Chapter+1+-+Ernie's+Ark

Ernie is an older man that has worked at the mill for a long time. He was on the verge of retiring when the strike occurred and is very bitter about the situation. He seems to be a grumpy old man at this point because of the strike, his wife's illness, and young boys trampling his lawn with their bicycles. He has a lot on his plate right now and is looking for something to ease his mind at which point he decides to enter the art contest at the local college. His lack of a job has encouraged him to not sit back and be idle, but to make some use of all his free time and get his mind off the not so positive things in his life at the moment.
 * Ms. Tibbetts**

One thing I can really relate to from this chapter isn't directly tied to Ernie but is that the town of Abbott Falls in the book was nicknamed Cancer Valley (pg. 14), which is exactly what we have always called the towns of Rumford and Mexico in which I grew up in. Something directly related to Ernie that I can relate to is that we both had someone close to us with cancer. It seems like an inevitable thing when living in a town called Cancer Valley. Also it seems like Ernie lets little things bother him now that he is so upset about losing his job such as the young boys trampling his lawn, which is how I can be at times. If I have something big that is stressing me out I seem to get stressed out about every little thing as well.

**Isiah** The main character of Chapter 1of Ernie’s Ark is Ernie Whitten, who is a pipefitter for the Atlantic Pulp and Paper Mill. Atlantic Pulp and Paper mill is on strike. Ernie is part of the strike, and his wife Marie has cancer. The strike has effected Ernie by we was going to retire in three weeks and now the mill is on strike and he can’t retire. The strike also makes him angry. In this chapter, Ernie is very sad and angry most of the time. Ernie enters into a installation competition and decides to build an ark. ernie doesn’t think he won because he might have misunderstood the directions of the competition. I relate to Ernie because someone in my family has cancer also. My grandfather has cancer, so I can relate to Ernie in that way. This also relates to the story in chapter 1 by Marie and Ernie were not as happy when they were alone, but when they were together, they were a lot happier. That happened with my family with grandfather. When we were around grandpa, both of us were happier. My grandfather came and lived with us for two months this summer, and we realized that we were both happier very quickly.


 * Brittnie C.**


 * Ernie is an older man, that had worked at a paper mill right here in Maine. But the paper mill went on strike when the C.E.O had announced that he was going to be selling the mill. Were he was planning on retiring, and now the mill is on strike, this has really upset Ernie. This had made him very mad. The paper mill has been one of the only places that Ernie has worked at, since he was a young man. All he can do is sit back and hope that the C.E.O will change his mind.**


 * I can relate to Ernie because, the place that he is working, the paper mill, is going on strike. My dad, before he passed on, worked at DeCosters Egg Farm. Due to money and other unknown reasons many of the workers there went on strike, including my dad. Also many years ago, we had a small dog named, Shellie. Everyone that went into my home could tell he was my mom’s dog, like Pumpkin Pie is Marie’s dog, Shellie would follow my mom all around the house and yard, she barked when we left because she hated to be alone. I feel as if I could relate to Ernie in a few different ways.**


 * Zachary**

Ernie is an angry man. He is angry at most everything. Ernie has been layed-off from his job. Ernie’s wife Marie is very ill and it’s most likely cancer. Ernie is building an Ark for the Corthell competition. Dan Little a man who works for the town of Abbott Falls comes to Ernie’s house and explains to him that he needs a building permit for his Ark. Ernie tells him it’s an Ark, then they come to an agreement that Ernie can build his Ark.

I can relate to Ernie because I know what its like to be mad at a-lot of people for things they did or didn’t do. Also I know what its like to have someone wreck something I have been working on hard and it means a-lot to me.

__**Chapter one Analysis**__
 * Jasmine**

In the first chapter the main character is Ernie. Ernie is a senior citizen that was about to retire from his job at the paper mill when the mill goes on strike. Mr.McCoy wants to sell the mill to another company and it’s very possible that the mill will shut down. Ernie’s life right now is not going as planned. With the mill shutting down, his wife in the hospital with cancer. Ernie is taking his anger out on the rest of the world, finding the tiniest things that annoy him. I can relate to Ernie, because sometimes my life doesn’t go as planned either. I don’t plan on my grandmother dying, just like Ernie didn’t plan on his wife having Cancer. When my life doesn’t go as planned I find that blaming it on someone or something else helps me get through it. Ernie found a hobby, which was building an ark, to get through the loneliness. A lot of times I like to do something that gets my mind off something that makes me sad or angry.


 * Joey**

The first chapter of Ernie’s Ark mainly keys on the character named Ernie. Ernie is a guy that is a bit angry at life. He used to work for Atlantic pulp and paper that is right now on strike. The reason they are on strike is because the CEO is trying to sell the mill. This os just making Ernie’s life worse with no bills being paid and his wife in the hospital with cancer. I think I can relate to Ernie sometimes because I seem to always have things go wrong when I want them to go right. Sometimes it seems like it is going to be a great day and it turns out to be the worst day of my life. I think I somewhat have the same angers as him when something does not go right for me I get very angry.


