jayy

//They Cage The Animals At Night// by Jennings Michael Burch Pages **1** through **39**
 * 1/24/11**

In the first few pages, a little boy named Jennings was walking with his mom to a strange place in Brooklyn, New York. His mother leads him into an old, red, brick building. Inside the building, his mom starts talking to a nun, who tells Jennings that they have some things to discuss. His mother and the nun start talking. Shortly after, his mother gives him a hug says "I'll be right back." and leaves him with the odd nun. The nun brings him to a room with many other children and leaves him there. Jennings falls asleep in a corner until he is interrupted by a mean, red-faced nun. She dragged him into another room marked “boys” and made him change into pajamas, brush his teeth, and go to bed.

Jennings awoke to the sound of children and noticed that the place he was in was bigger and brighter than he thought last night. As the day went along he was assigned number 27. This number marked his seat at breakfast, lunch, dinner and his bed. Although it took some help understanding this, Jennings started to get the swing of things. He even managed to make a friend. His new buddy was named Mark. He tells Jennings about where he is and his situation. Jennings was shocked and sad when he found out that he was in an orphanage and that his mother wasn’t coming back for him. Mark also informed Jennings that he was a lifer. A lifer was some who would probably stay in the orphanage their entire life. Though Mark was a lifer, Jennings was a part-timer, which meant that he would probably be taken home by another family.

While Mark is away (where did he go?), Jennings meets Stacy. She seems very affectionate because she kissed Jennings on the cheek after have met five minutes before. Jennings and Stacy became friends quickly. Soon after, Mark returned and they saw snow out of the window. There was a big commotion about it. All of the children were looking out the window, watching it fall when Jennings was called over by the nun. The nun tells Jennings that there was a family that wanted to adopt him. Jennings almost fell apart after hearing the news. This was because he would now lose his new friend at the orphanage and his stuffed animal that he would sleep with at night. The world seemed as if it went from bad to worse of Jennings Burch.

So far in my book, I know that Jennings Burch is a misunderstood 8-year old boy. Also, I think that he is desperate for his mother. I feel that he thinks he was betrayed by his mother because she lied when she said she was going to come back.To make bad things even worse, he’s probably going to be depressed from the loss of his newly made friends. Jennings is definitely in a bad position. I also don’t like the fact that he is being adopted by a different family because of the emotional struggle that he is going to feel. He isn’t going to have anyone to comfort him like Mark did. (How do you know the adoptive family won't be nice?)

I really think this book was the right choice for me. I enjoy the detail of Jennings Burch’s writing. Everything he talks about you can picture in you head. Even though I find it very sad, I have trouble putting it back down after I start a chapter. For example I was going to read only 15 minutes and I ended up reading for a half hour. I find it interesting to read about a life that had so many struggles, and look at my own. I really realize how easy I have it. I look forward to reading more about his interesting childhood.

Jay, nice entry. You filled all the requirements. I'd like to see you analyze Jennings, an 8-year old boy, and how he deals with the challenges he is faced with at such a young age. Do you think he handles things well? Do you think other 8-year olds would manage the same way? -Miss Bond

2-3-11 //They Cage the Animals at Night// by Jennings Michael Burch Pages 39-81

In the next few chapters, Jennings meets the Carpenters. Mrs. Carpenter was a mean person with a cold heart. She made Jennings eat slop, and even scared him so much that he had to hide under a table. On one occasion, she started to hit and physically hurt Jennings so bad that Mr. Carpenter had to intervene. Mr. Carpenter on the other had been quiet and nice. He never hit or had done anything to hurt Jennings. After the fight that Mrs. Carpenter and Jennings got in, Mr. Carpenter decided to take him back to the orphanage. Back ‘home’ Jennings reunites with Mark and his other orphanage friends. Things were finally back to normal, until Jennings got called over by another nun. He was being taken again. But this time, he was being picked up by his own mother. There were mixed feelings in the air. Jennings was happy to see his mom but confused about why she left him there. Also, about what would happen to Mark. Jennings pleaded with his mother to take Mark along with them, but alas, she couldn’t.

