A Critique of Tourism Policy and Planning in Brazil

Executive Summary This report traces its origin in the fact that the Brazilian tourism industry has evolved and witnessed significant changes in the formulation and implementation of tourism policies. Based on a periodic assessment of these policies, this report acknowledges that ineffective policies, lack of agency coordination, and authoritarian planning processes stifled the Brazilian tourism industry.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on A Critique of Tourism Policy and Planning in Brazil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, evidence shows that this trend has changed. The Brazilian tourism industry is now flourishing from a decentralised planning structure that effectively addresses local tourism issues. Current policy frameworks are also more inclusive and consultative. This way, there is more stakeholder involvement in the planning process. This trend mirrors global dynamics in the tourism industry because many countries are democratising their policy development frameworks. Eco-tourism and value addition needs are some tenets that Brazil’s policy frameworks share with the rest of the world. The country’s improved tourism status and the expanding contribution of the sector to the South American economy therefore prompt this paper to affirm that Brazil’s tourism planning and policy intervention processes have addressed the problems faced by the sector. Introduction The Brazilian tourism sector is important to the economy of Brazil and other South American nations. The country receives more than 5,000,000 tourists annually (Blanke Chiesa 2011). The high tourist numbers have elevated Brazil to the status of a top tourist destination, not only in Latin America, but also in the wider South American region. Lohmann (2012) says Brazil is the second most desirable destination in South America and the third most visited destination in the wider Latin America tourism belt (only Argentina and Mexico surpass it in this regard). Based on these positive rankings, it is unsurprising for Lohmann (2012) to say the country receives more than US$5, 000,000 billion annually, from tourism. The 2011 travel and tourism competitiveness index ranked Brazil the 52nd most competitive tourist destination in the world (Blanke Chiesa 2011). This position elevated Brazil to be the third most competitive tourist destination in South America (only surpassed by Costa Rica and Mexico).Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Brazil has a strong competitive edge because of its abundant natural resources. Its rich cultural heritage also supports the tourism market, as it attracts millions of tourists every year (Blanke Chiesa 2011). The country is also home to different world heritage sites. As described above, many analysts have identified natural resources and cultural enrichment as the main drivers for Brazil’s tourism industry. However, an understanding of the policy background that supports Brazil’s tourism sector is one issue that has consistently eluded the attention of most analysts. This paper reviews Brazil’s tourism policy and planning processes by delving into the details surrounding the practices of inclusion, democratisation, and effectiveness of these plans. This paper also makes comparisons between the Brazilian tourism sector and other top tourist destinations around the world. This paper also emphasises on understanding how the policy and planning formulation process compares to other parts of the world. The central question that emerges in this study is therefore to understand if Brazil’s tourism planning and policy interventions address the problems faced by the country’s tourism sector. Distinctions between positive and negative appraisals of the existing policies form the background of this a nalysis. Positive Appraisals Emphasis on Tourism as a Social and Economic Development Tool Throughout most parts of Brazil’s history, there was no proper planning of tourism policies. Most of the activities that occurred in the tourism sector were therefore fragmented and disorganised. OECD (2010) says that this situation led to the underutilisation of Brazil’s tourism potential. Poor roads, airport facilities, and communication networks further worsened this problem because investors were displeased with Brazil’s unfavourable investment climate (OECD 2010). However, the Brazilian government started to play a proactive role, in the early nineties, to restore the sector by streamlining tourism policies.