Steppin' on the Backs of My Shoes

Assignment VII

2011-08-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

1. What does this story signify?
Mansfield's The Garden Party explains the meaning of life to different people. It begins with her and her family whose biggest concern is getting the marquee set up and having everything ready for the dinner party. The story then switches to another family down the road. This family has just lost a father and husband. Their biggest concern is just getting through a loss.

2. How does it signify?
Through the story the main character, Laura, seems to be confused on how to deal with certain situations. In the beginning, she can barely speak to the working men because of how nervous she is. After meeting them she is astounded at how kind they are. She brings this up to different members of the family throughout the story. When the garden party is about to begin, Laura finds out that a man just down the road has died. She is hit so hard by sadness she immediately decides the party cannot go on. Of course there cannot be a party when the family down the road is mourning for a lost loved one. She then again has her mind changed after talking with her mother and then seeing how beautiful she looks in the hat she plans to wear. Laura has now gone from material things being of most importance to true feelings and then back to materialism. Towards the end of the story she must go back and visit the family down the road to take them a meal. While there, she seems a man asleep. She says to herself that this man isn't worried about where a marquee will go, how the flowers will look, and what hat he will wear, in fact she apologizes for even wearing a hat. Laura sees how content this man is and realizes that all the things she has been worried about all day will never bring her happiness. Even after her very successful dinner party, she cannot stop bringing up how marvelous her visit to neighbors house was, the house with no marquee, flowers, hats, or dozens of people.

I was a little off from what the last student stated. I saw the difference in the rich family and poor family, but didn't catch on the the flight aspect until she introduced it. In future "cases," I think I need to look closer at the words used to describe actions. This seems to be the way the last student came up with her main idea and details to support it.

Comparing Laura to Persephone brings a completely new depth to the story, even deeper than the 3rd writer's response. Just as the author has repeated over and over, that means that this work is not an original, it reflects another earlier work. Also, instead of simply social classes being revealed, life and death are now in the picture and seem to reflect Persephone's story almost exactly, but with the work of the writer it is nearly hidden.

Assigment VI

2011-08-14T00:15:00.000-07:00

One Story

An archetype is the original patter or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or are based. Fairytales tend to all follow the same outline. There's always a lady who has had a rough life searching for something more, love, a man searching for his true love, and some sort of enemy whose purpose is to keep this love from falling into place. A familiar example of this is Cinderella. Cinderella is the lady who has been a maid all of her life. The man, Prince Charming, has a ball arranged in order for him to meet new women. The enemy, or in this case enemies, are Cinderella's evil step sisters and step mother who are constantly keeping her locked up and out of Prince Charming's search for his lost love.

...And Rarely Just an Illness

I Am Legend shows a characters death in a novel that represents much more than a loss. In I Am Legend, Robert Neville is the last survivor of a disease that swept through the city of Los Angeles. He and his dog, Sam, live together as he works on finding a cure. The infected survivors, or vampires, still live in this area, but can only come out at night due to the sunlight. When Sam gets bitten by a vampire, it is clear to Robert that she will soon become one too. He sits with her on her last night to give her a shot that will put her to sleep. Sam represented sanity in Robert. She was his only other non-infected companion, and his only friend. After her death, Robert loses it. He begins acting crazy like the vampires and even attempts to kill himself. And even after he finds two other survivors, he never fully connects with them but keeps to himself, as if he now fears anything he gets close to will be taken away too soon. This death reflects a few of the principles. First, its origin is mysterious. If the death had a known cause and cure, then Robert's sense of losing himself would be completely taken from the death scene. Second, the death proved to be more than just a lose of one characters life, but of another characters whole sense of being.

Introduction to myself

2011-08-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

http://prezi.com/bb494f6wn2xc/about-andrea/

Book List

2011-08-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

1. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (1915), 76 pages. This book was suggested to me by my brother. Knowing I'm not a big reader, he said, "It's really short you can finish it within a week." Of course that fact appealed to me, but also the storyline behind the book. I've struggled in reaching the deeper meanings of books, and while reading a summary of this book, the deeper meaning was given. Although this may spoil the search for the deeper meaning for some, it will definitely be a good book to start off the year by helping me get back into the routine of deeper reading.

2. Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott (1884), 78 pages. This book was suggested to me by my dad. Like me, reading is not his first choice. Also, like me, math and science are his strong subjects. He explained to me that Flatland is a book about different dimensional worlds. The geometry aspect immediately appealed to me. After reading reviews I was also interested in the controversial ideas of politics and the view of women, the military, the upper class in the 1800s and how these ideas can be connected and turned into a story through a sort of mathematics.

3. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (1951), 288 pages. I hear this book discussed so often I feel like it's a book that any well-read person has read. I looked up a summary on Amazon and was completely captivated by the storyline. The reviewer explained that this book, in short, is about a boy who is trying to preserve innocence in his society. I love children and the imagination and ambition and fearlessness that radiates from them constantly. I envy those traits in fact. Although this book is lengthier than the previous books I chose, I feel I can handle a variety of lengths of books. Also, from the reviews this book is apparently not the easiest read, but I think attempting to read a "hard" book of one of my interest is better than jumping into a deep read whose storyline is not interesting to me at all.

4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813), 416 pages. This is another famous novel I've always heard about but never read. I really enjoy love stories and too often read much too low of difficulty love stories, so I thought Pride and Prejudice would be somewhat of a love story to help introduce me to a more difficult, substantial read. Pride and Prejudice is also a longer and bit more challenging read that I am used to, but will be a good start.

5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003), 400 pages. This book was suggested to me by my sister. She knows about my love for the typical teenage girl books, mostly by Sarah Dessen, and challenged me to read a book that would expand my knowledge of the world, but also see how closely related other countries are to ours. I read a few reviews and found myself interested to see what the two main characters go through and the difference in their opposite lives. The Kite Runner was also described as easy to follow and not too tedious which will be a good break from some higher level reads I have considered reading.

6. 1984 by George Orwell (1948), 368 pages. This book was suggested to me by Ms. Huff. I am very interested in utopia/dystopia novels. Also, I really enjoyed another novel written by Orwell, Animal Farm. I enjoy the extreme descriptions of how people viewed our society to be because of rapid advances in technology and education and in some ways, how accurate they are. I look forward to reading another dystopian novel and comparing it with the previous book by Orwell that I've read and also other novels of the same genre I've read.

7. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (1719), 290 pages. This book was suggested to me by my dad, however after reading the first few pages showed to be a very challenging read with the diction. If in fact I become very ambitious at some point this year and decide to really challenge myself, I would love to read this novel in order to be inspired and challenged to truly follow my dreams, not the dreams others have chosen for me.

8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1880-first novel where part I and part II were the same book), 464 pages. This book was suggested to me by my aunts. They said they remembered reading this book over and over when they were younger and loved especially when my grandmom would read it to them. Not only am I interested in the story, I am also excited to be able to discuss it with them while reading it and once I am finished. Although this book is longer than previous ones I have chosen, the short times it takes me to read smaller books will allow longer time to read the lengthier ones.

9. A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (1987), 160 pages. This novel is another that I'm just familar with the title. After reading a few reviews though, I am very interested. I am a huge fan of broadway, and the storyline seemed to be one I could get hooked to instantly. Some of the reviews given were by junior high students, so the reading level should be an easier one, but hopefully the big idea of the story will be much more in depth.

10. Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl (1959), 168 pages. This book was suggested to me by my brother. We were discussing my areas of interests in reading and I mentioned that I was very interested in the Holocaust. He immediately suggested and encouraged me to read this book because of the different outlook this man had on the concetration camps at that time. He was a Jewish doctor, a man who had everything, yet still saw hope even in the concentration camp. I look forward to reading this book and learning even more about the Holocaust.

Assignment V

2011-08-04T20:56:00.000-07:00

Sex scenes are often used in order to insinuate that couples do engage in that activity. However, a scene described in To Kill A Mockingbird is used for the exact opposite assumption.

Tom Robinson has been accused of raping Mayella Ewell. Being of a different race in these tough times, he is immediately decided guilty by the town. During the trial, Tom, Mayella, and each witness gives their side of the story. Tom explains that he was just helping Mayella like he had many times before. Mayella starts by saying Tom came in to help her, but ended up taking advantage of her. Mr. Ewell then says that while working outside, he heard his daughter scream. He quickly ran inside to find his daughter being "taken advantage of" by Tom. Although the description in the book goes a bit more in detail, no specific details of the actual rape are spoken of, however, specific details of what Tom was doing to help Mayella are mentioned; also, details of previous times he had given Mayella a hand in fixing something.

From these scenes, character traits are quickly developed. At this point in the novel, the reader finally realizes that Tom, in fact, did not rape Mayella. Tom is an honest, kind man who was truly trying to be help to a white woman he thought deserved help. Mayella proves to be a fearful daughter, willing to lie in a trial simply to satisfy her father. And Mr. Ewell proves to be a terribly racist man in need of money or simply attention from the public, but most apparent, a liar. Also, respect is quickly gained for Atticus from the reader by realizing he is a wealthy, well-known white man who is defending a poor black man simply because he believes in justice and fair punishment.

Although sex scenes are usually vague in order to avoid awkward and inappropriate descriptions, the avoided description in the trial of To Kill A Mockingbird was to point out previously unclear characteristics of the certain characters.

