Should kids be trusted With guns?

I feel like young kids shouldn't be able to hold onto a gun because they can be really immature. Toby for example was pretending to be shooting at people through his window. What if the gun accidentally went off? Parents need to supervise their kids safety more often then letting them be free with a weapon. You never know what could happen if a gun ended up in the wrong hands of someone. It should be locked up some where safe before ever using it. And Toby should wait to use it when his mom and Roy is around.

Should gun restrictions be Heightened?

As we read in this last section, Toby has 24 hour access to this gun given to him by Roy. However, Roy and Toby's mom keep the ammunition in a "hidden" metal box in Roy's closet. The problem was that Toby knew where it was, it wasn't a problem for him to find the ammunition. His parents are unaware, or more his mom for that matter, that Toby knows where to find ammunition for this gun. He has a gun, he has access to ammunition, and he is left unsupervised at home for hours often. This is a serious issue. As we discovered in this last section, that when he is home alone, he gets mischievous and comes up with these "scenes," where he dressed up and acted as a professional militant. "The camouflage coat made me feel like a sniper, and before long I began to act like one (24)." This makes him feel as if he knows how to use such a dangerous tool, but he really doesn't. In the real world gun control is a serious issue. Guns need to be stored securely and safely. Special precautions need to be taken by any person handling or owning a gun, and gun licensing standards need to be heightened to increase the assurance of public and personal safety.  

Should gun restrictions be heightened?

As we read in this last section, Toby has 24 hour access to this gun given to him by Roy. However, Roy and Toby's mom keep the ammunition in a "hidden" metal box in Roy's closet. The problem was that Toby knew where it was, it wasn't a problem for him to find the ammunition. His parents are unaware, or more his mom for that matter, that Toby knows where to find ammunition for this gun. He has a gun, he has access to ammunition, and he is left unsupervised at home for hours often. This is a serious issue. As we discovered in this last section, that when he is home alone, he gets mischievous and comes up with these "scenes," where he dressed up and acted as a professional militant. "The camouflage coat made me feel like a sniper, and before long I began to act like one (24)." This makes him feel as if he knows how to use such a dangerous tool, but he really doesn't. In the real world gun control is a serious issue. Guns need to be stored securely and safely. Special precautions need to be taken by any person handling or owning a gun, and gun licensing standards need to be heightened. 

Smart use of guns

Gun control overall is a good thing especially for younger children. In the book when Toby was given the gun he wasn't tought how to use it properly or when to use it. When Toby was using the gun he was shooting animals, scaring his mom with it, and to if so hit off he was pointing it at old ladies. So overall gun control should be a smart thing to address especially to younger kids learning how to use guns.

Confession

In the book something that really caught my eye was when Toby agreed to go see the priest after talking to the nun. He ended up going to the confession. He told the priest everything. Another thing that I was surprised by was when Toby wanted to changes his name to jack.

Running away doesn't help

His mom has a habit of running away from things. Like her creepy ex boyfriend Roy, and her car. I wonder how long it will take her to run away from the situation she just got herself in. 

This boy's life Unholy Confessions

What really caught my attention while reading the book was when Tobi in "This Boy's life" wanted his name changed to Jack. In order for this to be done he would have to be a Catholic and have his Baptismal be Jonathan. Tobi was getting ready to be an official Catholic when he would have to make a confession to the priest in the confession stand. The first time he did he didn't make a confession so sister James convinced him to be honest and not worry about an outcome so she gave him examples of what to confess. So he lied in the confession stand and told the priest exactly what sister James told Tobi

Sinful actions

I found it interesting how Toby had a difficult time finding a sin he had done, so he talked with the nun, and took her examples of sin. He deffinetly has some sins to talk about now!

He is Just a Creep!

After finding out that Roy followed them from Florida it creeped me out a lot. Then reading more about him following Toby's mom to her work everyday it makes him look more obsessed than a stalker. It seems like all he wants is sex.

Toby to Trevor

I can connect to Toby because of the way he acts around his parents. I say that because Toby can be a rebel against his parents, he talks back to his parents, he doesn't listen, and he gets in trouble. I can do the same thing from time to time.

Your past has way of catching up

Both him and his mom are running away from their past. He's trying to make a new life for himself and to be a better, but his old habits are starting to catch up with him. I feel that no matter how fast you run from who you are and your past it will aways be there.

Confessions

I thought it was funny how Toby told the priest exactly what Sister James told him the things she use to do. Toby didn't know what to confess to so he stole what she told him about stealing the money from her father and how she would say things about her friend behind there back.

"Father"

I found it to be interesting that Toby has missing a father figure for a long time in his life and then as soon as he is opening up to someone in the church they are a Father. That must have been weird for Tovy because he has never had a person to call a father before and then he is trying to be open with someone who he is calling Father. That word "Father" must be hard for Toby to get out,especially to a no face, stranger.

Family Connections

I thought a lot about the connection between Toby and his mother in the car scene when there driving through the desert "As we drove, we sang-Irish ballads, folk songs, big-band blues" it sounds to me that they have a tight relationship.

Wolff Makes His First Bark.

Tobi–A.k.a. Jack–has made his first leap at a long spiraling journey. Tobi towards the beginning of the chapter he shows the first of his juvenile mentality when him and his buddies from archery camp sneak away and start shooting at each other.    

This Boy's Life

                                                     
On page 16 it shocked me because in a way it really seemed like Roy and Toby actually liked each other.  In the book it said "Roy smiled at me, and I gave in. I smiled back".  But after that it seems that Roy has gone back to his own ways of being rude to Toby's mom.

This Boys Life..... Right now kinda sucks

In this boys life he moving a from Florida to Utah to get away from his moms creepy ex boyfriend but of course he just follows them because well duh he's creepy and creepy guys it's what they do them will follow you to the moon and back you they will be 40 feet behind you and you might not know immediately but they are there but the. He just shows up with a gun for Toby (the boy) he just really reminds me of little bit like my life and I feel bad for him. But now he is also know as jack because he has changed it by getting baptized his father hates it but his mom loves to make him mad. Yeah jack is happy now but he is getting in some trouble with the school nuns.

Toby wanted to change his name and he couldn't his mom said unless he went to a church. Something else that I thought was odd was towards the end when he was with the priest. Toby said lots of stuff like stealing from his mom. He was very open to the priest.

Controlling or Crazy?

One thing that really caught my attention, and struck a nerve, was how creepy and controlling Roy was. What was even worse was when he would be so creepy in front of Toby. From pg. 14-15 we found out Roy would follow Toby's mother - with Toby. Eventually Toby's mother left work early to go shopping, and of course Roy was watching and got upset and angry at the fact that she "lied" even though she has no obligation to tell him anything considering he's a creep. Soon after, when they got home, Toby was put in the middle of a short, but not sweet, argument. "Roy smiled at me, and I gave in. I smiled back" was what Toby explained of the situation; he basically took Roy's side (16). This is what Toby was explaining earlier in the page, that if he had winked back or given any acknowledgement of what Roy was about to do - was doing - he would have taken Roy's side.
We know they get away from Roy, but I hope this happens sooner rather than later.

This Boys Life

I made a connection with Roy and one of my cousins ex husbands who followed her from Canada to our house and watched people shower.

Welcome to our class blog on This Boy's Life.

I look forward to reading all your comments!