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on A Critique of Tourism Policy and Planning in Brazil specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This attempt birthed the Brazilian tourism ministry. Observers consider th e creation of this ministry as the first bold attempt by the Brazilian government to elevate tourism as an important sector in Brazil’s economic and social space (Blanke Chiesa 2011). Decentralisation of Policy Initiatives Brazil has witnessed significant changes in tourism policies. Most of these changes have occurred at a federal level. Some of the main achievements of these changes include increased innovation in the policy formulation process and increased growth in tourism development (Blanke Chiesa 2011). Before the onset of these changes, Brazil suffered from poor infrastructure, as the main impediment to the growth of the tourism industry (somewhat, this problem persists today). As a response to this challenge, the federal government created the program for tourism development of the Northeast (PRODETUR) (Araujo 2000). Initially, the government mandated this body to promote tourism development in the Northeast region of the country. Its primary task was to develop b asic infrastructure. PRODETUR aimed to do so by encouraging private-public partnerships. Increased coordination between federal, state, and municipal levels also outline auxiliary strategies that the government has pursued to achieve the same purpose (Araujo 2000). Besides infrastructure development, PRODETUR helped to create strong institutional bodies that supported and financed tourism activities in the region. Based on the successes of the agency, the Brazilian government expanded its mandate to other regions of Brazil (Blanke Chiesa 2011). The promotion of economic development was a key motivator for the Brazilian government to adopt a regional focus in tourism development because it wanted to reduce the country’s poverty levels through the creation of an economic buzz in the regional economies. So far, this initiative has been successful.Advertising Looking for report on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Addressing Regional Development Needs through Consultation Although the introduction of regional-based tourism planning activities emerged from federal policies that promoted devolved policy governance structures, all beneficiaries of the regional programs were required to present concrete plans for tourism development, as a prerequisite for funding approvals. The Brazilian government introduced this measure to ensure the validity of tourism development plans and uphold accountability through the planning process (Araujo 2000). However, Araujo (2000) argues that the main advantage for the pursuance of this approach is the increased consultations that this method introduced to the Brazilian tourism sector. Moreover, this strategy ensured the holistic development of tourism policies. Before the development of this approach, Lohmann Dredge (2012) says the development of tourism policies and government plans of the same industry mainly contained the hallmarks of desktop exercises. Furt hermore, technocrats conducted the planning approach in a hierarchical manner (top-down). Municipal and state agencies therefore rarely had the opportunity to contribute in the process. To strengthen the consultative approach of policy development in Brazil, agencies governing this process often comprise of representatives from civil society groups, environmentalists, businesspersons, and governments. The creation of this conglomerate further strengthens the participative leadership strategy that characterises the policy formulation process in Brazil. Araujo (2000) also believes this leadership structure ensures a top-down governance structure is non-existent. Evolution of Brazilian Tourism Policies Globally, paradigm shifts in the tourism sector occur often. This trend denotes broader ideological shifts in social sciences. Drawing its inspiration from developments that have occurred in town planning, Lohmann Dredge (2012) say the Brazilian tourism industry has evolved through thre e phases – classical planning stage, rational planning stage, and post-1980s paradigm stage. The classical planning stage was characterised by many bureaucracies and blueprint plans. The rational planning stage eliminated this period and heralded a new stage where the Brazilian government identified pressing issues in the sector and looked for the best strategies to address them. This stage also saw the introduction of alternative policies to address the pressing issues, thereby elevating government departments as absolute authorities in policy development and implementation (Blanke Chiesa 2011). The post 1980s paradigm characterises most of the policy progresses highlighted in this paper because it marks a period of intense consultation and participation during the policy formulation process. This period also marks an increased emphasis on the concept of sustainability and the importance of including the private sector in the formulation of strategic plans. The above stages of policy changes in Brazil are similar to the increased dominance of neo-liberalism and globalisation in the 21st century. Lohmann Dredge (2012) group these changes into one category of modern public management practices. This category includes an â€Å"emphasis on cost efficiencies, outsourcing, and the adoption of market mechanisms† (Lohmann Dredge 2012, p. 19). The same trend denotes political modernization and the adoption of global political trends, including â€Å"increased public participation, social inclusion, and increased private-public partnerships† (Lohmann Dredge 2012, p. 20). The adoption of these global trends significantly changed how the Brazilian government (and governments in other developing nations) addressed tourism policies. Criticisms