Andrew DeBlecourt

Mrs. Roskamp

LA, 8C

14 November 2016

Jungle

I am a jungle. A jungle has lots of things that people know about, but other things that people don’t know as much about. I also have lots of things that people know about and many things that only a few people know about me. The first way I am like a jungle is because I am like a monkey. I have a very happy personality and I like to have a lot of fun. I can also get into trouble sometimes and I also like to talk a lot and be loud. Other people in my life are also animals. Some of them are like snakes because they deceive me and are not very trustworthy. Others are like elephants monkeys because they are my friends and are happy and we have a lot of fun together. Others are like ants because it is my classmates and we work hard to get our work done. My family is like crocodiles because my parents protect me and my siblings.

Another way I am like a jungle is because I am like the vines. The vines are the bad things in my life like sins. After a while, they grow so tall that they overwhelm me. They start out very small, and after I do them once they continue to grow and grow and they keep on growing. That is when I need to ask Jesus into my life to help me get rid of those vines. Otherwise, those vines will continue to soak up water and keep on growing taller and taller just like my sins that keep growing bigger and bigger.

The third way I am like a jungle is because I am like the emergent layer. I show off the skills that God has given me and those are the talents that I am really good at and that I like to show off. That layer is also the layer that I use to hide some of the vines. One thing that I need to get better at is that I need to prune my emergent layer and make it so that the things that I show off are building up to others and are good and loving to God. I need to prune my emergent layer on the outside, but also on the inside.

The final way I am like a jungle is because I am like a the jungle floor. There are a lot of things down there, some of which I am scared to share and others which are painful to talk about and bring sadness to me. I need to be ready that if someone opens up the emergent layer, I can be able to share those things on the jungle floor with others because they will be able to help and help me be able to handle those things and my feeling about them a lot better. I also need to share those things with God and not try to hide from Him like Adam and Eve did in the jungle. I may not be proud of what is on the jungle floor but I need to be ready to share that with others so that they can help me carry my burden.

Andrew DeBlecourt

Mrs. Roskamp

LA, 8C

19 October 2016

Trials of Apollo

The Trials of Apollo, is a book that talks about many different people, with many different attributes that are unique to them. It talks about Apollo, who is blamed for starting the war with the god Gaea. He is banished to Earth where he has to live like a human being with none of his godly powers. He meets up with Meg and he has to go on a quest to bring back the hidden oracle and save the gods from being destroyed. It shows how friendships and help can come in the unique of circumstances.

One conflict in this book is when Apollo gets sent down to Earth and he has none of his earthly powers. The reason that he is sent down to Earth is because he is blamed for the whole war with the goddess Gaea and her army of giants. His father, Zeus, puts all the blame on him (even though it was really not him) and banishes him to Earth without any of his godly powers, which also means that he is mortal and can die at any moment. This conflict relates to the theme because Apollo makes a lot of unique friends that help him along and help him get to Camp Half-Blood like Percy Jackson and Meg.

Another conflict that Apollo faces is when he has to get to Camp Half-Blood from the ants den and he has no way to get there quickly. Then, like the theme says, he finds some very unique friends who come and help him out because he is in a lot of trouble. The friends are giant ants, who live right next to where the Grove of Dodona is located (which is where they were).  He goes into the the den and comes out with the ants, who then fly them over to Camp Half-Blood so that they can defeat the giant statue and save the Camp.

It shows how friendships and help can come in the unique of circumstances.  In conclusion, I think that the author of this book, Rick Riordan, is trying to show how friendships are very helpful, but also how even if someone does something wrong to you, you should still forgive them and be willing to help them. This story is very entertaining and very exciting, and Rick Riordan is a really good author.