imitation...

Don't leave leave the house without my permission. Wash your own clothes. Make your own food. Wear deodorant. Sit with your legs closed. Don't yell at me. Never be the first to throw a punch in a fight. Never lie to me. If you use it, put it back. Don't chase, replace. Pour me some too. Brush your hair it looks like a nest. Lock the door. Answer me when I call you. Quit texting in the dark. Make your bed. Be nice to your brother. Wipe your feet. Quit complaining. Don't eat all of it. If you go, bring me back a plate. Tell your tia I say hi. Don't believe a word that any man says. Turn off the lights when you aren't in the room. Stop wasting so much gas. Don't buy that car, it's broken. If you get pregnant, tell me don't hide it.

final draft...

As I read the novel, The Flowers, I noticed how Sonny gained maturity through his teenage issues and overcame obstacles as a stepchild and only son. Sonny experiences many changes throughout the story. For example, he learns some French, he dislikes Cloyd more as each day passes, loses his virginity, falls for the girl next door, and he also majorly improves his bowling skills. Sonny is a typical American teen who loves cheeseburgers, engaging in risky behaviors, and simply hanging out with his friends. I’m sure most readers can relate to Sonny, as they all have something in common that they did in their teens, like driving for the first time and feeling nervous around a crush. Most people have experienced some sort of influence from the people in our lives, just like Sonny. I feel as I observed changes in Sonny it reminded me of typical high school students. As the story progressed, I learned that Sonny is an average teenager who is easily influenced, learns lessons and grows wiser through the issues he faces.
Since day one, Sonny had been playing games with Cloyd’s mind. Sonny tricked him into thinking that he wanted to visit Notre Dame. He even went so far as to get a French book from the twins and learn the language of the people. Learning French didn’t do much to budge Cloyd’s thoughts, he even forgot completely about Sonny’s dream to travel, but it did help charm Sonny’s crush, Nica. Cloyd made Sonny clean the whole apartment complex without salary, but Sonny got back at him by stealing Cloyd’s money from his office. Sonny didn’t know what he wanted to do with the money at the time, but he knew he’d save it for something special. If I were in Sonny’s shoes, I would save the money until I really needed it for something important. Cloyd also complains about Sonny from time to time, and Sylvia, Sonny’s mother, tells Sonny about the complaints. Cloyd would also talk about his mother. “One time I heard Cloyd on the phone. He said, 'i love to eat them tacos, and now I even got myself married to a pretty little Mexican gal.' He said that. Really. The dude who my mom married.” (51). By the time that Sonny finds this out, he really starts to dislike Cloyd. Cloyd is very strict, he and Sonny have mutual hatred and the only thing keeping them together is Syliva. Sonny seemed to have gained tolerance from seeing the negativity coming from Cloyd, in a way that Cloyd was his anti-role model. From the negativity that was brought upon Sonny, he learned that not everybody he encounters is going to agree with him, and he learned how to deal with it.
Sonny loses his virginity from the girl upstairs because, well she isn’t the classiest person on the planet and Sonny is a normal teenage boy whose hormones control his actions sometimes. The girl is lonely, and always feels the need for Sonny’s company when her husband is away. Sonny doesn’t take advantage of her because she is the one to always come onto him. I could also tell that Sonny had some respect for her even though she acts the way she does. I saw this through the stories he would tell his friends, “'for being in her apartment?' I asked... 'once you were in there, yeah, how could you not cork his wife?' said Joe” (136). he never got very specific with the details but they’d still go crazy. Sonny matures through his visits with her, because eventually he stops when he starts to like Nica. I can relate to this because I know many guys my age who like plenty of girls and if they have a girl on the side who’s willing to give them what they want, they’re gonna keep her. Sonny acts mature in this situation because he is willing to move on and solely focus on Nica.
