Ria+Sajith

Ria Sajith Period:1-2

__Literary Critique for “Riding the Tiger”__

 Peer pressure affects the way a person thinks, what the person says, and his or her actions. It is one of the most difficult part about growing up to becoming a successful and mature adult. Constantly, the minds of young adults are hovering with decisions, “ Should I do this?” “ How will he or she react?” The important part is to make the right decisions at the right time and this is exactly what the story, “ Riding the Tiger” by Eve Bunting represents.  In this story, a ten year old boy named Danny is new to town. Then suddenly a cunning tiger comes to Danny and asks him if he wants to take a ride. At first he is having an internal conflict with himself on whether or not he should listen to his mom or go with the tiger. To convince him the tiger plays with Danny’s emotions, “ A bit bored?” he asks “A bit lonely?” The Tiger also uses flattery to achieve his goal. In the story, the tiger asks Danny, “ How old are you Danny?” Danny responds that he is ten. To which the tiger says, “ Man I’d have thought older.” Danny shouldn’t have fell for the tiger’s flattering words.  When Danny does start to ride he feels proud and confident. He then starts to notice that everyone is in fear of the tiger. Many townspeople yell warnings and advice. For example the police officer yells, “ Once you get up on the tiger’s back, it’s hard to get off........But if you get off fast enough it’s still possible.” This translates that once you get tempted or pressured to do something wrong, it can be hard to quit but it is still possible.It’s like when you start smoking it is hard to stop, but if you quit quick enough, you can prevent serious health problems.  This story also shows how Danny tries to fit in with the “group.” The passage states, “ But the officer and Mr. Muto had made me a bit edgy. Still, I didn’t want to get off for awhile. I didn’t want the tiger to think I was a wimp too.....” Danny, like most adolescents, is trying to fit in to make sure his self image is good. That’s why even if he was scared and edgy about the myriad of warnings, he continued to be willful and stubborn and stayed on the tiger’s back. Fitting into a group that you know that you will never belong to is not always a good idea.  As the story goes on Danny realizes that what he is doing is great danger.The tiger’s polite, flattering words turn into threatening commands. “ Don’t even think about it,” the tiger says when Danny is about to get of. When Danny does get the courage to get off the tiger, he has a personal conflict, “ What if I didn’t ?” What would he do to me?” Then slowly, Danny ignores these thoughts and jumps even though he knows the tiger is against that. At the end of the story Danny says, “ It’s okay, I’m not with him.” Danny finally stands up for himself and feels proud that he did the right thing. Danny has also learned one of life’s biggest, always resist peer pressure and never fall for flattery. Also to not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Hopefully we can all learn from Danny, and remember this story and it’s theme as we all grow up.

Ria Sajith October 24, 2012

I am From.......

I am from.......

Playing kickball with my friends, in my huge backyard filled with grass that look like rolling waves.

Playing “tag” with the musical ice cream truck.

Gobbling pineapple pizza with a group of friends at Pizza Hut.

Giggling at birthday parties, in the dark, reciting horrifying ghost stories.

And playing Man Hunt, hiding in the trees feeling like Katniss from the Hunger Games.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am from.......

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Unpaid bills building up on my dining table.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My brother’s colorful toy cars put in neat rows.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Daddy’s books overcrowding every wooden shelf in my house.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Mom’s wind chimes playing a symphony in the backyard.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My red headed tree that I love to climb.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Making friends with the sky blue robins and the plump, furry, squirrels.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am from........

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My aunt and I making crazy inventions of food.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My dad and grandpa laughing and spreading jokes like the goodness of icing on a cake.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">My grandma reciting the same story over and over again that makes my mind go wild.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Baby cousins laughing and wailing making a racket in the house like the streets of New York City.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am from........

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Playing Just Dance 4 with my best friend.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Rolling and laughing like little nut balls on the soft, lime grass.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Monopoly, Chess, Truth or Dare, and other fun games.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Making crazy recipes - fruity berry lemonade or gooey peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am from........

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Singing in the shower while my brother wails, “ Get out of the bathroom!”

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Writing adventurous stories and reading till my eyes go dark.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Watching my favorite comedy movies That make me laugh till tears flow like a vast river.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Shopping with my friends for clothes, boots, and sparkly jewelry. Yay!

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I am from.......

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having an encouraging family of guardian angels.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Having friends as comforting as hot cocoa on a frigid winter’s night.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All the fun activities I love to do.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; font-size: 16px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">All these memories stuffed in photo albums and in my mind that I will cherish. Forever and ever.