The Final Moments of Assassination Classroom: Book 20

The Final Moments of Assassination Classroom: Book 20 by Ana Artz

*Spoiler Warning For Book 20 and Major Parts of the Series*

    Assassination Classroom by Yusei Matsui follows the journey of this yellow octopus-like creature, Koro Sensei, and his students. However, this isn't a regular classroom, it's an assassination classroom where ethe students have to team up and kill their teacher. Why did a yellow octopus become a teacher and why does he have to be killed by his own students? Well, if he isn't killed by the last day of the school year there is a large chance that he will explode and take all of earth with him. The government are all working to kill him but its near impossible as he moves at Mach 20. The only agreement that they have come by is that he will teach, and his students will try and kill him. Throughout the series there have been a number of new challenges, school trips, new assassins being sent in, and many more foes but Koro Sensei always finds a way to make it a teaching opportunity. 

    His teaching approach is one of the many ways you can see how he cares about his students. The class that he teaches are known as the "losers" of the school. This is the group that are left behind, but he makes it his mission to help them achieve greatness and climb to the top of the extremely competitive academic ladder. He understands that each of his students is unique and learns in a different way, so he uses his speed to write individual lessons plans and guidebooks for each student. Koro sensei also makes other versions of himself with his speed which can work as "Speed tutors". He begins to do this in the second book and at first there are maybe two versions, but as the series progresses you can slowly see how much he refines his work. In the end, there are 10-12 versions that can easily communicate and work with the students. So many hours, dedicated to making his class better. 

    Koro Sensei's smaller moments are often lesser known, but still show his kindness and dedication. For example, when he first sees that his students came to save him from a dangerous situation, he prioritizes their safety completely disregarding their own. In the early phase of book 20 a student dies because of an attack the military launched that missed him. He reveals that he has been training in the act of reviving students because he knew that this would happen. For the rest of the students Koro Sensei turns that situation into a lesson so they could learn from this seemingly tragic experience. 

    When Nagisa (A student of Koro Sensei's) is about to make the killing blow Koro Sensei stops him. He can see the anger and sadness on Nagisa's face, he says "You can't kill someone with those feelings. Calm down. Put a smile on your face." because he knows that if Nagisa kills him in this way Nagisa and the rest of the classes final memory with Koro won't be happy. It'll be something that forever haunts them. Koro Sensei's wish, dying and not, was always to make the lives of his students better. 

Koro Sensei -----

Why Aren’t More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science? Brianna Gibson

 

Why Aren’t More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science?

Lessons in Chemistry: Bonnie Garmus

   Since the beginning of time, women and girls have been discouraged from all things relating to work and brainpower. Women have steered away from mathematics along with sciences for as long as I can remember. Our society is heavily built on the ways of the past, and those ways were labeling women to stay at home, work, cook, and clean. This was all women knew for hundreds of years. Women continue to be underrepresented or invisible in the world of engineering, math, and science. 

   The hundreds of years without women in the scientific workforce created the thought that "Women aren't smart enough for scientific work, or any work at all". To put down a particular group of people for such a long time will eventually create the mindset that you can't do something, or shouldn't do something. Women have been shunned from the science industry for so long, that they began to believe that they couldn't do anything related to it, or didn't want to at all. The generational repetition of the belittlement of women has caused women today to feel a lack of interest in sciences. Though, I've also noticed that many people want their daughters to grow up around stem, to create a child that breaks boundaries.

   Many parents of children do believe that their daughters can take on the stem world, though they expect it from them too much. Some parents want their daughters to do science work because they think it will make them break stigmas and show a "can do attitude". They want their daughters to prove that they are smart and can do thinks males can do. Until the child is pushed to the point where they want nothing to do with it at all. Being shoved into a field of work that does not interest you will most likely cause you to steer away from it as a whole.

