Synthesis Response #1:



Amila Hoang

Synthesis Response #1:

Looking for Alaska

I believe that smoking is bad for you, which it is, it can cause many life threatening effects if you smoke too much and or simply just start to smoke you can get yourself in lots of trouble. I personally do not agree with Miles choice to smoke in the beginning section of the novel Looking For Alaska.

Miles Halters is leaving Florida to go to a boarding school in Alabama. He arrives in Alabama at Culver Creek Preparatory High School, as he settled in his parents specifically said "don't do anything stupid" and Miles replied by saying "okay", than his parents said "No drugs. No drinking. No cigarettes." I underlined and bolded no cigarettes because later on in this novel he disobeys his parents and does ends up smoking. I believe that Miles made the wrong decision by smoking. I felt disappointed when Chip "the colonel" his roommate said " Now lets go get some cigarettes and start this year off right" , Chip walked right out of the room assuming Miles would follow which he did follow. Which is quite disappointing because I would have expected Miles to say something or tell Chip that he doesn't smoke, but instead he just followed. That part got me really mad because Miles is just giving in and not even saying "no". Miles knows he shouldn't be smoking and his parents told him right in the beginning " No cigarettes." As Chip walks and Miles follows They reach another persons room. This room belonged to Alaska, she had a single room to herself because her roommate had gotten expelled due to something that had happened last year. Chip said " So Alaska sell us some cigarettes" and Miles somehow ended up paying for the cigarettes. It doesn't say how or why Miles ended up paying for the cigarettes it just states that " Somehow, the Colonel talked me into paying 5$ for a pack of Marlboro lights I had no intention of ever smoking." When Miles said he had no intention of ever smoking I felt relieved and glad he wasn't going to disobey his parents, well that is what I thought at least, Until Chip asked Miles if he wanted to smoke and Miles replied by simply asking " Is it safe here?" What kind of question is that, why would you ask that you can simply just say no a simple its a 2 lettered word NO! Miles had never smoked a cigarette before so if he does put that life threatening object in his mouth it will cause a lot of trouble. This really gets on my nerve, I keep thinking in my head "WHY DOESNT HE JUST SAY NO!!!!" And than Chip just decides to light the cigarette and than just handed it to Miles. Miles didn't even deny the cigarette or give the cigarette back to Chip, Instead he just inhaled it and started to coughing, wheezing and gasping for breath. As you can see what happened to Miles when he first started to smoke aren't good things. These thing will only get worse the longer you smoke.

While Miles was smoking he said " God, If I get in trouble my parents would kill me." The fact that he knew from the beginning that he would get in trouble for smoking and still had the guts to inhale that cigarette really gets me going crazy. Ok so First off you know that smoking is bad for you, or at least can do harm to you, and secondly you were told not to by your parents. If your parents found out how do you think they would react!?!? They would probably get so mad with you and be very disappointed with you , and you obviously don't want to disappoint your parents. Since they sent you to a different and higher class school for you to get a better education not to start smoking, and slowly die. They sent you to this school to better you, not to start smoking. They put money into your education and learning not into smoking. Miles should really re-access what he is doing and what his future will turn out if he continues to smoke.

After Chip left the bugs started buzzing around and Miles realized the smoke from the cigarettes kept the bugs away, he than used the bugs as an excuse to light up another cigarette and started smoking it. Its not right that he told his mind that he was smoking to keep the bugs away, so that he feels like its ok to smoke when its not. The fact that Chip is gone and he decided to light up another cigarette just makes my mind blow up. When he smoked a cigarette for his first time, right after he started to coughing and huffing and puffing. Why would you smoke more after what had happened when you had your first smoke. Miles breathing will just get worst the more you smoke cigarettes, the long term effects are worst than the first time smoke effects. Miles is just getting himself into a bad situation. His parents aren't going to be happy with him, if he chose to continue this habit. Well first of all he should have never started this habit. He should have spoken up for himself to stop himself from starting to smoke. Of course anyone can stop the habit of smoking. Since Miles hasn't smoked that much yet he can easily get out of the habit of smoking faster than someone who has been smoking for a long time.

But in general I believe that you shouldn't even start smoking in the first place.

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