Poor Inter-Agency Coordination A study conducted by Christina Rodrigues de Melo Orpheo and Morrow Gaines Campbell (cited in Tourism Watch 2013) evaluated the main reasons for the poor performance of Brazilâ⠂¬â„¢s tourism industry from the late eighties to 2006. The paper highlighted three main issues as the main hindrances to the development of the country’s tourism sector – the lack of a clearly articulated national tourism policy, lack of skilled labour (poor service), and poor coordination among tourism agencies (Tourism Watch 2013). These issues largely reflected the policy issues surrounding the industry because for a large developing country like Brazil, the existence of such challenges significantly dented the economic prospects of its struggling tourism industry. Furthermore, the state, federal and municipal agencies, which were supposed to formulate policy remedies often worked against one another. Sometimes, by working independently, they competed against one another as well (Blanke Chiesa 2011). Failure to Include Local Communities While recent policy interventions have addressed most of the criticisms levelled against the Brazilian tourism industry, Christin a Rodrigues de Melo Orpheo and Morrow Gaines Campbell (cited in Tourism Watch 2013) say a review of its National Tourism Plan shows that current policies do not include measures for increased community participation. For example, the 2008 Brazilian national tourism policy largely favours the regionalisation of tourism policies, but lacks guidelines for community participation. Similarly, the National Tourism Council (which is an active body in the formulation of national policies) lacks any notable community representatives on its board (Tourism Watch 2013). This view departs from the belief that Brazil’s policy and planning processes are completely inclusive. A comparison of positive and negative appraisals regarding the inclusiveness of Brazil’s policy development and planning processes show that, while Brazil has achieved tremendous progress in this regard, it is yet to include community participation (fully) in the process. Comparison to Global Practices Globally, countries have strived to adopt best practices in the formulation of tourism policies. This trend especially manifests in the planning process because state and federal agencies have strived to revolutionise their planning processes to mirror best practices on the global front. Lohmann Dredge (2012) believe Brazil is a classic example of the global push for the democratisation of tourism policies. Social, political, and economic reforms that have occurred since the early 2000s have especially championed this change. These reforms have altered different aspects of the country’s governance structure, including the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of public policies affecting the tourism sector. While this paper considers the creation of a specific tourism ministry as a bold attempt by the Brazilian government to elevate the tourism sector as a key pillar of social and economic development, it is also important to highlight that several countries around the world did the same. For example, Blanke Chiesa (2011) say most developing countries (including Brazil) introduced a new ministry of tourism â€Å"to develop the sector as a sustainable economic activity, focused on job creation, the generation of foreign exchange earnings, and the promotion of social inclusion† (p. 17). The response of Brazil’s tourism policies to adopt eco-tourism and diversify its tourist markets came from a global realisation of the need to grow tourism demand and supply at the same time. For example, top tourist destinations in the Middle East have also embraced sustainable tourism as the new policy development framework for charting future developments in the Middle East. Dubai is at the forefront of this push because it has cut out a niche for itself, in the Middle East, by adopting sustainable tourism practices. Most of its tourism policies and plans therefore have a strong emphasis on sustainability as a core tenet. Dubai is not the only destination th at has adopted this policy framework; South Africa, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Caribbean countries are other top tourist destinations (in the developing world) that have embraced this model as well (Sustainable Tourism 2013). Indeed, Blanke Chiesa (2011) say, most tourist destinations around the world have witnessed an expansion and diversification of markets around the world. The exponential growth in eco-tourism provides a classic example of the global push towards adopting more eco-friendly tourism policies. Particularly, this growth in eco-tourism numbers affirms the need for supply-based tourism policies, which hinge on the need for nurturing tourism markets in anticipation for a new breed of customers (eco-tourists). In this regard, public policies on tourism started to focus on how Brazil could improve the experiences of their tourists, including addressing issues, such as environmental quality and capacity limits. Through such initiatives, the Brazilian government introduced proactive measures for adding value to the country’s tourism