"Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood" by Sherman Alexie

      "Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood" by Sherman Alexie is about how YA fiction shouldn't be banned because YA books help kids that are going through problems and dark things. One way that Sherman Alexie show this is by adding mini stories. One story was about how he attended a high school filled with survivors of depression, attempted suicide, gang warfare, sexual and physical abuse, absentee parents, poverty, racism and learning disabilities. He talked to the students about his issues but he says that "-but it was the student speakers who told the most important stories about survival." He also tries to sympathize with the readers by telling his story about him facing these topics about abuse and drug addiction. He also tugs at the exact phrases of Gurdon's article. For example "Yes he was old enough to die and kill for his country. And old enough to experience the infinite horrors of war. But according to Ms. Gurdon he might be too young to read a YA novel." All of these techniques are used in order to make readers feel that Gurdon is wrong.

       The author Sherman Alexie wants us to think that Gurdon is wrong in saying that YA books are dark and horrible. He makes us do so buy using strong words and using his personal stories and other stories to get his point across. An example of a strong word would be the word infinite in the quote "old enough to experience the infinite horrors of war." Infinite is a powerful word. When I read this that made me think of never ending horrors which sounds really tragic and sad. What could be worse than an infinite number of horrors? This makes readers feel like there is nothing worse than what he's going through. This helps his statement that Sherman Alexie is trying to get out which is if they are old enough to experience infinite horrors than why can't they read 1 dark YA book.

        Another craft choice the author is using to sway you on his side is him trying to sympathize with readers. He says 'They tried to rescue me" and explains all of his past trauma and dark things in his life. Also he says "I can only wish, immodestly, that I'd been given the opportunity to read "The Absolutely True diary of a Part-Time Indian." Finally he says in the last paragraphs that "I write to give them weapons- in the form of words and ideas- that will help them fight their monsters." All of these quotes help Sherman Alexie sway the readers to agree with the main idea of the article which again, that YA books help kids that are going through problems and dark things. These quotes say that when he was going through these dark things he wished that he could read YA fiction to help him and now he writes YA fiction to help others with their problems. Which helps him prove his point. He also uses other stories from other people like the pregnant mothe and the teenage boy who wants to be a writer to help sympathize with the readers.

        I totally think that Sherman Alexie's point is right. Before I thought that of course young adults should be able to read young adult fiction without much fuss about what is written. But now I see that YA fiction is more than just darkness. YA fiction is helping other teens with their personal issues. which changed my point of view.

"Faithful Elephants"

          In the short story, "Faithful Elephants: A True Story of Animals, People and War" by Yukio Tsuchiya there are many symbols. Symbols are in the setting. Symbols are hidden throughout the story. The author does a great job with symbols as in making them meaningful and leaving the reader thinking if a tiny detail means something more. The symbols in the book are The Cherry Blossoms and when Tonky and Wanly daze at the sky.
         "Faithful Elephants" is about there elephants named John, Tonky and Wanly. This is the time of World War II in Japan. Bombs were dropped in Tokyo everyday. Zoo keepers get orders from the military to kill the zoo animals in fear of bombs destroying the animal's cages, and dangerous animals running free. The zoo keepers have a hard time, but they kill John. Then they kill Tonky and Wanly. The zoo keepers are upset and curse the war.
          Towards the middle of the passage it says "They just lay on their sides, hardly able to see the white clouds floating in the sky over the zoo. However, their eyes appeared to be clearer and more beautiful than ever." I think that this sentence signifies that Tonky and Wanly are going to heaven or a better place. Before this sentence the elephants are suffering because they are being starved to death. So this signifies no more suffering, no more sadness, it's all over. Usually when people suffer they want it to be over. I know I would like to be shot rather than suffer for so long. Them looking up at the sky and their eyes being more beautiful than ever means they're done going away no more suffering.
           Another symbol is found in the beginning of the passage and in the end. In the beginning it says "The cherry blossoms are in full bloom at the Ueno Zoo." This sentence means happiness and warmth. The cherry blossoms represents hope. They are in full bloom which represents spring. When flowers blossom it's in the spring and their in new life. The cherry blossom represents something that is new life and joyfulness. Sticking with the cherry blossom another place we see it is in the end of the passage.
           The end of the passage says " He was still patting the tombstone tenderly as the cherry blossoms fell on the grave like snowflakes." This sentence signifies death. When the cherry blossoms fall or an flower falls its because they're dead and they are making room for new flowers. In this case instead of signifying happiness, the cherry blossoms signify sorrow and sadness. The second part of the sentence, "like snowflakes" represents winter. In winter we think about death and resentment.
           All in all, symbols can be found throughout  the story. Two of them are the cherry blossom and a better place. " Faithful Elephants" is an amazingly written story that will make you cry.