Reading Response Journal 9

1. Chapter 7 deliberately gives us a view into the life of a character named Angie. She tells us her story
of how she meets one of the cool kids, a girl named Duchess, who we later discover that her real
name is Maria. She goes off by telling the story of how they met at the windows of father Alemencios
casita, and after how they became best friends. Later in the story, we learn how they broke of their
friendship, due to a major fight. After a long period of not speaking to each other, they reencounter
each other, speaking very little. Who then Angie meets Juan, Duchess Boyfriend. Who is only dating
her to make his mom happy. Three months later, Juan tells Angie that he had fallen in love with her.
We finally find out how Cristina died, Angies mom was suffering from a kind of selective emotional
amnesia. Lastly the chapter ends with a devastating close. We encounter the death of Duchess, she
was accidently killed by a chola with a blade, slitting her vein and the death of Juan, and he was killed
in action. In the last paragraph, we read that Angie is pregnant with Juans baby girl, and sadly learn
that Angie will name her Maria in memory of her best friend Duchess.
2. While reading this chapter, I found it to be quite engaging due to the fact that it answers a few
questions that arose from the previous chapter. In the previous chapter, we were left on a cliffhanger
of not knowing what exactly happened to Cristina who was Angie mom, but then this chapter answers
it. I also found it nerve wrecking in the part when both Angie and Duchess stopped talking to each
other, and once they reencountered each other again they still managed to ignore the fact they both
missed each other. Till today we see this kind of behavior between best friend and close friends.
When they get in an argument, they will stop talking to each other, and when they see each other,
they will just stare each other waiting for one to start the conversation. One another is waiting for one
to say that they were wrong, but this never occurs because no one wants to admit they were wrong.
One of the things that really touched my heart was the line Angie said, we spread her ashes
underneath the jacaranda tree she and I sat under when we were young girls and lived our lives as
sisters. This really touched my heart due to the fact she had forgiven and forgot that they were mad
at each other. She did not want to remember the bad argument they had but remember her when
they had the best days they enjoyed with each other when they were younger. Overall, I cannot wait
to continue reading about the life of Angie, and find out how her daughter grows up.
3. If Angie and Duchess where best friend, then why did Duchess never tell Angie that her real name
was Maria? What is Angie referring to when she says that Maria, will hate this song when shes old
enough?
4. While I was reading, chapter 7 this particular reading went smoothly for me, I had no difficulties while
reading it. I was able to comprehend everything the author was saying. Most importantly, I was able
to draw conclusions and make connections between characters from previous chapters such as
Cristina and her daughter Angie. Now that I am familiar with the authors present and past writing, I
am now able to shift with the reader while reading, I do not get confused any more. Some strategies
that I used while reading this chapter were questioning to understand and remember, outlining
important information, and lastly visualizing. One thing that I use as advantage are using post-itnotes, in my book. Post-it-notes help me jot down my thinking, and it is a great way to go back and
recall upon information when asked. Therefore, this reading kept me motivated to continue reading,
cause I was able to understand everything not like previous chapters.
5. As I was reading this chapter, I encountered some struggles with words and its definition. I found it
challenging because when I came upon the word I would skip or just glance at it and not know what
that word meant. A few words that that I encountered in my reading and that I did not know were: lilt,
barricade, pinprick, and oscillating. I felt that the knowledge of a specific word in its context I was
misled by the information being given. Keeping track of words that you do not knowing in any kind of
reading can benefit you greatly, gives you more understanding in the given reading and more
knowledge of words that you can later use in talking or writing. It is very important to know all sorts of
vocabulary words.
Lilt: rhythmic swing or cadence.
Barricade: a defensive barrier hastily constructed, as in a street, to stopan enemy.
Pinprick: a negligible irritation or annoyance.
Oscillating: to swing or move to and fro, as a pendulum does.