As Sonny gets closer to Nica, he starts to make decisions with his mind and not with his body. He listens to what she has to say, and sometimes he gets an urge to kiss her but doesn’t. He falls for the typical girl next door, but not for what she is willing to give. He likes her personality, the way she speaks, her beauty, her shyness and her secure bubble she’s used to. He wants to take her out and show her new things, like pizza and bowling. Most of all he wants to show her how to love and be loved. Nica likes Sonny as well, and she smiles every time a French word comes out of his mouth. “'Je t'aime,' I said. And it made me smile. 'Cause I didn't know what else to say or how, and that's what finally came to me. It didn't make me laugh but it did make me feel better, and it made her smile so much” (249) I think the two of them relate because of their culture, where they live, their age, and they both have stepfathers. Sonny can view Nica as a future mother-figure because she takes care of Angel. It shows that she is responsible and is home whenever Angel needs her, unlike Sylvia in Sonny’s case. Nica had a positive influence on Sonny because she made him want to be a better person.
Sylvia goes out and does whatever she wants, and it teaches Sonny to do the same. Sonny likes to walk the streets, eat American food, crack jokes, and go bowling. He spends much time at the bowling alley when things aren’t quite right at home. It’s his getaway time, just a place to think alone. I believe many people have a place where they can go to have some time to their selves, just like Sonny. During his time at the bowling alley, he learns how to speak with respect. His conversations with the Zunigas are enjoyable, but they don’t let him curse in their fun zone. They also reward him with free games and delicious food. If I got the same thing when I went to a bowling alley, I’m sure I would go back more often as well. The Zunigas have a positive effect on Sonny because they teach him in a lesson in respect.
Sonny learns a lesson from Josep as well when he tells Sonny and Nica about a girl from Russia. Josep was spending time with Sasha, it could be called a date. They’re having a lovely time on a boat, when suddenly Josep spots a dead dog floating in the river. At first, Josep hopes that Sasha doesn’t see the dog, but they float closer and her eyes fall upon the dead dog. The situation turns out differently as Josep explains further, “But it is not as you are thinking. Instead of wanting to leave, Sasha moves closer to me. Closer. She puts her arm around me, and she rests her hair on my shoulder, and I put my arm around her, which she wants. Now it is better! The dog is dead, yet I am lucky because I am in love and I feel as a man full of his strength” (130). To me, this story gave a good message. It means that even though someone is put into a tough situation with another person, it should be a time where they can use each other for comfort. Through the trouble one experiences with another, it draws them closer than they were before.
The Flowers is an excellent book that teaches many lessons. Sonny is an interesting character who relates to everyone some way or another. I enjoyed reading about how Sonny deals with his problems, because when he would learn something new, it gave me some satisfaction knowing that he was becoming a better person. It showed how people are influenced by the people surrounding them, even minor characters have an impact on how people go about their lives. The people who Sonny encountered, helped shape him in into a responsible young adult. Along with the maturity he gained, he also learned how to be happy for others as well as himself.