Assignment IV

2011-08-03T22:29:00.000-07:00

In Aldous Huxley's novel, Brave New World, flight symbolizes freedom. Bernard Marx lives in a wanna-be Utopian society where every person has now say in how their life is going to be used. As the novel begins, it is obvious Bernard is different from the typical member of this society. He often questions why no one has a say in their life and what gave the government the authority to decide this for it's people. He also becomes attracted to a women, only one woman, which is looked down upon. In fact, he gets very offended when hearing two guys throw around descriptions of their sexual experiences with her, a common conversation topic. Bernard asks The Director, the leader of this society, if he can visit The Reservation. The Reservation is a very different society outside of this "perfect" one. Bernard flies to The Reservation, but does not fly just to get there. This flight smbolizes Bernard's freedom from the "perfect" society he lives in to a normal society, to us, but uncontrolled society to him. Once he is to The Reservation he is allowed to break free of the status quo he must up hold in his old society and is allowed to question the values, if there are any, of that society. He is also free to decide whether to stay in The Reservation forever or return back to The Director's society.

Assignment III

2011-08-03T21:17:00.001-07:00

Foster explains that weather in a work of literature, "is never just weather." It always symbolizes a major theme of the novel. One novel where choice of weather is a device used for symbolism is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Narnia is under the control of the White Witch which symbolizes Satan. With the help of four children, Narnia is soon to be back under the control of it's true leader, Aslan, who symbolizes Christ. When Edmund first enters Narnia, it is covered in snow and ice, and is also currently under the control of the White Witch. Snow clearly symbolizes the absence of life. Those who have not given their lives to Christ and accept His forgiveness are believed to go to Hell for the rest of eternity. Although Hell is thought to be the opposite of snow and cold, they both symbolize similar attributes. When winter begins arriving, leaves fall off of trees and flowers stop growing. Only a small portion of nature can survive in these conditions. In fact, some mammals completely separate themselves from these conditions by hibernating all winter. The life of nature withers away until the arrival of spring and summer. When Aslan once again gains control, the snow melts away and an image of nature in the spring and the summer becomes apparent. Those who go to Heaven are believed to have eternal life. Just like those souls, the nature of spring and summer reflect abundance of life and the variety of living beings that can survive.

Assignment II

2011-08-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

Now, where have I seen her before?
Intertextuality is the whole network of relations that makes a text. Simply, the relationship between texts.

Utopia and dystopia works of literature immediately came to mind when thinking of examples to compare. Two famous works, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and Anthem by Ayn Rand, show similarities in characters and how the characters are treated in each story.

In Brave New World, a caste system somewhat is developed before each human is even born. In the "Central London Hatching and Conditioning Center," embryos are maintained in certain conditions depending on their classification: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, or Epsilon. Alpha's being the highest class of thinkers and leaders, and each of the succeeding not getting as much nutrition in order to assure less mental and physical attributes. The lowest class, Epsilon, are even given a type of shot in order to injure part of their brain, so they can be used strictly for labor without any disagreement. Once born and given a place in society, no person can change that decision.

In Anthem, a system is also used in order to place it's members into society. From birth until the age of fifteen, each child lives together and goes to school together. No families are allowed to develop and no love or affection is shown to anyone. At the age of fifteen each child goes to a ceremony where The Council announces to him and the public which title he will go by and which job he will perform every day. At the top are the Home of the Scholars who together develop new technology together for the society and at the bottom are the Street Sweepers, those who simply clean the streets each day. Equality 7-2521, the main character, had always been treated poorly by teachers due to his intelligence and abstract thinking and also because of a physical flaw this society might say, great height. On the "big day," Equality has high hopes of becoming part of the Home of the Scholars, but is soon disappointed by his assignment of Street Sweeper. Since no one has a voice to change their duty, Equality continues in quiet about his astounding discovery.

In both Brave New World and Anthem, classes are assigned to each person in society and this class can never be changed. Also, these classes are based on physical and mental traits that are either caused by the "leaders" or assessed by the "leaders."

When in Doubt, It's from Shakespeare...

The play West Side Story reflects Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet almost to a tee. Romeo and Juliet begins in the city of Verona. Two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, reside here, but are sworn enemies. Likewise in West Side Story, the Sharks and the Jets are two rival gangs living in the same city. Romeo and Juliet's love is exactly like Maria and Tony's love, forbidden. In both plays, the lovers meet at a dance and immediately know they relationship will have to be secret. The Sharks and the Jets, and the Montagues and the Capulets all find out about each relationship and strongly discourage it. Both Tony and Romeo commit a murder of Juliet and Maria's side of the enemies, but this doesn't stop either love. Many other details in the plot of both plays are exactly alike but the themes are also very similar too. The strength of love is portrayed in both. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo kills a member of the Capulets, Juliet's family. In West Side Story, Tony kills Maria's brother. After both of these shocking events, the love between the two couples doesn't change at all and their future plans to be together, even though it's forbidden, remain the same. Also, unreasonable violence leads no closer to peace and separation, but closer to even more violence. Using the examples of both deaths again, if Romeo and Juliet, and Tony and Maria had been sociably acceptable couples in the beginning, the deaths of the person in each work would have never occurred.

Assignment I

2011-06-20T11:09:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite novels, Of Mice and Men, presented a clear quest of two characters striving towards one goal in the beginning, but reaching another in the end.

1. Our quester: two men, Lennie and George, who have been best friends since they were small children. Lennie is a large, mentally disabled man who relies on George, a small, sharp man, to get through each day.

2. A place to go: George and Lennie are dropped off by a bus many miles from where they are to start work on a plantation. They must first make it through camping together one night in order to make it to their destination where…

3. A stated reason to go there: George has a dream of owning his own land and starting a farm where he and Lennie can live together without having a boss.

4. Challenges and trials: Lennie is mentally disabled which holds back George from already fulfilling his dream. Lennie doesn’t understand or know how to control his own strength. George has to continuously cover for Lennie in order for the two to keep their job and keep earning money. Also, Curly’s wife, a much too flirtatious women, causes the biggest challenge of all, George’s decision of how to truly save Lennie from an awful, life-threatening mistake. Wealth presents reoccurring trials throughout the book because in society, the strong, or rich, always defeat the weak, the poor. Reaching the “American Dream” is also an impossible dream to reach that is George’s main goal.

5. The real reason to go: George has always been just as attached to Lennie as Lennie was dependent on him. Throughout the quest, George discovers more and more that Lennie is not capable of living the perfect life style George has set up for him in his imagination. Also, George realizes that no one is capable of living that perfect lifestyle, not even himself. Through continuous struggles to earn enough money for the all-important acre of land, George learns that hard and constant work can never buy true happiness and also learns what it is to be a true friend to Lennie, knowing exactly what is best for him.

Toulmin Model Arguement

2011-03-30T11:46:00.000-07:00

Kati Haycock expresses her opinion to the looming question of, "How to raise the status of teachers?" She explains that schools and administrations need to improve teacher training. I agree. Teachers must be better prepared for their position in order to become more respected by our society and in order for more upcoming employees to pursue the field of education. Many teachers today obtain their lessons directly from the textbook, along with the homework worksheets and assignments. This causes their lessons to be repetitive, not interesting to the students, and not beneficial to the teacher. If teachers were required to be better educated in their field, they would have a wider variety of unique information to share with their students to keep them interested in class. Also, requiring teachers to be better educated would benefit them in other aspects of life. In my own school, it is obvious that the teachers who have earned their masters degree are more prepared for teaching and helping their students be successful than those who have just earned the minimum requirements. These teachers don't necessarily make their subject "fun" and easy, but the students seem to enjoy it because they feel like they are actually learning something instead of wasting their time on information they may forget. Although it may be true that many other steps will be required in order for teachers to earn respect from our society, teachers being required to be better educated than they are now would be a major step.

The Great Gatsby

2011-03-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

Fitzgerald's reflective and hopeless tones portray his idea that Americans continue to push against the current of life and nature, thinking they are bettering the world, but in turn hurting it by destroying its origins.

Fitzgerald uses optimistic diction to describe the old, natural world while he describes the modern times with pessimism. Before the moon brings light to the old times, the narrator sees the current world as "shadowy" and dark with "hardly any lights." As the "inessential houses" of the modern America become hidden, "a fresh, green breast" is seen, the "greatest of all human dreams." Fitzgerald is bringing to light his opinion that all of the new advances that made the 20s the "Roaring Twenties" have destroyed it rather than helped with the building up of the country. He sees the old, traditional world as a very beautiful work and shows that he cannot see this special world until the characteristics of the modern world are gone, or "melt[ed] away."

Fitzgerald wraps up his point with important syntax in the last two paragraphs of the passage. He uses ellipses and dashes which in writing serve as a break in thought or in the case of ellipses, repetition or a never ending thought. Being sucked into the idea he is disagreeing with, Fitzgerald begins describing how "we" will "run faster, stretch out our arms farther," continue doing things we are convinced will help and benefit our country. However, with his very last sentence, Fitzgerald reminds the reader that no matter how much Americans may keep doing in an attempt to help the country, they will continue to be pushed back and held in place without success, just like the boats that continue to go against the current, but make it nowhere.

By using effective diction and syntax, Fitzgerald very clearly expresses his opinion that Americans will continue trying to add to their country in an attempt to benefit and make it better, much like a sailor pushing against the current and convincing himself that he is making process because of his art work, but in the end, staying idle and in one place.

