The Conclusion

To be honest, when we first started doing these blogs I didn't like them at all. I forgot about them until the night they were due, and they just seemed like a hassle that wasn't worth my time. However, once we started getting prompts where we had to write more as a storyteller, like "Life Lessons" and "Earliest Memory" I began to really like blogging. I also really had fun with the blogs where we had to be a little more creative and find pictures or quotes that had to do with the books we were reading.

It is obvious how much my reading comprehension has improved this year by looking back on my past blogs. At the beginning of the year it seemed that the only literary devices I could pick out of a book were imagery and metaphors. As the year went on I began to analyze more difficult things like motifs and symbols, and really think deeper about what I was reading. My blogs reflect how much I have learned this year because they improved in quality quite a bit most weeks.

I think the main things these blogs helped with was taking me deeper into thought about essays and assignments. When we had to write about what we need to work on in our essays it really made something click in my head and I think from now on I won't make those mistakes as much. Blogs have forced me to really focus, like when we had to find a picture to go with Great Expectations I had to really understand the novel to connect it with an image.

A quote I found that relates to my blogs this year is, "I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma," -Eartha Kitt. My blogs improved time after time and even when I was satisfied with my ideas and work, the blogs made me re-think it and continue revising it. They have helped me connect books and literature with my own life and other things in the real world. The blogs have been a great help for me this year and I am really glad we did them!

Essay Writing: Challenges and Conquests

Before this year essays were always pretty simple for me, but I never really gave any thought to the deeper meaning of the book. However, now that we have to do in-depth commentary to support our ideas it has forced me to analyze books on a different level. I never before realized how important a strong thesis statement is, as that can make or break an essay. I think the Gilman method has really helped me write my essays and I will definitely use it in the future!

I think my Romeo and Juliet essay is not bad, but I think a B might be in my future. I have been doing better at thinking of original ideas, but I think they might not come across exactly how I wanted them to in my essay. It was hard to organize them so it all made sense and supported the thesis. Besides that the "B grade or lower" list has really helped me go over my essay and fix it so that I hope I can get an A!

Summer Reading List

1. Over the summer I really want to read The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. It's about a doctor who gives up one of his children at birth because he thinks he is saving his family from the pain of losing her later on. I want to read this because I've started reading it multiple times this year but I can never get through it because of the reading and homework I have for school.

2. The second book I'd like to read over the summer is Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult because my friends recommended it to me last year and I never got around to reading it. It's about a school shooting in a town and how no one truly knew the boy.

Fate

My birthday is August 3rd so my astrological sign in Leo. I think that occasionally horoscopes are correct, but I don't think it's set in stone what will happen. However, my astrological sign is pretty accurate.

Leos born on August 3 have star quality. Like most people who have an extroverted nature, they are talkative and friendly. They also are extremely ambitious. They work tirelessly toward their goals and do whatever they can to better themselves. They possess great personal charm and are deeply committed to causes that benefit others. They also make exceptional actors, teachers, media personnel, and lawyers.

I think this paragraph actually sums up a lot about my personality. I'm fairly outgoing and I like to do whatever I can to reach my goals. Also, when I was younger all I wanted was to be an actress, and I was recently thinking about maybe being a lawyer like my parents so it's interesting that was in there.

The idea of a pre-determined fate is constantly coming up in Romeo and Juliet starting in the very beginning with the prologue forshadowing their death. Romeo almost uses fate as an excuse when he says, "This day's black fate on more days doth depend. This but begins the woe others must end." (3.1.124-125) Anything could happen and Romeo could use fate as his reasoning. I think Romeo and Juliet put too much faith in fate and believe there's nothing they can do to change the path they are on, but if they only did something they might be able to avoid death.

Culture Shock

Romeo and Juliet is referenced all over the place in modern culture, and when brainstorming ideas for this blog I remember a song that had Juliet in the title. After looking at the lyrics of Check Yes Juliet by We the Kings I realized it's all about a modern Romeo and Juliet. Like the line, "They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance," obviously shows the forbidden love between Romeo and Juliet. It's all about running away with your true love.