   In conclusion, it's not that women and young girls can't do stem related work, it's that society has made people think this. Instead of causing women to believe that they are dumb or not worthy of harder work, it is better to teach, and encourage. Girls growing up without seeing people like them all around the world is what will lower their excitement or will to do things science related. Women aren't dumb, they've just been told they are, and grown into those behaviors. Representation does matter.

   

Analysis of Crying in H Mart: How Zauner Walks Readers Through Her Story

Photo credit: Omniana

    Crying in H Mart, published in 2021, is a memoir about the author, Michelle Zauner's, own experiences of being biracial with a Korean mother and father who is American with Jewish heritage. The memoir starts with Zauner grieving the absence of her mother in an H Mart, an Asian supermarket chain. She recalls her memories of grocery shopping with her mother and regrets her past selfish interactions as an immature daughter who thought her mother would stay with her forever. She even tries to blame clueless strangers in the market for her mother's passing away, questioning why her mother had to die when they got to live. Zauner then goes through her memories with her mother in chronological order, starting with when she was an infant to after her mother's death. 

    There is something in the way Zauner illustrates her memories and thoughts throughout the memoir that makes readers feel the heartbreak, joy, frustration, and so many other emotions firsthand. And this ability for readers to develop emotional connection to the author sprouts from her outstanding method of describing the significant individuals of her story. Each important figure is so well rounded and described, that the reader feels as if they have lived as Zauner and known these individuals themselves all along. The author's intricate descriptions of physical appearance are so well thought out, that even through short phrasal comments, readers are able to understand and feel connected to the author at the same time. In describing her mother having started to show external symptoms of her illness, she says, "Her hair was patchy, like an unloved doll" (93). She describes her mother's loss of hair in just 5 words, but the way she does it so strongly conveys the sadness of Zauner's watching her mother fall apart.

    Zauner's inclusion of carefully chosen memories in her memoir also play a major part in developing the reader's understanding of what each of the individuals mean to her. After she reveals her knowledge of her father's cheating on her mother to readers, she follows up by semi-attempting to justify him by describing his traumatic childhood and unstable adolescence: growing up with an abusive older brother and relying on drugs for most of his teenage years (87). But when she lies beside her unconscious, dying mother with her father on the other side, she reveals her "ugliest heart," thinking to herself, "It was supposed to be him... He was the former addict... Not my mother, who could do splits and still got carded at the liquor store." She then expresses a sort of frustration about the "unfair" situation, "My mother would have known what to do, and when it was all over, we'd reemerge entwined with each other, closer than ever. But my father was unabashedly panicked, openly scared in a way I wished he would keep from me" (151). She reveals her hidden feelings towards her father to allow readers to understand what she truly thought of him.

    The tinted glasses she hands to readers to view her story are, of course, biased and tend to limit perception. However, these glasses are really Zauner's eyes; they act as a cable connecting readers to Zauner. The deliberate techniques the author uses to write her memoir allow for readers to truly feel her because her writing includes bias and delivers information solely from Zauner's point of view and opinions. The author's careful choice of stories and words allow for the successful rounding out of featured figures, which furthermore allows for readers to truly connect to her and follow her throughout the memoir.

Should Students Get Mental Health Days Off From School?

 

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    Yes. I believe that students, perhaps those in middle school but definitely those in high school, should be provided the opportunity to take mental health days off from school. As students enter their teenage years, there are so many different things to think about and manage all at once: schoolwork, activities, sports, hobbies, friendships, and family... The list goes on and on. And so it is often difficult to balance all of these aspects at once. As a result, sometimes many students end up lowering their mental health from their priority list for too long, that they become drained. 

    But does time stop and wait for them to recharge? No. The world keeps moving forward, and these exhausted students just end up becoming even more exhausted. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), "1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year." Additionally, the CDC states that about 20% of high school students have seriously considered attempting suicide. I strongly believe that students should not be driven this far. I believe schools should offer the option for students to take a few days off of school to catch their breath and recharge; an escape route from the loop of exhaustion.

