In Victor Martinez’s novel ‘Parrot in the oven, and Kesha’s song ‘Praying’, they share the same idea that there are problems with friendships and relationships. They both show how they love these people, but at the same time they want to get away and try to find some form of peace inside themselves so they can be happy. In ‘Parrot in the Oven’, Manny doesn’t get along with his abusive father since he drinks, gambles, and abuses the family. Similarly, in ‘Praying’, Kesha is getting out of an abusive relationship with a guy that was putting her down. In both texts, we learn that having some hardships in your life and moving on can only make you stronger.

A theme ‘Parrot in the Oven’ and ‘Praying’ share is that past experiences of pain and moving on from them can make you stronger. Manny from ‘Parrot in the Oven’ has a strained relationship with his father, who had been drinking, gambling, and abusing his family since he could remember. As a result, Manny thought that the only life for him was a life in a gang. At the end of the story, he realized that’s not who he wanted to be, and the place he belonged in was with his family. In ‘Praying’, Kesha states: ‘Told me I was nothing without you.’. It shows that she was in an abusive relationship and he wasn’t treating her right. Later, she said: ‘And I don’t need you, I found a strength I’ve never known.’. It shows the reader that she found this strength to break away from that relationship and become even stronger without him. In both texts, the characters are negatively affected by those around them.

Even though both texts display how Kesha and Manny deal with tough relationships, it also shows how they deal with them differently. For Manny, it takes a negative toll on him and causes him to think less of himself. He joined a gang since that’s all he could see himself being because of his family background. Overtime, it negatively affected him until he realized family is all he had and that he had to cherish them. Kesha, however, showed the reader how she positively dealt with the pain. In her song, she says: ‘I hope you find your peace.’. That statement shows that she wishes him the best and hopes he finds some inner peace himself. She also says: ‘And I can thank you for how strong I have become.’. This shows that Kesha took her situation and used it to make herself stronger, and used it to move on.

In both ‘Parrot in the Oven’, and ‘Praying’, Victor Martinez and Kesha share with us the importance that you can use your situation to make yourself stronger, or to tear yourself down. Only you have control of how you use it and deal with it, whether it be like Manny, negatively, or Kesha, positively.

In Victor Martinez’s novel, ‘Parrot in the Oven’, we are told the story of Manny Hernandez, who has an abusive father and a crumbling family. Mr. Hernandez is angry about how his life turned out so he drank his problems away and came home drunk. He’d gamble a lot and really test the patience of his family. He was mad and drunk one night so he tried to chase his wife with a shotgun, ultimately getting arrested. One theme the story displays is that bad actions have consequences.

In the beginning, Martinez displays the frustration and fear from Manny’s family about his dad’s lack of responsibility and stability. In the text, it states: “Because he drank, and because of the milk she said drained into the gutter whenever he drank, Mom hated to see Dad go to Rico’s. She was always dragging me along with her to bring him home.” This line shows how Mrs. Hernandez hates watching her husband go drink, and it shows that she needs Manny to help get him home. Another detail that shows their fright is: “That’s when Mom began to sense Dad was angrier than he was letting on. She grabbed me by the shoulder and steered me out the door.” This quote shows that Mrs. Martinez was slightly fearful for Manny and wanted him out.

Later in the middle, Martinez focuses more on the consequences of the characters. In the text, it states: “”Here you go, Daddy, here.” Pedi gushed, handing him three copper-headed .22 bullets.” Since Pedi gave her dad the bullets, he was able to try and shoot Mrs. Hernandez. In the story, Manny’s dad ends up getting arrested for trying to shoot his wife. Martinez also tells us: “But Mom wasn’t listening. She seemed to still be hearing something in the air. Then her face became more alert and she turned to the officer leading Dad out the door. “Take him,” she said with a decided anger. “Go ahead, take him!””. This statement shows how Mrs. Hernandez wanted her husband to pay for his actions rather than let him get away with it. In the story, Magda, Manny’s sister, has consequences as well. On page 141 we are told: “Mom’s suspicions proved right. Magda was losing a baby. Mom figured it out by the stiff way Magda clutched her belly which you could see was swollen even under the loose dress.”. This passage shows Magda’s consequences for not doing the right thing. Lots of the characters have their consequences, but Mr. Hernandez is probably the one more at fault.