LYRICS:

Check yes Juliet
Are you with me
Rain is falling down on the sidewalk
I won't go until you come outside
Check yes Juliet kill the limbo
I'll keep throwing rocks at your window
There's no turning back for us tonight

[Chorus:]
Lace up your shoes
Here's how we do
Run baby run
Don't ever look back
They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance
Don't sell your heart, say we're not meant to be
Run baby run, forever will be
You and me

Check yes Juliet
I'll be waiting
Wishing wanting yours for the taking
Just sneak out and don't tell a soul goodbye
Check yes Juliet
Here's the countdown:
3,2,1 you fall in my arms now
They can change the locks, don't let them change your mind

[Chorus:]
Lace up your shoes
Here's how we do
Run baby run
Don't ever look back
They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance
Don't sell your heart, say we're not meant to be
Run baby run, forever will be
You and me

We're flying through the night
We're flying through the night
Way up high
The view from here is getting better with you
By my side

Run baby run
Don't ever look back
They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance
Don't sell your heart, say we're not meant to be
Run baby run, forever will be
Run baby run, don't ever look back
They'll tear us apart if you give them the chance
Don't sell your heart, say we're not meant to be
Run baby run, forever will be
You and me
You and me

Credito Extra

Honestly, the main reason I did Honors English this year was to prove to my brother that I can take the same classes he did and get better grades. I wasn't sure what to expect because I'd heard different things from different people about the difficulty of the class. However, after seven months I've come to the conclusion that although it is challenging it's totally worth it. I really like the fact that not only do we read and write, but we do skits and poetry, it's a nice break from the normal routine. I've got to say my least favorite part so far has been writing that essay, and the five-part paragraphs. But I know I've got plenty more of that to look forward to in years to come, and this class is preparing me well. Plus, I have a great teacher and classmates who make learning fun!! Oh, my other least favorite part was missing the pie party...

Great Expectations:Skit Prep!

1. One scene from Great Expectations that I think would be really fun to perform or watch would be when the Pale Young Gentleman and Pip get into a fight outside the Satis House near the beginning of the book. The action would be exciting, and you could do it with just Herbert and Pip, or add on the part where Estella speaks to Pip afterwards.

2. Another scene that would be interesting to see is when Pip first meets Miss Havisham. This is a popular choice but the scene is filled with drama. Estella is extremely rude to Pip while Miss Havisham is being creepy and telling Estella to break his heart. All three of the actors would have fun with this scene.

3. A third scene that would be interesting to see would be when Orlick attacks Pip and threatens to kill him, but Pip is saved by Herbert. It would be fun to act out the fight, and a lot of action happens. It is also the time that Orlick admits to killing Mrs. Joe so it's an important scene.

Another Question

In Chapter 38 I was a little confused as to why Pip was following Estella around. I understand that he wants to spend time with her but he was just watching her with other men that she treats poorly. Was he told to follow her around or was it his choice? If it was his choice was it to make sure she didn't go for another man? I don't fully understand.

Great Expectations: Question

• "So throughout life our worst weaknesses and meannesses are usually committed for the sake of the people whom we most despise." (Chp. 27) This is right after Pip is rude to Joe when he comes to visit him in London. I'm wondering why Pip was so rude to Joe, was it just to show-off that he was better than him now? Why did Pip care more about showing off to Drummle than Joe's feelings?

Great Expectations: Photo

I chose a picture of two hands pulling away from each other because it represents Pip being pulled away from his home. Although he made the decision to go, and he wants to, it doesn't change the fact that he has to leave everything he knows behind and make the tough transition into being a gentleman. The hand higher up represents Pip because he is moving on to bigger and better things.

Great Expectations: The First Stage

"Pause you who read this, and think for a moment of the long chain of iron or gold, of thorns or flowers, that would never have bound you, but for the formation of the first link on one memorable day."

In this quote from Great Expectations, Pip is referring to the day he first became acquainted with Miss Havisham and Estella. Before this day, he had no idea what it was like outside of his life in his average home. When he saw the way of life in the Manor House his view of the world changed completely. He realized that he could have a better life than the path he was headed for as a blacksmith. He made the decision to make the most of his life and get educated so he could become more than what was expected of him.