Shortly after, Jennings and his mother headed home. Jennings was exited to see his siblings again after such a long period of time away from them. Jennings family back at home included his Mom and his five brothers: George, Walter, Larry, Jerome and Gene.There was a lot of tension at the house between his two older brothers George and Walter. The two yelled and screamed at each other until one left the house. Shortly after everything calmed down, Jennings's mom took him back to school. There was bad news. Since Jennings was at the foster home so long, he had to stay back a grade. To make it even worse, he would have to leave all his old friends behind. On top of that, his favorite teacher was leaving at the end of the year so he would not have her again. One particular day, Jennings and his brother Larry were coming home from a local park and found a weird nun inside of their home. The nun informed them that their mother was very ill again. Before you knew it, Jennings and his brothers were out and going to homes to stay until their mom got better. A man brought him to a new orphanage this time. Jennings seemed scared and frightened .Soon after, it was like déjà vu all over again. Jennings was sad and alone with out a friend.

For only and 8 year old boy, I think Jennings Burch handles things particularly well. Truly, I don’t thing other 8 year old kids would be able to handle things as well was Jennings has. For example, being able to sustain the sadness of being left at a foster home. Not to mention being taken away by an abusive foster mother and not give up hope. It’s honestly amazing. Personally, I would have broken down because there’s no way I could deal with that emotional struggle that Jennings is going through. Do you think you could have made it as far as he did? Jennings in my view is a strong willed young boy.

Miss Bond, you true knew what book is good for me. They Cage the Animals at Night is a great book so far. It really makes you feel lucky to have a family that is healthy and happy. Some parts are so heart-wrenching that it won’t let you stop reading. Even to think that the book is an autobiography makes it 10x as interesting. Jennings Burch writes using a variety of words so you never bored with his writing. What were your thoughts as you were reading it?

//They Cage the Animals at Night// by Jennings Michael Burch Pages 81- 114 2-13-11 Now, Jennings Burch is stuck in his second orphanage. Jennings quickly meets a boy named Stevie because of the ‘number system’ they have at the orphanage. Stevie was number 16 and Jennings was 17. Jennings and Stevie became friends rather fast. The two had a common factor: they were both part-times. Even though Stevie was a part-timer he dreaded the fact of going back home because his dad was a drunken savage who would get drunk and beat him. He even had a few scars that were still bleeding on his back from his father. Jennings himself earned a beating one particular day. A new orphan had arrived at the orphanage and was having a rough time. He was given a drink and spilled it. Jennings notices this and says to the nun that he spilled it. As a result, Jennings gets beaten and assaulted by the nun. To make matters worse, when Jennings is finally better Stevie decides to run off into the woods by the orphanage and escape.

Now with Stevie gone, Jennings is as lonely as ever. With Stevie still in his mind he decided to take a walk in the woods. Jennings ended up arriving at a park and laid down to rest. When he awoke, he heard the sounds of the city. Like curiosity killed the cat, Jennings decided to roam the streets and search for his first orphanage to go back to. As he is walking, a police officer confronts him and takes him to the station. At the police station, Jennings is fed and taken back to the second orphanage. The police man also realized Jennings’ cut and marks and asks him about them. When the man learns of Jennings being beaten, he had ‘words o say’ to the nun as they arrived back at the orphanage. One particular afternoon, Jennings spots a car pulling up into the orphanage. It was his mother to pick him back up. Because of her having to leave Jennings at another orphanage, it seemed like Jennings had mixed feelings. Nonetheless he was happy to be leaving. Back at home, Jennings finally meets Jerome (his brother who was in the hospital for 11 years). Jerome and Jennings became close very fast. The two played chess and checkers all the time. Sadly as fast as Jerome came home, he had to leave again because he started to have breathing difficulties as when he was lying in bed. As a result medical workers at to come bring him back to the hospital. Jennings might not seem Jerome ever again.

I was surprised when Jennings didn’t run away with his new friend Stevie as he escaped. Personally I would have went with him. I would of done this because there’s really nothing that I would look forward if I stayed. To go into detail, the nuns there are mostly mean to him and give him little to no respect at all. To make it worse, they beat him whenever he does the tiniest thing wrong. I probably wouldn’t have put up with any of it. He might as well as dash straight for the door. What would you have done if you were Jennings?

In the scene of Jennings walking the streets after he escaped reminds me of a similar scene in Home Alone 2 Lost in New York because the boy in the movie was homeless and walking the streets of New York City. Seeing that movie, really made me picture Jennings roaming the streets by himself. Have you ever seen that movie? It also made me realize how it must affect Jennings mood. I mean that being a 9 year old boy lost in New York must be really mind blowing. I know that even when I got lost in the grocery store when I was a kid was scary. Do you know what I mean?