    In addition, I believe that schools should host regular mental health awareness activities. Schools should also provide lessons on maintaining good mental health (i.e. coping techniques, time management, prioritization, etc.) I believe this would significantly help students avoid falling into continuous exhaustion and prevent them from needing to use mental health days too frequently.

    However, after talking to some Uni friends about mental health days, I noticed a problem that I myself have run into and am not sure how to solve. Although mental health days are offered at Uni, the fear of the amount of work that would be missed and would have to be made up prevents them from being used. Especially since class periods are almost double the length of regular class periods, the amount of learning and work done in each hour can be overwhelming to catch up. This leaves Uni students without much choice. It's either "do it now with the rest of the class" or "make up everything you missed later while learning new topics." Naturally, lots of students lean to the option of continuing to go to school, despite their fatigue. What could be done about this problem of students being afraid to use mental health days? How could mental health days be more accessible to Uni students?

Works Cited

Gaylor EM, Krause KH, Welder LE, et al. Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among High School Students — Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/su/su7201a6.htm#suggestedcitation. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

“Mental Health Conditions.” NAMI, NAMI, www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions#:~:text=1%20in%2020%20U.S.%20adults,and%2075%25%20by%20age%2024. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023. 

The Learning Network. “300 Questions and Images to Inspire Argument Writing.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 Feb. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/02/01/learning/300-questions-and-images-to-inspire-argument-writing.html. 

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

A look at Primrose from Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

By Ana A

        Katniss Everdeen, that is who the "Hunger Games" series focuses on. The Hunger Games series is a dystopian series set in the fictional nation of Panem. The Capitol holds an annual event called the Hunger Games, which the 12 districts (similar concept to USA's States) are forced to compete in. Katniss volunteers to take her sisters spot as the district 12 representative in the games and in future actions absolutely breaks the capital. Katniss begins her journey in the series as a likeable and neatly kept individual, however, by the end of the third book, she becomes insufferable. However, this isn't about her but her younger sister Primrose. 

Primrose's main focus is not on herself as many young teens have, but on others. This perhaps is her most positive quality in all of the hunger games books. After seeing many injured during the war of Panem "Prim had set up a medical area for the injured," which saved hundreds of lives (Collins 35). She would risk her life even to go out on the front lines and care for the injured, putting her own life at steak meant absolutely nothing if it meant that others would be helped. When her sister was crying about her personal problems, Prim was there to comfort her. When her mother was struggling to be a single mother, Prim was there. She helped those who were even supposed to be helping her. Despite other characters treating her like garbage, she was there for them.

        Prim even creates a sort of "soft spot" for everyone, including animals. Prim owns a cat, Buttercup, and a goat, Lady. Both animals love her dearly. Buttercup in fact only has eyes for her. Primrose has always cradled him and made sure that he was cared for, just like every other living being that she has encountered. Besides Buttercups' own name hers is "the only word that means anything to him,"(Collins 43). Lady is a different story, she is a nice easy-going goat, different from Buttercups challenging demeanor. Ladys favorite person though is still primrose. She would always allow Prim to do things to her, such as pet her, that she wouldn't allow others to do.  

        Even Prim, who is a delightful character has a negative trait. However, her many, many positive characteristics outweigh her only negative trait, her vulnerability. Prim's vulnerability greatly becomes less and less of an issue throughout the books. In the first book Primrose wants to act and help others but is limited by her age, as a 12-year-old she can't do much to help. However, as she is on the brink to turn 14 in the last book, she has worked the hardest out of her entire family and has been quite far on her journey to be a leading medical professional. Other characters acknowledge her positive qualities and mention it frequently such as even Katniss, who usually only sees the negative side in many says that Prim "has inherited the best qualities our family has to offer,"(Collins 125). At various points throughout the rest of the novel many others agree and boost this opinion. Prim is the best thing that the hunger games as gotten.

Who's the real villain?

