Out of the Tunnel by Patrick Jones

    Sam Dhobhany

809

12/4/14

You ever heard the phrase "you can’t always get what you want". Well this is exactly what’s happening. Brian Norwood is a student at Troy Central High school. In the book “Out of the Tunnel”  by Patrick Jones.  Brian’s   father is pressuring Brian to play tight-end because he wants him to be part of the big six, something his dad was in back in the day. Being part of the big six doesn’t only matter how you are on the field, but off the field to. It seems like Brian isn't up for that type of responsibility. Throughout the story, Brian feels pressured being in the big six.

Throughout the story, being a tight end is a very important position on the field, people expect good from you. Being in the big also means that what you do off the field is important too. Stuff like going to parties, girls, and alcohol. Also a tradition is that they take turns on who brings booze to a party every time they have one or when they even just hang out. These types of things off the field can get you get kicked off the team, which his friend Dylan keeps reminding him but they both know if they want to stay in the big six and stay cool and be known, they would have to face these challenges.  When Brian brought booze to a party once. He asked his uncle who was on the big six back in the day to buy him the beer, you may think that his uncle would definitely say no. But he understood how Brian had to deal with it.

In conclusion, Brian obviously is being pressured by his dad and the members of the big six, will Brian continue to face these challenges? In the story he comes from excited to pressured, resistant, fearful, and guilty.  I think it’s safe to say that if you are in a group of cool kids or whatever the situation is, it’s not good to always to follow the crowd because it can lead to bad decisions and serious consequences which I think Brian will realize at the end of the story. 

The Option

Sam Dhobhany 809 Reading Response

            In the book “The Option” by Herman Brown, Gary Jayo is the second string quarterback on the Troy Central High school Football Team. Gary comes from a divorced family living in Ohio and has strong heart and the mind of a tiger. Throughout the story, football star Shane Hunter get the job as starting quarterback on the team, and he likes rubbing it in Gary’s face, which make them to turn out to hate each other, and creates lots of conflict between them.

            I notice that when Gary told coach Z Shane had missed practice twice which Coach Z is strict about. However, Coach does not give Shane any kind of consequence, meanwhile if Gary was the one who was missing practice. Coach Z would probably bench him or suspend him from the team. This gives Shane a reason to tease Gary and also to show he’s “the man”(pg. 17). 

            I also notice that Shane And Orlando were making fun of him because his dad has HIV from having an affair with another woman and how his mom isn't there for him anymore because he's a mommas boy. This shows that Shane is just being a Jerk and doesn’t care about people's feelings. However what's also interesting is that Gary isn't affected by them and shows he's not sensitive. Shane shouldn’t act like this because he has lots of problems going on at his house which later on Gary finds out what makes him cause to act like this and decides not to snitch on Shane to the principle about his  drinking incident.

            Another thing that came to my mind is that when Shane see's Gary every once and a while. He calls him 2 because Gary is the second string quarterback and his back up. This shows that Shane also is disrespectful and likes to rub it in Gary's face since he's the Starting quarterback, and Gary is not. The reason also why this is important is because Shane uses his athletic abilities against Gary to put him down. Which I hope will change overtime.

            Now based on these 3 pieces of evidence shown, I think it's safe to say that Shane and Gary has lots of conflict between each other based on who has a more important spot than the other. This matters because there are lots of kids on football or basketball or any sport that are better than others and they like to rub it in to their teammates.

SAMs reading response.

                                                         Tears of a Tiger

                               In the story Tears of a Tiger, Andy (main character)kills his bestfriend in a car accident after they have been drinking.He totally blames himself and think everyone is against him but they're not.Andys parents take him to a therapist to help him try to get over the accident.And through the year they meet once a week to see whats up.

                                First,he has a total nightmare in his sleep.When someway,his bestfriend talks to him and keep saying. "when will you meet?"(meaning when will  die so he can see him in heaven".And Andy just keeps on saying i cant meet you there yet,maybe in the next years or so. But his bestfriend demands that he wants him now and that it was all his fault for the accident.

                        Seccond,he has an outstanding game in his high school basketball game,its a big win for the team.But it wasnt the same for Andy not having his bestfriend in the starting line up.After the game he has a talk with his coach saying how you know people make mistakes in life but his friend is probably staring at him right now.Saying that he was a hero for his school.

                         Third,at the end.Andy just couldnt take all this stress anymore,Andy commits suicide.The day after his friends and the school hears the news and they are deivistated.The counselor then tells everyone to write a letter to Andy and share their feelings with him.Some write bad letters,some wrote good,some didnt participate.However Andy was still in their hearts.
               
                                In Tears Of a Tiger,i notice the author shows a lot of life lessons,but mainly,one.No matter how responsible you were for a tragedy that you didnt mean,dont try to do something to yourself that can hurt you and others.