Honors English 1-2a Alyssa McGrone

Honors English reads The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie The Odyssey by Homer Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress Haroun and the sea of stories Romeo and Juliet

The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian The narrator, Arnold Spirit Jr. has hydrocephalic, and expresses himself through cartooning art. He only has one friend, a disturbed boy named Rowdy. The story is about how Junior had dreams of getting out of the ghetto and making a better life for himself by going to a white school for a better education. As he overcame his self doubt and prejudice from teachers and students the school, Junior was able to become one of the school’s best basketball players and gain the confidence he needed to succeed.

The Odyssey The Odyssey is one of the greatest epics of all time. It is a story about bravery, love, and courage as Odysseus fought his way back home after winning the Trojan War and being trapped on an island for seven years; winning his wife’s heart once again as he fought off her suitors.

Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress takes place in 1971 China, during the Cultural Revolution. The main character Ma and his friend Luo were taken to be “reeducated” because of their eighth grade educations and parents that weren’t peasants, they were accused of being intellectuals. As they worked and lived the life as peasants, they founded the true meaning of life and love through the words of Balzac.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories Haroun and the sea of stories explored the world of possibilities as Haroun and his father Rashid go on an adventure to find out what happened to Rashid’s ability to tell stories. Through the adventure, they go to a fantasy world that resembles their own. As Haroun solves the rivalry between the Chupwalas and the Guppees, he also solves the problems in his real world.

Romeo and Juliet Romeo and Juliet is the classic love story between rival households that stops them from publicizing their love, resulting in their taking their lives.