Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Week 2 Discussion Question

Hazel begins spending time with Sogoji and invites him to hang out with her again. She says, "I wasn't sure about my reason for making the invitation - friendship or Knowing the Enemy? - but when he smiled, it seemed like the right thing to do." Why do you think Hazel invited Sogoji to come to the hill again, to be friends or to keep an eye on the 'enemy?' Explain your thinking. What did she mean when she said it "seemed like the right thing to do?"

Make sure to write your response in RAD format. Check your spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization before you post. Write it in your blogging doc first!

25 comments:

  1. I am spending the week in Hood River, Oregon. It was fun to read Hazel’s words and at the same time get to experience the scenery for myself. The landscape is very green and hilly (about the size of the foothills outside of Denver). The town sits on the Columbia River. Mt Hood is a single mountain that pops out on the horizon. It is impressive and covered in snow.

    With regard to the Week 2 question, I think that when Hazel extends the invitation it was for both reasons. Hazel was trying to “keep an eye on the ‘enemy’.” Hazel is uncertain whether she can trust Sogoji. She has also spent a lot of time thinking of the Japanese as the enemy and role playing her heroic efforts on behalf of the United States. I do not think that she is ready to give up on these daydreams.

    Hazel also seems lonely. A lot of her family and friends have left the area. Hazel is friendly with her classmates but I do not think that she has a lot of close friends and her descriptions of her classmates are somewhat negative. I think that Hazel was excited about the possibility of a new friend and someone who likes to explore outside.

    When Hazel writes that “it seemed like the right thing to do,” I think that she remembers her promise to Jed. Hazel is a very loyal person who wants to honor her promise to Jed to watch out for his family while he was gone. I think that Hazel is also a kind person who appreciated that Sogoji was also lonely.

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    1. I like that you described how Hood River, Oregon looks. Wish I could be there!

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    2. That is very interesting and cool to be reading that book while you are there! Great detail.

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    3. I like that you described what hood river looks like. I thought that Hazel is a loyal person.

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  2. I think Hazel invited Sogoji onto the hill to become friends, and also to learn if Sogoji really is an enemy. I think this because Hazel says she wants to learn about Sogoji, and she trespasses into the old house for exactly that reason! When she said “It seemed like the right thing to do,” She meant that she was finally making better friends with Sogoji, and she likes pleasing people. She also want to learn about Sogoji, and she believes that letting him be on the hill will help her get a better insight on Sogoji’s status.

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    1. @ Ethan R.
      I agree how you said Hazel invited Sogoji to the hill to become friends and also learn if Sogoji is really the enemy.Hazel probably does want to learn EVERYTHING about Sogoji. Since she feels like that is the best way to help the war effort, she goes crazy and really wants to help. If you remember in the beginning of the book, when Hazel was pretending to have that big crew behind her helping, it was kind of like she was in the war. I think now she acting like she doing a big help to the war. Like, if she caught Sogoji and figure out he was a spy, the war would completely end. I think that is probably exactly why she trying to find out more about Sogoji. Ethan, I like how you said She also wants to learn about Sogoji, and she believes that letting him be on the hill will help her get a better insight on Sogoji’s status. I like that because that sentence tells a lot about Hazel, and what she's trying to do to find out more about Sogoji. Awesome work!
      -Caroline

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    2. I agree they did want to become friends.

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  3. Why I think Hazel invited Sogoji to the hill again is because of both. She wants to keep an eye on Sogoji, but also become friends. She wants to make sure that he is safe, but she wants to become friends as well. Why I think she wants to keep an eye on Sogoji, is because of what the author said on page 107 until Sogoji explained, “Her dress was unbuttoned, and he was setting fire to her back. “What are you doing?’ I yelled. He jumped and quickly raked the pile of smoking grass of the lady’s back. Why I think that Hazel wants to be friends with Sogoji because on page 91 the author wrote,”No you made ‘em. Go ahead. They’re really good, I added as his hand darted out out quickly as a bird’s claw and closed on it.” That shows that she is respecting what Sogoji did for her. But, she always keeps in mind that he could be a spy.

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    1. @ Sutton
      I agree on how you said Hazel wanted to keep an eye on Sogoji, and still try to be friends. I felt like Hazel was very mysterious with her thoughts to Sogoji in that part. Sogoji probably didn't know if Hazel was trying to be a friend, or trying to figure out more about him. If I was Sogoji I would be pretty frustrated at Hazel. She's not telling anything to him. He probably would explain a lot of what Hazel wants to know, but shes so secretive. I really like how you said, "She always keeps in mind that he could be a spy." I liked that you said that, because that is also a big part about Hazel. By the end of this book, Hazel will probably still consider Sogoji still being a spy. I think Hazel could probably have an excuse for everything. Great work!
      -Caroline W.

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    2. It could be because of both. Great Job.

