Do governments have a duty of care to their citizens and as such should they provide free access to books in the form of libraries?

Yes, governments are obligated to take care of their citizens. The government basically is the people, they represent them and must make sure their needs are met. I do believe that free access to books should be provided, because not everybody can afford buying books on a regular basis, or having an internet connection.

Libraries can really come in handy to those who need information but can't find it anywhere other than books. Not everybody can get these books themselves, however, and a library can really help this problem. This is why I don’t think libraries should be closed.

My Name!

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet."

-William Shakespeare


Hime Cecelia Chadwick is my full name. Hime means “princess” in Japanese. Though my dad tells me it was my mom who chose my name, she tells a different story. Apparently, she wrote a long list of names that she liked, Japanese and American alike (my mother is Japanese, whilst my father is American). My father was the one who looked through it and chose what he liked (and he was very picky), which turned out to be who I am today, Hime. Cecelia, when I looked it up on Google, means “blind”, or “way for the blind”. This isn’t, however, how I got my middle name. It’s actually my dad’s mother’s name, though it does fit me, as I am extremely near-sighted. Chadwick means “From the warrior’s town” or something of the sort, and is from my dad’s side of the family, whose ancestors changed their last name to Chadwick to sound American, as they were from Holland and trying to get into the U.S.

I can’t choose a color for my name, because my name is who I am, even if it doesn’t sound like it. Am I a soft pink color, for the princess my name hints myself to be? Am I a dark purple for a shy and not-easy-to-spot color? If I don’t know exactly who I am, I don’t know what color I am, much less the color of my name. As for the meaning of my name... I don’t like to think of myself as a princess, as modern “princesses” may be viewed of as somebody spoiled, and I don’t like to be thought of this way. When you look up "Hime" on Google, you get suggestions for "Hime make-up" and "Hime nails". This feels very girly, and I don't feel that I am a very girly person. If you were confused with the image at the top of this post; that's what I think looks like a "Hime" type of person. Also, the pronunciation of Hime in Japanese is different than that of English, and mispronunciations cause me to feel uncomfortable and annoyed. In Japanese, Hime is something soft and pretty-sounding, while in English, it can end up sounding rough and strange. My name is something special to me, and having somebody call me something else does not make me happy. In third grade, I was new to my school, and very quiet and shy. My teacher misheard my name, therefore, for half the year I was known as “Himen”, until we got a new art teacher and I corrected everybody when telling her what my name was.

I’m happy with my middle name Cecelia, though sometimes people think this is my first name as nobody really hears about anybody with the name “Hime” (like on an attendance sheet: “Cecelia, Hime Chadwick” is what it says). What I don't like is that it is also feminine, which adds to the girly-ness of Hime. This makes me feel that my name is unbalanced. Hime Cecelia Chadwick- doesn't that sound like you're about to see a girly person? Or is that just me? You may view Hime as something weird and foreign, in which case it does not look pink and flowery at all. What I feel, however, is that, if I had a less princess-sounding first name, my name would sound better. However, I am happy with my name. I like my middle name because it adds a nice ring to my entire name: Hime Cecelia Chadwick (my fourth-grade teacher said it sounded like an author's name), and because my grandmother, whom I inherited my middle name from, is somebody I admire.

I don’t think I could be happier with any other last name than Chadwick. It means, “Defense warrior” or “from the warrior’s town”. I used to be teased about it when I was younger, being called “Chad-wicked”, and this caused me to feel slightly annoyed that I didn’t have my mother’s maiden name, “Kina” (which, apparently, means “judged” in Hawaiian, though this means nothing to me), as my last name. However, now I do feel proud of being a Chadwick, as it is an interesting last name and completes my full name. My name may not suit me very well, or even make much sense to those who don't speak Japanese, but I'm proud of my name, because I was named, still am, and continue to be Hime Cecelia Chadwick.

Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken

The current title of my blog is also the title of this blogpost: "Be yourself, everyone else is taken." -Oscar Wilde. I chose this quote as the title of my blog because it can really touch some people, as it did me. There are many people out there who feel insecure about the people they are, and wish they could be like someone else, or are willing to trade places with that person. This is a horrible way to feel and leave people feeling sick and unhappy with themselves. But the truth is, trying to be like someone else is just wasting the person you are, and some people never realize that. We are all who we are for a reason, and we've all got our place in the world. This quote really makes sense, and the words are stringed together in perfect harmony to help bring Oscar Wilde's point across.