transitions...

addition: last, moreover, equally important, in addition, besides, and then.

comparison: also, the same way, likewise, similarly.

concession: granted, naturally, of course.

contrast: although, and yet, at the same time, even so, in contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, otherwise, regardless, yet.

emphasis: certainly, indeed, in fact, of course.

example or illustraion: after all, for exapmle, for instance, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, to illustrate, thus, truly, specifically.

summary: all in all, altogether, finally, in conclusion, therefore, to summarize, to put it differently, that is.

time sequence: finally, after a while, afterward, again, also, at that time, before, further, formerly, since, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, subsequently, in the part, last, lastly, meanwhile, simultaneously, second, presently, then, thereafter, soon, still, too, until now, when.

rough draft...

Rough Draft
As I read the novel, The Flowers, I noticed how Sonny gained maturity through his teenage issues and overcame obstacles a stepchild and only son. Sonny experiences many changes throughout the story. He learns some French, he dislikes Cloyd more as each day passes, loses his virginity, falls for the girl nextdoor, and he also majorly improves his bowling skills. Sonny is a typical American teen who loves cheeseburgers, engaging in risky behaviors, and simply hanging out with his friends. I’m sure everyone can relate to Sonny, as we all have something in common that we did in our teens, like driving for the first time and feeling nervous around our crush. We all experienced some sort of influence from the people in our lives, just like Sonny. I feel as we observed changes in Sonny it reminded us all of a young version of ourselves.
Since day one, Sonny had been playing games with Cloyd’s mind. Sonny tricked him into thinking that he wanted to visit Notre Dame. He even went so far as to get a French book from the twins and learn the language of the people. Learning French didn’t do much to budge Cloyd’s thoughts, he even forgot completely about Sonny’s dream to travel, but it did help charm Sonny’s crush, Nica. Cloyd made Sonny clean the whole apartment complex without salary, but Sonny got back at him by stealing Cloyd’s money from his office. Sonny didn’t know what he wanted to do with the money at the time, but he knew he’d save it for something special. If I were in Sonny’s shoes, I would save the money until I really needed it for something important. Cloyd complains about Sonny from time to time, and Sylvia, Sonny’s mother, tells Sonny about the complaints. The time that Sonny finds this out, he really starts to dislike Cloyd. Cloyd isn’t the best stepdad in the world, or even a good person for that matter, but one thing he did do was keep a roof over Sonny’s head. Cloyd is very strict, and he and Sonny dislike eachother but the only thing keeping them together was Syliva. I think Sonny changes from being around Cloyd, because Cloyd is racist and Sonny seemed to gain tolerance from seeing the negativity coming from him.
Sonny loses his virginity from the girl upstairs because, well she isn’t the classiest person on the planet and Sonny is a normal teenage boys whose hormones control his actions sometimes. The girl is lonely, and always feels the need for Sonny’s company when her husband is away. Sonny doesn’t take advantage of her because she is the one to always comes onto him. I could also tell that Sonny had some respect for her even though she acts the way she does. I saw this through the stories he would tell his friends, he never got very specific with the details but they’d still go crazy. Sonny matures through his visits with her, because eventually he stops when he starts to like Nica. I can relate to this because I know many guys my age who like plenty of girls and if they have a girl on the side who’s willing to give them what they want, they’re gonna keep her. Sonny acts mature in this situation because he is willing to move on and solely focus on Nica.
As Sonny gets closer to Nica, he starts to make decisions with his mind and not with his body. He listens to what she has to say, and sometimes he gets an urge to kiss her but doesn’t. He falls for the typical girl nextdoor, but not for what she is willing to give. He likes her personality, the way she speaks, her beauty, her shyness and her secure bubble she’s used to. He wants to take her out and show her new things, like pizza and bowling. Most of all he wants to show her how to love and be loved. Nica likes Sonny as well, and she smiles everytime a French word comes out of his mouth. I think the two of them relate because of their culture, where they live, their age, and they both have stepfathers. Sonny can view Nica as a future mother-figure because she takes care of Angel. It shows that she is responsible and is home whenever Angel needs her, unlike Sylvia in Sonny’s case.
Sylvia goes out and does whatever she wants, and it teaches Sonny to do the same. Sonny likes to walk the streets, eat American food, crack jokes, and go bowling. He spends much time at the bowling alley when things aren’t quite right at home. It’s his getaway time, just a place to think by himself. We all have a place like that where we can go to get away. Sometimes I like to go driving in the mountains and listen to music alone. It gives me time to think, and a breeze in my hair is an added perk. During his time at the bowling alley, he learns how to speak with respect. His conversations with the Zunigas are enjoyable, but they don’t let him curse in their fun zone. They also reward him with free games and delicious food. If I got the same thing when I went to a bowling alley, I’m sure I would go back more often as well.
Sonny learns a lesson from Josep when he tells him and Nica about a girl from Russia. Josep was spending time with Sasha, it could be called a date. They’re having a lovely time on a boat, when suddenly Josep spots a dead dog floating in the river. At first, Josep hopes that Sasha doesn’t see the dog, but they float closer and her eyes fall upon the dead dog. The situation turns out differently as Josep explains further, “But it is not as you are thinking. Instead of wanting to leave, Sasha moves closer to me. Closer. She puts her arm around me, and she rests her hair on my shoulder, and I put my arm around her, which she wants. Now it is better! The dog is dead, yet I am lucky because I am in love and I feel as a man full of his strength” (130). To me, this story gave a good message. It means that even though someone is put into a tough situation with another person, it should be a time where you can use each other for comfort. Through the trouble one experiences with another, it draws them closer than they were before.
Sonny is not allowed to date Nica, which creates a problem. Nica is willing to wait for Sonny, and he does. One day, Sonny takes Nica for a ride in the car, but Nica doesn’t want to return home. She wants to go to Mexico and she explains to Sonny that she doesn’t have the money. Sonny puts Nica before himself and says he has the money and they can go together. Through the selflessness Sonny gained through his experiences, he ends up getting the girl he loves, and he is finally happy. That is the biggest change in Sonny. Along with his maturity, he learned how to sacrifice for other people.

racism and Sonny...

