Non fiction reading response to Darkness too visible

The article Darkness Too Visible from the Wall Street Journal is mainly about why books with drugs and other bad things should not be on shelves of public schools. One way she supports this is by saying that kids who read these types of books are left an image in their mind that is harmful to them and could damage their life. Another way she supports her main idea is by stating some of the most banned books and why she thinks they should stay banned. One thing that the author says is "a girl's spiral into drug addiction, rape, prostitution and a fatal overdose." Here she is trying to show the reader that books that deal with bad topics for kids should not be on the shelves of public school libraries. She ends with the idea that no parent should let their kid read these types of books because they could damage the way the kid thinks, and how they act.

Meghan Cox Gordon uses many craft moves to emphasize that books about dark topics should not be on public school library shelves. One craft move she uses is uses very strong adjectives to enhance the way she feels about the topic. Another craft moves she uses is she concludes each paragraph with a wrap up of what the paragraph was about.

I disagree with what Meghan Cox Gordon is saying. I believe if kids see what happens when their character takes drugs and drinks alcohol than that will make the kids not want to do it even more. I think that it should be the kids choice to decide. I noticed the article was written for the parents, not as much the kids and i think that she should have gotten a kids opinion. Another reason i disagree with what she is saying is because when kids see these problems that the characters have the appreciate what they have more.

You Never Know When Your Actions Can Hurt You

       Have you ever been in a situation where you just don't know what to do? Anita in Before We Were Free taught me that sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to just let it happen. She shows me this in many problems that come her way.

         One way that Anita solves her problem by just being silent and just by going with the flow is  when the police come to her house. At first she has no idea what to do because this has never happened to her before. In addition she didn't even know what was going on. She goes with what everyone else is doing, stays quiet, and eventually the police are out, and the decoys are released. This shows that if you be quiet, go with what everyone else is doing, and don't ask questions your problem will be solved.

         Another way where Anita solves a problem by just going with the flow and staying quiet is when her cousin leaves to go to New York City. At first she doesn't know how to react because it all just happened so fast. She can’t get the words out to say goodbye because she doesn't believe this was it. So she just stays quiet, stays close to her mother and holds her crying in until she gets home. This shows that sometimes the best way to be strong is to as well be quiet and stay close to the people you know. You never know when your actions can hurt you.

         In late October of 2012, Hurricane Sandy destroyed New York. I was sitting on my couch with my family listening and watching the horrific view outside our warm house. My mother finally decided she had enough of the natural disaster outside and decided to make some warm popcorn to lift our hearts. My whole family went into our kitchen when we heard a huge BOOM! outside. We all jump but acted like we didn't hear it and just went along with our business. My brother on his phone seeing all of the facebook statuses, my sister on her phone as well checking the facebook statuses, and my mom watching the television about the news around New York. The wind outside was pounding against my window like a never eating drum beat. Rain filled the streets flooding the road. I think it was around 9:30 when my sister glanced outside and noticed the huge tree covering our house. My sister yelled “MOM, CAM, BRANDON COME” We all hurried over to the window to see the huge tree blocking our view and all the branches and twigs covering our stairs and door. My mom was so confused about what to do at the time. Me, my sister, and my brother all just stayed quiet and returned to what we were doing. Eventually the storm passed and the workers came to clean up the tree. Sometimes I wonder what could have happened if one of us decided to go outside and check the tree, or if someone didn't just stay calm. Would my family still be here today?