products, including making provisions for the environmental management of tourism. The introduction of these provisions has helped to merge tourism and environmental policies. This association develops from the realisation that environmental policies support tourism growth and sustainability. Past policies never addressed the importance of environmental policies in tourism management. Conclusion After weighing the findings of this report, it is correct to say the onset of the 1990s marked the development of tourism policies and plans in Brazil. This period heralded a general shift in tourism policy paradigms in Brazil. A key paradigm shift that characterised this period was the creation of a new perception of tourism as a tool for social and economic development. This period also marked the departure from the top-down governance structure that characterised the formulation of tourism policies in Brazil. Recent years have therefore seen a move towards a more local and regional focused governance structure. Based on a comparison of Brazil’s policy planning process and the rest of the world, this change is part of a wider global push to adopt a bottom-up approach in policy development. Evidence of the adoption of the same policy framework in the Middle East, Africa, and other top tourist destinations in South America therefore shows that the planning and policy formulation process of Brazil mirrors similar processes around the world. Considering the milestones made by the reorientation of the policy framework, from a centralised approach to a decentralised one, it is fair to say current policies have largely addressed Brazil’s tourism needs. In fact, the decentralisation of the policy development process has largely contributed to the country’s stature as a top tourist destination in South America. This stature was nonexistent in the early nineties and previous years. In deta il, the new policy framework has helped to address local tourism needs and contributed to the overall development of regional economies. Current legislations are therefore responsive to local needs and are more inclusive of important stakeholders in the sector. Thus, Brazil’s tourism planning and policy interventions have largely addressed the problems faced by the country’s tourism sector. References Araujo, L 2000, Stakeholder Participation in Regional Tourism Planning, Sheffield Hallam University, London, UK. Blanke, J Chiesa, T 2011, Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report 2011, World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland. Lohmann, G 2012, Tourism in Brazil: Environment, Management, and Segments, Routledge, London, UK. Lohmann, G Dredge, D 2012, Tourism in Brazil: Environment, Management and  Segments, Routledge, London, UK. OECD 2010, OECD Tourism Trends and Policies 2010, OECD Publishing, New York, NY. Sustainable Tourism 2013, Sustaining Tourism: Case Studies, https://sustainabletourism.net/. Tourism Watch 2013, Brazil’s National Tourism Plan. Web. This report on A Critique of Tourism Policy and Planning in Brazil was written and submitted by user Renata Bridges to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Saying Even in Spanish

Saying Even in Spanish Even has dozens of possible translations to Spanish. Heres a guide to even that will work most of the time. As is the case with other words that have a wide range of meanings, many of them apparently unrelated to each other, when translating even you need to understand first what it means and how it is used. Most of the time it is an adjective suggesting uniformity or an adverb used to add emphasis, although it can be a transitive verb as well. One way to translate even, at least when it isnt being used for emphasis, is to come up with an English synonym and then translate the synonym. This can be especially useful when a dictionary isnt helpful. ‘Even'’ Meaning ‘Uniform’ or ‘Consistent’ Uniforme can be used most of the time when even is referring to something being consistent: Las temperaturas no son uniformes durante el aà ±o. (The temperatures arent even through the year.)Es importante que la aplicacià ³n de tinte para el cabello sea uniforme. (It is importante that the application of dye for your hair be even.)Si la superficie no es uniforme, se puede usar la masilla para arreglar las fisuras. (If the surface isnt even, the putty can be used to fix the cracks.) ‘Even’ as the Opposite of ‘Odd' An even number is a nà ºmero par. Un nà ºmero par es un nà ºmero entero que puede ser dividido exactamente por dos. (An even number is a whole number that can be divided exactly by two.) ‘Even’ in Competitions In competitive contests, empatado can refer to an even or tied score: Los candidatos presidenciales estn empatados con un 48 por ciento de apoyo popular. (The presidential candidates are even at 48 percent of popular support.)Estaban empatados en la parte alta del inning 10. (They were even in the top half of the 10th inning.) ‘Even’ as Lack of Debt Two persons or entities can be said to be even if neither owes something to the other. This can be explained directly: Se me pagas 10 pesos, no me debers nada. (If you pay me 10 pesos well be even. Literally, if you pay me 10 pesos, you