Look Both Ways Padlet Project by Melat Dereje

Introduction

melatdereje — 2024-10-21 18:04:39 UTC

In "Look Both Ways" By Jason Reynolds, there are 10 different stories that mainly focus on Black Middle School Kids. One of the main topics in this book is Friendship. Therefore my thesis will be on friendship. My statement is "Real friends will stay with you through good and bad."

Theme Exploration

melatdereje — 2024-10-21 18:06:42 UTC

My theme is friendship. "Five Things Easier" "Simeon bent his keens, squatting just enough for Kenzi to get a running start......to jumping on his back".(20). Kenzi is very small compared to the other middle schoolers at his school. People would always end up elbowing him in the hallways. Kenzi would end up getting black eyes often. Simeon was big for his age. He would go to all of Kenzi's classes and give him a ride on his back to get him to his classes. "Water Booger Bears" it said "Well Jasmine called him her "best friend who's a boy", but she didn't have a best friend who's a girl, so TJ is her best friend best friend". (2). Jasmine and TJ have been best friend for 6 years. They only have each other. They grew up together, so they know all their personalities and moods. They know how to make each other laugh whenever they are feeling sad. They are used to each others personage. No matter what they support each other through all their struggles.

Character Analysis

melatdereje — 2024-10-21 18:07:23 UTC

"Water Booger Bears" it said "See even though TJ was ridiculous and annoying and sometimes gross, she appreciated the fact that he always made her laugh whether she wanted to or not. He was always there to chip off some of the hard off. Tear at the toughness Jasmine had built up over the school year" (Reynolds 7). Jasmine, TJ's best friend in "Water Booger Bears". At first she just seems like a normal middle schooler. Deeper into the story you'll see that Jasmine struggles with sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia is a inherited blood disorder that can cause serious health problems. She got really ill and stayed in the hospital for a month. Plus she had to go through her parents getting a divorce. TJ didn't judge Jasmine for these things. TJ was there for her, making her laugh, taking some the stress away. When Jasmine got back to school TJ carried her bag around because it was too heavy for her. TJ was always there for Jasmine no matter what she was going through. True friends.

Literary Devices and Structure

melatdereje — 2024-10-21 18:08:32 UTC

In "Water Booger Bears" they said "The floor of his locker was littered with empty snack bags that Jasmine had slide through the door vent between classes over the last two days. Trash.....yes.But Jasmine and TJ call them "friendship flags". The litter of love." (Reynolds 3). Water Booger Bears. Shows in the two days of Jasmine coming to school after not being on school for a while. She put "friendship flags" in TJ's locker to show him that she missed him while she was away. In their friendship they don't need expansive gifts. To show their loyalty to their friendship they would put eaten snack bags. Even after not being in school together, TJ would visit Jasmine in the hospital and leave "friendship flags" next to her hospital bed. Not only did he leave her friendship flags in her bed, but also in her locker for when she would come back to school.

Personal Reflection and Conclusion

melatdereje — 2024-10-21 18:09:41 UTC

These stories shows how friends can be made anywhere with anyone. I want to the same school for 9 years. It was a private school, so was with the same people for every class. I grew up with them, my class was very close. We would call each other family. Our families knew each other, we would have sleepovers, we were never uncomfortable around each other. We went through the pandemic together. Some of them go to TG, so we still have more years to spend with each other.