Manny and his family will always have to live with the mistakes of Mr. Hernandez. It could be said that Mr. Hernandez gambled to help his family, and that he drank because he was stressed. While this could be a good point, it fails to account for Mr. Hernandez’s attitude. He doesn’t show any love or compassion toward his family, which shows that he isn’t trying to get money for his family.

In the end, Martinez puts more emphasis on Manny and his mistakes, rather than Mr. Hernandez. He ended up joining a gang to try and earn respect, but he realized that’s not what he wanted for himself at all. “In that instant of trying to call out to Eddie, everything changed. It was like I’d finally seen my own face and recognized myself, recognized who I really should be. Then I didn’t feel like catching up to Eddie anymore.”. This quote from the book shows Manny’s regret for the decision he made, then he fixed it and left the gang. He realized he didn’t need to join a gang to be happy. He realized that his family is precious and that they are very important. On page 215 it says: “This room was what my mother spent so much energy cleaning and keeping together, and what my father spend so much time tearing apart. And it was wondrous, like a place I was meant to be.”. It shows the reader that Manny realized that he belonged there and figured out where he fit in: his family.

Overall, Parrot in the Oven teaches the characters and the reader that when you use poor judgement to make decisions, you can end up with consequences later in life that you may regret forever.

In my book club, we are currently reading ‘Parrot in the Oven’ by Victor Martinez. The story doesn’t directly state where it takes place, but with context clues, I assume it takes place in California or another state bordering Mexico. Its currently summer in the story. The neighborhood seems to have a very Hispanic culture and background.

One of the more prominent characters of the book is Manuel’s father. His father likes to gamble a lot, and most of the time he is drunk. He is hot-headed, always getting mad over the smallest things. He might be one of the bigger problems in the story. He is abusive, and stresses out his whole family.

Neighbors of a small farm in Oregon have complained for 10 years about the barking from their Tibetan and Pyrenean Mastiffs. The barking started in 2002, but they didn’t sue till 2012. An Oregon law says that a dog cannot bark consistently for more than 10 minutes. Punishments are impoundment, a fine, rehoming, or even debarking surgery. The Updegraff family, the owner of the dogs, says: “The rules are different here in the country. We are a farm, and we use the dogs to protect our sheep. They bark when they sense danger. They’re just doing their job.”
The court said that they were not a farm, and sided with the Kreins, the neighbors of Karen and John Updegraff. They earned $238,000, and the couple was ordered to debark their dogs. A shock collar, training, and a barrier between the properties has not worked. The Oregon court ruled in August 2017 that debarking was an appropriate situation for dogs who were disruptive like the Updegraff’s mastiffs.
Debarking is a surgery that makes a dog’s bark quieter. It’s usually a last resort for dogs who constantly bark. Debarking surgery (ventriculocordectomy) is performed under general anesthesia. The doctors cut the vocal chord folds in a dog’s throat. Risks include infection, acute airway swelling, and bleeding.
Friends of the dog owners have started a petition to end debarking in Oregon. “Debarking is a cruel and unfair punishments, to dogs who are doing what they are bred to do.” Terry Fletcher writes in the petition. It has about 8,700 signatures. “We deserve to live in peace.” Oregon residents say. “Debarking is a fair punishment.”
On Updegraff’s property, one dog has already been debarked, “I honestly don’t know what to do.” Karen Updegraff says.
Debarking a dog does not mean the dog will be silent. The dog will make a hoarse, raspy noise, which can be as equally annoying as a bark, some say. The surgery will not alleviate the reason for the dogs barking. Barking is a dogs way of communication. They use it to play, warn, greet, and work. Some animal rights activists say that its better to do training rather than take that right away from a dog. Some say its fair to the owners of the dog to do the surgery, and others think its cruel and wrong to take away a dog’s way of communication. “Dogs deserve some basic rights, too.” Animal activists say. “Don’t we get our own rights?”
Animal activists say: “No one knows what will happen in the debarking fight, but I choose to believe that people with come to their senses and defend dog rights.”

