 50's greatest weakness was being unable to control his emotions. 50 grew up in the rough neighborhood of Southside Queens and after years of dealing drugs, he turned to rapping and making music. Jam Master Jay had helped him begin his music career after 50 went to him. Over the next few years, 50 was making some progress but wasn't making enough money. He stated, "I went back to the drug business because it was the only thing I knew how to do well." This quote shows that 50 couldn't help the fact he was running low on money and that although he enjoyed writing music, he wanted faster progress. During this time, he made many more enemies and even lost connection with the "Godfather," a respected powerful dealer after having an argument with him and letting his feelings get the best of him. People began to target him and one day he was shot 9 times at close range. Therefore if 50 could've controlled his emotions, he would not have made so many enemies and ended up in the hospital in critical condition.

In Paul Langan's mystery novel The Gun Tyray's weakness is his ego and how it gets messed up or ruined in just three days.In the story well novel the main character is tyray and he is acting tough in school.In the the school of Blu Ford High School he is one of the not only feared but question kid that gets most of his bad habbits from his father.His father is a feared man and rules anything he got with a iron fist.In the book the father is abusive and controlling.One example in the book is when he came and got tost but a scruny kid and got beat up by him.

In the non fiction novel "it happend to Nancy " by Beatrice my characters name is Nancy and her weakness is at first to let anyone know she had HIV she was terrified she was scared . She was scared to tell anyone she had been raped by the guy she had fallen inlove with when everyone has been telling her hes to old for her. This impacts her life becuase what is there left for her she has no future now whos going to respect her now after they found out she has HIV and has been raped. People are going to thinks she an easy girl.