3rd Quarter Reading

2011-03-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

I read 3 books, the equilvalent of 6 books.

The Pact by Jodi Picoult-416 pages

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury-148 pages (classic)

The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult-385 pages

I really enjoyed reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury because it challenged me more than the other books I read this nine weeks. Guy Montag, the main character, is a fireman. Not the kind of fireman we have today, but a fireman that starts fires in order to keeps books out of the possession of regular people. When one lady is so attached to her books she chooses to burn with them, Montag becomes interested in why these books are so important. He begins secretly collecting and reading books but eventually gets caught by the head fireman. Now, Montag must choose between living in the dark like everyone else or rebelling in order to find out what's being hidden. Fahrenheit 451 used imagery very often to describe different events in the book and also different words that forced me to stretch my vocabulary. Also, the storyline centered around censorship, a characteristic of some Utopias.

Consumerism Quote

2011-02-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

A strange species we are. We can stand anything God and nature can throw at us save only plenty. If I wanted to destroy a nation, I would give it too much, and I would have it on its knees, miserable, greedy, sick.

-John Steinbeck (1902-1968), Letter in The Washington Post, 28 Jan 60

John Steinbeck makes a great point by pointing a finger directly at the American society. Americans are truly blessed and have so much more than they could ever need. However, the percentage of Americans who claim to be "happy" is declining or remaining the same even though our citizens have more possessions than anyone in the past. Steinbeck proposes that in order to destroy a nation, he would give it too much and in turn, the nation would be so thirsty for more they would do anything to obtain it. Many Americans completely ignore the third world counties that are barely surviving, and continue on with their everyday lives of spending on non-necessary possessions. Maybe Americans need these possessions to be taken from them by someone else but themselves in order to see their reliance and dependence on wealth and how great the consequences they face will be.

McDonald's commercial

2011-02-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

Since it would be harder to convince adults to buy fast food, many McDonald's commercials are aimed towards children. The Happy Meal is so irresistible because of the cute, convenient box, the variety choice, and the new toy. In this specific commercial, two girls are having fun eating their Happy Meals together when they hear the sound of a mermaid. They reach in to find their toy, a mermaid. One technique in this commercial is the voice of a child talking instead of an adult. Now, when a younger child is watching it, it's more like a friend talking to them which they're more likely to be able to connect to than an adult authority. Also, the end of the commercial shows the two girls with mermaid tails at the end of their meal. Now, not only can you play with your toy, but you can also look like your toy. McDonald's uses several clever tricks to convince children that McDonald's Happy Meals will be the most rewarding and fun meals.

A Healthier America

2010-11-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

Dieting has become a large part of American life due to obesity levels and the demanding "perfect" image our culture continuously pushes on our citizens. Meredith Melnick wrote a recent article called Weight Watchers' New Point: Zero For Most Fruits and Veggies. In this article, she compares the new point system by Weight Watchers, the PointPlus system, to the old point system, Weight Watchers Points. In the old system, the more calories a food had, the more points it was, the worse it was for you. In the new system, the overall nutritional value of the food is taken into account: the amount of protein, carbs, fat, and fiber. The main reason for this is to show dieters that "a 100-calorie bag of cookies isn't as healthful as a 100-calorie apple."

Many dieting commercials advertise diets that allow you to eat good food, but still lose weight. When did the American mind change that "good" food cannot also be healthy food? I found myself in major agreement with the new point system presented by Weight Watchers' because now, Americans will learn how to not only lose weight, but also learn and make a habit out of eating a healthy diet. I think too many Americans who are dieting dread the process of it because they believe they are not allowed to eat tasteful food. This may also be the cause of the growing problem of obesity in our culture.

I believe if Americans, dieting or not dieting, will use this point system to create their regular eating habit, they will learn that healthy food can also be tasty foods. This will help cause the obesity and even unhealthy levels Americans are on now to decrease.

http://healthland.time.com/2010/11/30/weight-watchers-new-points-zero-for-most-fruits-and-veggies/

12 Sentence Story

2010-11-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

It began at Ms. Peggy's, a house many memories would come from, a house that would become my second home, a house that will forever be a part of my childhood. The house was of no significance; the events tell it all. The regular children Ms. Peggy babysat were there, along with the newer ones, Colten and Chandler. We hid anywhere and everywhere for hide-and-seek: behind the storage building, in the house, or across the street. Me and Colten waited and waited to be found. Suddenly. I didn't know what to do or what to say or what was happening. We had been found, but we still were not it. My hand Colten was now holding. Had my heart ever beaten so fast? We screamed and ran and jumped and finally made it to the safety of the game with our hands still together. The memory that will stay with me forever, a childish happiness I will never forget--the day I held hands with my biggest childhood crush.

What has your mask become?

2010-11-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult is about a high school shooting. In the beginning, it starts with the day of the shooting--the before, the during, and the after events. As the story progresses, it goes back in time to these same students in kindergarten and elementary school. One very profound quote during this section of the book was, "If you spent your life concentrating on what everyone else thought of you, would you forget who you really were? What if the face you showed the world turned out to be a mask...with nothing beneath it?"

Peter, the future murderer, was extremely excited about his first day of kindergarten. He was fully prepared long before the bus arrived at his house. However, as soon as he stepped on the bus, his excited mindset changed to terror. He was constantly bullied for the rest of his school years. During this time, Peter's main focus became defending and avoiding his true self in order to avoid the rough contact he came into with other schoolmates. In reality, just as the quote says, his mask did not hide anything beneath it-- Peter's mask became his true identity.

In our society, I think people have become extremely obsessed with what others think of them. There are numerous types of surgeries done to change the outward appearance of people, however, the mindset, or inward appearance, must first be changed. For example, a person trying to decide whether to change a certain feature on their face first mentally decides the reason they want this feature changed. Is it to better their health or to draw more attention to themselves? If they decide it is to draw more attention, they have then already decided one of the most important things to them-- being attractive to others. What started out as an outward changed has now turned into an inside or outside change to the person.

Future Reads

2010-10-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Planned books to read during the 2nd nine weeks:

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult was suggested to me by a girl in class who encouraged everyone in the class to read it. This book seems to be about a school shooting with the shooter and other people involved points of view. I am interested to see the twist at the end that I've heard about.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson was suggested to me by my English teacher. I am interested in reading it because she said it causes you to think deep and challenges you to really understand what you're reading. I am looking for a more challenging read for this nine weeks.
The Shack by William P. Young was suggested to me by multiple people. I've heard it a very deep book about the different ways a man encounters God. I have read a few religious books in the past, so I look forward to starting another.

2nd Quarter Annotated Reading List

2010-10-19T10:52:00.000-07:00

Picoult, Jodi. Nineteen Minutes. New York: Atria, 2007. Print.

Jodi Picoult presents a whole new outlook on a school shooting. In Sterling High, the main goal is popularity. Grades, sports, and friendships are good, but popularity is key. When a boy who has been bullied since he first stepped on the bus on his first day of Kindergarten becomes fed up with the way others act towards him, every student and family from Sterling High will be changed forever. A devestating event leads to built relationships, startling truths, and completely changed lives.

The realness Picoult accomplishes throughout the story contributes to the empact of the emotions on the reader. Although this book is fiction, the strong emotion felt throughout the book seems as if it all really happened. By doing this, Picoult helps the reader feel every ounce of emotion she felt while writing the book and the emotion of the characters involved in the story.

Young, WM. Paul. The Shack. Newbury Park, CA: Windblown Media, 2007. Print.

Young tells the story of Mackenzie Allen Philip's life after a terrifying death of a daughter. Mack is struggling with letting his daughter, Missy, go after her abduction and recieves a letter from God. This letter tells him to go to the shack where it happened. Knowing the letter couldn't possibly be from the God, Mack dreadfully goes expecting some kind of set up. When he arrives, Mack is in complete awe of his surroundings. The experiences he goes through at his weekend at the shack gives him a new outlook on the murder of his young daughter. His relationship with God will forever be changed.

Young's descriptions with the encounters and conversations Mack has with God brought up new and unthought of reasons for pain in this world. His characters that represent the three parts of the trinity also gives readers an imaginitive view of God in three persons.

Rand, Ayn. Anthem. New York: Dutton, 1995. Print.

Ayn Rand presents a future Utopian society where jobs are chosen for you, everyone dresses the same, and no individualism is to be allowed. When Equality 7-2521, a useless Street Sweeper, dares the branch out and discover something new, he is immediately shunned. Now, the rest of Equality 7-2521 is on a mission to escape and become a part of a different, possibly chaotic world. The darkness Rand uses in the story is very effective by helping portray the dark, simplistic society these people live in. With no exciting events happening outside Equality's rebellion, chaos seems to be more pleasing to the reader than a strict, completely controlled society.

Ludy, Leslie. Set-Apart Femininity. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House, 2008. Print.

Leslie Ludy tackles many uncomfortable ideas for a present teenage girl in the current American society. She challenges young ladies to radically change their lives in ways that seem almost impossible. Ludy explains that by these changes, a stronger, healthier, and more beneficial spiritual realtionship will begin to grow and form. Ludy also explains the different in being a Set-Apart christian and being a christian. The Set-Apart life consists of taking stands against the smallest actions that may cause sin, even if they sometimes seem ridiculous. Ludy's unreasonable challenges really cause the reader to rethink what they believe it means to be a true christian and live a fruitful life.