Everywhere in "The Flowers" there is racism.  Each person molds to their stereotype, but some not completely.  Sonny doesn't like racism, and he tolerates most people.  He's friends with everyone.  Pink looks white, but he's actually black so I guess he could count for both.  Anyway, Cloyd is a typical white redneck who hates black people and has his own white redneck friend, Bud.  Bud had his own white wife, but Cloyd enjoys his Mexican wife because she can make him Mexican food to chomp on with his beers all day long.  Sylvia sticks with her Mexican culture and caters to her husband like a traditional Mexican woman would.  Nica is Mexican and she stays home and takes care of the house too.  Pink is black, and has black friends.  He sells cars without a permit, and likes to talk with Sonny and call him brother.  Sonny is Mexican, but he is also American.  He loves his burgers and cokes, and he has respect for most people.  He may steal a little here and there, but we all have a guilty pleasure.  Sonny is a good mix of traditional and modern, and his personality allows him to get along with anyone who is as open-minded as he is.  He is the balance in the novel and is a good role model on how to deal with racism.  Be tolerant and don't contribute to the issue.

money prediction...

I think Sonny is going to keep the money and either save it for something he needs, or splurge on something that he wants.  If I was in his position I would try to save it.  I say try because saving money isn't my claim to fame.  Sonny would be smart to buy the Bel-Air and leave the apartments and go live on his own.  I think another option of his woud be to actually visit Notre Dame.  This wouldn't be the wisest decision because he wanted to go out of spite.  Lastly, I think he would buy something for Nica.  He would get her something that means something to her and it would make her happy.  Afterall, Sonny is always trying to please the people he cares for, right?  

changes in Sonny...

Sonny experiences changes throughout the story.  He learns some French, he dislikes Cloyd more and more as the days pass, he loses his virginity, he falls for Nica and he majorly improves his bowling skills.  The reason he learned French was to put up a front to Cloyd that he really wants to go to Notre Dame.  Since day one, he's been playing with Cloyd's mind and now they don't really even like eachother.  The only one holding the two of them together is Sylvia and her feelings toward Cloyd changed as well.  He loses his virginity because, well the girl isn't the classiest person on the planet and Sonny is a normal teenage boy whose hormones control his actions every once in a while.  That's another change, Sonny begins to act with his mind instead of his body.  He ends up falling for the girl nextdoor, but not for what she's willing to give.  He likes her because of her personality, her looks, the way she speaks, her shyness, and her secure bubble that she's used to.  He wants to take her out and show her new things, like pizza and bowling.  Most of all, he wants to show her how to love and be loved.  I think the two of them relate because of their culture, where they live, their age, and also they both have stepfathers.  Sonny can view Nica as a mother figure because she takes care of Angel.  It shows that she is responsible and home when Angel needs her, unlike Sylvia in Sonny's case.  Sylvia goes out and does what she wants, and it teaches Sonny to do the same.  Sonny likes to walk the streets, eat American food, crack jokes and go bowling.  He spends much time at the bowling alley when things aren't going quite right at home.  It's his getaway time, and along the way he learns to be a great bowler, son, lover and friend.

car salesman significance...

Pink is a significant character because he's a close male figure to Sonny in the novel.  He holds the keys to a future that can take Sonny away from this place he calls his home.  At any moment, Sonny can gather all the money he's saved from stealing, and buy the Bel-Air.  Pink is also a conflicting charactet between Sonny and Cloyd because Cloyd doesn't like Pink's hustling ways and how he brings black people around the building.  Pink is actually quite close to the black community because he is in fact black himself.  If you read far enough into the novel, it is revealed that Pink is an albino.  Either way, Sonny has no problems with him and Pink even calls Sonny "little brother."  I think by the end of the story, Sonny will purchase the Bel-Air, leave the neighborhood, and finally be the man he's always wanted to be.

metacognitive reflection...

