Response Paraph - Theme: Scholarship Jacket

Marta is an eighth grade girl with a dream in the book The Scholarship Jacket, by Marta Salinas. Marta had a goal to get the scholarship jacket ever since her sister received it. The theme in this story is that you shouldn't let anything stand in your way. Growing up in a poor family was always hard for Marta since she couldn't participate in many school activities. This was her only chance to shine. She had been a straight A student since the beginning and looked forward to owning that jacket. However, just when she was about to get the scholarship jacket, you had to pay for it. Although her grandpa probably had enough money to pay for it, he refused to. He said that if you had to pay for a jacket, it wasn't a "scholarship" one anymore. Marta went up to the principal with a sad face and told him that her grandfather would not pay. The principal made an exception and Marta still ended up getting the scholarship jacket. Even though there was an obstacle on the way to getting her scholarship jacket, she didn't let anything stand in her way, not even that you had to pay money to get it. She kept walking along the path she thought was right and ended up reaching her goal. Even if there is something blocking your path, you shouldn't stop. Instead, you should keep fighting till you reach the end.

Response Paraph - Character: Jimmy Valentine

Jimmy Valentine's passion for robbing is shown in the story A Retrieved Reformation, but O. Henry. Even though he robbed many banks, he was a "dodger of retribution". Jimmy had a special suitcase filled with a complete set of burglar tools. They were made of tempered steel and had the latest designs, a few invented by Jimmy himself. Some of Jimmy's robbing habits were quick getaways, long jumps, and a taste for good society. However, when Jimmy goes to Elmore, a little town in Arkansas, he completely changes his business, from robbing to selling shoes. In only one year, he had won the respect of his community, his shoe store was flourishing, and he was engaged to the girl of his dreams, who was the daughter of the owner of "The Elmore Bank". However, when his fiance's sister's daughter was trapped in a stuffy safe, he could not resist the urge to break a safe again and took out his tools. He broke the bolts and opened the door, except this time, for a good cause, to save Agatha. After moving to Elmore and falling in love with Annabel, Jimmy went from a burglar to a well-respected man. He even added, "I wouldn't do another crooked thing for the whole world."