Reading Reflection

2010-10-15T12:37:00.000-07:00

Being introduced to the new reading guidelines this year burdened me. Although I don't necessarily hate reading, I feared getting my 150 minutes in every week. I'm sad to say I have not established a consistent reading pattern, yet. I say yet because I promise I'm still working on it. I have a habit of just reading whenever I have freetime or craming the night before if I'm suppose to have a certain number of pages, or in this case minutes, due. To improve this habit, I'm going to try reading from 8:30-9 every night. I work until 7 and my family usually eats dinner as soon as I get home, so the first amount of free time I have outside of school will be close to 8:30.

I have only read two books this nine weeks. The Hunger Games was not a very deep read, but Brave New World deepened my thinking to a new level. I am now reading The Things They Carried which I believe will be a happy-medium between the two extremes of book types. Inking my thinking seems to be more challenging when reading books like The Hunger Games because most of the story is on the surface. More complex books such as Brave New World have plenty of inking material that I think is great to be able to look back on to try to find the meaning of the story. By inking, I am forced to look deeper into the material I'm reading and pay closer attention.

Next quarter, I need to finish more books. I also need to try to establish the set reading habit of reading 30 minutes a night. I also plan on finishing The Things They Carried, and possibly reading The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the second book to The Hunger Games series, and The Shack.

Socratic Seminar Reflections

2010-10-11T10:23:00.001-07:00

The Socratic Seminar broadened my views and ideas on the purpose and theme of Huxley's Brave New World.

While answering a question in a group, a new idea that contradicted mine was presented. In my opinion, Brave New World was written as a warning to people who strive towards advancements in technology more than they strive for advancements in a balance of areas. Huxley was showing what such a society would turn into. However, another group member shared that they thought Huxley was writing to the people of his time as a prediction of what our booming technologically advanced society would soon turn into. It wouldn't necessarily have to be a negative prediction though.

During the discussion, ideas were also challenged. One person had agreed that Brave New World's society robbed the people of their individualism. By choosing what they will be for the rest of their life and forcing them to have the same beliefs as everyone else, allowing no room for each individual person to make even one decision about their life style. On the other hand, the statement that the people of the society never rebelled, so they must not have wanted individualism was presented. Backing it up, the people also never knew any different, so they may not even want change even if presented the opportunity. Also, if they were given freedoms, would they know how to make decisions? Since they're so accustomed to always having someone tell them how to live, they would probably continue following the "crowd."

Of the two questions I chose to discuss, only one included a subject I wasn't very familiar with. Henry Ford was chosen to be the god of Brave New World's society. They praised him and cursed him for the good and bad things that happened to them. Although I knew Henry Ford invented the assembly line for the mass production of cars, I did not know his beliefs on other aspects. While researching Henry Ford, I also found out he believed in keeping the best workers working his assembly lines just like Brave New World's society believed in only keeping people alive during their "best" years.

By preparing for the discussion, I learned how to plan and organize ideas and questions that were going to be needed for the discussion. I also learned how to verbalize my thoughts so that when I asked questions or made comments my words didn't come straight from a piece of paper.

Aside from preparing and discussing questions, I also learned how the Socratic Seminar worked. I think I did well. I took several notes and maked a couple of passages in the book. I also looked up information and notes that could be used to share.

The listening and paying attention to others' opinions part was easy for me, however, sharing was more difficult. I am usually a quiet when giving opinions, so I was challenged to speak up and share about what I thought of each subject. Another difficult part was having a limited time to be able to think and respond in a meaningful way to another's comment. I most enjoyed being able to speak my opinions instead of writing them down to be graded. When I sit down to write it takes at least ten minutes for my mind to get focused just partly on what I'm suppose to be writing about. With the Socratic Seminar, I could go directly from my mind to my mouth.

Next time, I will prepare more meaningful questions that cause myself and the group to think deeper into what we're being asked. This time, my questions weren't shallow, but I don't think they were on a deep enough level for us to engage in a very meaningful conversation. I would also prepare more notes than what I had this time.

I learned that I do a lot better by sharing my ideas verbally than when writing. I also learned that I need to organize completely what I'm going to say, and before speaking, I need to know what my finally point for the comment I'm about to make is. I found myself often starting a comment, but then forgetting what my final point I was trying to defend was.

I thought the Socratic Seminar was a great way to share ideas and interact with other students in class. Also, it was good to be able to evaluate and learn from the members of the other groups that were answering questions while I was not discussing a question. The only thing I would like changed is the time allowed to discuss a question. Although some topics are hard to keep a steady conversation going for eight minutes, others could be continued out for ten or twelve minutes, maybe even more.

1st Quarter Annotated Reading List

2010-10-11T10:09:00.000-07:00

Aldous Huxley paints an image of our future world through dramatic and terrifying examples of life. This brave new world is a world evolved around technology and contentness. Since people are created in an assembly line instead of through the natural processes of birth, no relationships are ever made. Soma is the immediate escape from any uncomfortable feeling, and promiscuity is promoted. Bernard Marx begins feeling a sense of questionability. He wonders why he can't be with Lenina, the woman he has strong feelings for, and why he has to be with a different girl every night. He also wonders why ideas opposing what the Controller says are ban. When given to oppourtunity to view the outside world with freedom, a word in which he has never heard before, Bernard turns right back into everyone else: soaking up the care free life.

Huxley's twisted view of the future is a great read. He knows how to not only make the reader question what they truly wish the world evolved around, but also intrests the reader in the discriptions of the future world. Huxley's book might also have been written as a warning for the people in his time whose new ideas seemed to be completely revolved around technology.

Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: HarperCollins, 1932. Print. 259 pages

Katniss Everdeen lives in the nation of Panem in District 12. She lives with her depressed mother and little sister, Prim. Because of her mother's condition, Katniss has taken responsibilty of providing for her family. She hunts illegally because of the poor conditions of her family, but still manages to provide for them. The Hunger Games is a nationwide, very gruesome event. 2 people between the ages of 12-18 are chosen from each of the 13 districts to compete in a "war." This event is a broadcasted fight to the death between the 24 contestants, and greatly feared in the minds of the proposed fighters. When Prim is chosen, Katniss volunteers to take her spot. Katniss realizes her family will never be able to survive without her, so she promises Prim she'll come home. Althought Katniss is the underdog in the competition, she shows her true self when she lets her emotions get the best of her at the first competition. Now, Katniss has a sense of confidence that will hopefully carry her through the games.

I highly recommend this book. Although it is not a very deep read, I do think it's very enjoyable to read just for entertainment. The Hunger Games has a very interesting and intense storyline that allows the reader to get involved and want to read the book whenever they can.

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print. 384 pages

Abundance Analysis

2010-09-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Pink's amazed interest reveals his view of Americans being more obsessed with material possessions currently than they were dependant on necessities in the past. Pink uses the example of people buying candles for light before light bulbs were invented, however, 2.4 billion dollars a year are still spend on candles. Although candles have no real use to Americans currently, they still purchase them for scents and beauty for the buildings they spend time at. This leads to the thought of Americans being too concerned with how products will effect their status in the world rather than how the products will be beneficial to their needs. Pink's second example is introduced when he says, "while living standards have risen steadily decade after decade, personal, family, and life satisfaction haven't budged." This statement provokes a slightly different view of the obsession with material things. Pink is saying that by purchasing many material things, and planning for these things to bring happiness, these possessions in the end have not been beneficial to happiness at all. Since Americans have access to the necessities needed to survive, they have begun looking for even more things that will bring purpose or satisfaction to their lives. I agree with Pink's view of Americans which leads me to ask the question, if it came down to a necessity or a desirable, which would the majority of us choose?

Smartwater Ad Analysis

2010-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

The Tom Brady Smartwater ad was a clever choice for the Smartwater industry. In many ways, pathos, logos, and ethos are used to attract and convince the viewer to purchase Smartwater.

In some ways, Logos is one of the more convincing methods to selling water. Most buyers think of water being one of the healthiest choices of beverage, so when Smartwater added more of an in depth descripition, buyers will be convinced this isnt just any water. The facts about water presented in the ad and the bottle of water are the only colored pictures which helps them stand out the most. "Electrolyte inhanced hydration. Vapor distilled purity. For takeoffs and touchdowns," is the description given in blue. Since the background of the entire photo could be distracting for the text, this Logos information now stands out.

Ethos is the most obvious use of Aristotle's persuasive appeals in this ad. Tom Brady's appearance in this ad connects Smartwater to athleticism. Tom Brady drinks Smartwater and is a very famous and great football player, so if you drink Smartwater you will also become famous and athletic too. This ad also claims at that Smartwater is "the answer for Tom Brady." Now not only will Smartwater help you become famous and athletic, it will also help you answer your other problems.

The use of pathos is seen the most. The obvious use of pathos is also the choice of Tom Brady. Many women, and some men may admit, that Tom Brady is very attractive, a trait almost everyone in our society strives toward. Now, Smartwater helps bring about attractiveness. Although Tom Brady is most famous for his football career, this ad also attracts nonathletic people too. Tom Brady is on a football field, however, he has just been dropped off by a helicopter, is carrying a briefcase, and is dressed in a nice suit. His face shows preparation and focuse. Smartwater has not only helped with his looks, but also helped him achieve wealth, success, and a high-class status is the world.