Neighbors of a small farm in Oregon have complained for 10 years about the barking from their Tibetan and Pyrenean Mastiffs. The barking started in 2002, but they didn’t sue till 2012. An Oregon law says that a dog cannot bark consistently for more than 10 minutes. Punishments are impoundment, a fine, rehoming, or even debarking surgery. The Updegraff family, the owner of the dogs, says: “The rules are different here in the country. We are a farm, and we use the dogs to protect our sheep. They bark when they sense danger. They’re just doing their job.”
The court said that they were not a farm, and sided with the Kreins, the neighbors of Karen and John Updegraff. They earned $238,000, and the couple was ordered to debark their dogs. A shock collar, training, and a barrier between the properties has not worked. The Oregon court ruled in August 2017 that debarking was an appropriate situation for dogs who were disruptive like the Updegraff’s mastiffs.
Debarking is a surgery that makes a dog’s bark quieter. It’s usually a last resort for dogs who constantly bark. Debarking surgery (ventriculocordectomy) is performed under general anesthesia. The doctors cut the vocal chord folds in a dog’s throat. Risks include infection, acute airway swelling, and bleeding.
Friends of the dog owners have started a petition to end debarking in Oregon. “Debarking is a cruel and unfair punishments, to dogs who are doing what they are bred to do.” Terry Fletcher writes in the petition. It has about 8,700 signatures. “We deserve to live in peace.” Oregon residents say. “Debarking is a fair punishment.”
On Updegraff’s property, one dog has already been debarked, “I honestly don’t know what to do.” Karen Updegraff says.
Debarking a dog does not mean the dog will be silent. The dog will make a hoarse, raspy noise, which can be as equally annoying as a bark, some say. The surgery will not alleviate the reason for the dogs barking. Barking is a dogs way of communication. They use it to play, warn, greet, and work. Some animal rights activists say that its better to do training rather than take that right away from a dog. Some say its fair to the owners of the dog to do the surgery, and others think its cruel and wrong to take away a dog’s way of communication. “Dogs deserve some basic rights, too.” Animal activists say. “Don’t we get our own rights?”
Animal activists say: “No one knows what will happen in the debarking fight, but I choose to believe that people with come to their senses and defend dog rights.”

On August 29, Cindy, Isaiah, and Alli Carr went to the Starbucks on Meijer Drive to enjoy a little treat. When they made their way up to the register, they heard two workers bickering with each other, making the three uncomfortable to start.
“They were just being nasty to each other.” Alli recalls. “That’s not how workers should treat each other, in and out of the workplace.”
When the worker came to take their order, she sighed, like they were a burden and a bother to them. “She asked what we wanted in a very dull tone with no ‘Hi!’ or ‘Hello’. It felt really unprofessional and rude. That’s not how you treat your customers. They’re paying you!” Cindy said.
Cindy told them what she wanted, and then the worker proceeded to stick her dirty hand into the cup that Cindy was about to drink out of just so she could write Cindy’s name on it.
“It was disgusting, really.” Alli said, her face contorted. “We were so appalled by the staff already. Then they started to argue…again!”
They recall that the staff started to argue once more with each other, the one working the register barking at the one who was making the drinks. Cindy, Alli, and Isaiah were sick of it, so they decided to simply leave.
“I remember just saying ‘Uh, we’re good. We don’t need anything.’. The woman working the register just shrugged and shouted to the lady making drinks ‘Nevermind!’. It was weird how she just didn’t care. She didn’t even apologize!”
Once they got away from the Starbucks, Cindy called the Meijer manager, and got the manager to talk to the women. It is unknown whether they were fired or still remain working there.
“We won’t be going back there for a long time. That was the worst service we had ever received at a Starbucks.” Alli concluded.

The last book I read over the summer was Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. I really liked it because it tied into the Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, and the Trials of Apollo series. That was probably one of my most favorite book series of all time. Its always got a deep plot, but a bit of humor as well, which is why the author of Magnus Chase, Rick Riordan, is my favorite author.

The book I chose from the library was City of Ashes from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. I chose it because the summary on the back made the book seem really interesting. I got it a couple days agao and I’m already halfway through. It appears that one of the main characters, Jace Morgenstern, is going to betray his friends only to protect them. Clarissa, Jace’s sister, found out she could invent runes. Simon, another main character, just turned into a vampire, because he was hunted down at night by one. Everyone’s lives are changing because Valentine, Jace and Clarissa’s father, is killing certain Downworlders for their blood so he can operate thi=e sword that spawns demons on demand.

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