Robert John Bardo Murder

I was interested in the murders that were associated with The Catcher in The Rye, and I looked up each of them. I figured people would  write about John Lennon, so I the killer who was next most influenced by the book, to me, seemed to be Robert John Bardo. He was an obsessed fan and a stalker of an American actress named Rebecca Schaeffer. He found out much about her and visited her at home saying he was a big fan. She asked him to leave and he returned with a gun and killed her. He was seen being influenced by the book, since he carried it around with him at the time of the murder, which is not unlike Mark David Chapman (who killed John Lennon). He was later caught and sentenced for 82 years to life imprisonment. The murders that were seemingly influenced by this book makes it all the more interesting to read.

Visions of Teenhood

Yes, I feel that the directors definitely got the teenage years relatively accurate. They have changed a lot over the decades as seen in the slide show, but in each, teens have had stereotypes or motifs of being rebels. For this reason, I feel that Holden and Jim are very good examples of teens. They both are rebels, having school and social problems. It is neat, because these work relatively closely for long periods of time even though the styles and settings change with the passing years. All of the movies in the slide show displayed many of the aspects of being a teen perfectly. Another movie that I would add to the list would be Ferris Bueller's Day Off since it represents the same comic and rebel view that has grown upon teenagers. Ferris Bueller is known for his skipping school, playing tricks, getting in trouble, and chasing girls, which make him and his movie a perfect example of the teenage years.

Visions of Childhood

There are many movies shows that show the fun times that childhood presents: both the good memories and the learning experiences (bad memories). One series that I have seen many times, that clearly depicts some great childhood fears and moments is the Home Alone series. The first one is about an 8 year old boy, Kevin McCallister, who is deserted by his parents over Christmas. He has to deal with the boredom of being alone, thieves, and common household chores such as laundry. This perfectly displays how lessons of childhood can be put to use such as chores, while showing the humor and creativity that many children possess -- fending off the burglars. The nature of being a kid is also shown by Kevin passing the time playing video games, doing other kids things that show how small things are extremely interesting and can pass the time during childhood. Although a lot of Kevin's problems aren't normal for a kid to have, they depict many childhood temperaments.

In the stories that we have read this week, the stories depict kids that are acting maturely for their age. For example, in "Every Little Hurricane," Victor relates the party to a the storm that is coming as well as realizing the effects of alcohol at an early age. This maturity is also seen in the "Sutton Pie Safe," when Cates picks up on the 'affair' or the tension between the dad and the woman. The stories all show how kids grow through their experiences and are largely affected by the setting that they grow up in -  showing vast differences between the rural, neighborhood, and the reservation lifestyles. In this respect, I think that the authors got it right, it is the experiences that a child has that gives them knowledge beyond their years.

Childhood Memory

During my childhood, I was very active, playing sports, doing karate, and just being a kid. Eventually, I would have to grow up, and one event that forced me to do so was when I was in those karate days. I was a black belt at age 9, and at that level you have to spar (box) with the older people. From this, I had to man up and score points (you get points for hits just like boxing), even though the people that I would go up against were much larger and hit much harder. I was in karate for one more year, and during that time I kept sparring and won many medals even in the adult division, and from boxing them, I had to grow and toughen up a little bit.

Introduction

My name is Steven Jordan, and I am an active senior at McFarland High School. I love sports playing many in my free time but participating in cross-country, basketball, track at MHS. Another thing that I do in my spare time is play the trumpet. My favorite subjects in school are math and science. I plan on attending a four year college to pursue my interests in running, music, and Pharmacy.