Aristotle's persuasive appeals have helped Smartwater not only attract a certain type of person to buy their product, but a person of any type.

Live and Love

2010-08-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Offshore Pirate" is a short story written in the 1920s. "The Offshore Pirate" is a story of a young, rich lady, Ardita, who is captured along with her uncle's boat by a group of pirates. Ardita is very stubborn, so when the pirates give her the chance to escape to shore she refuses and agrees to go with them. Curtis Carlyle, the leader of the pirate group and the only white man, begins speaking to Ardita. They find they have much in common, and maybe even are reaching for the same goal in life. Throughout this short story, two main parts stood out.

In one part Ardita says that, "all life is just a progression toward, and then a recession from, one phrase--'I love you.' " Although I believe Ardita would be a very intelligent lady, I do not agree with her bold statement. Many do fall in love and many find very much happiness in love, but not all find love. If life was just a progression towards and recession from having the sense that someone is in love with you, then some people would not be living at all.

Ardita says that she once realized, or "found something",--courage. Ardita claims that the characteristic of courage is what attracted her to her past idols so much. She then says that "my courage is my faith." These statement made by Ardita then challenged me to ask myself what attracted me to my idols and what my life was built on. Although I'm still pondering that thought, one main characteristic that I've realized is thankfulness. My dad is one of the main people that I look up to and the one character trait that he portrays in my mind over all is thankfulness.

"The Offshore Pirate" may have been meant to be a cute, short love story, but it challenged me to think about my opinions on life and what my life reflects.

Wasted Time

2010-07-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

“Recipe for a Tasty Life” by Ellen Hopkins reminds me of my pattern of living.

She begins by pondering why people make plans to begin something brand new when they never really finished the thing they’re in the middle of doing. Hopkins shows this idea by using the imagery of a person throwing away a half baked pie and then having to start a new pie from scratch. Thinking about it this way makes it seem unreasonable as compared to a vague idea of someone starting a new project instead of finishing another one.

Another example used by Hopkins further explaining this idea is picking weevils, or beetles that usually ruin stored food items, out of flour for long amounts of time when in reality, they will never completely be gone. This idea takes it from a different point of view by saying no matter how hard you may work at something it will never be completely finished. This example could also explain the reason people never finish projects, but always seem to begin new ones.

I go through my life beginning new projects over and over, but finishing very few. Ellen Hopkins has challenged me to stop wasting my time and instead putting it to good use by showing more in depth examples of how ridiculous is to begin something and then throw it away just to begin something else that will soon be thrown away half way through.

Slavery: Evil or Good?

2010-07-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

Many argue that slavery is an awful way to treat others and maybe even a mistake made by our ancestors. However, I recently listened to a podcast, Addicted to Bondage, an episode of Dan Carlin's Hardcore History series that challenged the evilness of slavery. Two quotes were supported by this podcast; one, "slavery retarded technology" and the other, "slavery was an advance in human morality."

"Slavery retarded technology" helps support the idea of slavery being undeserved or terrible, but also unhealthy for our world. Dan Carlin stated that slavery stops some technological developments because slaves present people with reasons to not find a way around problems. He gives the example that during the times the southern parts of the United States struggled with slavery, some slave holders did not put in water systems because they had slaves to do those types of jobs for them. This thought then also creates the question of how far our world could have come today if we had not had slaves in past times and also certain slaves, or "forced workers" today.

I began agreeing that slavery was definitely a mistake made by our ancestors until the next quote arose. "Slavery was an advance in human morality" backs up the idea of slavery being helpful and beneficial. Carlin again gives an example to suppose this statement. During the gladiator times when fighting was a popular past time, the living people from the losing side would be put to death. One person, or maybe more than one, soon realized that these people would be worth more dead than alive, therefore, turning the survivors of the losing side into slaves. Another example mentioned was the Hebrews of biblical times. Many are familiar with the story of Moses leading the Hebrews out of slavery from the Pharaohs. Some scholars believe that the reason the Hebrews were first sentenced to slavery was because they were starving and the Pharaohs made the deal that they would feed the Hebrews if the Hebrews in return would do chores or work for them. Looking at this side of slavery compares the choices of the life of slavery to death.

Although I could never decide which statement I agreed with more, it will make the think before I "bad mouth" our ancestors who were involved in slavery and question their decisions.

Annotated Photo

2010-06-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

Analysis of "Of Mice and Men"

2010-05-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Analysis of Detail

From his paragraph, John Steinbeck sets the scene in Of Mice and Men through his use of imagery as he describes the natural world as a parallel to later events in the novella.

One of part of a quote, "runs deep and green," is a parallel to the characteristics of George and Lennie. "Green" symbolizes new life or through a different point of view it could symbolize sickly. Either way, Lennie is immature like a young child, and sickly because of his mental illness. "Deep" describes George. Deep provokes the thought of strength, lively, or dangerous. By having the ability to care for Lennie, George shows strength. George also is lively and dangerous by the ways he takes up for Lennie and the way he speaks.

"Slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains," foreshadows the conflict in the story. "Rocky" means unstable or dangerous. The struggles that Lennie and George are currently facing cause them to be unsure of their next moves. "Mountain" in the quote is in the future; the mountains are after the slopes. Mountains symbolize challenges. Lennie and George's future is ahead of them and will be hard if they still strive to own their own land.

"Leaves lie deep and so crisp" represent George and Lennie's goal. George tells Lennie about them owning their own land and crops one day, knowing this will be a dangerous road and will take both of them being strong to achieve. "Deep" symbolizes the dream. "Crisp" can be paralleled to their own land. Owning the land will be new and fresh to George and Lennie.

"A path beaten hard by boys" and "beaten hard by tramps" means different people are coming down a familiar, well known, or a "beaten" path. The farm workers are all very different; different races, genders, and ages. However, each are struggling to reach the same goals and are going through the same things. Just like George and Lennie, Candy and Crooks dream about owning their own land or work for someone who has worked hard to be able to own the property. Candy's wife admits she had a dream, but never reached it. The failed dreams of each character could be "beaten hard" by another.

"The limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it," parallels to the dreams of the characters. The same dream of each person, the dream of owning their own land and having freedom, has been "worn smooth", and also the failure of the dream has been "warn smooth."

Analysis of Point of View

The third-person objective point of view solidifies the solitary lives these men lead.

From the passage on page 68, "Crooks did not see him...on raising his eyes...a scowl came on his face," shows that Crooks is a little angry that someone has come into his room because it's not normal and not what he is used to. He obviously has no relationships. Since his reaction was not a smile, it can be assumed that Crooks is not looking for or wanting any friendships or relationships at this time. "Lennie smiled helplessly in an attempt to make friends," shows that Lennie knew he was intruding on Crooks space, but was just trying to create a relationship. From this quote, Lennie's actions show he does not have any relationships, but longs to have one.

The passage on page 107 also defends shows the loneliness these men faced. "Slim's voice shouted, 'George. Where you at, George?' But George sat stiffly on the bank..." From this quote, George is not only sitting alone but he is alone mentally alone. The others guys do not understand why he wouldn't answer quickly or excitedly after such a thing happened. "And Carlson said, 'Now what the heck ya suppose is eatin' them two guys?'" shows that first that Carlson isn't very considerate of others feelings and doesn't know how to understand other's pain or their emotions. Along with Carlson, the other men seem to take Lennie's death lightly where George takes it very hard.

Analysis of Tone

The hopeful and despair tones in Steinbeck's passage reflect his ability to create a story with such mixed feelings. Two of the contradictory quotes in the novel which show the opposite tones of the book, hopeful and despair, are when George and Lennie compare themselves to the other men like them." George went on, 'With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a dang about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' on our jack jus' because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they rot for all anybody gives a dang. But not us.' Lennie broke in. 'But not us! An' why? Because...because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why.'" George gives hope to Lennie by telling him they will always have each other. On the other hand, George also describes the other men like them. "...he said them many times before, 'Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're pounding in' their tail on some other ranch. They got nothing to look ahead to." The thought that each man is lonely is despairing, but the thought of Lennie and George having each other is hopeful.

George and Lennie's dream is repeated throughout the book which gives hope, but Crooks response to their dreams gives a feeling of despair. "Lennie said, 'Tell about that place, George.' ... 'Well, it's ten acres,' said George. 'Got a win'mill. Got a little shack on it, an' a chicken run. Got a kitchen, orchard, cherries, apples, peaches. 'cots, nuts, got a few berries. They's a place for alfalfa and plenty water to flood it. They's a pig pen' ... 'An' we could have a few pigs. I could build a smoke house like the one gran'pa had, an' when we kill a pig we can smoke the becon and the hams, and make sausage an' all like that. An' whent 'em salmon run up river we could catch a hundred of 'em an' salt 'em down or smoke 'em. We could have them for breakfast..." As Lennie describes this place to Crooks, Crooks gives a response that completely changes the mood of the reader. "'You're nuts.' Crooks was scornful. 'I seen hundreds of men come by on the road an' on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an' that same dang thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an' they quite an' go on; an' everydang one of 'em's got a little piece of land in his head. An' never a God dang one of 'em ever gets it. Just like heaven. Ever'body wants a little piece of lan'. I read plenty of books out here. Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody ever gets no land. It's just in their head..."

George tells Lennie many things to keep him happy and enjoying life, but George and the other men know that the hope built up inside Lennie will not stay because after all, all poor men are the same.