 * Junita**

= Ernie worked at the mill al his life but then suddenly he go fired, and a strike started up. The CEO is deciding weather to close up shop or keep it going. He is a very angry man because he got fired, his wife has cancer, and little bratty kids are tearing up him lawn. = = = = I can understand Ernie’s pain because my mom got fired from her job and life has been hard ever sense. We have to life off food stamps and unemployment checks. My sister and I’s fathers don’t pitch in at all. And just recently my moms e-boyfriends grandma just died. It wasn’t really hard on me but seeing my family cry was terrible. =

The first chapter in this story focuses on the character, Ernie. Ernie used to work in the Atlantic Pulp & Paper mill that is currently on strike. The CEO of the mill is planning to sell it. This is troubling for Ernie because things just keep getting worse for him. The bills are starting pile up because his wife is in the hospital with cancer. Just weeks away from retiring, he’s in a tough position. He’s angry that the CEO of his mill would consider to do such a thing considering all the workers that he is laying off. He’s angry that his wife is sitting in a hospital, dying, instead of being at home with him. Ernie is hoping for the strike to end and his anger to disappear. I can relate to Ernie because I know how it feels when someone is dying of cancer. My grandmother had to stay in the hospital just like Ernie’s wife, Marie did. I understand why Ernie is just mad at everything right now. When someone close to you is going to die, all kinds of mixed emotions go through your head. It must be hard to face losing your job and hearing that you’re going to lose your wife as well. It was definitely hard on me so I give Ernie credit for going through all of this at once.
 * Rylee**


 * Brittany L.**

Ernie’s Ark is about an old man who’s name is Ernie. As elderly as Ernie was he was close to retirement when suddenly the paper mill he worked at went on strike. This man is going through a lot of stress right now considering, his wife’s illness, kids biking through is lawn, and the paper mill strike. With out a job and with his wife in the hospital he has nothing to do with all his free time. Ernie decides to build an ark and enter a contest at the college, he doesn’t win but its not the end of the world.

I don’t relate very closely to Ernie, but what I can relate to is that I’ve also had someone who was close to me struggle with cancer. Marie, Ernie’s wife had a dog that she seemed to be very close to. I also have a dog that I have gotten close too. Illness, paper mill strike and kids who don’t listen. When everything in your life is going on all at once it can be very overwhelming and I know exactly how that feels.


 * Nichole**

Ernie is a elderly man who has worked at the paper mill for most of his life when a strike breaks out due to McCoy potentially selling the mill off.That would lead to many people being unemployed.Also Ernie could loose his retirement money from the mill being sold off before he can retire.His wife Marie has been diagnosed with cancer for a wile now and is in a hospital trying to beat it,but is slowly loosing the battle.It affects Ernie a lot not being able to have his partner with him when he needs her.She may be becoming less herself as the cancer weakens her,but she does tend to lift his spirits more.  I relate to Ernie with how he has so much frustration with everything right now.My life isn’t completely going the way I’ve wanted to.I don’t even remember a time in my life that I was completely happy....Ernie has been threw a lot lately,like I have.I haven’t given up and I’m trying to find ways to fix everything that has gone wrong and trying to better my life.I’m a fighter just like Ernie is.He’s willing to keep trying till there is nothing left.


 * Robert**

 Chapter One Analysis

Ernie has worked at the mill for his whole life, and now the mill is on strike, and it might be closing soon. Ernie is near retirement and his wife is in the hospital with cancer. So Ernie can not make all that much money when he does not have a job. Ernie gets a check at the end of every week, so that’s the only money he gets. If the mill closes down, Ernie will be out of a job, and that’s what he has been doing for his entire life. I relate to Ernie’s situation because my little sister had to get her appendix taken out, and she had to stay in the hospital for two day’s. School was getting out for the summer that week. It was a really stressful thing, because everyone was worried about her. So I made her a song, and I took my guitar to the hospital and played it for her. She was very pleased and she was happier then she was, and my mom was able to take her home the next day.


 * Sara**

Chapter 1

 Ernie is a senior citizen who has worked at the mill for most of his life. His wife Marie has cancer and it has affected both of their life’s in different ways. Marie is in the hospital trying to fight her cancer but she’s not succeeding. Ernie is annoyed at the world, his life is not going as he planned. The owner of the mill wants to shut down the mill and sell it for money.  I relate to the Ernie in some way because my life doesn’t always go as planned. I would trade anything if I could so I wouldn’t have my hearing aids. I hate not being able to hear people sometimes and using my microphone in every class. The way some people treat me doesn’t help either. Hearing the sounds my microphone makes sometimes sound like someone running their nails across a chalkboard.I don’t like the way the wind sounds against my ears and the little sounds I hear. To make matter’s even better my audiologist told me I might become deaf when I become an old lady.


 * Brian**

**Chapter 1**

In this chapter, Ernie works at the paper mill and the mill is now on strike 3 weeks before he was planning on retiring. Ernie is angry at the mill for many reasons. He doesn’t want the mill on strike. It doesn’t help that Ernie’s wife has cancer and is dyeing. Ernie is going through a lot of distress. The children are also not respecting his property. I can relate to Ernie because I had someone that was close to me die while other events were occurring. I can relate to the strike because during the time of the layoffs at “New Page”. My dad was working there and still is. It may be a little different from actually being out of work and being close to no work. Those times were scary as well as an adventure.


 * Katrina**

The first chapter in “Ernie’s Ark”, is mostly about the main character, Ernie Whitten. He had a job working at Atlantic Pulp and Paper Mill. However, the mill is going on strike. This is unfortunate for Ernie because he is a part of the strike and he needs the money right now. His wife, Marie, is diagnosed with cancer and bills are piling up. Ernie currently has a lot of weight on his shoulders. In the meantime, he decides to enter an ark building competition. Ernie doesn’t think he’ll win though because he misunderstood the guidelines. I can’t think of anything that directly relates to Ernie and his situation. I can relate to him in one way though. That would be when my Grandfather was in the hospital. I understand how he might be feeling right now. He’s very stressed because he has other struggles in life when someone he cares about very much is in the hospital.