I also like how Oscar Wilde made us seem very individual, unique, the way his quote went. Like we're something to search for, to buy, to want. His wording was excellent, and those are the reasons why this quite was chosen as the title of my blog. Thanks for reading!

-Hime

Everything Has a Beginning

How was the world created? You can find out in this movie, based on Japanese mythology:

I'm Almost a Seventh Grader!

1. What pieces of work and learning are you most proud? Explain.

There's so much I've accomplished this year, so many assignments and projects. The one I am most proud of is what you're looking at right now: my blog. I think my blog deserves the most pride because I put the most effort into writing what I thought and felt, and a lot of our blogposts were asking for that. I liked writing about myself, and reflecting on work, like I'm doing now. (because everybody enjoys talking about themselves!) The blogposts were one place we could just write and write about how we felt about something, including how we've done this year. This resulted in me working harder and genuinely asking myself, "How do I feel about this?"

2. What were your greatest challenges? Explain.

My greatest challenges were probably finding time to go above and beyond what was assigned, and shoot above the goal. This wasn't so bad for me during the middle of the school year, but near the end (about this time) I started getting seriously lazy and avoided doing homework, and only worked on what was assigned, so I didn't push myself very much. I think what I will work on next year (and now) is finding some way to be enthusiastic about work and my grades, because right now I'm not feeling that I'm working my best.

3. Reflecting on your growth this year, what did you learn about yourself as a learner?

I've learned that I enjoy working on projects, just so I can finish and reflect on them, like I'm doing now, and see what can be improved. The literature circles (lit. circles) were not simple assignments, but I finished them and now I can look back at them and think about how my responses could have more information from the book, or how my connections could have more details. I've also learned that I may need to do something to help me feel more ready to work, because in some assignments I'm not trying my hardest.

4. To evaluate your work habits, choose 1 of the following from each category (and provide explanations):

a) Behavior

-Could be improved

-Satisfactory

-Perfect

I say 'perfect', not because it's absolutely perfect, but because my behavior is slightly closer to perfect than satisfactory. I don't purposely make trouble or try to get others hurt, so I don't think my behavior is any less than it should be. My behavior in class is fine, my behavior in working can have more enthusiasm, and my behavior anywhere else is fine, too, I suppose.

b) Participation

-None

-Satisfactory

-Actively participate in class

I don't raise my hand very often in class, unless I have a question that hasn't been asked by any other students yet, or an answer that hasn't been given by anyone else. This can be changed, if I manage to grow out of the shell that contains me when in front of a classroom of people.

c) Organization

-Needs serious help

-Satisfactory

-I'm super organized

Organization is something that runs in my mom's side of the family, and sometimes I can't stand anything being disorganized or messy, so I give everything an order. This is something you can see in everything I do, even in writing this blogpost, by dividing up the sections with the questions as headings. This may not make it look very natural, or attractive, but it makes it easier to read what needs to be read, and that's what's best for me.

d) Effort

-Needs serious help

-Satisfactory

-I always go above and beyond what is required

Like I had mentioned in a previous paragraph, I went above and beyond earlier in my sixth grade year, but I can't say I've 'always' done it, since I'm getting sloppier with my work as the end of the year comes closer.

5. Based on your reflections, write two personal learning goals for Grade 7 next year.

Goal 1- In Grade 7, I plan to

Work my hardest on projects and assignments, and find a new way of looking at school so I'm motivated to do just that.

Goal 2- In Grade 7, I plan to

Get more sleep, and recreational time so I can feel better about doing work, and actually trying my best.

6. Is there any more information that you'd like the teachers to know?

Something I'd like my future teachers to know is that I am very quiet in class discussions, because I don't feel comfortable about sharing ideas with a crowd of people that I may know well or just slightly. Strangely, I feel better about discussing in large groups if I'm talking with people I don't talk to often, because I am more comfortable about sharing my ideas with people who will only have what I say to judge me, and I don't think my ideas will produce too many negative thoughts about me. If I have to discuss ideas with people I know, let it be a small group, maybe four people, because I feel considerably more comfortable with a small group than a whole classroom.

7. Finally, go back to when to your first few months of sixth grade. What "Words of Wisdom" or "Advice" would you like to pass on to the Class of 2018?

