The+Cay+(MI8)

**Day 1 Reflections:**
==**What do you think about war? How do images on television and the movies make you feel about life where there is conflict? Do you know anyone who has gone "off to war"? Describe how the main character feels about the war and how it changes his life.**==

-Feedback42 Some people say we don't need this war in Iraq, but I say theres somethings worth fighting for. What about are freedom, this piece of land, we wouldn't get to keep it by backing down.

Wingman- I agree that war is terrible, but without it we WOULDN'T be a free country. My grandpa from my dad's side was in World War II. He's dead now, but he didn't die in the war.

raclaw- I think that war is an evil thing. Lots of people die from war! It makes me feel guilty because I live in a free country and in a lot of other places there is conflict. Yes I do know someone who went to war. He went to the Irac war. He is fine and I know because he has come back from the war.

Nintendoo- I think that any kind of violence (unless it is of cartoon origin) is wrong. I can not imagine what it would be like to not be able to go outdoors because there's a chance you might get shot because your from a country that did something you had nothing to do with. Its unfair, gruesome, and lethal to everyone, involved or not. I don't know anyone who's gone off to war. At first, he feels energetic, wanting to fight the Germans surrounding the island himself. Then, he realizes how serious battle is by watching several gas filled lake tankers explode. As if that wasn't bad enough, he may never see his father again because his mother is taking him back to Norfolk because she finds the island unsafe.

by iammurloc

I think the war isn't good because they have people dieing, or getting really hurt! If the war continues all there will be left is sadness, and death. Yes, my dad's cousin Mark went off to war in Iraq, We are lucky he is still alive. Philip feels not scared of the war so-far because he went out with his friend at the start of the war. His dad serves in the war, but his mom is scared about the war, thats how moms are. I still think that his mother is to scared because she thinks missiles are going to come out of the water and kill him! Is that just me, or do you think she is crazzy! And thats only in the first two chapters, and there is much more chapters to come for her to be crazzy!!

by jjballer44 I dislike war a lot! It doesn't do any good in life. Also a lot of people get hurt!:'( Also a lot of people die!:'(:'(:'( It isn't a happy place in war. I don't know anyone who has gone to war and I don't want people to go to war and risk their lives or they could get hurt! Philip is not scared of the war so far. His mom is really scared because she just has really bad thoughts about all of the war.

Zman- I think war is very bad because lots of people die of getting shot. It makes me feel bad for the families. My grandpa has gone off to war so he could save our country. He got shot in the right arm. Philip's Mom is scared of war. My grandpa said "it really hurt". I thought that it would hurt allot worse. If I got shot I would go crazy!

__Day 2 Reflections:__
==In the novel a tragic event takes place. Describe that event in detail. Think about the fear involved for the people. How would you react? Have you ever been out on the open ocean? What types of fears involving nature do you have?== -Feedback42 The ship Phillip and his mom were on was hit by a torpedoe, and was sinking. I think the people of the ship were scared, I would be. I've never been out on the open ocean. I would be scared if I got lost in the woods at night. I might even be scared of a cricket if it happened.

Wingman42- A torpedo hit the ship that Phillip and his mom were on, and it burst into flames. The people on it must've been freakin' out, like the people on the titanic. 'Utter chaos' as nintendoo said! I've been on plenty of boats (I love going on them by the way! I LOVE THE SEA!! But I've never been lost at sea), but none of them exploded!

raclaw- Phillip and his mother went on a boat. During the boat ride they had to abandon the ship. Everyone on the boat got into a safety boat I'm not sure what happen, but Phillip and his mom got separated from each other. I would be very scared if that happened to me. I don't like being with strangers. Knowing that there is a war going on I would be event more scared. Thinking I could be bombed at anytime without knowing it was going to happen until it did. No I have never been out in the open ocean and I never plan to. I don't want to let peple know what things I am afraid of.

