While reading The Things They Carried by Tim o’ Brien. I found very interesting chapter’s trough out the reading. One chapter that caught my attention the most was the very first one “The Things They Carried” because of Lavender’s dead.  There was a group of solders camping outside of Than khe. While camping they encounter in a cross fire with the enemy and because of one of the solder named Cross distractions, one of his solder named Lavender paid the price and was shot and killed. Lavender died while heading back to the camp on the helicopter. Cross was in charge of maps, compasses, etc… but he had a big problem, he was fully in love with a girl back home named Martha, she was his distraction while Lavender was getting shot by the enemy. What I like about this chapter is that Martha was Cross’s “energy, power” to stay alive and fight through the war, so he could go home to Martha as soon as possible. But Martha was the reason why Lavender died. Cross made mistakes throughout the time that he was in the war because of his distraction, but the biggest one that we have read so far it was the dead of Lavender. This solders while they are at war they are under a lot of stress and pressure. They don’t have anyone but pictures and letters from their love ones. So I was wondering if there a form that these solders can focus on the war, while they are serving their country and still have some connection with their “support, power”? and be able to remember from time to time what’s keeping them alive?

while reading They say I say by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein; the chapter that pointed out the most to me was chapter nine. chapter nine "Ain't so/ is not" was about when to use your own words and when to use academical words. sometimes i found my self thinking if i should use my own words to describe a situation, or should i use educational words to make it sounds much better and somewhat "fancy". The book tough me that their is a time for everything. writing a letter applying for a job  and using words too colloquial can jeopardize your chances of success. people that read this letters may have travels understanding what you mean by certain things, and they will just put your paper under the pile because they did not understood what you meant. In this occasion is better to play it safe and just write it in your own words, or use words that the person most likely is going to understand and maybe refer to it as well.