A day in my own life that began my "chain" was the day I realized I couldn't go without ballet. I was in sixth grade, and I had just taken a year off of dancing to focus on basketball. When the decision came to choose a priority for the coming year, I recognized that I enjoyed dancing more than playing basketball. After that day, I was more focused than ever on improving my technique in ballet. Although I kept playing basketball, I knew dancing was the higher priority and that decision put me on the path that I am now on.

Earnest: Group Essay.

My group has the topic of satire on social institutions. My five part paragraph is on marriage, and how it was seen as a business deal to heighten a person's social standing. My first CD is when Algernon says that he considers proposing business, not pleasure.(30) I talked about how Wilde is making fun of the upper class for being shallow and marrying for reasons other than love. My second CD is when Algernon says three is company and two is none.(37) I elaborated on that by saying that in married life people are never satisfied with just their spouse and they need to find pleasure elsewhere. My third CD is when Lady Bracknell says she would never undeceive her husband. (94) She thinks it would be wrong to be truthful because it would cause conflicts. Wilde is pointing out the lack of respect spouses showed towards each other and how much they depended on lies and deceit.

In my opening sentence I incorporated ideas from the other paragraphs as well as my own. I don't have a conclusion sentence yet that ties everything together, any ideas?

The Importance of Being Earnest

As we've been reading the play The Importance of Being Earnest, I have noticed some themes come up that I remembered from my Victorian Era research. One of them being the difference in social classes, and the other being marriage. In my research I learned that the lower classes were not respected by the upper class. Even though the upper class had far more wealth, they rarely had to work for it, whereas the lower classes often had to do hard physical labor just to feed their families. In the play, Algernon is a perfect example of the snobby upper class when he says, "They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility."(28).

As for the topic of marriage, I learned in my research that it was looked at as an opportunity to gain wealth and social standing, and not romance or love. Women married wealthy men so they could live a luxurious lifestyle, and men gained the woman's possessions; it was like a business deal. In the play, Algernon proposes to Cecily after just meeting her, and it is clear how shallow a relationship it is when Cecily announces, "I like his hair so much. I must enter his proposal in my diary."(77.) Obviously she does not actually care for him, just his wealth and looks.

Animal Farm Project: Poem.

Mr. Jones was a cruel old man,

Who drank too much as he farmed the land.

The animals despised him for always yellin’

And Old Major informed them of the upcoming rebellion.

Soon enough the battle was fought

Leaving Mr. Jones and the humans distraught.

As they had feared, the animals had won,

And were under the leadership of Snowball and Napoleon.

Snowball came up with lots of ideas,

But Napoleon disagreed, and sent dogs on his heels.

After that day,

If anyone disobeyed,

Napoleon would surely have it his way.

He changed the commandments to fit his desires

And to cover the truth, that he was a liar.

He went against everything the rebellion was for,

But no one could stop him

He was wicked to the core!

He kept all the apples and milk for the pigs,

in comparison the animals looked like skeletal twigs.

Power corrupted Mr. Napoleon,

he abused his authority after the rebellion.

He blamed everything dreadful on poor Snowball,

and viciously killed his fellow animals.

Soon enough, he walked on two legs

and resembled a human, much more than a pig.

Poetry Out Loud Performances

I watched Stanley Jackson recite the poem "Sympathy" by Paul Laurence Dunbar. The first thing that stood out to me about Stanley's performance was his physical presence. He seemed very confident and when he made gestures they were meaningful. His voice and articulation were also really great, he changed the quality of his voice throughout the poem to convey different emotions. He had a very repetitive poem, but he managed to keep it interesting by subtly changing how he said the line each time.

Stanley did a really nice job of conveying the poems meaning with his voice. At the beginning he uses a wistful tone to describe the bird, but throughout the poem shifts to a more angry tone, then desperate. My interpretation of the poem was that he understands that the bird won't give up hope to escape, no matter how much it hurts him. He related this to his own life somehow and felt sympathy for the bird. He knows the pain and realizes that the bird is crying for help, not singing a song. I think the meaning of this poem is perseverance, and fighting to change things.