Nintendoo- The ship that Phillip and his mom are on bursts in to flame. A torpedo had hit a gas tank and it exploded, luckily, at least a few people survived because the side of the boat with the life boats wasn't on fire. It had to have been tragic during that utter chaos, wondering if family members and loved ones were left behind and burnt to a crisp. Unless I was sure everyone I held close was safe, I would be the most worried person on the face of the earth. I haven't been on the open sea, but I have been on a lake for about three hours, but we had candy, pop, and good swimming conditions, so I can imagine there's a bit of a difference. My only fear of nature is being maimed, killed, or eaten by a wild animal. That pretty much wraps it up.

iammurloc

The "enemy's" torpedo hit Phillip's ship and it sank to the deeps. Him and the African American "friend" came to the unknown Island, his mom is not with them. If all them died I would go get the people that killed them and "give them a taste of their own medicine," and maybe a little of my "medicine." I was once on Lake Michigan tubing, and even tho I was so scared when the turning came! My fear is that I won't have no food or water, starving to death.

jjballer44

The ship they were on caught on fire. A torpedo hit the gas tank and it exploded, a few people survived because the life boats were on a side that wasn't on fire. It would be sad if all the people died and nobody survived. I have never been out in the ocean. I really don't like snakes and sharks because sharks can eat you and a snake could bite you and you could get really hurt.

Zman Phillip's ship gets hit with a topedo and bursts into flames. The life boats where tring to get the people to safety. I bet lots of people where very scared. I have never been on the open ocean before. I would be very scared to be with somebody I didn't know. I would try to find people.

**Phillip becomes blind during the story. This is a serious obstacle for him to overcome. What BIG problems have you overcame in your life?**
Feedback42- Sorry but I guess I have to agree with Nintendoo. I've never had any major medical problems before. BUT, I think being a Democrat is a HUGE medical problem. I have over came a problem with school work. My grades were falling and falling but found a way out and now I'm on top of things (kind of). Wingman- Yes it is because he has to make mats for him and Timothy to sleep on. WHILE HE'S BLIND!!!I mean, who could weave mats to sleep on when their blind?! But, I've never had a serious medical problem. My dad broke his fibula one time, and that was first time he ever had to go to the emergency room. iammurloc I have over-come playing with big kids in soccer. I play with 11, 12, and 13 year old boys, and when I played with them I wasn't "on top of my game." So I realized it's not how big you are, it's how skilled you are. So if their big it can still mean you can be as good as them or maybe even better than them. The bigger you are the more scarred people are of them.

raclaw- When I was in 4th grade I had my appendix taken out because it had a leak. I was only in the hospital for three days. I also missed 10 days of school because of it. When I was at home, because I wasn't allowed to go back to school yet, I mostly laid on the couch and watch movies. I was allowed to stay up later than everyone else because I didn't have to go to school. The doctor said, before me and my mom left, that I wasn't allowed to carry anything over 10 pounds. I had a lot of homework when I was allowed to go back to school.

Nintendoo- I'm sorry, but I can't answer that question because I can't come up with a single thing. I have never overcame a BIG problem, however, in the second grade, my family almost moved. I would be leaving the house that I'd lived in for as long as I can remember. Plus, I might not have seen my friends ever again. I think as time passed, I would have eventually moved on. On the contrary, I do have other problems currently that I am yet to overcome.

Zman I really can't come up with any BIG problems I've been though. But when I was nine months old my mom's car fliped over on its side. I was traped in the car with glass on my face. Then my mom got me out of the car I was safe.

jjballer44 I really don't have any BIG problems I have overcome. I have been in a couple car accidents and I survived that and so did my family so that is good!!!!!

Connecting prior knowledge and experience to reading deepens comprehension. I would like you to explain one type of connection that you've made with the book you've been reading.**
 * Response on Connections
 * __List__ and __explain__ the __type of connection made__ & __answer how this helped you to understand the story better__.

The four types of connections are: Text-to-Text (T-T) These connections made between the text and you are reading and what you have read elsewhere.

Text-to-World (T-W) These are connections made between the text you are reading and the bigger issues and events going on in the world.

Text-to-Self (T-S) These are connections made between the text you are reading and your own experiences.