My reading habits are decent.  I enjoy reading and I used to read a lot during high school.  One time I read about 40 books during the school year. If a book catches my interest, I'll be reading it for the whole day until I finish.  However, if it's boring, I will avoid reading that particular book like it's the black plague.  Unfortunately, it seems like teachers try to find the blandest, most difficult, time-consuming books on the planet, but I cope.  I am able to fit in my reading time into my schedule because I am unemployed, which means when I'm not being a busy bee during class, I have hundreds of hours to spare for reading and homework.  I'm having difficulty with this course because I don't always have a computer available to write my blogs.  I have to go out of my way to get to one, which is just an obstacle I have to deal with.  That's life, and sometimes you have to do what you have to do.  I think I'm doing well in te comprehension part of this class so far, it's the blog entries that are killing me.

metacognitive reflection...

My reading habits are decent.  I enjoy reading and I used to read a lot during high school.  One time I read about 40 books during the school year. If a book catches my interest, I'll be reading it for the whole day until I finish.  However, if it's boring, I will avoid reading that particular book like it's the black plague.  Unfortunately, it seems like teachers try to find the blandest, most difficult, time-consuming books on the planet, but I cope.  I am able to fit in my reading time into my schedule because I am unemployed, which means when I'm not being a busy bee during class, I have hundreds of hours to spare for reading and homework.  I'm having difficulty with this course because I don't always have a computer available to write my blogs.  I have to go out of my way to get to one, which is just an obstacle I have to deal with.  That's life, and sometimes you have to do what you have to do.  I think I'm doing well in te comprehension part of this class so far, it's the blog entries that are killing me.

theme...

I think an important theme in the novel is respect.  Sonny goes through all kinds of issues with Cloyd but he stays tolerant of him for Sylvia's sake.  Sylvia is also tolerant of Cloyd's behavior, and Cloyd's actions and words are an example of intolerance.  Cloyd and Bud have a problem with Pink just because he sells cars, and on top of that, because he has black friends coming to the apartments.  Cloyd doesn't like black people and is open about his hatred.  I don't think someone should be so ignorant as to prance around talking nonsense about someone they don't know, I find it immature.  Throughout the novel, Sonny matures because of his tolerance, patience and respect for others.  He is respectful toward the Zunigas and they reward his with free bowling and a hot meal. He is patient with Nica, and the end, his tolerance and respect for her gets him the girl he wants.  He is respectful towards Pink, and he is also tolerant of the black people in the neighborhood.  I believe Sonny is well-rounded.  He has a bit of roughness to him, but who doesn't?  He's a respectful character, and if I knew him I'm sure he would show me respect as well.        

reader response...

The characters in "The Flowers" are very diverse.  Sonny's character develops more and we see more of his interactions with friends.  The twins are sort of naive when it comes to girls, so when Sonny speaks they try to act cool like they know what he's talking about when they actually don't.  Sonny gets a macho confidence when it comes to them because he's more experienced in his teenage shenanigans. Overall, they enjoy eachother's company and they can call themselves Sonny's true friends.  Pink is also one of Sonny's friends and he's a hustler.  Pink sells cars without a permit which makes Cloyd upset.  Cloyd doesn't like anyone doing shady activities around his apartments and always finds something wrong with everyone eventually.  He expects people to do all that he says, including Sonny and Sylvia.  Sylvia is just the beautiful housewife who everyone loves, but she hides her imperfections.  Sonny loves her either way because Sonny has a welcoming personality towards women.  Sonny is a typical boy who hates his stepdad, loves his mom, falls for the girl nextdoor and loses his virginity to the hopeless girl upstairs.  He tries to help people, but at the same time he does what he wants.  Breaks into houses and goes bowling.  People are drawn to Sonny's personality, and most of the characters in this novel have something to do with Sonny but also fit into their typical stereotypes.  My opinion on the characters is that each have something unique about them, which helps make them memorable.

personal relation scene...