wont owe me anything.) Getting Even At least two reflexive verbs, vengarse and desquitarse, can be used colloquially to mean to get even as an act of vengeance: Voy a vengarme de una manera que te haga sentir miserable durante mucho tiempo. (Im going to get even with you in a way that makes you feel miserable for a long time.)No es justo desquitarse con el que trata de ayudarle. (It isnt right to get even with the one who is trying to help you.) Translating ‘Even’ for Emphasis Even often suggests the idea of up to and including a stated condition. In these cases, aun, hasta, or incluso can be used, often interchangeably. Hasta el presidente lo piensa asà ­. (Even the president thinks so.)Aun asà ­, no podemos ganar el premio. (Even so, we cant win the prize.)Aun hoy, la mejor forma de prevenir la gripe es la vacuna. (Even today, the best way of preventing the flu is vaccine.)Parece que incluso mi hijo querà ­a  ver la pelà ­cula. (It seems that even my son wanted to see the movie.)En la casa de Dios, hasta los pobres son reyes. (In Gods house, even the poor are kings.)Ser jazzista es difà ­cil, incluso en Nueva York. (Being a jazz musician is tough, even in New York.) ‘Even’ in the Negative Ni siquiera is frequently used in translating the phrase not even: Ella ni siquiera puede hablarme. (She cant even speak to me.)Un accidente destrozà ³ su coche y ni siquiera fue al hospital. (An accident destroyed his car and he didnt even go to the hospital.)Ni siquiera yo quiero estar conmigo la mayorà ­a de las veces. (Not even I want to be with myself most of the time.)El paà ­s ni siquiera va a crecer lo suficiente para pagar los intereses de su deuda. (The country wont even grow enough to pay the interest on its debt.) ‘Even’ as a Verb Verbs that mean to even, that is, to make smooth or level, include nivelar and allanar: Allanaron el terreno antes de construir la casa. (They evened the terrain before building the house.)Van a nivelar los salarios de los maestros. (Theyre going to even out the teachers salaries.) Key Takeaways Even has a multitude of meanings and can be translated to Spanish in numerous ways that depend on the context.When even is used as a way of adding emphasis, good translations include aun, hasta, and incluso.Ni siquiera is usually the equivalent of not even.

April Raintree Reflection Essays

April Raintree Reflection Essays April Raintree Reflection Paper April Raintree Reflection Paper Reflection on April Raintree Novel by Beatrice Culleton April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 1 The first chapter in the novel April Raintree by Beatrice Culleton gives a very intriguing background to April. We learn about her mother, father and most importantly her younger sister April. We are introduced to her living situation and how terrible it is. It is given from the view of a child, leaving the reader to use their common sense to fill in the blanks. I found myself feeling very sorry for April at the beginning of the book, having to raise her sister all by herself because she thought her parents were sick and needed medicine to get better. When her parentâ„ ¢s would take this medicine I just wanted to tell April what was really going on and to go talk to someone. Even though they got taken away from their family during the chapter I still feel terrible. I hate how young Cheryl is, because if she knew what was going on with her family, she wouldnâ„ ¢t be able to understand even if she wanted to. If I were in April or Cheryls situation I donâ„ ¢t think I could cope with all the stress at such a young age. It seemed obvious that they would get taken away from their family, just because the story had to move forward and there had to be conflict but I didnt want it to happen. Nobody wants to be separated from their family, no matter how bad or neglecting they are towards you. Everyone needs someone to love, and be loved back whether they show it or not. I didnt find this chapter the most interesting of the novel, but it kept me interested in the story and kept me flipping the pages. April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 9 In the ninth chapter April has already married Bob and moves to Toronto to move in with him. She is overwhelmed with the parties, mansions and most importantly her complete and total loneliness. Cheryl comes to her house for Christmas and April is excited and nervous for Bobs mothers reaction. They also get a chance to catch up with each other and Cheryl finds out that April went searching for her parents and didnt tell her. I found that this chapter was the turning point for April and Cheryls relationship. Looking back on the novel I feel that it only got worse from this point. This is to be expected because even though they are blood related they were raised in two different families, which allowed them to become two totally different people. Cheryl has been able to live without her sister for a long time, and I think it becomes clear that she doesnâ„ ¢t want to live with April anymore. I think their different opinions about the Native people are a lot more important than the re ader thinks at this time. I think that because it is such a big part of their lives that it hurts