They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings Burch Page 114 - 159 After Jerome was taken to the hospital, Jennings and his family move into a new home. They seemed to live in the more rich part of town. Quickly after moving in, his mother enrolled Jennings and his siblings at a local school. Jennings was afraid of being made fun of. His luck of making friends fast seemed to fade. The kids made fun of him and called him rag boy because of his torn clothes. His teacher was very cold hearted and made him stand up in front of the room and try a math problem for 3 days straight. She degraded him and made him feel like nothing. After hearing about this, Jennings older brother came to his school cursed out the teacher and took Jennings with him. He quickly enrolled him in a different school on the area. Jennings was still afraid of his name being made fun of so he told his teacher and class mates that his name was Michael. His days were finally going well. He had made friends with the bus driver Sal. Sal understood everything Jennings was going through because he was an orphan himself. He assisted Jennings with little problems or anything he could.

One day after coming home from school, Jennings found his mother ill in bed. She claimed it was nothing. This scared Jennings because he was afraid of being put in another home. In the following day at school, his nightmare came true. His teacher called him over and said that his mother fell sick with pneumonia and was feeling terrible. As a result, he had a choice to stay with Mr. Frazier or at another home. He naturally chooses to stay with Mr. Frazier. His ho use was huge. Jennings had his own room with his own bathroom and shower. Mr. Frazier was a very wealthy man. Jennings was in going into school one morning when a few of his new class mates started to tease him. Calling him rag boy and other nasty names. One boy punched him square in the face. In a fight to defend himself Jennings hit the boy back. Because of that the kid pushed him to the ground and made Jennings’s hand start to bleed along with his lip. Seeing this, Sal got out of his bus and broke up the fight. He grabbed Jennings and put him on his shoulders. He went into the school and had a teacher call an ambulance. The last thing Jennings remembered of that day was a man saying he was going to need stitches. As Jennings recovered, Mr. Frazier said he was going to buy all new clothes for him so he wouldn’t be made fun of anymore. Maybe his luck would change soon.

I think the relationship between Jennings and Sal is interesting because they have so much in common. Sal is able to connect with Jennings and help him out because they share experiences. I predict that their relationship will continue to grow as the story progresses. I hope to see them get closer. I think that Jennings emotional survival will get easier if Sal somehow moved into Jennings’s house and helped out the family. I say this because any problem Jennings could have, Sal has taken care of the best he can. What do you think? I felt sad when Jennings was being beaten up by the boy because he couldn’t even defend himself. It was just a slaughter, all Jennings could do was put up his arms to decrease the blows to his face. How would you feel if you had to watch it? To make it worse, I don’t think anyone would have stopped it if it wasn’t for Sal. Jennings could of gotten seriously hurt… not to mention killed from all of the blood loss. If I was in his place, I would have punched the kid in the face and taken off running. What would you do?

They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings Burch Pages 159-198 In this section of the book, Jennings goes back to school with new clothes from Mr. Frazier. Shortly after a few kids from school apologize for what they did and try to get to know Jennings. One particular day Jennings received a note from his teacher for Mr. Frazier. Jennings was finally going home. Well not exactly home… while Jennings was with the Frazier’s, him and his family moved into a new apartment. It was a little more crammed than their old one. Soon after settling in his new home Jennings’s Brother Larry is fed up with having to do chores and runs away. Jennings was heartbroken, and to make it worse everyone in the family blames him for not stopping Larry and Jennings friend Sal (the bus driver) was relocated. Thinking of Larry and Sal, Jennings quickly runs away as well. Jennings tried to walk and find his way to where Sal was relocated. Since Sal moved to the Bronx, Jennings found himself hiding in the Bronx zoo inside of a bush for 2 days until he could find him.

When Jennings and Sal were finally reunited, they talked about things and made a decision. Sal would take Jennings back home, but ever weekend or so Sal would visit so that Jennings wouldn’t be lonely. He quickly put his plan into action. It worked out great, Sal brought Jennings’s family very close together, taking them out to dinner, giving them extra food or money. Everyone loved Sal, except for George. Overtime, his problems got worse, he came home drunk almost every night. He smoked as well, his whole life was going downhill. Then one day Sal announced that he had a new and better job opportunity and he would take it. He would now be trucker and go from state to state. This meant that he wouldn’t be there from Jennings as much. As Jennings was getting over his saddens of not seeing Sal as much a tragedy took place. His mother fell down the apartment stairs and broke her neck. It seems as if Jennings life has gone from bad to worse.