Some advice I'd like to give to future sixth graders are based on things I've experienced this year, most of them regarding homework. One thing I've learned is: DON'T LEAVE YOUR HOMEWORK TO THE LAST MINUTE!! This tip came in handy during the dreaded "Lit. Circle Time", where you have multiple passages, questions, responses and so on to work on over the course of a week, and the worst mistake you can make on lit. circles is to leave it to the night before it's due. This is advice you ('you' being anyone new to sixth grade next year) may very well be given several times, but I can't stress how important it really is. More words of wisdom include working your best on projects; if the requirement is two paragraphs, write three, or more, and add more information than what's assigned. Also, it's not the length of what you write that matters, it's the content. The length can help with adding more so the audience continues to stay interested. Don't use it to mean you write nonsense and make it look like five paragraphs of good work, because it's better to be two of outstanding detail. And the most important of all, that will help you with homework, friends, and just life in general, is to enjoy yourself, and what you're doing. Have fun!

The end is near... of the school year, and of this blogpost.

Dear Lily...

Greetings, Lily. This is your older brother, Jonas, speaking. By the time you are reading this, I'll be long gone. You may be wondering where I am, and I intend to tell you. The truth is, I'm not anywhere you expect me to be. Not with Asher, not with the Giver. I am Elsewhere.

Don't get too excited! I'm not sure what is out there, since I am only just beginning my journey as I write this. Who knows, though? I could be in another community by the time you're reading this. Maybe I'll still be traveling. I want you to know, Lily, that I'm not alone, because I've brought Gabriel. I know you're thinking that I'm insane to bring somebody so young with me on a journey so dangerous, but I know what I'm doing. Gabriel can see beyond! This means he has the ability to see what our community used to be like; he can receive memories, like me. I needed to get him away. Yes, what I'm saying is that something is... different... about our community. There is something called color, and agony. Also, what I've said before is true: There used to be animals, and I must see them!

I suspect Mother and Father are worried about me, too. You don't need to show them this letter, because whichever you choose to do, it won't matter. I'll be gone and will never go back. Lily... just keep this for yourself; maybe comfort yourself in the fact that I'll be happier. A word you will never understand, and I will not, either, if I stay. There are many new emotions I must feel, and a new life I want to live. No longer do I want to spend my life wishing for something other than... this! I want to feel, Lily, so badly. It aches to think you will never understand the longing I am forced to withstand.

Love. It's an amazing feeling. There used to be families, large families, born and not assigned! They would all live together, with the parents of their parents, called grandparents. On a day they call Christmas, they would all receive gifts, and laugh. They would light candles with fire, which is dangerous, but so bright and warm... if you only knew the power inside the room I saw, you would leave, too. I want to love, and be loved. Hopefully, I will find a new family, and they will accept me, and love me as a son.

I've always wondered, Lily, if what we ever felt toward each other was love. Did you merely

admire me as an older brother, or did you honestly and truly love me? I doubt you will be able

to answer, since love is a complicated feeling that our community has forgotten. Maybe one

day, long after my death, the community I once called home will have learned emotion. Will

have learned of pain, and color. These dreams won't die with my presence there, Lily. Nor

will your place in my heart.

This is the last time you will ever hear from me, dear sister.

Love (such a nice feeling it is to be able to pen the word),

Jonas

Freedom, and the Emotions It Brings

In Chapters 16-18 of The Giver, Jonas is learning more and more about freedom from the community he knows (or used to know). There are decisions he has to make on his own, and doubts he is starting to have about his community. First, his life is simple and easy, and now his mind is working more and more on its own. He even had the decision to throw away his pill that prevents him from having dreams. Now he has this freedom that comes with his new job, the world he grew up in is crumbling all around him, revealing in the cracks a new way of living, with more possibilities, yet more faults...

Before he was selected as the Receiver of Memories, Jonas was as disciplined as everyone else in the community. Told not to pry into other people's business, and never to tell a lie. Now, Jonas is allowed to lie, and realizes how easy it is to get other people to believe in things that aren't true. If everybody in the community had the privilege of lying, what would their way of living be like? We, in our world today, are allowed to lie (but told against it). It's common sense not to believe everything you hear, and to think about somebody's answer before accepting it. Freedom can be a negative thing, and reveal some problems in having people decide things on their own.

Since Jonas has felt all these emotions and seen the colors, naturally he would want to have freedom. There is a reason that color was relinquished, though, and we have to wonder. Is this the best way? Is what we're doing now good for us, or will it lead to chaos? The Committee obviously thought so, and they live an organized world. Perfect.

Freedom. Ziyou. Vrijhead. Kalayaan. La liberte. Freiheit. Liberta. Jiyu. Jayu. Kebebasan. Liberdade. Libertate. La libertad.