Cheryl to see April not care, and hate those people. To Cheryl, itâ„ ¢s like hating yourself, and your heritage. If I were Cheryl, I would probably be just as upset because I would have it written on my face if there was anyone to hate it, it should be the person who is judged all the time with it. April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 11 This chapter is the most intense chapter in the book. April gets raped, and it is described so perfectly to make the reader feel exactly how scared; humiliated and distraught April was during this terrible time. Just thinking about this scene in the chapter makes me want to cringe and scream at the same time. I want to cringe because I hate being a bystander in those situations, but I also want to scream so I can help her and save her because I know how much it is going to affect her life from that day on for the rest of her life. On the news when you here about children that are getting raped, they donâ„ ¢t go into full detail and I now understand why. I canâ„ ¢t imagine how anyone can go to sleep at night with those vicious memories inside their head. It makes me so angry that people would sink so low to hurt someone so terribly emotionally and physically without thinking. Those people should be hurt just as bad because they will never know how those experiences affect the r est of their victimâ„ ¢s life. I have no sympathy for rapists; no matter what their situation is or even if they were threatened. There should be absolutely no reason for someone like this to get away free, and if there is a death penalty this situation should be the ones where they use it. I know this may seem very harsh, but what they did is more than harsh, it is disgusting, disrespectful and just an overall terrible thing to do. I feel so much for April in this chapter and I feel bad judging her because I dont know what its like to have something so traumatic affecting my day to day life. April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 12 In chapter twelve Cheryl apologizes to April for making her go out to get her things, April goes out with Roger and April and Cheryl buy a house together. If I were Cheryl, the guilt I would feel for letting my sister go out into that part of town would never leave me, but I dont think Cheryl saw it as being that bad. I think this because Cheryl was a prostitute and it probably wasnt that abnormal for those things to happen to people walking on the street, especially young women. I was happy that April and Cheryl decided to move in together because I think that at that specific time in their lives they needed emotional support to help them get through. Even though they are both adults at this stage I always think itâ„ ¢s important to have someone to come to just in case there is no one else to turn to and living with your sister would give you that feeling of comfort and security. Although April was the one who just recently gotten raped I still think Cheryl is the dependent one i n their relationship. She comes across as someone who does her own things and marches to the beat of her own drum but I believe that deep down she just wants someone to love her for who she is and will support her through all her decisions. We could automatically put the blame on April for not being a good sister but I think it boils down to Cheryl and how stable she is as a human being. In the novel, Beatrice Culleton makes her come across as stubborn, smart and dependent. We never see Cheryl as being anything but wanting to be with her sister. Later in the novel we find out that she learns to depend on whiskey to solve her problems because she loses faith in her sister. It is hard to judge Cheryls actions because we donâ„ ¢t know what her life was like from her point of view, only Aprils. April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 14 Chapter fourteen mostly takes place in the courtroom where April is questioned about her rape and is forced to answer questions about it, making her uncomfortable and making her relive that terrible evening. Cheryl decides to support her sister by coming to the trial. In the chapter, we find out what Cheryls job was when April was in Toronto. She is a prostitute and they thought it was Cheryl they were raping, not April. When April heard the news, she couldnt force herself to believe it. Its as if her mind went blank and she couldnt process anything else at that moment. Cheryl had told April that it was all her fault from the very beginning, and it turns out that it was true. It says in the book when April asked Cheryl if it was true that Cheryl just sat there and said nothing like she was expecting it. If I were April I wouldve smacked my sister across the face a few times. I wouldnt be able to control my anger. Iâ„ ¢d probably have steam coming out of my ears, Id be so furious. A bit later in the chapter one of the rapists goes to the stand and claims that he was drunk and didnt know what he was doing. I threw the book across the room at this point. I was so upset, and angry with everyone and I felt so bad so April. April has done absolutely nothing to deserve people like this in her life. All she does is try to make her life enjoyable for