Entry Six: Outside Reading II

There’s a dilemma. Now it’s no quite an ethical one, but I’m still pretty sure that Melanie has a dilemma. Rachel, her ex-beset friend, is now dating, IT, The Beast, Andy Evans. As far as we know, Melanie has kept the secret of her rape from everyone. She really wants to tell Rachel to stay away, and she did. Except, Rachel just thought she was jealous and wouldn’t hear a word of it. Should Mel just give up? Hey, Rachel didn’t listen to her anyone, or risk her already ruined reputation and push it? I guess it’s up to how you look at it. Rachel could also get raped, but how do we know that? On the other hand, maybe Rachel and Andy share something “special”… haha ya right. So Melinda settles for trying again. Finally the truth comes out, while passing notes none the less, but Melanie told Rachel that she was raped. Raped by Andy Evans. “You liar! You’re so jealous!” Wasn’t that the kind of answer to expect? Don’t be so shocked. Later on, Ivy takes Melinda to the bathroom stall where they wrote “Stay away from Andy Evans.” All around it were comments from different people. Looks like Melinda wasn’t the only one that felt that way. It’s kind of like in class, when you’re too scared to ask a question because you think it’s stupid, but really half of the class is thinking the same exact thing. Maybe it’s important to meet the challenge, take the plunge, and face what everyone else should face too. So has Andy Evans raped more than just Melinda?

Entry Five: Outside Reading II

It's interesting how all rape victims are similarly connected. "It's not your fault, he was an animal. Honey, you were raped. You said no." Either I'm right, delusional, or watch too much Law and Order: SVU. Over and over victims of all different crimes have to be told it wasn't their fault. Melinda being one of them. She can't tell anyone. She can't speak. I think that coming up in the book, Melinda will speak. After all, it is the title of the book. She needs to get on with her life, learn from it, embrace the good as well as that terrible bad. Everyone needs someone, a friend, someone to listen, they don't even have to speak. It seems to me that Mel doesn't have that at all, but she is starting to become friends with Ivy which is positive. I makes me feel awful just reading a book where the main character doesn't have any hope.

Moving on, Rachel is now dating "IT," "The Beast," aka Andy Evans. She says she'll go to college with him and/or wait for him, which led me to wonder about people's reasons for following their high school girlfriend/boyfriend to college. In my professional opinion, I think that college should be where you can start over, meet new people, be who you want to be. How can you that with someone you've probably known for a really long time that could render you're "blank slate?" It seems to me that if it's really meant to work, things will work themselves out. You will get together eventually. I just think it's stupid to throw your whole college experience away just for someone you may love.

Original Two Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated Bibliography

"Applying the Death Penalty." Supreme Court Debates 5.5 (May 2002): 129. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Edina High School, Edina, MN. 8 Dec 2008 .

As writers for the newspaper article, The Congressional Digest Corp is meant to show certain issues with an impartial tone. By evaluating all the pros and cons, it allows the reader to create an opinion or side by them self knowing all the facts. Getting its controversial situations from Congress leads to a reliable source in which people don't necessarily have to read a whole article on other people's opinions. The intended audience is really for mostly adults looking to be informed in one of America’s toughest issues. This article reviews several cases that are highly esteemed for their notorious outcomes and decisions. It is meant to inform those that maynot have much knowledge of the issue and reveal the truths about mentally retarded people regarding capital punishment.

Bonner, Raymond and Sara Rimer. “Mentally Retarded Man Facing Texas Execution Draws Wide Attention.” The New York Times. 12 Nov 2000. 9 Nov 2008 >.

This informational article provides two different points of view based on various facts. Robert S. Smith, a convicted mentally retarded inmate’s lawyer, states "there is no societal retribution in killing a person with the mind of a 6- year-old." It is said that mentally handicapped persons have no idea of the crime that have committed, they don’t deserve to die for their lack of competence because "disabilities degrade the dignity and worth of the human person." Many believe it is just unjust to execute anyone, whether a mental disability or not. On the contrary, some say the convicted, Johnny Paul Penry, “should be executed for the sake of Pamela Carpenter." If he kills someone doesn’t he deserve to die himself? It’s not fair to Carpenter or her family if he is allowed to live and she isn’t. The several sides that this article covers are helpful to provide an unjust opinion by presenting optional points of view.

Annotated Bibliography

"Applying the Death Penalty." Supreme Court Debates 5.5 (May 2002): 129. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO. Edina High School, Edina, MN. 8 Dec 2008 <http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f5h&AN=10699499&site=ehost-live>.

As writers for the newspaper article, the Congressional Digest Corp is meant to show certain issues with an impartial tone. By evaluating all the pros and cons, it allows the reader to create an opinion or side by themself knowing all the facts. Getting its controversial situations from Congress leads to a reliable source in which people don't necessarily have to read a whole article on other people's opinions.

Entry Four: Outside Reading II

And so we find out why Melanie called the cops that night. It was a party. With alcohol. With upperclassman. With freshman that seemed to be asking for it. Then, the cops are called. Somehow this is usually the scene that the problems start. What's one drink? What's one kiss? 90% of campus rapes happen because of alcohol says Brown University. So, here's the play by play. Melanie got all prettied up at Rachel's house before the party. Hoping to look "hot." She goes to the party, has a drink then thinks what's just one more? After a couple she's feeling a little woozy, but hasn't passed out yet. In the dark, she stands near some bushes and is entranced by this upperclassman. He kisses her and she likes it. Then he brings her to the ground and is on top of her. Eventually, she just didn't like it anymore and said stop. No. Did it mean anything to him? No. Seems like the word of the day huh? The word no, two letters, with all the meaning in the world. So this word, had no effect on Andy, the upperclassman who wasn't anything, but scum who had some drinks. That night Melanie had no power over her future and her virginity was taken from her. He not only took that, but her dignity, friends, and life. The book relates the topic of rape to something that can happen anytime, anywhere. It's such a serious matter that women refuse to admit. Just like Melanie. She never told anyone. She never did the good deed of helping herself.

Entry Three: Outside Reading II

As the book has continued, we are learning more and more about the main character, Melanie. So far, she has become friends with Heather, a wanna-be popular girl, who thinks there is no hope for her to find friends. Melanie has constantly been reminded of her tragic past at school as she passes “IT”, Andy Evans, in the hall. Andy Evans has inspired me to refer to the common stereotype that girls seem to always like, and for what? “Fact—he’s gorgeous. Fact—he’s rich. Fact—he’s just the itsiest bit dangerous…” (Page 90). Emily, one of Heather’s new friends, is describing all that she sees in Andy, and loves it. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a good looking guy and who doesn’t like money, but isn’t it so much more than that, and why flirting with danger? This book has intrigued me to fully look beyond looks and see what’s within. In real life, much of the high school gossip is “the hot guy” that just moved here or who did stuff with so and so. Why all that we see in people is the rumors that seem to spread around them or a past that they can’t seem to forget, which all relates to Speak. Melanie called the cops at the party because Andy did something he never should’ve done, and now…no one can seem to forget it. That’s a reputation that will live on with her until the end of her high school career. It’s not enough that she was in danger because people only care about what they heard. No one really knows what happened to her. No one really cares.