Text-Within-Text (T-W-T) These are connections made between the text you are reading and another section of the same text. iammurloc** It helped me that the book is about a war and a child and grown up. I can relate to the war and the child and how he acts. When the war starts I can relate to that because there are a lot of wars in the world. When the child is blind and is expected to still do a lot of work that is hard to him, it helps that I don't like to do work when I am hurt, it makes it essay to understand him.** Wingman42- {Feedback, I have never seen you use words like that...<3...whoa.} T-W: I agree with Feedback that the war in the book connects to the war in Iraq right now.It also connects with the raciality (yes I made that word up) going on in the real world.Like Nintendoo said, Phillip thinks Timothy is less of him, and one reason is that he's black, but I hope that one day the entire world will realize how stupid it is to be racial.
 * Text-to-World

Feedback42- Text-to-world I am relating the war in the book to the war in the real world. I'm also going to bring up my twisted republican thought, if we vote in a republican president, for they will use the tax money to buy weapons to win the war, unlike some democratic passivists I know of. Nintendoo- My connection is about Phillip's general efforts in survival. I think it's because he's blind, or at least that's the mental illusion that he perceives, that he feels physically lesser to Timothy. It is only because of his racist upbringing that he feels like Timothy is less than him, little do either of them know, they are, or at least should be, equals. Phillip, at the beginning, wants to blow up Germans, then, currently, he doesn't think its possible for him to weave mats of palm fronds, or he feels above it, even though (or because) he's blind. This a text within text connection.

Zman Text-to-World It helped me understand the book better because Phillip was in a war. The book is better when there is war. It is also sad. But sometimes it is very sad. Phillip's mom is gone and he is on his own with Timothy.

raclaw- In this book there happens to be a huricain. In Loiseana there was a huricain to**.** Someone died in the book, and I'm not sure if someone died in real life. There was freezing rain and very dark. It was also very stormy. It was most likely the same in real life.

jjballer44 Text-to-Text Well in this book at one point Philip was wondering what his mom was doing and where was she. In a book that I read a little girl was wondering where her mom was cause she got lost and she was really sad.

__**Day 4 Response Questions**__
==Phillip and Timothy both are becoming more comfortable with each other as people. Phillip starts to warm up to Timothy. Phillip thought that the Dutch boys were racist, but many of his thoughts were very similar. Why do you think that Phillip thought he wasn't racist, but had very strong feelings that might otherwise prove he was? Explain - BE SPECIFIC!==

raclaw-

Wingman- In the beginning, Phillip didn't trust (or in that case, he didn't even 'like' him) Timothy, because he was black. But after making him a shelter, fight of the sharks, and build a hut for them, he felt like he could trust Timothy!

iammurloc When Phillip said that he was black and could see he was racist. When he couldn't see he wasn't racist because he depended on him to survive.

Feedback- I think Phillip was racist because when he could see in the beginning Phillip had not so nice thoughts about Timothy.

But as you said he is warming up to him. He can trust him.

jjballer44 In the beginning of the book Phillip didn't like Timothy at all because he was black. When they got to the cay and Timothy was taking care of him they began to like each other more and then they got really comfortable around each other.

Zman Phillip thought that black people where bad. He found out that black people where nice to him. If Timothy was a bad man Phillip would go crazy.

Why is Timothy helping to change the island's landscape? How might it be related to his condition? What big problem is on the horizon?
Feedback Phillip is blind and Timothy is dead.... Yah, I chose Phillip! Timothy is changing the landscape in case he dies.

raclaw- Timothy gets very sick and does dum things. The kind of sickness that Timothy has is a fever. His head got so hot that he ran to the water and put it under the water. Phillip is bilnd so he can't get his way around the island very well. He also can't tell if there is danger. The reason Timothy changed the landscape is because there was a huricane coming and he wanted to be ready for it.

Wingman42- Timothy is old (veree, veree ol' as he would say), and Phillip is now blind.I would say Timothy's condition is worse.Since he's so old, he could die at any moment on the forgotten Cay.But Phillip is still young, and even though he's blind, he has a cane he an feel around with. Timothy is changing the landscape and building shelter's to protect Phillip, but now that he's dead, who will protect Phillip. Timothy is dead, and Phillip is blind on forgotten Cay with a cat.wow Nintendoo- Timothy's immune system is old and he is getting malaria easily (or, if we are going by after the storm, he's dead), Phillip is blind so life on an island he doesn't know could be very tough. I think Timothy's condition is worse, because it could easily drag him to his death (possibly literally) (or he //is// dead). He was rearranging the island so Phillip can navigate on his own. I know that this is because everything needs to be precise for someone who is blind, and Timothy knows that he is weak even though his muscles are strong, and he's close to death. To make matters even worse, a hurricane is approaching (or hit depending on what point in the book you're grading by, Mr. M).

iammurloc Timothy's problems are that he is getting old(70 some) and he is getting malaria a lot ( after the storm he is dead, awww.) Phillip is blind and is not as strong as Timothy and doesn't know the island completely. I think Phillips conditions are worst, because he isn't as strong, cant see and is not that "bright". He is making things so Phillip can wonder the island on his own in case Timothy dies. He teaches Phillip to fish on his own, so he will have food. I think Timothy knows that he is going to die. Stubs on the ground to navigate Phillip. THE HURICANE is coming and Timothy knows it, but he isn't sharing it with Phillip because he cares.

