1. After pages 3-4

    "This isn't a movie about bars and locked doors. It is about being alone when you are not really alone and about being scared all the time." (Pages 3-4)

            I can feel Steve's pain when he says these two sentences because I have felt this way before, too.  There has been a time in my life where I felt left out.  I felt like I didn't have any friends and I didn't like my family that much at that time.  I felt like I had no one simply because I was different and I believe in different things than other people.  My beliefs made me unpopular at school and made my family think oddly of me.  I just didn't fit in all that well and the only friends I had at the time betrayed me and we happened to be in a big fight.  It was not a delightful time.  I know this isn't quite the same as Steve feels but I believe it is along the same lines.  You can go into a room full of people and feel completely alone.  Not having loved ones around you makes you miserable and also makes you realize just how much you love those individual people.  Steve is in a jail full of complete strangers who are full of hate and violence.  He also doesn't know when he'll be with his family again if he ever will be.  He feels lost and and scared.  Scared of the people, scared of the thought of not being around loved ones ever again, and scared of what his life will become. 

2. On page 19

"I didn't say it was bad, but wasn't it predictable? You need to predict without predicting. You know what I mean? When you make a film, you leave an impression on the viewers who serve as a kind of jury for your film. If you make your film predictable, they'll make up their minds about it long before it's over."

            Is life predictable?  I don't think so.  Who knows what might happen.  So why should movies be predictable?  Well, they shouldn't because viewers won't like that.  They will find it boring and not exciting.  Well, life is the same.  It's not predictable, therefore, it is exciting but at the same time it can be predictable from day to day.  I don't think people should be predictable.  What is the fun of that?  There would be no excitement from day to day.  No changes.  Changes can be good.  Some people don't like the fact that life isn't predictable.  It makes them worry and stressed out.  Anything could happen and you'll never know.  You could get a call saying you won one million dollars or you could get a call saying that someone passed away.  Life is full of twists and turns.  However, no one should give up.  It keeps all of us on our toes and keeps are days exciting.  Life was not meant to be predictable and it'll never be.

3. On page 21

    "Most people in our communities are decent, hardworking citizens who pursue their own interests legally and without infringing on the rights of others. But there are also monsters in our communities--people who are willing to steal and to kill, people who disregard the rights of others."

            This is one of the most true statements I have ever read.  The world is a good place, except we get those people who choose not to follow the rules. People who disrespect people and their rights.  I feel like they bring the community down.  It isn't fair for good citizens to die or be stolen from because someone decided it was fine.  It is not fine. 

4.  on page 26

    "...the laws also protect the accused, and that is the wonder and beauty of the American system of justice. ...We apply the law equally to both sides. The law that protects society all of society.

            Well, this quote is probably the hardest one to reply back to so far.  The laws in America try to be as fair as possible.  Both sides of all stories deserve equal rights.  Laws should apply to both sides whether it seems right or wrong.

5. On page 46

    "I hate this place. I hate this place. I can't write it enough times to make it look the way I feel. I hate, hate, hate this place!

           In the story, Steven writes about how much he hates jail.  It is violent and crude.  Have you ever hated a place that much?  I know I haven't.  I haven't shown that much hate towards anything.  If you read the story though, you can feel the hate that Steven feels.  Steven is unable to describe how much he hates jail.  He can not find words that explain the hate he feels.  How would you feel in that situation?  What would your feelings be if you were in jail?  I know if I was in Steven's shoes, I'd probably feel the same amount as hate as he does towards jail.     

6.on page 59

    "It's funny, but when I'm sitting in the courtroom, I don't feel like I'm involved in the case. It's like the lawyers and the judge and everybody are doing a job that involves me, but I don't have a role. It's only when I go back to the cells that I know I'm involved."

            Steven is the one who said this.  He feels like he has no control when he is sitting in the courtroom behind the table.  He has to listen to other people tell his story while all he can do is sit back in listen.  His trial pretty much lies in the hands of everybody except him.  However, when he gets back to his cell, he realizes that he is involved in the case.  It is kind of like it hits him as soon as he is away from the courtroom and in his cell.  Then, all the thoughts of what might happen to him in the end start filtering into his head where he is hit with the cold hard truth that case has everything to do with him. 