Theme

The quote, "I am my brother's keeper," is the theme of the novel Of Mice and Men.

Lange's Photography

2010-05-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

Dorothea Lange's photography shows more than just a picture from the past. Lange's photographs from the depression not only show the people and actions, but also show the memories, hurt, pain, and way of life from the depression.

The photograph of the mother looking forward and the children almost ducking behind her shows that she is the only protection they have. She does not have the look of fear on her face so she is a brave woman, but she does have a look of concern and confusion, maybe about what will be the next step in their life. The clothes also help show the situation this family was put it. They obviously had no money to put towards clothing.

The photograph of the mother, ring on finger, holding one child and another leaning their head on her shoulder shows many different feelings. The ring symbolizes the husband of the woman or maybe the memory of a husband. Either way, this ring could also symbolize the last hope for the family since it's the last thing they seem to have in good condition. The mother's face also seems strong in this picture, again, not full of fear. From the faces and actions of the two children, they seem to be not necessarily clueless, but not fully aware of how bad the situation their family is in. One child is sleeping and the other seems to be dazed off, neither of the faces seem to have worry.

The last photograph shows the family as a whole and their surroundings. They use their luggage as furniture and bed sheets and their car as shelter. The luggage, car, and bed sheets are not in good condition, but it's all they have to use. This is the first time the children seem to be aware of the situation and seem hurt and scared.

Orwell's Use of Animal Characters

2010-04-30T12:37:00.001-07:00

Although sometimes I forgot the animals were suppose to represent an actual event involving humans, Orwell's use of animals as characters was very effective. While reading the book, the animals kept the story more interesting and easier to stay focused on. If the characters had been regular people, the book might have seemed more like reading a history lesson. This would cause the book to be harder for the readers to focus on reading.

The use of animals as characters also causes you to compare each animal character of the story to the human character of the actual event. The animals, in my mind, represented each character very well by the characteristics of the humans compared to the characteristics of the animals.

The Giver

2010-04-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Giver by Lois Lowery is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.

The Giver is a story about a Utopian society where everyone lives the same lives. The only thing unique about each person is the job the government-type decides for them. Jonas, a boy living in this community, is about the turn twelve. When each child turns twelve, a job is chosen for them and their training begins. All of Jonas' friends seem excited about what job they're going to be given because each think they know about which field will be chosen for them. Jonas, on the other hand, has no idea. He is clueless. He volunteers in all the different houses, but has never been very interested in just one. When the assembly comes and Jonas receives the job as the memory keeper, his word immediately changes. All the strict rules he's followed throughout is life no longer apply to him. The new things he learns and receives from The Giver will completely change his way of thinking. He begins realizing all the things, good and bad, that are hidden from this society.

Many argue that Lois Lowery should have made a more concrete ending or should have written a sequel. I thought the ending was very appropriate because it gives each reader a new ending, good or bad, whichever satisfies them. If there was a sequel, I would read it because I enjoyed the first so much, but I would hope Lowery would still leave the reader to decide the ending.

I enjoyed reading this book because of all the details and way of living of this Utopian society. It's interesting to think about if there really was a society where people were completely convinced there was no emotions or feelings. Would they choose the life of pain, suffering, and hate but also happiness and love or the life of no emotion where no hardships occurred, but also no happiness was present?

Cross-Examination

2010-04-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

I could be cross-examined over many different things including my closet, the random papers in my room, and my passwords.

The most likely thing someone might cross-examine me on is my choice of passwords. Before I had over 6 accounts for school use, I had a different password for every e-mail and different accounts I had. When setting a password, you cannot use your first or last name, so some creativity is required. Most might use passwords of favorite animals, sport teams, middle names, and many other reasonable names or words, but the majority of my different passwords are very random and not relevant to my life at all.

Someone might also cross-examine my choice of clothing hanging up and folded in my closet. I have too many shirts that have never been worn, never even had the tags taken off. It's not that I don't like these shirts, I just haven't had an occasion to wear them. Sometimes, I get "attached" to old clothes that I'm use to wearing and that fit good, so there's no need to wear the new outfits yet.

Red Wheelbarrow Poem

2010-04-30T11:48:00.000-07:00

Broken glass laying in the way.

Glue and tape cannot fix.

Antique vase, aged, but strong.

Ideal dependence.

A Cause for Celebration

2010-04-14T07:43:00.000-07:00

There are so many occasions

on which to have a celebration.

One in particular is summer,

My favorite time for me and my best friend, Kaylie, to ride in her Hummer.

Finally school has come to an end.

everyday is now the weekend.

Suntans are becoming very perceptible,

except for mine which is very, very dull.

Counting down the days is almost unbearable.

No one can wait for the last day of school!

I Wear the Mask

2010-03-31T12:02:00.000-07:00

I Wear the Mask

Everything is veiled.
To you, I am stainless.
To you, I am without weakness.
To you, my world seems to be full of ecstasy;
full of felicity.
Inside, the delight is still present,
But added is the defect.
To me, I am bitter.
To me, I am full of fluster.
To me, I am disguised.
One day, I will be unveiled.

St. Patty's Day

2010-03-17T11:47:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day means different things to everyone. It may remind you of good or bad memories. For me, it reminds me of the start of the first day of a new age. My birthday is on March 16, so St. Patrick's Day is the day after. I remember every year waking up in the morning and my dad saying, "Do you feel one year older?" I never do.

St. Patrick's Day also reminds me of parties in elementary school. On St. Patrick's Day while all of the students would be at recess, the leprechaun would visit each classroom. I remember coming back into class very excited and seeing gold glitter scattered around the room. On the desks would be little gold coins that really had chocolate in the middle, and sometimes, the leprechaun would leave a little note.

The Call of the Wild

2010-03-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

Jack London's The Call of the Wild touched me with it's story of a dog who had to survive harsh circumstances throughout his life.

The theme of the book would be "survival of the fittest." From the beginning to the end, Buck, the main character, continually had to fight off other dogs or even humans trying to kill him. His second owner beat him for no reason, and his third owners had so many dogs to take care of, only the ones who could survive got to keep living.

Buck is a dog who first lived with a lawyer. He had a good home and was well taken care of, but he was still just a dog to his owner, just an animal. When Buck was sold to his second owner, he was nothing but dirt. The man in the red sweater beat him constantly for every little thing he did wrong. He was then sold again to join a pack of dogs who traveled. In this pack, he was the strongest and eventually the most feared. He always had the heart of a leader, and while running with this pack, his want to be a leader became more and more obvious. When the harsh winter came, and all the food was taken, every dog and even the men had to fend for themselves. The owners would beat the dogs until they could get up and lead the sled. If they couldn't get you up, they would kill you. When Buck's fourth owner comes along, Buck is more than a dog to this man, he is a friends and Buck is finally treated the way he should have been all along. Will Buck choose to stay with this man, or following the calling of the wild?

I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. It's not only for animal lovers; it's a good story and has a good lesson for anyone.

Persuasion

2010-03-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

Persuasion is a part of my everyday life. I try persuading friends, family, teachers, and many others. In my mind, persuasion works a very small amount of time. That could be because I'm not very good at it.

In my life, I try persuading my parents more than anything. Anytime I want to hang out with friends I come up with a reasonable excuse to be able to go, and more times than not, I get to do what I choose. Other times, however, if I already had plans with my family, my persuasion technique does not work very well for me. I also try persuading my friends. If we're hanging out that weekend I sometimes try to persuade them to agree with what activities I'm wanting to do. Depending on what my choice is, sometimes they agree and other times not. Altough I do not try using the persuasion technique on many of my teachers, I observe it being used in different classes each day. The most famous persuasion is trying to persuade a teacher to let you turn your homework in late, and the next one might be postponing a test. Whichever way it's used, in my opinion, the more you try to use persuasion the more selfish you are being.

Persuasion is also a main part of commercial ads in media. The commercials for orphans from another country are the most emotional for some, which is a very clever type of persuasion to use. Other commercials may say they have the best product of something and you should stop using a different kind and switch to theirs.

Winning

2010-03-08T16:05:00.000-08:00

Winning can mean many different things. For some, winning is recieving a gold medal, a trophy, or maybe even money. For others, winning means knowing that were the best at whatever type of competetion they were in. And for some, winning means knowing they did the best they could.

Although I love having a tangible award after winning, the most important kind of winning to me is the third kind, knowing you did your best. If a person has the outlook of winning as just being the best at everything all the time, they will be highly disappointed when the time comes around when they tried their hardest, but someone was still better. If someone has the outlook of winning by trying their best, even whenever that other person may do better than them, they can still be proud of themself.

Commitment

2010-03-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

Just like the people competing in the Olympics, I would make such a commitment to marriage. Marriage is something that many people struggle to keep together today. Over half of marriages fail in the United States. Some marriages fall apart over reasonable situations, but some are ended over small fights. People everyday are beginning and ending marriages and either agreeing to the commitment it will take or giving up on that commitment they've already made.

Just like training for the Olympics, marriage takes a lot of patience. Olympians did not get to the Olympics by going out one day, failing at the sport, and then not practicing anymore because they gave up. The Olympians trained long hours and had patience with themselves to be as good as they are. Two people who are married must have patience to have a successful marriage. If they disagree on something, they can't get mad and start a fight or they would constantly be fight. Both the husband and wife have to talk it out.

