Harry Potter And the Chamber of Secrets

I am reading the book, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" by JK Rowling. In this book, at the beginning Harry is stuck at his aunt and uncles house and they are not letting him do anything. Then there is a house elf that turns up in Harry's room and tells him not to go to Hogwarts this year and Doby (the elf) was taking his letters from Hermione and Ron (Harry's best friends) and then to top that off Doby got Harry locked up in his room. But then Ron and his brothers broke him out of that house and brang Harry to their house. But a little later when Harry and Ron are trying to go to the train through the wall Doby closes the portal and their stuck at the train station and you will have to read the book to see what happens next.

I think what Doby did to Harry and Ron was very bad. I know he is trying to stop Harry from wanting to go to Hogwarts but he goes through so much to do it. First Doby is trying to make Harry think his friends don't like him because he's not getting any letters. Then if that wasn't bad enough he just gets Harry grounded and not aloud to go to Hogwarts. Then he also tells him that he shouldn't go to Hogwarts. Finally after all of that and Harry still went to the train Doby blocked the portal to the train, track 9 3/4.

 In the short story, “Am I Blue”, by Bruce Collins the main character, Vincent learns that there may be a lot of people who hate on gays and say its bad. But that’s not true, don’t worry what other people think about you, just be yourself. 

Melvin supports this theory by saying things like, “I walk and talk the way I do because I’m not going to let anyone else define me.” This backs up my original idea because Melvin is saying it is his choice the way he walks and talks, In other words he doesn’t care what other people think of him, he just wants to be himself. Also, what Melvin is basically trying to say to Vincent is that you shouldn’t let other people define you, just be yourself. 

Vincent also feels unconfortable around Melvin because Melvin kept winking at other gay guys, “Then winked at a nice looking college student sitting about five tables away from us. ‘Will you stop that!’ I hissed.” Again Melvin doesn’t care what other people think and is just being himself. But Vincent thinks he will get beat up because of that wink. In the beggining before all of this Vincent is trying to repress his gay feelings. But after he gets gaydar and realizes how many people are gay he gets more confortable around Melvin and settles for the fact that he may or may not be gay, “Maybe when I meet the girl of my dreams. Or my prince charming. Whichever.

In conclusion, I think that you shouldn’t let other people define who you are, and just be yourself. Finally I want you ,the reader to try to help stop bullying on gays, If you see someone getting bullied because of their sexuality or another reason stand up for them or tell an adult. 

Drummer Boy of Shilloh Response

The short story, “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury shows the reader that you should face life head on with faith and courage even when life’s difficult. I think this because by the end of the story when the general talked Joby up he was ready to face life and the war head on.
In the “Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by Ray Bradbury the general talks Joby up which makes Joby feel better. I think this because in the beginning when we first met Joby he was depressed and thinks he's going to die and says things before the general talks to him like, “I got only a drum, two sticks to beat it, and no shield.” But when the general talked to him the general said, “You’re general of the army when the generals left behind.” Joby changes by the general giving him confidence. This change is important because without the newborn confidence he might still think he's going to die.
Also at the end of the book because of the talking up by the general Joby thinks he is important.  He does this by saying things like, “If Joby beat slow tomorrow ...They would lag by the wayside... But if he beat a sure, steady, ever faster rhythm, their knees would come up in a long line over the hill.” That made Joby feel important in the war and ready to face the war head on.
In conclusion, this short story tells us that you need to face life head on with faith and courage even when life's difficult. I think this because by the end of the story when the general talked Joby up he was ready to face life and the war head on.