The Secret Life of Parents

Surprising Facts About Our Parents

An essay by Jake DeLapp

8A English

10/25/10

        Our parents all probably did something incredibly stupid, awesome or amazing. In TKAM Jem and Scout learned that Atticus, who was thought to hate guns and violence, was actually an incredible marksman. The best in Maycomb county. Your parents may have secrets or have told you incredible stories that may have flabbergasted you as well. In this essay I will tell you all about how my mom isn’t as lame as I thought she was.

        (ts) Imagine that your seemingly normal dad was actually a rock star and went on tour all over the world, but he never told you! (sd) This is exactly what Scout and Jem go through when they realize there dad is ol’ one shot Finch, the best shot in town. (cm) In TKAM when the sheriff hands Atticus the shotgun Jem and Scout think he’s crazy, but then Atticus makes a perfect shot to take out Tim Johnson, the “mad dog”! (cm) Jem and Scout are astounded and excited to find out their dad isn’t as boring as they thought. (sd) Scout and Jem are also shocked why Atticus doesn’t want them shooting birds. (cm) They are confused because Atticus used to shoot birds and other creatures all the time when he was a child. (cm) Miss Maudie even said “If he shot 14 birds with 15 shots he considered it a waste of ammunition”.(cs) After what Jem and Scout saw, I don’t think they will ever call their dad boring again.

        Many of us have probably learned that our parents may not have been the person we imagined them to be in their youth. Your dad may have been a star sports player, or your mom may have been a cheerleader. Maybe their past was rebellious and they told you all about stunts they used to pull. I even learned that my mom saved my dads life and went on awesome vacations before I was born.

        Back in the olden days my mom actually saved my dads life when they were on vacation! They were going down natural slides made from waterfalls when my dad went to go down a wrong one when my mom grabbed him before he plummeted to his death. I was astounded when I learned about this vacation. I was startled because I didn’t think my mom ever did anything cool. I thought all she ever did was read or do other lame things just like Jem and Scout thought all Atticus ever did was read, it turns out we were all wrong. Although what my mom did was very cool I was also a little bit angered. Our family never goes on awesome vacations like sliding down waterfalls anymore! All we do now is go visit our cousins or go up to Vermont. I will have to talk to my parents about this issue, I want to go do something cool like they used to do sometime soon. When my parents told me all about this I learned that you should not always judge a book by its cover, someone who may seem lame may not be who you expected.

outline for essay #6

Thesis=moms a hero
Bell word=Surprising
　
Hook=Mom saved dads life once
Cm1=waterfalls
Cm2=mom grabbed dad before he fell
　
Topic/hook=moms a hero
2 echo words=amazing, shocking
Sd=had no idea any of this happened
Cm1=why didn’t my parents tell me
Cm2=mom doesn’t do cool stuff anymore
Concluding sentence=
　
Topic/hook=why don’t I have fun anymore
2 echo words=awakening, astounding
Sd=parents went on awesome vacations before me
Cm1=why don’t we do awesome stuff anymore
Cm2=I want to slide down waterfalls
Concluding sentence=get parents to take me to fun vacations
　
Echo word=stunning
Hook=mom is cooler than I thought
Cm1=saved dads life
Cm2=did cool stuff
Restate thesis=moms a hero

Water from the eyes

My thoughts about crying

An essay by Jake DeLapp

Pine Point 8A English

October 2010

        Crying is really just water that flows from our eyes when we become saddened. Its something so little, but it means a lot. Even though some people cry a lot, I think they are really just wimps, and should go with the flow. Crying is only for the big things.

        (ts) I don’t cry very often, but when I do its because I’m very hurt, or very emotional. (sd) In TKAM Jem was crying after Mr. Nathan Radley sealed up the knot hole in the tree. (cm1) Jem wouldn’t normally be depressed or cry if any tree was sealed up, but this was the tree where him and scout found all sorts of small treasures in the afternoons, on their way home from school. (cm2) They found gum, watches, and all other things that appeared remarkable to children of their age, but when the tree was sealed up all the trinkets would no longer be in the knot hole of that one very special tree. (sd) On the other hand, Jem may be crying because he thinks someone caught him such as Atticus or another adult and he would be in big trouble. (cm1) To some kids getting caught for something of this manner may not be a big deal, but Jem hasn’t ever been whipped and obviously doesn’t want to be any time soon. (cm2) For example, when , someone (a.k.a Jem) lost his pants at the Radley’s he went to get them so he wouldn’t be in trouble, even if it meant he may be shot by a ruthless Nathan Radley. (cs) No matter why Jem is crying, I believe he has a reason. If something as special as the tree to Jem and Scout was lost I would be very upset and maybe even cry myself.

          (ts)When I was little Max, my pet cat and little buddy, died, I think I had a reason to cry. (sd)Sometimes people cry too much, but if you only over the important things I think its ok.(cm1) I cried when Max died because that was the loss of a family member, something that’s important.(cm2) If you cry over forgetting gym clothes once, then you probably cry too much.(sd) When max died, I cried a lot, but moved on.(cm1) I believe its very important that you move on after something bad happens to you.(cm2) After all you cant cry for years on end!(cs) Often times we should be sad, and maybe even cry, but you should always look for the good things in life, its just as hard as looking for the bad things.

        In my opinion crying should be for the big things in life, or something that really hurts. You shouldn’t cry if you want a book in a library, but its already checked out, or something else as simple as that. When something small happens just continue on in life, and remember that you cant control what happens. You don’t have to cry over anything or everything that happens to you.