7. On page 78-79

    "Half of those jurors, no matter what they said when we questioned them when we picked the jury, believed you were guilty the moment they laid eyes on you. You're young, you're Black, and you're on trial. What else do they need to know?"

            This quote is something that was said in a very straight forward manner.  In America, people make there opinions off of what people look like, how they act, their age, and etc.  Most opinions are on first appearance.  First time people even hear a name they already have an opinion about them.   Racism is also a big part in society today.  It is all over.  At first glance the skin color of a person develops a lot of opinions in another persons mind.

 8. On page 89

    " 'All they can do is put me in jail,' he said. 'They can't touch my soul.' "

            This quote was said by Acie, another man who was in jail.  He has a lot of faith in God and believes that jail will not hurt him in anyway emotionally.  He feels like his soul will always be the same and he will have as much faith in God as he possibly can.  No one can take that away from him.

9. On page 91

    "I think about myself so much, about what's going to happen to me and all, that I don't think about my folks that much. I know Mama loves me, but I wonder what she's thinking."

            Steven writes this in one of his journal entries.  I understand how his mind has not been on his mom because of all the other thoughts he must have but at the same time, if I was in that position then I would think about my parents at all times of the day.  I would think about what they think.  How do they look at me now?  Do they believe me or do they think I'm a bad person? 

10. On pages 115-116

    "Seeing my dad cry like that was just so terrible. What was going on between us, me being his son and him being my dad, is pushed down and something else is moving up in its place. It's like a man looking down to see his son and seeing a monster instead."

            Steven also says this.  I think this is really sad because what exactly does his dad think of him?  Does he look down on him?  If I ever saw my dad cry over something  I did, I would feel miserable!  I'm not 100% sure what I would do but I do everything for my dad to be proud of me.  If I ever let my dad down, I would feel like a monster.  That'd be worse than going to jail.  If I ever let my dad down I'm not sure I'd want to live.

11. On page 140

    "What did I do? I walked into a drugstore to look for some mints, and then I walked out. What was wrong with that? I didn't kill Mr. Nesbitt. . . Sunset said he committed the crime, Isn't that what being guilty is all about? You actually do something?"

           Steven writes this in his journal.  According to his trial, he was the lookout for the crime.  He was suppose to go in the store and see if any cops or suspicious looking people were in there.  According to what he says, he just went in for some mints and then walked out.  Do you believe him?  Even if you don't believe him, do you think he should be severely punished?  If someone said they killed someone shouldn't you arrest that person and leave everyone else alone?  Well,  I believe Steven.  I think he is an innocent 16 year old who is getting blamed for something that is not his fault.  However, if Steven isn't innocent,  I believe he should be punished harshly for being involved in the crime in the first place.

12. On page 237

    " His film footage shows me what he's seeing and, to a large extent, what he's thinking. And what he sees, the humanity of it, speaks of a very deep character...

It is my belief that to make an honest film, one has to be an honest person."

            Mr. Sawicki was the character who said this.  He believes that when someone is making a movie, it shows their character.  If the film is honest, then the person who made it was honest.  By watching somebody's movie, Mr. Sawicki can tell what kind of person they are, and see their thoughts in some way.  By watching Steven's movies, Mr. Sawicki feels that Steven is a good person and is innocent. 

13. on page 261

"They are all equally guilty. The one who grabbed the cigarettes, the one who wrestled for the gun, the one who checked the place to see if the coast was clear."

            Petrocelli says this at the end of the trial.  In one point of view, I agree with this quote.  If you had a spot in the crime, whether it was something small like looking out or something big like the actual stealing part, then you are guilty because you agreed to participate and you didn't try to stop it.  However, in this book, I think that Steven is innocent and did not have any part in the crime.  I believe he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.  I don't think Steven's character would have agreed to participate in breaking the law, therefore, I think he is innocent.