Metacognitive Reflection of My Reading Habits

I love to read. There’s nothing I love more than curling up with a book and losing myself in the world of the book. My boss says you know that you’re a good reader when you see pictures in your head when you read. So I suppose I’m a good reader, because when I read my brain does more than just see pictures…sometimes I’ve played out the whole book so well as I’ve read along that I can’t remember if I read the book, or I saw it in a movie. It’s pretty intense. I’ve noticed that reading is very important in expanding your vocabulary. I’ve also noticed that expanding your vocabulary really enhances reading. You begin to notice the words you never knew existed in books you’ve already read! That just goes to show that good readers don’t need to read word by word to grasp the meaning of a story.

I don’t get to read often because I have a busy schedule, but when I get a good book in my hands, it is extremely hard to put it down! If I start a book at night, I’m more than likely to read through the night until I finish it. I do not like having to stop and wait to find out what happens next! Which leads to the next topic of discussion, the difficulties of reading The Flowers. I haven’t had any difficulties reading the text. The only difficulty I’ve had so far is trying to pace myself and not read too far ahead. Other than that, The Flowers is an easy and great read.

Themes

I think the themes that drive this novel are of family and growing up. The theme I am choosing is the theme of family. This theme of family mostly impacts Sonny, Sylvia, and the Cloyd.

In the beginning of the story, we learn that the only “family” Sonny has is his mom. I say “family” because she is the only blood-related family he has left. However, he also has his dog Goofy that he considers a part of the family. As the story goes on, one could consider that his family has grown to include the twins, Jose and Miguel; the lady from Alley Cats, Mrs. Zuniga; and possibly the car salesman, Pink.

The family of theme impacts Sylvia because she seemingly wanted to create a better life for Sonny and herself and tries to do that by marrying Cloyd, making them a family.  She even attempts to be cook and be a mother to Sonny. However at this point, Sonny seems to prefer to be away from his mother.

The family of theme impacts Cloyd because it seems like he truly wanted to be a family with Sylvia and Sonny. He likes that he has a Mexican wife to cook for him, although she does not like the idea of being a housewife which seems to cause some tension between them. He even tries to create a bond with Sonny, but Sonny has no interest in befriending him.

A Scene I can Relate To

A scene that I can relate to is when Sonny is with Nica, pages 57-61. In this scene, the reader can see that Sonny really likes Nica. Sonny sees that Nica doesn’t have a very happy life, and sort of makes it his mission to make her happy and show her how to have fun. The part I particularly relate to is when he is trying to get her to go out with him and have fun.

I relate to this because I am such a people pleaser. When someone is down, I want to make them happy. For example, I have a friend that lives somewhat like Nica. She has to babysit her siblings, do chores around her house, do homework, all while having a part time job.  She feels very stressed out, especially because she often has drama with her mother. She feels that her mother doesn’t appreciate all the help and they constantly fight about it. She does a lot for her mom, but her mom still doesn’t think it’s enough. It makes me very sad that her mom doesn’t appreciate all of my friend’s hard work  so I try to get her out of the house as much as possible because I don’t want her to go the wrong route. Because of the stress and drama, she has considered moving in with her boyfriend so that she can get away from her mother. As much as they fight, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I tell her that she should just stick it out until she goes to college. In the meanwhile, I tell her to look at the positive parts of her relationship with her mother. Her mom allows her to go out sometimes, so I make sure she enjoys the free time to the fullest.

In an objective perspective, this scene was written to show the concern Sonny feels for Nica’s happiness, and how much he cares for her. I feel that this scene impacts the novel by showing the growing connection between them and maybe foreshadows a future relationship against the will of Nica’s parents.

These two interpretations of the scene are similar because they are both about caring for another person’s well being. However, they are different because my personal interpretation was about caring for a friend, while the interpretation about the author’s intention was about Sonny caring about Nica as more than just a friend.

Prediction

I read up to page 50 and found that Sonny is very unhappy with his life, mostly because of his mother. I predict that their relationship is going to be the major plot line of this book. He does not approve of his mother’s behavior and feels that she does not really care for him. As the reader, I get the impression that she does care about him. I predict that by the end of the book, Sonny realizes that she always did care and that the relationship between him and his mother has improved greatly. I think that as their relationship grows, so will his success. He seems to want to make something out of his life. I wonder that maybe, at the end of this book will end up going to Notre Dame... I also predict that a relationship between him and Cindy will arise, and that she will be part of the improvement of Sonny’s relationship with his mom. The relationship between him and Cindy may create problems because of the fact that she is married, but maybe they’ll end up together.  I hope it has a happy ending. (:

I am...

I am...Jeanette Martinez. I am a senior at the Gilroy Early College Academy. I will be graduating this May with both a High School diploma and an Associate's degree in Multiple Subjects. That’s what I am at the moment, but what will I be in the future?

I plan to take my Associate’s degree to the next level and get a Teaching Credential in Multiple Subjects so that I can also continue what I do now.  I am currently working for two non-profit organizations that provide Supplemental Educational Services to children from low-income households, Learning Ladder and Math Think. I started volunteering there when I was 15 and started working when I was 16. In one year, I rose to the role of Administrative Assistant. I have seen and been part of all aspects of the administration and tutoring. Because I’m aware of how it all works, I would like to one day begin my own SES Company and continue servicing children in the state of California. Because of my experience and knowledge of this job, I’m undecided in whether to major in Business Administration or English with an emphasis on Creative Writing. I like the idea of creating a business to help children, but it is also my dream to one day to become a published author. I have so many ideas in my head, but am never quite able to get it all on paper, and also always feel like there’s room for improvement. It’s a difficult process. I don’t know how people ever decide when their story is ready to publish! I love reading more than anything. Before I become an author, I also want to become a part of the publishing industry. I want to see and be a part of the making of those books that I love so much. I find the publication process a fascinating thing to learn about.

Many people know exactly what they want to be. They choose a career and pursue it. My plans are different. There are so many things that I want to be…one lifetime is not enough! But I am still going to try to make the most out of my lifetime. I don’t plan on working at one place my whole life. I would get bored. I want to have several different (well paying) occupations throughout my lifetime. I want to have options. That is why I want to continue my education. So I just might B.A. in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing, a Teaching Credential in Multiple Subjects, AND also go somewhere with this business idea of mine. I’m sure that will open plenty more opportunities in various occupations than just the ones I am aspiring for, and I am going to take advantage of as many of those opportunities that time will permit and be the best that I can be.