 

spoilers for Prodigy and Legend by Marie Lu

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Sarah Bolton

(image from Amazon.com)

https://www.amazon.com/Prodigy-Marie-Lu/dp/0142427551

The Patriots and the Republic have been enemies for years, the Patriots trying to bring back the old America, and the Republic trying to take over the current-day United States. The old Elector, closest to a modern-day president, has just died, leaving his son in charge. The old Elector had many enemies, as he was a harsh ruler. Because of that, people automatically assume that his son, Anden, will be the same. Commander DeSoto, or Razor as the patriots call him, is the leader of the rebel organization. He is one of the Electors’ closest commanders.

June and Day, the protagonists, one the Republic’s prized prodigy and the other the Republic’s most notorious criminal, joined the patriots. They have been tasked with the assassination of Anden. However, when June goes to lure him into the trap, she learns that Anden isn’t so bad. He actually wants to help Day, and improve his reputation with the lower class. Razor is a high enough class to know this. Yet he still wants him dead. He also told no one about Anden’s true intentions.

So who’s the real villain? I think that Anden is really trying to improve his reputation, not just trying to trick June. There is evidence that he’s trying to do things his father never would’ve done behind the scenes, not just in front of her. However, I don’t think Razor is evil. No matter how kind the Elector is, he will always see the colonies, the Republic’s enemy, as better. Therefore he doesn’t care who the Elector is, he just wants them dead. He’s given up any hope for the Republic, knowing that the only positive for it is its downfall. He’s trying to keep it a secret and convince everyone that Anden’s antics are just acts so that they don’t realize that the Republic might be on the path to a change for the better.

While June used to be the Republic’s star, and so she’s swayed more easily, Day will probably be very skeptical. As much as he wants his brother back, as Anden has said he’ll do, he’s been the enemy of the Republic his entire life. I could see this going one of a few ways. Day might believe this is a trap and stay with the patriots. If this happens, June will most likely keep trying to convince him. He might trust the Elector and go find his brother. While it is a possibility it’s a trap, I don’t think it is. He also might pretend to trust the Elector, but assassinate him instead. If he does this, there’s a very small chance he’ll get his brother back, unless the patriots get it for him, as they said they would.

Discovering the Secrets of the Universe: Brianna Gibson

       Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

By-Benjamin Alire Saenz

   In this novel, Aristotiles (Aristotle) sets out to discover the secrets of the universe. This becomes a main theme in this novel. Discovering the secrets of the universe is almost the same as asking someone, "What is the meaning of life?" As Aristotle and his best friend Dante live on with their lives, they notice that every little thing unfolds one of these secrets. Things as little as stars in the sky. 

  To discover the secrets of the universe was not a concept that Aristotle and Dante could easily understand. They waited for where life took them, and saw what it had to offer. We as people are not meant to know the secrets of the universe, but if we are curious enough, we will try. Along his journey to discover these secrets, Aristotle also became familiar with secrets within himself. This novel not only focuses on the world around Aristotle and Dante, it also focuses on Aristotle and Dante themselves. 

   Aristotle was like a blank slate before he met Dante. He didn't know anything about himself. He spent years trying to discover his own self out. When he met Dante, his secrets and wonders relating to himself were discovered. He came in touch with his emotions, hobbies, and overall sense of self. Discovering the secrets of the universe could mean a lot more than the literal universe. It could mean discovering yourself, as Aristotle, along with Dante did. 

As the story moved along, Aristotle and Dante never figured out the literal secrets of the universe. They more so took what was special to them, and made those their secrets of the universe. Things as small as birds, the night sky, and other animals like dogs. All of these secrets symbolized something large in their life, though they were so small. Discovering the Secrets of the Universe is really what you make it.

In conclusion, no can really discover the secrets of the universe. It's more of what you make, and decide to label as something important. Something important enough to be a secret or mystery. The theme of discovering and self discovery is one of the greatest themes in this story. To Discover the Secrets of the Universe, is to discover the little things in your life, that may not be so little in your eyes.