In the book, "The Flowers," I can relate to one particular scene.  There's a part where Sylvia tells Sonny kind of sideways that Cloyd doesn't want him to use so much toilet paper.  He wishes Sonny would just use three or four squares.  I found some humor in this but not the way people would usually find it funny.  They would laugh because it's a hopeless situation, but I laughed because my mom is this way.  We could take two weeks to use a roll of toilet paper and she'll go into the bathroom and complain like she put a roll in there just yesterday.  For that reason she regulates the toilet paper, so my brother and I just buy our own now.  I find it funny for someone to stress over toilet paper, but whatever floats their boat I guess.  Cloyd and my mother have something in common, but at least I can laugh about it.  Sonny feels a bit irritated that Cloyd was complaining about him behind his back, and that's where I find Sonny to be a bit more mature than Cloyd.  Sonny tells people things to their face because he doesn't have fear of there response, except when it comes to his "girl situations," but that's something I believe most people would be able to relate to.  We all had some time in our lives when we were afraid to express our feelings toward someone, but the bottom line is a fear of rejection.  Once someone gets past that, I think they become more outgoing in their everyday activities, not just relationships.  They can go out and join clubs, do sports or even give a speech.  I think Sonny will learn to open up to people as he matures further.  It's a part of growing up. Everybody does it because it's inevitable.

character description...

Sylvia is Sonny's mother.  She is a typical housewife who caters to her husband by cooking for him and looking beautiful.  She always has new clothes, and is always done up like she's going somewhere special.  She is Sonny's favorite person, and he has much respect for her.  Sylvia doesn't really know what she wants, if she wants to stay living with Cloyd because he doesn't treat her with the respect she deserves.  He expects her to be perfect all day, everyday and has her on a short leash.  Sylvia wants the best for Sonny, but he sort of keeps to hinself now that they moved to their new house.  It isn't a "home," they basically just live there.  Sylvia tries to impress Cloyd by purchasing salsa and saying she made it herself, and she prides herself on getting away with it.  I think Sylvia is a nice woman with potential, but she continues to settle for less than what she deserves, as do most women.     

my mother never...

My mother never quit on me even at my worst.  She never gave up on me, even when I gave up on her.  She never closed her door to me, and always kept me welcome.  My mother never got me everything I wanted, but she got me what I needed and that's what really matters.  My mother never had an abundant amount of money, but she never claimed to.  My mother never let me forget my worth, and she instilled good morals in me.  My mother never let anyone mess with her, she stayed strong for herself. My mother never had a steady job, but still put food on the table for her kids, and kept a roof over our heads.  My mother never let us leave without saying where we're going, which was kind of annoying but it had to do with our safety.  She never let us get away with anything, she always knew what was going on some way or another.  My mother never served herself first or bought herself new things because she put her children before her.  But my mother never really took care of her health, she was too busy making sure we were all good and healthy.  That's what has gotten her in the long run, years of stress caused by her role as a mother.  And in the end, it's now our turn, as the role of her children, to take care of her like she took care of us.

prediction for Sonny...

I think Sonny will start to like where he lives.  Maybe it's just something he has to grow into and adjust to everything that has changed.  He doesn't have his grandmother anymore, which is the one thing that kept him tight with his extended family.  He never really knew his dad, so i think he feels like Clyde is trying to fill that spot.  He's sort of at an age where it's too late for him to become attached to a stepdad.  Hopefully he and Clyde will get along and there won't be jealousy issues over Sylvia, Sonny's mother.  He's really close to her, and admires her beauty and wants to make her happy.  He stays out of her way and does what he is told.  Sonny is the type of person who wants to please people even if it jeopardizes his own happiness.  I think by the end of the novel, Sonny will have gone through some problems and become more of a man.  Maybe the man-figure that he never had for himself.

idea for essay.

My idea for the essay on "The Flowers" is a reader reponse on Sonny's maturity and how he deals with his teenage issues, and overcomes his obstacles as a stepchild and only son.