WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS - CHAP 9

Reading Response

          After cutting the tree down, Billy apologizes to it. Normally, nobody would ever apologize to an object with no soul, no feelings, or no communication skills. However, the reason why Billy apologizes is that the tree has existed for a long time, and it is known as the biggest tree down the river. Moreover, he has to fulfill his promise to his dogs. If they are able to lure the coons to any tree, he would deal with the rest and take them down. His action shows his responsibility when he is still a young boy not only to people but to any living things. Keeping promises is the most important thing for a long-lasting relationship, and Billy successfully does it to his dogs. In conclusion, Billy has no other choice but to cut the tree down to get the coon. Apologizing for cutting down the tree might seem silly to some people, but in the aspect which Billy shows respect to every living creature, that is the right thing to do.

Reflective Response

         I have gone through many difficult situations and each time, I have had to make important decisions that could change my life. Now, sitting down and thinking back about them, probably the time that I will never forget was when I almost finished middle school and had to decide which school and which subject I was going to major in in high school. It feels a little awkward thinking about it now, but during that time, I faced many struggles. Most of them were things that made me feel entertained, such as card games, video games, hanging out with friends, and much more. To be more specific, I'll go over each of them. The first thing was the card game. I was so into it that I spent money on it to compete with other players. I remember that sometimes I lied to my parents that I had work to do at school in order to go to places where there were many players gathering to play cards with each other. Time flew by, and I was no longer interested in that card game. I stopped when I found a new interest: video games. That was the worst thing that I participated in and will never repeat again. After I decided to take physics as my major during high school, I took part in a competition in order to be able to get onto my middle school's physics team and take part in bigger physics competitions. After I was qualified, I began to play video games, and sometimes, I even skipped classes and meetings of the physics team in order to go to internet cafes to play with my friends. Whatever I did came along with consequences, and I wasn't allowed to take part in the city physics contest as I had missed most of the tests and lessons. The end of the school year came nearer and nearer, and the final test for every student in my city was closer than ever. It was only one month before that test and not until then did I realize that I had to change myself if I wanted to fulfill the wish of getting into one of the best schools in my country - Le Hong Phong High School for the Gifted. Then, I worked as hard as I could and asked my dad to go to extra classes. With the knowledge that I had gained in one month and luck, I achieved my goal and got into the school that I wanted. Now that I have left that school to study abroad, thinking about it now, I feel lucky that I got into the school that everyone desired. Probably,  I wasn't old or experienced enough to make the right decision then, and I can't tell that I'm completely mature now, as I still sometimes play video games: however, I'm sure that I won't go down the same path that could abolish my potential because, in the past, I had already made a comeback from the wrong path and fulfilled my dreams.