Survival

Life as we Knew it

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

Water runs out so they decided to shut down the oil furnace and move to the sunroom. Miranda's brother, Jonny an her mom get sick so Miranda went to look for Peter but when she got to the hospital, they told her Peter was dead. Food was running out and Matt also got sick. Miranda decides to sacrifice for her family and gives them her food. She doesn't want her to see her die so she goes to town planning to never get back but she founds out a man who was giving food. She gets food to home every week and promise to never let her family alone. Their lives completely changed but they were happy because they were together.

There was no enough food to feed Miranda's mother and two brothers who were sick. She decided to die and give her food to her family. "I'd gone to town. There was no point going home, forcing the others to watch that happen." I don't think that is the best idea. If she dies, there will be no-one who will take care of them and if anything bad happens, Miranda wouldn't be present to help. It depends on the time or problems people are facing to see what they can really do. Before, Miranda thought that living her mother alone would be terrible and that she would never do that but now, because of what's happening, she is prepared to die for them. 

"But today, when I'm 17 and warm and well fed, I'm keeping this journal for myself so I can always remember life as we knew it, life as we know it, for a time when I am no longer in the sunroom." It's sad such a hard time Miranda and her family had to face. Miranda learned to survive. Surviving is in our blood, it's our instinct. Miranda did things she never knew she would do and find out who she really was. Miranda says she's keeping her journal, this book to remember the past. I think she doesn't want to commit the same mistakes she did and start a new life.

Surviving may get us to do terrible things but it shows us who we really are and what we are capable to do. Miranda can give everything for her family, even her life. She became a very strong women and wiser. Things happen for a reason and this might have happened because our society today, is rotten. This might have happened to teach people what really is important and Miranda understood. She learned to survive and to appreciate things. 

Be Thankful

Life as we Knew it

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer

It was already August and Miranda and her family started to worry about the food, it was almost over.  Miranda had a fight with her mom and almost leave home. Jonny gets back from his camp with dad and decided to chop wood for winter and he even gives them some food. One day, Miranda's mom fell down and hurt her ankle. People from the hospital didn't wanted to help her but Matt had a friend, Peter, who was a doctor. Peter told them her ankle was sprained and that she couldn't put weight on it for a couple of weeks. It was starting to snow and they needed to cover all the house to keep heat inside because there was no heating. They didn't knew what were they supposed to do and just waited for the best.

Miranda ate a whole bag of chocolates because she and her mom fighter and after they talked. Miranda's mom told her, "If we don't look towards the future, we have nothing to live for and I wouldn't have that." Miranda's mom is saying the truth. Everything we do needs to be for the future, people always need to be thinking before they act and look towards the future. When people make something, they don't think in the consequences the action will have, they only focus on the present but things don't need to be like that. We must change.

After the fight Miranda had with her mom, she started thinking about the death of her friend, Megan. Megan's mother had suicide for her daughter's death and Miranda realized she was never going to do that to her mom. "I've live. We'll live. I will never make Mom face what Mrs. Wayne faced. My existence is the only gift to give her (…)" I think that in this terrible crisis, the only gift she can actually give her is her existence. It is sad, many people don't even have mothers and others just think is insignificant problems such as homework. We need to appreciate the things we have and benefit from them. 

Many people may be facing worse problems than yours. Miranda and her family needed to deal from the cold form winter while others may just be watching TV. We always need to be thankful for the lives we have and try to enjoy them as much as we can. We always need to try to help others as much as possible, like Peter. He was the only one who helped Miranda's mom and everyone was very thankful with him. People must try to be better everyday and always be thankful for what they have.  

Crisis

Life as we Knew it

Author: Susan Beth Pfeffer


The problem with the moon has gone worse. Volcanoes were erupting and ashes were all over the world, blocking the sun and making crops difficult to grow. The whole world as in an economic crisis and  everyone thought it was going to be the end of the world. People started buying everything they could from the markets, and fortunately, Miranda and her family got the supplies they needed. Miranda's brother, Matt, move with her for caution and to help her and her mom. Miranda's dad, her dad and her new baby are ok and luckily could talk with Miranda by the phone. Many schools, including Miranda's school, closed because they run out of food and Miranda started teaching herself at home. Miranda starts a relationship with Dan, a boy who swims in a pond as well as her but they didn't last long because Dan needed to leave town. Megan, Miranda's best friend was ill and very  thin because she didn't had enough food. Jonny, Miranda's brother decides to go to a baseball camp because he will be able to have fresh food. Soon Miranda finds out that Megan died and Megan's mother had suicide because of that. Miranda returns to her house and she apologizes with her mom. 

It was like the end of the world, everyone was acting like crazy and nobody deserves living that way. "I know Mom doesn't want us t die (…) But I think she doesn't want us to live either." Every mother wants the best for her children but sometimes things don't go as planned. Problems are inevitable but the only thing you can do is either run or deal with them. Miranda's mom and her family decided to deal with the problem as best as they could even though it was a problem that was going to change everybody lives. Nobody wants their family to die but if they were in a terrible situation where they are suffering, maybe they will decide to run from the problem by the easiest way, which is not always good.  

Before Megan died, Miranda was thinking about this whole horrible situation and started thinking, "I know Dan thinks I'm lucky that, I've been "untouched" by everything that's happened. And I know I'm self-pitying to think otherwise. But sometimes I wonder if the big cannonball horror of knowing someone you love has died is all that much worse than the everyday attrition life." Many people have watched someone they love died but the simple fact that Miranda faces the attrition life by her family that can lead them to death, is worse. I don't think she has been "untouched" by this problem, I think she has been less affected than others. Miranda and her family are going through very tough times, as everyone, but at least she has family who can help her and be by her side. 

Thinking about the end of the world, gives me goosebumps. Knowing that so much people is going to die and thinking all the suffering people are going to face is terrible. When the world ends, the most important things won't be the material thing or work, the most important thing will be people you love, that's why we always need to take care of them and show them our love no matter what. I think the right way to face such a big problem is to deal with it by help of your family. Love keeps family together and Miranda is very fortunate for having such beautiful people by her side. Families are forever.