Mockingbird Motif

In To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, the re-occuring motif is the mockingbird. In the beginning of the book, mockingbirds are described as innocent and harmless. There are two major characters in this novel that fit these descriptions, Boo Radley and Tom Robinson. The motif of the mockingbird is used to exemplify themes in the book. Boo Radley's "mockingbird" exemplifies the theme of lost innocence. Throughout the book Scout and Jem become less and less afraid of Boo, which represents them losing their childhood innocence. Tom Robinson's "mockingbird" represents racism. Just because he was a black man he was guilty, even though he was proven innocent.

Before reading this book, I didn't have a clear concept of what a motif was. The mockingbird motif was clear and obvious, and I think it helped me understand it a lot better. The mockingbird gave deeper meaning to the book and the characters, and enhanced the many themes.

Life Lesson

When I was younger, my siblings and I would constantly fight. Most of the time I would end up hurt and go crying to my mom for help. However, if for some reason my mom was not around I was out of luck because my dad simply said, "You got a problem, solve it."

Throughout my childhood I heard that phrase all the time. When I couldn't find the remote, when I got mad at my siblings, when I didn't have enough money to buy my favorite candy, etc. I got really frustrated whenever I heard it because I didn't want to have to solve my own problems, that's what dad's were for! But now that I'm older I see why my dad would say this. It made me more independent and now when I have a problem, I try to solve it, instead of giving up or relying on others.

Best Friend

One of my best friends, Kate, is a very interesting person. She has wavy shoulder length dark brown hair, that she usually wears down. She is about 5'3' but slouches to about 5 foot. A lot of her time is spent running and playing soccer, she's super athletic. Her voice is amazing and she does Capital Playhouse every summer to show off her theatrical talents. Her sense of humor is strange; she laughs at EVERYTHING. (She's laughing right now.) Kate's smart and I don't believe she's ever had a grade lower than and A+. Most people would describe Kate as a natural beauty.

Kate is an optimist, a glass-half-full kind of gal. She puts others before herself, a true altruist. Kate's indecisive, she can never decide what kind of candy to buy at Safeway. Not only that, but she is extremely gullible. She is an ambivert who prefers to be home alone, but has a million friends.

Earliest Memory

When I was about three years old my family still lived in Seattle, and I shared a room with my big brother Dominick. Our beds were right next to each other; mine a crib and his a big-boy bed. Dominick was five at the time, and was scared of everything. He had a special nightlight so the Boogy Monster would stay far away from his bed while he slept. I on the other hand, was a fearless baby would liked to inflict pain on my poor brother.

One night, while my unsuspecting brother snoozed in his cozy bed, I got bored in my crib. I had recently figured out how to crawl up the side of my crib and look at Dom over the top. I scrambled up quietly, made the scariest face I possibly could, and banged on my crib to wake him up. Startled, his eyes opened only to see my evil face glaring down at him. He let out a screech and ran right to our parents room. Needless to say my crib was moved across the room the next day.

The Bean Trees: Imagery

For this project I chose to read The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver. It became clear to me early on in the book that imagery was the main literary element. I believe the author used imagery frequently throughout the book for two main reasons; to describe the characters physical appearance, and the unique setting. Kingsolver clearly described every character Taylor encountered no matter how important to the plot they were. She did this to give the reader a feel for what kind of person they were without having as much dialogue. For example, Turtle's doctor was described as fifty-ish and a little tired looking with slumped shoulders and socks with tiny sea horses on the ankles. This gives the reader a picture in their mind, as well as an opinion on the character. His slumped shoulders and tiredness indicate that he works hard, and his socks could be a sign that he is fun-loving, or wearing them because he is a children's doctor.

Meanwhile, Kingsolver illustrates the setting in great detail. Throughout the book, Taylor is far from her home in Kentucky, and not accustomed to her surroundings in Arizona. The author uses imagery to make the setting come to life, so that the reader understands how strange and beautiful the new sights must be for Taylor, even if the they have never been there. Not only this, but the descriptions help the reader get lost in the book and escape from reality. Kingsolver paints a picture of every person and every scene, drawing you deeper into Taylor's world.