Kasey+J

== Today For homework we read chapter 2 in Bad Boy. It first starts off about Walter's church experience. It says Walter used to go to Sunday school with about ten other kids. They sang songs about Jesus. Also in this section it described more things about Harlem. It says in the text that boys and girls would be double dutching and listening to Duke Ellington. Walter learned the "boogie" and people threw pennies at him to dance. Lastly in chapter two it talks about Walter's relationship to Florence Dean. They had a very strong and healthy relationship together. Florence loved and cared for Walter like he was her own. For example, when Walter had "blood" in his intestine Florence rushed him to the hospital. Chapter two was very interesting and non-confusing to me. I very much enjoyed it! I can't wait to read on. ==

== Today for homework we read chapter three in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly talks about school and church. To start off Walter begins 1st grade. He loves his teacher Mrs. Dworkin. She was a hugger and she always told you how good you were doing in her class. Walter then moves on to 2nd grade, a boy made fun of his speech do Walter hit him. He was sent to the Principals office but he liked it there. He had a consequence but he didn't mind. Walter and his family moves to a new apartment. World War II starts and Walter is told he gets to have a key to his house. He was so excited! Also Walter started church. He said Mrs. Dodson was out to get him. Lastly, Walter progressed to the 3rd grade. The teacher hit him! His mama found out. She said you better never hit my boy ever again. She didn't but Walter grades went down. ==

== Today for homework we read chapter four in Bad Boy. In this chapter it said how Viola his sister had gotten married and had a baby. Her husband's name is Frank Law. He graduated from a black college. Since Walter had gotten a bad grade in math, Frank got to help him for two hours a day. Later school started in September, and Walter was looking forward to it. Everything was going great for Walter. He got to pass out cookies and get milk. It was fine until Bunny got scared of Walter and punched him in the face! The teacher assumed it was Walter. She called on him for an answer and he threw his book on the ground. She told him he had to go to reform school! Lastly in this chapter it explained how Walter had to get his appendix taken out. He rode his bike when he wasn't supposed too. He saw his father and ran up the stairs and pretended to sleep. He left but when he came back in Walter was bleeding internally! Mama quit her job to be with him. Walter was promoted to the fifth grade but was moved o a different school. ==

== Today I read chapter five in Bad Boy. In this chapter it mostly explains Walter's new school. Walter had moved to Public School 43. Mrs. Conway was his teacher. Many kids used to laugh at his speech. This was mostly Johnny Brown. He tried to be the class clown. Walter got so angry and threw his book on the ground. Mrs. Conway got so angry she told Walter to go in the closet. Walter was also in the low groups but got moved up because of his spelling test. One day Walter got picked on to read aloud. Johnny started laughing so Walter smacked him. He was sent to the office. Walter later got into another fight. He wrote a awesome poem and one his classmate said that he didn't think he wrote it so Walter hit him too. Walter was sent to the back of the room and could not participate in anything. Walter tried reading comic books but Mrs. Conway saw him and tear it up. She gave him another book that he read and liked very much. He got another book and figured out that he liked reading. Lastly Walter got his poem in the paper, and got the best grade of his life, needs improvement. ==

== Today I read chapter six in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains Walter's summer and school. For example it explains a lot about how during Walter's summer he walked along the streets and saw many different thing. These included Macy's was there, and movie theater and many more things. Also Walter found out that he wants to be an athlete. He loves anything to do with ball. After Walter's summer he came to school. His teacher Mr. Irwin Lasher knew all about Walter's behavior. He told him that he isn't dealing with any junk. He knew Walter was a smart boy. Later Walter got into a "fight" with his teacher. His teacher walked him home and talked to his mother. Another important event in this chapter was that Walter jumped on the back of the cad and scraped his whole legs. He told his father that is mama beat him but that was a lie. Lastly, this chapter explains how Walter jumps off a building and gets fractures in both feet. ==

==Today I read chapter seven in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains Walter's advanced classes and Uncle Lee's death. For an exmaple of his advanced class if someone in his class got a 80 there was something wrong. Another example from the text is that Walter finally got to be considered smart! Walter couldn't belive it! It also explains Walter's Uncle Lee's death. He was drunk and had been robbed and beaten in an alley. Walter's father was so upset. He cried and cried and mourned. Walter didn't really understand about death but he knew his father was in pain. Another example from the text was that Uncle Lee hadn't been out of jail long, so this was even more of a shock. To Walter his death didn't really mean much. Tis all happened on the day Walter was supposed to have is 12th birthday party.==

== Today I read chapter eight in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains Harlem and how Walter realizes how race is important now. For example Harlem is explained as Walter's neighbors'. In the text it says Melba Valle lived above us and is a model and dancer. Not many people liked her. Another example from the text is Mrs. Dodson who ruled her household. Walter later realizes how race is important in his time. For example in the text it says how Walter got invited to a party. Another white kid told him her couldn't come because he was black. Lastly in the text it explains how Walter wants to become a writer. What Walter does to write is observe his surroundings. This is where the title A Writer Observes comes in the chapter.