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    3. Hi Sutton-
      You raise a good point that Hazel might not be sure yet herself.

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    4. Yes, Sutton, I think these are good points. Oftentimes characters (and people like us!) feel more than one way about something at the same time. That can cause it to be difficult sometimes to make important decisions!

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  4. @Ethan R I love your answer it is so strong and very powerful.

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  5. @Kara I love that you answered from Oregon. I wish I was there to see the site!:)

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  6. Why I think Hazel invited Sogaji to the hill again was to become friends with him because Jet said that she did not have friends and needed one. Also, I think this because according to the text it says that Sogaji is American and Japanese so if he has part American and lives in America he is probably rooting for America not Japan so Hazel can trust him. What she meant when she said “It seemed like the right thing to do.” I think she said that because Sogaji probably does not have a lot of friends so it seemed like the right thing to do because Sogaji is lonely with nothing to do.

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    1. @ Jack:
      I agree with you on how you thought that Sogoji needed a friend. He did not really have anyone to play or just hang out with. I think Hazel and Sogoji just wanted to give Sogoji a little company. Sogoji probably won't tell what side he is on, but good inferring. If I was in this situation in Hazel's shoes, I probably would give Sogoji a chance. I would also try to learn some more about Sogoji and his former family. Good job!
      -Caroine : ]

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    2. @Jack
      I agree, but could you explain more about how Hazel could just want to be friends and not keep an eye on him? You did great I can really understand why you think that even though we have different opinions. But, keep in mind you should spell names correctly. Sogoji, not Sogaji. But, amazing job over all.

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    3. You raise an interesting point that maybe Hazel considers Sogoji to be American.

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  7. I think that Hazel invited Sogoji to come to the hill again to be friends and to learn a little bit more about him. Hazel still is buffering on what he is. She knows Sogoji can still be the enemy. Hazel doesn't have lots of company, so she is trying to get anyone to hang out with her. I think Hazel is trying to find out more about Sogoji, so she can fully trust him. Since Hazel heard and seen how Sogoji doesn’t get to do a lot of fun things. All day he works for the Lanski’s and he does’nt know anybody his age. Hazel feels the same way. She doesn’t have much company and she doesn't like anyone her age. When she invites Sogoji to the hill, she wants to see if he is a good friend or not.

    When Hazel said, “it seemed like the right thing to do,” she meant that she felt like she made the right choice after all. She knew it could be a risk to ask to hang out with Sogoji, but she knew after she said it, it would be O.K. Hazel also knew it would be the right thing to do since Sogoji was very nice to her so far. It was the kind thing to do too . It was the kind thing to do because he needed a friend. I think it was the right thing to do too.

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    1. Hazel probably took him to the hill to learn more about him great Job.

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    2. I agree that Hazel doesn’t know for sure either way, and that she invited him to the hill to find out more about him. I like how you said she is trying to find out more “so she can fully trust him,” because I think she does trust him some already, but she needs to have more experience with him to be able to trust him fully. You’re right that Hazel knew there were risks associated, but ultimately felt like it was a good idea so she moved forward. Sometimes you have to make big decisions a little bit at a time and then move forward and see how things feel! 

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  8. She invited Sogoji again because he is a nice boy and maybe isn’t an enemy. Hazel came to talk about the war, Mrs.L’s stockings, and Sogoji’s life, not about how Sogoji is an enemy. It was the right thing to do, because I think that Hazel and Sogoji are becoming really good friends. This was also the right thing to do, because Sogoji is a nice little boy. He is not going to hurt anybody, I don’t think, so it is okay if he can still be with Hazel because he will never try to hurt Hazel. He would never hurt anybody especially Hazel. He just really wants to be friends with Hazel and he would never do anything! I think!!!!!!!!!!

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    1. Ava I think Hazel is definitely leaning toward viewing Sogoji as a friend. But do you think she might still have some doubts about it?

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  9. Can you explain a little bit more about why you think that?

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  10. I think Hazel invited Sogoji to come to the hill again for both reasons! I think originally, Hazel felt that Sogoji was an enemy, mostly because he is Japanese. Then she had two important turning points that helped her perhaps begin to lean the other way, though she is still not completely decided. The first turning point was when she sneaked into Sogoji’s little house and instead of finding bombs and spy gizmos, she found a picture of his kind-looking parents, and that was about all. This helped her to rethink the possibility of him being just a kind boy who happened to be Japanese. The other turning point was the letter from Jed, who she trusts completely, and feels a duty to keep her promise to look after things while he is gone. When his coded letter tells her that Sogoji (“Charlie”, as he called him) is a “good dog..” and that he “won’t bite,” and that “he could use a friend” this gave Hazel the confidence to try getting to know him more. I think she is leaning on Jed’s assessment of Sogoji, because she trusts Jed, and now she is moving forward little by little to see if he is right, and if she can trust Sogoji.

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