From the beginning of the book, I really think that Jennings had grown as a person. He has become stronger through his experiences. I think that from being in all the situations he has, his life should get a little easier to get through. In the beginning, Jennings was always scared and mild mannered. For example, he would never run away from anywhere no matter what. And now you see him running away from home, I honestly would of never expected that. I mean it wasn't like him to just break down and run away and not even hesitate. Do you know what I mean?

In the book, there are many settings. For example the different orphanages and Jennings's different apartments. The most important of the different settings i think is his home. I think this because its where all of the story plots take place. To add on, all of the causes for Jennings to be an left at an orphanage occurs at home. No matter where his home is i thinks its always an important place. Don't you?

They Cage the Animals at Night by Jennings Burch Pages 198- 247

After Jennings’s mother’s accident, Jennings is put into another orphanage where he is reunited with his former friend Mark. The two talk about their experiences after they were separated. One of the things they discussed was how weird it was to be together once more. Mark explained that he had gotten sick at the home and was taken to the hospital, then transferred to this one. Jennings was wondering if Mark was now okay after being released. His question was later answered when Mark fainted and was taken to the hospital again. Sadly, Mark had died of a heart attack. Jennings was heart broken. To have just reunited with a loved friend and for him to have died so quickly really hurt him. I couldn’t believe what I was reading myself! Later one afternoon Jennings’s brother Walter came for him. In the car, Walter explained that they had relocated and how everyone had changed. Larry had come back and was sadly now a “drunken bum” just like George was. While his mother had also come back and was in a contraption to keep her neck and back straight. Walter also gave instructions to Jennings about his mom. He couldn’t turn off the light in her room and couldn’t make her cry. Things were so different since he left.

In the following weeks, Larry ran away again and as quickly as he left Sal came back to help the family out a little bit. Sal arranged for Jerome to come how and surprise everyone. Jennings I think was the most happy about it. Jennings and Jerome caught up and talked about a few things. A few days later, Jennings reunites with another orphanage friend. Jennings found Stacy at a local park. Jennings described her has looking more pretty and “lady like.” They catch up and become closer, almost like they’re dating because they kiss each other a lot. Soon after, Jerome starts to become sick and is placed back into the hospital. As Jerome’s leaving hurts Jennings, he soon learns that Stacy has to leave as well. Between the two of them Jennings is as heart broken as ever. It seems when something good happens, two bad things take it away in Jennings’s life.

One thing that surprised me was that Sal is still helping the Burch family. It must be really hard to juggle a trucking job and an extra family at the same time. Sal must have his hands full. I personally think that he has a huge heart to care for Jennings’s family and he is even trying to get a different job to be closer to them. If you think about it, he has already made many sacrifices and is continuing to. He might not get his trucking job back if his idea of getting a new one fails. What I don’t understand is how he still tries his hardest to assist this family even when George hates him. Know what I mean?

I dislike the way Larry has been acting because he has taken his life and basically flushed it down the toilet. He drinks and copied the way George is. That is bad way of going through life. People will only look at you as a drunken peasant. Ever since he ran away for the first time Larry’s life has gone down river fast. I think Larry tries to drink his problems away, but whenever he realizes they haven’t, he drinks more. He truly dug himself into a hole. I wonder if he’ll ever climb out.

They Cage The Animals At Nigh Jennings Burch Done

In the book, Jennings has defiantly been through a lot and learned many things. For example, Jennings found out the struggles of life and different lifestyles of how people lived. He knew the struggles of a poor orphan family and the great lives of the rich. Through out his childhood, Jennings truly experienced the best and worst of both worlds. He also learned about bond between people. Personally I think one of the most important things he learned was about love and death. Sal could have said it any better, it’s how you feel about someone and the fact that they knew you cared that makes love. To conclude Jennings learned a lost in his short and fast-paced childhood. In all, I really enjoyed this book. I highly recommend it to anyone of us who “think” they have it hard. It is a great book that makes you want to keep reading on and on. Also, one that once you start reading, you won’t stop until you finish. Its twist and turns make the book insane and jaw-dropping. Some parts leave you with a smile, while some leave you about to cry. Ms. Bond as I said before you truly knew what book is good for me.