Thursday, October 31, 2013

Journal Seven

Tong Lin
Mike Lohre Instrutor
English 1109
31 October 2013



Journal Seven

        The book Ordinary Resurrections written by Jonathan Kozol and he wired in first person by told different stories of the kids lived in the Mott Haven.  Mott Haven was a poor neighborhood located in the South Bronx.  There were many criminal things happened in the book such as shooting, raping, and drug issues.  According Kozol's description of the environment in the Mott Haven, the readers can realize how the kids were struggling and dealing with their own issues.  Kozol decided to spend a a lot of time lived in the Mott Haven.  He wanted know the kids more.  Most kids believed their own religions but Kozol didn't believe.  Kozol showed the respect to the kid in the book.  However, Kozol had some families issues just like the kids in the neighborhood.  Kozol's parents were very old and Kozol needed take care of them.  Kozol's dad told him how he was spending the time in his college life.    His dad got a lot of opportuintes to study and work.  It was all about opportunites and resources.  Kozol had an opportunity to study in the Harvard but the kids never had opportunities even finished high school.  Kozol and the teachers tried to get more opportunities and resources for the kids in the end of the book.  The another story about Kozol was he treat the kids as his good friend.  Kozol went to the shopping mall in the end of book.  He wanted buy some Christmas gifts for the Pineapple and other kids.  Kozol wanted the kids felt they would had a great Christmas.  I think it was a strength to write partly in first person.  I think in the book Ordinary Resurrections, by telling the stories of the each kid, Kozol expresses his thoughts in most part of the stories.  I think he wants tell the readers how he feel about the kids in the book and how the kids influence him.  It is important to see how the things happen in front of his eye and the real stories always powerful to influence people.  

        The most important part of the last two chapter was the teachers had hard time to said goodbye to the kids.  Most of the teachers could teach in a nice environment rather than taught in Mott Haven.  "There's no complexity about the reason.  Miss Reistetter's family has no money to assist in underwriting her career… She loves the children here at P.S 30, but she's not a saint and took no vow of indigence when she became a teacher"(Kozol 302).  Miss Reistetter was only one of dozens of good teacher that Kozol had meet before.  Most of her students were sad because Miss Reistetter would be teaching in New Jersey next year.  Most teachers had their own problems and some of them most solve the problem by leaving the students to find a better job outside of the Mott Haven.  Kozol knew that most of the teachers loved the kids.  Most of the teacher could paid more in the different schools.  They still choose to stayed in Mott Haven.  The big factor of the last two chapter was the connection between the kid and teachers.  

        I think the book Ordinary Resurrection is a great book.  There are many values in the book.  It is important to see how the kids grow stronger and mature.  We shall be happy with what we have now because there are many kids in the world don't have chance to go to school.  I think the environment of Mott Haven and how kids deal with the many issue influenced me the most.  It is hard for them but I see how the kids being positive and how they try so hard.  I think the kids are wonderful.    


5 comments:

  1. I agree with you on all parts. I beleive that the connection between the kids and their teachers was a very important moment in the last two chapters. I also completely agree that we should value and be happy with what we have because others out there are less fortunate.

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  2. I agree that Miss Reistetter was strong positive influence to the children

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    1. i agree all the parts your written. yes, Kozol's dad has struggled in his life and he was a nice person too who always helps to others. the friendship between Kozol and children is a really good influence for children and this is really strong bond between them, that's why children miss Kozol and Kozol misses Children.

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  4. I do agree there are many values in the book and the book shows us though they live in a rough part of town they still are great kids who are just less fortunate.

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