Because I Am Furniture

             In the book Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas, I've realized that this title really does match up with the plot. This is true, Anke's father treats her like furniture. As if she doesn't exist at all. The last thing that Anke would want is to be noticed in her situation. Anke loves to play volleyball, it takes her away from all the pain and depression that she goes through at home. Her coach says that she is the best on the team in a long time. This is good news for Anke because playing volleyball takes her mind off of everything that occurs at home. Just randomly all of a sudden, father has decided to come home now and take Yaicha and Darren into their rooms and beat them and act like nothing has happened. Mother is scared also but there's nothing anyone can do. Anke has been trying to find her voice in this situation but is having trouble. Should Anke speak up and say something? 

             It would be a great idea to speak up and report this, all the late nights Anke has been up and feeling her siblings pain is just a horrible feeling inside. Lately, father has been getting these temper tantrums and anger built up inside of him. We aren't sure why either. One night, father woke everyone up at 2 AM to go out in the street to see the aurora borealis (northern lights that glow in the sky) Anke felt like this was a family forming again and a moment to treasure. When they returned to the house, there was a raccoon in the open garage wondering innocently. Father giggled and shut the garage door trying to send the animal away in terror. He trapped the raccoon for the night and in the morning he told Yaicha to clean it up! It was a gruesome sight, the raccoon was laid flat out and cold. This was one of the many temper tantrums  that father had. The abuse in this book is significantly outrageous, everyone tries to help father out of this trap he's in and feels that violence is the answer because it never is and never will be. 

             All Anke has to do is use her voice and speak up. She says that she's afraid but of what? Just because her father thinks that she's "furniture" and if she says something that she will get abused also is not a good thought. You should always think positive and hope for positive outcomes. Anke feels that Yaicha and Darren get more attention even if it's not in a good way. She says that she misses that attention, when her day used to read her books when she was younger before she went off to bed. This issue has no comparison. These kids are getting abused. Even the walls in the rooms are being banged against and you can hear the shouting and the screams. 

World On Fire By Sarh McLachlan

              In the song "World On Fire" by Sarah McLachlan, the video is very symbolic. It symbolizes the truth that people in the world "waste" money on unnecessary things that we don't need. It could be going to other countries such as Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Africa, Etc. and other people who are in need of this money. These countries are in extreme poverty. They have nothing. We on the other hand, like to waste and not realize the fact that we have more money than other countries and they need it for other reasons that can actually help them.
              In this video, it showed that the money we use to make videos and decorate them are very expensive. We could be using this same money to do something better for the world and help people get out of poverty. One set in LA cost $200 for the assistant producer to do his job in just one day, this same money could go to Ethiopia and support 100 children in school for one term of learning. Office phones are $480, this money can provide equipment for 10 classrooms in Afghanistan. $5,000 covers the cost of hair and make-up for one day or it can go to Afghanistan and teach 145 children for one year. One set cost $500 for sound playback, this is equal to holding 50 houses together with nuts and bolts in Bangladesh. A single mother in Ghana, Africa has to work two jobs, seven days a week and 16 hours a day for $200 a year, just so that her son can go to school. These are all examples of money being wasted. All of that money could have gone to other countries.
              Sarah McLachlan created this video for just $150,000, which is a big drop from all of the other videos that are usually made. She took the average cost of a music video and instead made a $15 video, donating the remainder of the money to various organizations in the developing world. The video highlights the breakdown of costs for making a music video, and what kind of things that money could buy for others in need. I think that Sarah McLachlan was smart when she made this video. She's trying to make a point to everyone that money is going into unnecessary things, where instead it could be going to people who actually would make something out of the money. I was surprised and didn't know all of the money that it takes to make a video. Which would be thousands or even millions. It's a good thing that we have people like Sarah in our world, she's trying to make a difference. She's encouraging people all over who's watching this video that most videos are expensive and other countries in the world are in poverty. This video just tells everyone where our money is really being spent and where it could be going instead.

Luna

            Luna by Julie Anne Peters is such an inspirational book. As soon as I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. "Luna," she repeated softly, more to herself than me. "Appropriate, wouldn't you say? A girl who can only be seen by moonlight?" Regan's right! Liam, who feels more comfortable being a girl instead of a boy expresses this inside and out. He does everything from putting on wigs to painting his nails and wearing perfume. This reminds me of the time when I was younger, I wanted to dress up as a woman and wear all of my mom's high heels and dresses. Luna... boy in the day and girl in the night is starting to express himself a little more than he was before now. Regan and mom and dad all know his big secret. Despite the fact that dad does not want to hear it, he knows.

            Dad has tried everything from getting "Liam" (who's girl name is supposed to be Luna) to stop wearing "girly outfits" to stop wanting dolls and instead getting toy trucks. All dad see's in his eyes are him and his son having that special father-son bond. People should let one another be who they are and express who they are for themselves. Criticizing people like dad does to Luna is not him showing much father figure support. Mom, on the other hand, supports Luna's choice completely. She feels as though her son is making the right choice because that's what he wants to do. This is the exact support that every parent should give their child and make them aware that they exist and they care. 

            I think that Luna's "character" that she plays through the book is spunky and fun. She's a true role model for any person to look up to. If anyone feels that there not there self or different they should have the ability to do whatever they feel is right to change that. Everyone is entitled to a good life and to live it up to the fullest. Acceptance should not be the biggest of their worries. I love how towards the middle of the book, Luna starts to care less and less about what everyone else thinks or says. At first, she cared and was trying to keep it a secret then she let loose. For example, in the beginning of the book Luna will put on all of her make-up and accessories in the bathroom and when she heard footsteps approaching she stopped and rubbed everything off hurriedly. Towards the end, Luna plays with her dolls in front of her parents and wears wigs. When Regan had her sleepover with all of her friends, Luna came downstairs and painted her nails so perfect. All of the girls were freaked out because of this. They weren't expecting the "hottest" guy in school to be so advanced in this area. Especially, since they all had crushes on Liam. Liam also talked about boys! No other normal guy in their right mind would think to do this... except Luna! The girls found this funny also but then giggled and acted like it never happened. They liked him too much to say anything. This showed Liam's growth and perseverance and his care level maturity.