Zman When Phillips blind he has to go by touch and feel. When the hurricane comes Timothy gets wounded and passes away. Phillip cries a little bit. It is sad.

jballer44 Phillips problem was that he was blind and Timothy's problem was that he was getting old and he gets malaria a lot. I think Phillip's problem is worse because he is blind and can't see the island and he doesn't really know the island. Then Timothy dies in a hurricane and Phillip has to survive by his self. The big problem on the horizon is that a hurricane is coming and then Timothy passes away.

The novel ends with a rescue. What discovery did Phillip make about himself during the trails he endured on the cay? How did he get rescued? How was the rescue different than if the novel took place during today instead of in the 1940's? What was the author's purpose for writing THE CAY? How much did you enjoy the novel? What was your** **favorite** **part?** -Feedback42 Phillip discovered that it was very hard living on the Cay without Timothy. Phillip lit the rescue fire to signal for help as a battle happened over head. The rescue would be a little quicker. I think the story was wrote because the author had a good story and had a chance to write it. I loved this great story!!! I really don't have a favorite part.
 * __Day 6 - 6 questions to answer__

Wingman42- He discovered how hard it was for him to survive without Timothy. He was rescued by some men on a boat. He hollered for them, and they came to shore. If this happened in 2008, then someone might have spotted him sooner.A sailor on a big ship might have been looking through a telescope, and seen him on the cay, with HELP written in the sand. I think the author wrote this because it shows that you can always trust SOMEONE, no matter what color skin than yours. (Except if it's green, slimy, if the person's eye has a perimeter of 3 feet, their head is bald and pulbus, and if they have an antenna.ALIEN!!!) This book was very gruesome, but it was a good story and had a good purpose. My favorite part was when Timothy was singing fungee and feesh after he had slapped Phillip. WHAT THE HECK?!: Phillip: You can't even spell! [Timothy slaps him] Timothy: I return to work now. [Timothy goes back to the hut, and starts singing] Timothy: "Fungee and feesh. La, la la, laaa! Fungee and...Feesh! LA, LA LA LA!! Phillip: WHAT THE HECK IS THAT NOISE??!!!!!!??!!!!!!!!!!??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?!!

He found out that he can still have fun while being safe.** T**he rescuers where on a boat but they would have came on a helicopter in most stories in now a days. I think the** **author's purpose of writing the book was to show that you can still do a lot of things when you are blind. I enjoyed the novel a lot and my** **favorite part was when the storm came and stew cat was still alive, but old Timothy died.
 * iammurloc

Zman A boat comes then it picks them up. Phillip is so happy to go home. Stew cat is happy.**

Phillip discovered that he didn't need his sight and that he was stronger than he had ever been. He got rescued by having the brilliant plan of making black smoke, by using sea grape oil. When he was rescued, he was seen by a plane, then rescued by a destroyer, nowadays he could be seen and rescued by a helicopter. The purpose of this story was to tell a realistic fiction story of survival on a deserted island. I thought the novel was great and descriptive, but very gruesome. My favorite part was the suspense of thinking that Stew Cat was dead.**
 * Nintendoo-

raclaw- Phillip discovered that he was stronger without eyesight. He made a big fire so that the black smoke was high in the air. A plane saw it and contacted a boat that came and rescued him and Stew Cat. There would not have been a war going on so the boat would not have been a destroyer. The Cay is one of my most favorite books that I have ever read. My favorite part is when Timothy would not stop bugging him about making the mats that they were going to sleep on, because the person who made the best mats from where Timothy lived was blind.

jjballer44

He got rescued by some people in a boat, but they wouldn't of seen him if he didn't make black smoke. Phillip found out he is stronger even without his eyesight. The purpose of the book was to tell you a story of people surviving on a deserted island. My favorite part was when Phillip got his eyesight back. I really thought that novel was really good and I would read it all over again.