If a marriage is not working out, determination to keep the marriage together is needed. Olympians must have determination also to succeed. If a couple is about to get divorced, one, or maybe neither, people are willing to try to make it work. If a couple is struggling, determination from both people could help the marriage work.

The Truth About Forever

2010-02-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

Dessen's The Truth About Forever showed me the many things one girl can go through and how she deals with each problem.

One theme of The Truth About Forever is to never be afraid to express your opinion about something. Macy's, the main character, main goal is to satisfy her mother and Jason, her boyfriend. She must make perfect grades and keep all her focus on academics throughout her senior year, so she can get into one of the top colleges. Although Macy does not enjoy trying to fit her life around the word "perfect", she seems to do it anyway, just to keep the others satisfied. Towards the middle of the book, Macy has some chaos involved in her life, something that is the farthest thing for normal for her. While involved, she realizes she likes a little bit of disorganization in her life. This small realization begins affecting her life in big, some bad and some good, ways. If Macy would have never expressed her opinion about the way she wanted to life her life, she would still be trying to achieve perfect, which she, along with the others, understand.

The characters are very important. Macy is a high school student, a senior to be exact, who is preparing to graduate the following year. Her mother is a very organized, hard working real-estate agent who is always on-the-go and hardly ever has time for her daughters, Macy and Caroline. The reason she is so busy could be a result of her husband and Macy's father's death only months ago. Jason is Macy's boyfriend. The summer in the setting of the book, Jason is gone to what Macy calls Brain Camp. Jason is very smart and has high expectations for himself and also for Macy. Delia is the head of Wish Catering, the catering company at Macy's house when she is exposed to disorganization. Wes is Delia's nephew and soon to be Macy's new best friend. Wes is the main person that helps Macy realize she'll never be perfect and also help her find out who she is.

I highly recommend this book. I've read it twice and I'm sure if I read it a third time it wouldn't get old. It's a very good book for young girls and has a good message.

374 pages

Twisted Book Review

2010-02-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Anderson's Twisted entertained me with it's "twisted" story about a high school student and the trouble he got into.

One theme of the book is to never judge a book by it's cover. After Tyler got into trouble with the law, everyone judged him and assumed he was an awful person to be around. Another theme would be to always be yourself, no matter what others may think or say. Tyler always saw himself as the nerd boy and it caused him to do something rebellious to get noticed. The consequences to his actions were not worth just getting noticed, and having other people's view of him changed.

Tyler is a high school student starting his senior year. He has always been very smart and thought of very highly by the people around him. In his mind, he was a wimpy nerd boy that was known as a loser. He wanted to change that. He spray painted part of the school and got caught so he had to do community service and was on probation. Throughout the book, Tyler sees the consequences to his decisions and how they have affected the new person he is. For example, he is framed for a few incidents t he wasn't involved in because of his past.

The main character in this book, Tyler, could very easily be related to students in high schools today. Everyone wants to fit in because it seems like it's the "cool" thing to do, but most of the time people are better off just being their self. I recommend this book very much. It's short and easy to read. Also, it's easy to get into so you're not bored halfway through the book.

Pro life VS Pro choice

2010-01-30T15:24:00.000-08:00

A woman having an abortion is choosing to have the fetus inside of her removed and killed. Some people are very strong opinionated on the subject of abortion. They may be very strong pro life, meaning against abortion, or pro choice, not necessarily meaning for it but also not against it. For me, I am for the most part pro life. I do not believe abortions are right for the situations most people consider it.

I don't know whether the fetus has thoughts or feelings while in the womb, but I do know that the woman and the people around her have feelings and memories. Not only is an abortion the killing of a baby, but the woman also has to live with it after. This could greatly affect not only the physical part of a woman but also the mental and emotional part.

The majority of people that are pro life are Christians. They believe, along with myself, that every child, starting the minute the egg is fertilized, has a soul and is a gift from God. One of the main verses that makes me believe abortion is wrong is found in Job 10: 8-12 which says "Your hands shaped me and made me. Will you now turn and destroy me? Remember that you molded me like clay. Will you now turn me to dust again? Did you not pour me out like milk... and knit me together with bones and sinews? You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit." In our world, there are many who are not Christians so it is hard to use the Bible to try to convince others to agree, but I do think it is a very good argument towards other Christians.

Another big part of my opinion on abortion is the methods they use. From the methods I have heard of and read, none of them in my opinion seem "not that bad" or "OK." To view some of the methods and facts and opinions about abortion go to http://www.buzzle.com/articles/facts-about-abortion.html.

Although I agree that women should have the choice of what is done with their own body, I do not believe that a baby inside of them is enough of their body for them to decide whether it lives or it dies.

Taking A Stand

2010-01-18T15:09:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, taking a stand takes very much courage so I have a lot of respect for people who take a stand on important topics. Most people think of taking a stand as someone taking a stand against something they disagree with. I think taking a stand could also be standing up or standing for something you think is correct or good.

A senior that is in my youth group recently took a stand on something she thought was very beneficial to the people of Africa and for teens in America. From what I gathered, she has always had a desire to be a missionary in Africa, so she asked one of her friends to help her put together a benefit concert that was going to be called Scarfest. This concert would help raise money to donate to an AIDS mission in Africa and to an organization called To Write Love on Her Arms, a nonprofit organization to give hope to those who struggle with depression, suicide, addictions, etc.

Not only was this stand for those organizations, but it was also christian based. She was also standing up for her belief in God. By taking a stand on this large of a subject and still being young, she displayed how courageous and how much faith she had in herself to make something like this be successful, which it was. I also believe she gained respect from the people around her and also gained faith from them. This act encouraged me to not be afraid to stand up for something I either agree or disagree about. It also helped me realize how much of an affect I can have on others by doing this.

Speak

2010-01-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Laurie Halse Anderson's Speak reminded me to never be afraid to share with others what I'm feeling.

Melinda is a high school student at Merryweather high, an everyday high school. The cliques are in their places and aren't welcoming any newcomers. Melinda use to be in a clique, the clique that was everyone's dream to be a part of, the popular group. Now, she is at the bottom of her school. Everyone knows her name, but only because she was the girl that called the cops at the biggest party of the summer. With no friends and no encouragement from her family, Melinda must find the courage from herself to finally admit what happened at the party.

The characters are very real to me. I can see Melinda being the girl that everyone is scared to be friends with because they know the reputation she has and what rumors will go around about them. I could feel the tension and nerves the first day back to school when she had to walk by all the cliques, every staring and disgusted. The author did a great job describing the clans and the members of those clans. For example, the Marthas were the goodie-two-shoes. She described how they were always doing volunteer projects and acting sweet, but how fake everyone knew they really were.

Connections were very easily made for me while reading Speak. Although I do not know how it feeling to be competely disowned by every student but one at school, I could relate to not knowing whether to speak up on some subjects and get the courage to. The theme of this was taking a stand. Many students change themselves to fit in with a group at school just so they can have friends. Melinda did not change herself at all and was satisfied with herself, even if it was with no friends. Also, she told someone about the problem that occured at the party and took a stand by calling the police.

I highly recommend this book to anyone. It is a good reminder that even very soft subjects that you may feel should just be left alone can really effect someone until they decide to get it out.

Taking A Stand

2010-01-13T19:03:00.000-08:00

I am a very quiet person around people I don't know very well. I am especially quiet when it comes to expressing my opinion and views are specific, touchy subjects. I'm definitely not known in school or any other place in town as the girl who will always stand up for what she believes in. I feel that the reason I do not express my opinions well is because I don't have enough information to back it up or I fear I will be proven wrong or embarrassed. I can recall one time that I did stand up for what I believed or thought was correct.

A very sensitive subject for myself is alcohol. I feel very uncomfortable when that word even comes up in conversation so there is no way in the world I would ever want to say anything about it. Many underage kids do drink alcohol because they believe it's "fun" or helps them have more fun during their free times. I, on the other hand, completely disagree.

A person I knew confronted me about her weekends and her partying experiences. She asked if I would want to join her one weekend and I quickly responded no. Trying to avoid further conversation about the the subject, a question was proposed by her, a question I did not want to be asked at all, "why?" I began explaining to her that it was unhealthy for people under 21 to drink and reasons to back it up. I also added that many end up alcoholics and since I already had that to worry about it I didn't want to add to the chances anymore.

After a very small stand being taken by myself, I realized that it wasn't horrible. No, I didn't have as much information as I should have to completely convince her that she shouldn't party and drink in her spare time, but I don't think even if I would have had that information it would have changed her mind. Knowing that she knew my all my views on that subject and remembering how I had expressed them made me feel a lot more comfortable when an uncomfortable subject was brought up in the future.

Julius Caesar

2009-12-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar taught me about the history of Julius Caesar. This book is a play of the tragic death of Caesar and other events surrounding his death.

Since the style of this book is a play, it is unique from most books that I've read. There is no narrarator so all the information from the book comes from the characters lines or voices. The whole time of reading the book, I had many different types of voices running through my head which helped me keep the characters kept apart and kept the lines from all running together. The writing style also uses vanacular from the times of Caesar. This made the book harder to read, but also helped the reader remember what times the book was set in and what the language the characters were actually speaking in.

The setting is very different from the world today. Obviously since it was written a very long time ago about an event that happened even longer ago.