herself and does what is right for her, which is how everyone should live his or her lives. No one, no matter what his or her situation is, should have those things happen to him or her. Its not something you wish upon someone. Its the last thing you want to happen to anyone, even your worst enemy. April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 15 Chapter fifteen is not too long of a chapter but it certainly has a lot in it. The main event in this chapter is the fight between April and Cheryl. Recently, Cheryl has been drinking quite often and not staying at home either. Cheryl comes home one afternoon completely wasted and says things to April that are so rude and disrespectful itâ„ ¢s hard to imagine that Cheryl is Aprils sister. Cheryl, in the earlier chapters seems like the one who has her head on her shoulders and could stay away from this stuff but I guess she proved us all wrong. It makes me upset to see a girl with such drive and motivation to throw it all away for a bottle of whiskey which only makes her feel that much worse about life. I can understand how she is upset and is going through a hard time but alcohol is not a permanent cure. It might make you feel like everything is okay for a few hours but after, when you pass out and wake up, you are still right where you started and you then realize that nothing ha s gone away. Itâ„ ¢s actually gotten worse because now you have to deal with a major hangover as well. In the end, Cheryl slams the door and walks out. Even though it may seem like this is a good thing I beg to differ because when someone is drunk it is better to take care of him or her instead of letting him or her go on the street where they could be taken advantage. April Raintree Reflection: Chapter 16 When I read this chapter, I cried for a good half an hour. It is so emotional for the reader I cant even describe how I felt reading it. At the end of the chapter when we find out that Cheryl jumped off the bridge just like her mother did, my heart fell into my stomach. I felt like April did. I felt alone, like a part of me has been lost and could never be found again. She was the character you couldnt help but love throughout the whole book, and you just wanted to tell her that so she would rethink this selfish act. Suicide is something that I cannot understand personally because I have never experienced such depression. I cant imagine how the author felt writing this knowing that her two sisters went through this very same thing. I am honestly speechless about this ending. Its so sad that it took death for April to realize what Cheryl had been trying to get across for so long. Cheryl did not deserve this life, or to die this way. I want her to come back to life and change her life for the better but maybe this is the way it was meant to be. Maybe, this is what wouldve happened no matter what path shed taken. Its one of situations that you cant even question, you just have to take a deep breath and let it sink in. April Raintree Overall Reflection At the beginning of the book I had to force myself to read it because I couldnt get into it, but as they started to get older I couldnt put it down. I fell in love with the characters and their differences and how they complimented each other so perfectly. I wish we got to see both sides of the story, from April and Cheryls point of view. However, I think that in order for us to believe Cheryls end result there had to be another side of Cheryl that both April and the reader never see. Its a realistic story which makes it that much spookier. People actually live this life and for people like us, who have food to eat and a stable home life it is impossible to comprehend. It would seem so easy to just leave home if things were bad, but when you grow up in that situation from such a young age it is normal to you. Throughout the book we mostly heard about Aprils story, which I think was used as a distraction from Cheryls life to create more mystery. When I was reading about Aprils fabulou s rich life I was always worrying about Cheryl and what she was up to. She was the underdog that you wanted to come out on top and make a difference just like she said she would when she was younger. I think I lost all hope in Cheryl when later in the book she came home drunk. Seeing anyone you care about loses all control and just not care anymore, makes you worried but also makes you not care anymore. It shouldnt be your responsibility to make someone realize why his or her life is worth living; they should know that by themselves without being told. Even though I lost all hope, I still wished, in the back of my mind that she would surprise me and make me smile like she did when she sent April that letter with all the spelling mistakes in it. This novel clearly shows the ups and downs of living the way these girls did. It showed the constant struggle to succeed and be better than their names, and the colour of their skin. It starts off as such a hopeful book, and in the end is a h opeful book as well. There a lot of events that occur during the novel that make you lose hope but even when Cheryl dies, April find hope, and promises to continue what Cheryl has wanted from the very beginning.