Chapter 9

10-13-10
==Today for homework I went outside and observed my street for 10 minutes. I did not see much on my street. So because my street is so quiet I didn't see much! The only thing I saw was cars going by and people walking dogs. If I were a writer this information would not help me. This would not help me because I would never be able to write a whole story on that. That is what I observed outside on my street.==

5 facts

 * ==Walter's grandfather moved in with him.==
 * ==Walter now attends a new high school.==
 * ==His grades are droping.==
 * ==Walter and his family are going thourgh a hard time of depression.==
 * ==Walter is afraid that his race migh tear apart Eric and Walter's friendship.==

== Today for homework I read chapter eleven for homework. This chapter moslty explains how Walter is become the real meaning of poor and that he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. For example Walter had to get a part time job. He made $15 in one week most of his money went to his mother to help pay the rent. Also Mama sometimes even had to bet money just to see if she could win and pay the rent will the money. Walter also realizes that he doesn't know what he wants to be in his life and college. For example Walter was asked what he wants to be what when he grows up. He said a lawyer. The man said he could be a lawyer because he couldn't speak well enough. Walter then realizes that not many colleges take black students. Also we now knows how much it is going to be and he can't afford it. ==

== ﻿Today in class we read chapter twelve. This chapter was mostly about Walter being introduced into more authors and meeting them. For example Walter meets the author Langston Hugdes. When Walter meets him he noticed that he was black and looked like a regular person on the street. Also in the text it says, Walter tried to meet Dylan Thomas so he went to the bar but, one of the people there said he was already carried out drunk. Also in this chapter it explains, how Walter's friends are mostly getting serious about girls and he isn't. ==

Discussion Questions
1. Who was the stranger?

2. What do you think about Frank? Do you think him and Walter should stay friends? Why or why not.

3. Do you think that Walter will move with Frank? Why or why not.

4. Did you find this chapter confusion? If so why?


 * Today for homework I read chapter fifteen in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains Walter and Dr. Holiday and Walter's outside life including growing apart from Mama. For example Walter goes to the doctor and is asked how he is. Walter shrugged and simple answered fine. Walter also explains how Dr. Holiday would question him. One question being do you like being black? Also in the text it explains about Mama and Walter becoming distant. For example Walter says how Mama knew nothing about Walter and how it would take her one hundred years to figure it out. Also in the text it tells us how Walter almost got into another fight with the same gang who tried to beat up Frank. Walter pulled out his knife and the backed down. **

== Today for homework I read the next chapter in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains how Walter really feels about being black. For example in the text it says that most people though as black men as the tough and strong men. Never as the smart ones. Walter doesn't want to be known as the black one or as some people call him "a nigger". Also in the text it explains how Walter remembers all his times as a child in middle school. Not being able to go to parties because of his race. Also in the chapter it explains how Walter remembers all past things in his childhood. For example when all of the teachers used to ask Walter what he wanted to be when he grew up he would say a lawyer or a doctor, or if he was in science when he liked the teacher he would say a scientist. When Walter finishes thinking about all of this Dr. Holiday asked him again if he likes being black. He says yes but I think he wanted to say no. ==

==For homework I read the nest chapter in Bad Boy. This chapter was mostly about Walter's last term at his high school. For example Walter realizes how badly he is doing in his class. Most of the kids even the the very bright students were just going through the motions. Also in the text it says how Walter again started to skip school. He said that Dr. Holiday told him he should take a couple of weeks off from school. The teachers tell Walter to have his mom call but of course he didn't. Also in the chapter Frank came over Walter's house. Mama had nothing good to say about him. She said he was strange and different. Can Walter really stay like this for long?==

==Today for homework I read the next chapter in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains Walter's time with Frank before he moved. For example, in the text it states that Walter had to deliver a package with Frank. They had been set up and Frank had been jumped. Also Frank had gotten beat many other times before. Also this chapter explains how Walter joins the army. In the text it says that Walter was going to join. He had told the army that his parents were both dead so he got to join when he was 17. Walter told his parents and his mama was in shock. His father said that it was good for him. Walter packed only underwear, pants and a shirt. As he left his father told him to be brave. His mother couldn't even say one word. She started to cry. Walter had just finished part of his life.==

==Today I read the last chapter in Bad Boy. This chapter mostly explains Walter's life after the army with his mother and father. For example it described Walter coming home and telling his Mama he was writer. In the text it says when Walter came back his Mama asked him what he was doing with his life. He said writer for children. Mama was surprised and shocked. She was also happy at the same time. For another example how Walter thought he was lucky. In the text it says Walter was lucky for not being sent to jail all of those times he got into fights. When he was a bad bad boy. Imagine if Walter did get sent to jail. I don't think Walter could have done it without a paper and pen and even a book. This chapter concluded the book Bad Boy.==