Brief Summary of Book

In the book Homeless Bird, written by Gloria Whelan, There is a girl named Koly who is the main character of the book, is a very well learned girl. In the book Koly had an arranged marriage to a sickly boy named Hari. Hari had a sister named Chandra and Koly became friends with her. Then Hari died. After he died Chandra had her arranged marriage and was off never to return. Then Koly’s Sass took her to the place of the widows then Sass tricked her and Koly was left alone. After that a boy named Raji, who drove a rickshaw, brought her to a place with other windows and a woman named Maa Kamala who got the widows jobs. Raji and Koly became good friends and then Raji moved away. At work a girl named Mala invited her over to her room and secretly gave her lassi, which is a drug, and got sick. Soon after work the next day Raji came back to ask Koly to marry him. It to Koly a long time to think then he made a room for her to quilt and embroider and that touched her heart and finally Koly said yes.

Koly knows a lot of ways to make the best of of bad situations. For example, on page 24, Koly thinks of a way to help Hari out of a very bad situation by giving him honey and ginger to make him feel better like her maa used to do. So most of the time Koly likes to help other people as well as she likes to help herself. Another example for getting the best of a bad situation is, on page 69, when Sass wanted the earring for Chandra’s wedding but it was the only pride she had left. This was the only pride left because Sass already took the sari her maa made for her wedding and gave it to Chandra for her wedding. That was a way of making the best for herself instead of someone else.

There are many themes in this book. One could be independence. An example of this on pages 72-74. Koly was working independently on the quilt that she was making for Chandra before she left for her wedding. Another theme could be courage.  On pages 160-161.  Koly had the courage to disobey Maa Kamala and go to Mala’s room where she got what she deserved later for being disobedient.  Even though there are several themes of the book, I think having hope would be the most important. I think this because Koly had used hope throughout the whole book and it helped her a lot. Having hope did not only help Koly but made her see her surroundings better.

Gloria Whelan  used a lot of comparisons in this book. For example, on page 20-21,

“ As I lay there in the strange house, I felt like a newly caged animal that rushes about looking for the open door that isn’t there.” In this comparison Koly is comparing herself to a newly caged animal that is trying hard to find a way out.

Another example is on page, 120-121,

“Enough of your miserable tales, you wallow like pigs in mud. That is all in the past now.” In this passage Maa Kamala is comparing Koly to a pig that wallows in mud because she is talking about her miserable tales of the past.

This winter break I went to Ohio for Christmas we did alot on the gift of time. We had no idea, but my grandmas church was going caroling for the elderly at a Retirement Home and a Nursing Home. I was so excited. Then we went to the church. Once everyone that was coming was there, we started to rap up socks to give to them while we were caroling. We also signed cards and put a candycane on the back for a sweet surprise. I loved it when we finally got there and started singing. All the elders were smiling like they just won $100,000,000 off playing a BINGO game! I was so glad they were happy.

Another gift of time me and my brother did was, spend time with my grandma when everybody else didn’t. My grandma wanted to go to the dollar show with everyone and no one wanted to go. But then, me and my brother Lee, said that we would go even though we wanted to play more with our gifts. Usually my grandma, even though see love being active and will play almost everthing with us, she falls asleep really easily when it comes to movies. There was not a thing on the list intersting to us but the movie REAL STEEL. Then she asked,” What movie do you want to see. We thought and said REAL STEEL. It didn’t look like she was going to be intersted at all but we said she would love it! It turned out she did love it and she didn’t fall asleep not even once. After it was over she told us she love the movie and thank you so much for spending time with me when everone else didn’t. We said thanks for taking us and we played games with her the rest of the night.

Now I know that the simplest gift, the gift of time, can really please someone. It also pleases you when you see the warming thankful smile one the persons face.

Once we got to the hotel it was blazing hot. When we got out of the car my dad was getting the baggage while my brother was annoying me half way to death with his music while walking into the hotel. Once we walked in the hotel I smelled fresh baked, mouthwatering cookies.  We went to our room to change to go to my uncles wedding rehearsal.

This summer my uncle Alex got married. I was just getting used to his wife to be, Alane.  I didn’t exactly like her, but she was alright.  It took forever to start the rehearsal, but as more people came I realized that it was like a family reunion! The stage looked beautiful.  There was a big chandler that hung from the ceiling.  Finally the rehearsal started and I loved the set up. On the set there was white silky step where they were suppose to kiss, and it had peacock blue and gold lights shining brightly on to the stage. Once that was over we had the rehearsal dinner.  At the rehearsal for the reception my dad and everyone was taking about Alane and Alex. Most of the speeches were really long. Some speeches were funny, emotional, etc.

The next day was the wedding day!  All the groomsmen wore the same thing, dark brown suits, and peacock blue and dark blue ties.  It was a lot more people than at the rehearsal and that wasn’t even all the people that were suppose to come! The wedding was very nice and I got really comfortable around Alane.  Once they kissed I wanted to say eewh, but I thought that would be rude to say at a wedding.  “I guess I have a new Auntie”, I said to my Mom.

We went to the reception next! I couldn’t wait! It ended up that we couldn’t go we had to go in a nursery room! I couldn’t believe it! The adults got to have all the fun and Lee, my brother, Chelsey, my friend, and I had to sit in a room with a bunch of 3, 4, and 5 year old kids! That whined a whole bunch.  We had to get them to sleep so we could watch age appropriate movies or at least shows not these kiddy ones.  Once we finally got out it was about 2:30 Am and finally got to go to the reception just in time of my dad’s and uncle’s Kappa stroll with other Kappas there.  It was so hilarious to watch!

Then we all went back to our places to stay the night. The next day we had a big brunch before everyone left.  We left almost last ,but we had a lot of fun.  My brother wanted to stay longer but we had school the next day. I had a fun time watching my uncle get married.

My topic is Gilgamesh. I picked Gilgamesh because I wanted to learn why & how he was important to the Mesopotamian Culture. Also I wanted to learn some of the different Gilgamesh stories. That how I can up with my essential question with a little help. My essential question is , What are other stories besides Gilgamesh?

I have learned so much after I have researched.Gilgamesh is a god in a legends. Gilgamesh stories are the most popular stories in Mesopotamia. They belived that he was the 5th king of  Uruk , now known as Ur. There  are many other stories too. Like on my project, other stories would be, Creation Myth, Garden of Eden, etc.

 I have learned a lot about Gilgamesh. When I started my project the first time, I did something totaly different, but as I saw others I had the idea to do the project I have now. I think I worked my hardest and tried my best on this project.

1. When I read Bud,Not Buddy, I feel sad for Bud. He has really no family at all but people volunteering to take care of him

2. HE is trying to make you feel like Bud is feeling. Like for example trying to make you feel like a 10 year old boy walking for hours and hours until 2:30 in the morning and someone finally gives you a ride.  Then the man finally gives him something to eat after all that time he has been walking. I feel Bud’s pain without eating because I didn’t eat lunch or dinner before. It not my parents fault though I fell asleep for the whole afternoon and nighttime so he should be even hungrier then I was. Another example is when he was really angry at the Amoses. I can’t blame him at all for being mad I would have been really mad too. He also did one more thing that I could refer to. When Bud was always thankful for what Mr.Lefty Lewis and what he did for him.