In this play, Caesar is about to be crowned king of Rome. Caesar is a very respected man, so no one dares to oppose. Brutus loves Rome and would do anything to prevent the fall of this city. When Cassius agrees with him that the only way to prevent that fall is to murder Caesar, Brutus feels like he has no other choice. Brutus and Cassius convince several others to agree with their idea and soon create a plan.

I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Shakespeare's plays or anyone who is interested in history, Rome, or Julius Caesar.

Perfect

2009-12-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

Natasha Friend's Perfect taught me that no one is perfect. In Perfect, a young girl Isabelle has always wanted to be part of the "in" crowd. This would include being best friends with Ashley Barnum, the prettiest girl in school. Isabelle's looks and family just does work good enough to get her in. When Belle's mom catches her making herself throw up, she sends her to Group. Isabelle didn't know what to expect from group, but the last thing she expected was for Ashley Barnum to walk in.

The main characters in this book, like in most, are very important. These characters display average teenage students perfectly. They worry about the same things, and fear the same things as every day people. Isabelle is a young girl trying to be perfect at everything and getting jealous of everyone she sees. She feels like she would almost do anything to just fit in Ashley's group. Ashley is the perfect girl. She has the perfect hair, body, smile, face, clothes, anything anyone would ever want. But Isabelle will soon realize you can't judge a book by it's cover.

Isabelle is in high school. She is trying to figure out how to deal with her father's death. Her mother pretends like nothing is wrong and will never speak about Isabelle and her sister's father. Little does her mother know, Isabelle hears her crying and saying her father's name every night while they're suppose to be sleeping. Isabelle's sister who she refers to as Ape Face told on her when she found her sister pucking in the bathroom, Isabelle had forgotten to lock the door. When Isabelle is sent to Group she soon find out her and Ms. Perfect, Ashley, are not very different after all.

I strongly recommend this book for girls who struggle with self-confidence or struggle with being a perfectionist.

Same Kind of Different As Me

2009-12-14T15:37:00.000-08:00

Hall and Moore's Same Kind of Different As Me touched me with it's real life story of two very different men cecoming best friends.

This book demonstrates how real people overcome struggles thorugh putting their trust in God and accepting others who are different from themselves. One wealthy man and one very poor slave come together ny God displaying his love through a very special woman, Miss Debbie. This book is based on a true story, so it is easy to feel the characters coming to life throughout the book. By falling in love with the characerts, I could not stop reading. The way each character overcame the struggles they faced was very encouraging. In each chapter, one character would be speaking in a first person tone. This contributed to the book because it makes the reader read the book on a more personal level. Almost as if each character is talking to only them, not everyone else reading the book too.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is searching for an over all good, encouraging book. Also, for people who have a hard time with pride and reaching out to others, and ones who are struggling understanding the power of God.

Say My Name

2009-12-14T15:03:00.001-08:00

Have you ever thought about themeaning behind your name? Many people don't realized how important a name to someone is. After all, it is what everyone calls you and what everyone will call you the rest of your life.

My name, Andrea, means "manly." Not as in manlike, but as in strong and courageous. In my opinion, my parents chose the completely wrong name. However, research shows that more people with the name of Andrea end up pursuing a career in the medical field. I have always wanted to be a surgeon. My first name was chosen by my dad because he wanted to be named after himself, Andy. They chose Andrea between Andrea and Andi.

My middle name, on the other hand, came from my grandmas on both sides of my family. One grandma's middle name is Jean, and the other's is Marie. Hence, Jean-Marie.

My last name, Davidson, along with very many others, was my fathers last name and my mother's also.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

I believe anyone living in the United States has many things to be thankful for. Ten things I am most thankful for are:

1. Jesus- Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. He has saved me from my sins and loves me more than anyone ever could.

2. My family- Without my family I wouldn't be here today. My parents are always there to encourage me in whatever I aim to do. My brother and sister have both set wonderful examples for me to follow, and are always there when i might need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on.

3. My friends- It's hard for many people to get up and go to school everyday. If I did not have my friends I might not survive everyday at school. They're always there to cheer me up if I'm feeling down about going to school that day or even if I'm having a bad day.

4. Freedom

5. My education- I am very privileged to have the oppourtunity to go to school everyday and recieve an education that will help me be successful as I grow up.

6. Food- There are many people around the world who do not have more than 1 meal a day. I can be certain to have as much food as I need in one day.

7. Enough money- I never have to worry about my family running out of money or going in debt. I have always had confidence that we will have more than enough money to make it through.

8. My house.

9. My health- I have never had any major health problems or any problems that could cause me to die at a very young age.

10. My cell phone.

"We Are What We Repeatedly Do" -Aristotle

2009-11-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey helped me realize some of my worst habits and some of my best habits.

My favorite habit was Habit 1: Be proactive. It was a really good way to begin the book and helped me get excited about reading the rest of the book. This habit talks about taking responsibility for your life and the decisions you make. A wonderful quote related to this habit was by Abraham Lincoln, "People are just about as happy as they make their mind to be." Some days whenever I first get up, I tell myself I'm just having a bad day. As that day comes to an end, I soon realize that if I would have changed my attitude that morning, I could have had a much more enjoyable day.

Habit 4: Win-win, needs some work in my life. Most of the time if things don't go my way I get very irritated. Especially when things don't go the way I want and the other person involved get exactly what they were wanting, maybe a little extra. I also get worked up when I have to "split" getting the way with another person. This habit showed me that having a win-win attitude can get you so much farther than a Win-Lose attitude.

One of my favorite quotes from this book was, "Differences create the challenges in life that open the door to discovery." Many times I find myself staying away from any type of change, but this quote kind of inspired me to go towards differences and discoveries.

This book helped me a lot in finding out what areas of life I need to improve on, and showing ways to make those improvements. It is very highly recommended for any type of student.

Reading: Love it or Hate it?

2009-10-24T13:07:00.000-07:00

For many students, and adults, reading is something you either love or hate. The difference between loving and hating for some is knowing how to pick out a book to read that you can enjoy. The majority of people you ask say they don't like reading because they just can't get into or interested in the book. Here are a few steps that may help with picking out your next book to read:

1. Find your level of difficulty for your reading. Many people read try reading books that are too advanced for them and cannot understand, or reading books that are too easy and do not challenge them at all by reading.

2. Pick a genre you enjoy reading. For example, if you've never been interested in reading mysteries it wouldn't be a good idea to pick up a mystery book and expect to enjoy it very much. This isn't to say you should stick to only one genre.

3. Choose an author. When choosing an author, find one who writes about stories you're interested in. If the genre you choose is mystery, but you don't enjoy scary mysteries, don't pick an author who only writes mysteries that are scary.

4. Select the book! Find a book by the author you chose, the genre you chose, the difficulty you chose, and about a topic you're interested in.

Thirteen Reasons Why

2009-10-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why affected me greatly with its tragedy of a teenage girl.

This book reminds people to think before they speak and to think carefully about what they're going to say to someone and how much it will affect them. Throughout this book one girl, Hannah, is affected more than expected from small comments and incidents that happen to her within a few years. Some of the people involved would never believe that little remark they said would lead her to commit suicide.

Asher does a wonderful job relating this fictional high school student, Hannah, to many student in today's high school world. Also, many of the other characters, one being Clay, are very similar. Clay is an average high school student who still has a crush on the new girl, Hannah. He doesn't realize that their talk at one party, a party neither of them planned on being at, could save her life.

Although this book does not relate to me on a personal level, it could relate to some teenagers who have considered suicide or "bully" others at school often. It only took thirteen incidents to cause one teenage girl to commit suicide, and these events are revealed to the thirteen people through tapes she left on one person's doorstep the night before.

This book is strongly recommended for junior high and high school students and even teachers. It reminds you how to treat others in your everyday life.

288 pages

The Invisible Man

2009-10-05T18:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wished you could just turn invisible for one day? What about for the rest of your life? In this book, one doctor wishes to be invisible. One thing he does not think of it how others will treat him, or if they'll treat him anyway at all. He comes up with a disguise where no part of his skin, his invisible skin, shows. He wraps himself up front head to toe.

He begins considering all the things he could do unseen. One night, he takes off all of his clothes so no one can see him. The Invisible Man begins getting angry with the world because no one will help him, and no one will believe there could really be an invisible man. This anger builds up in the Invisible Man, and he begins venting out his anger by harming others. Now, the Invisible Man must find someone to help him get the cure, and the town must find a way to catch the Invisible Man before more murders are committed.

Breaking Dawn

2009-09-17T18:24:00.000-07:00

Would you risk your life for the one you loved? What about a stranger? Stephenie Meyer's Breaking Dawn captivated me with its romance and action scenes.
Breaking Dawn includes two themes. One could be to never give up on something you love. Although Edward is a vampire, Bella loved him and became a vampire so she could be with him. Another one might be to fight for anything that is important to you. The Cullens knew they were going to all die, but they kept fighting because Renesmee was so important to them.
Even though there is nothing that really stands out about Stephenie Meyers writing style, I enjoy the way she writes very much. She is very descriptive in her writing, and almost makes you feel like you're going through the exact same things as the characters. Meyer can make you hurt for the characters when they're hurting, and makes you feel joy for them when they feel joy.
The characters in this book are very similar to the romance novels I have read before. There is obviously the boy and girl who fall in love, but unlike in other books, this love was never meant to be. Bella and Edward, the main Characters, seem to come to life. Although Edward is not the ideal boyfriends, seeing as how he is a vampire, any girl fallins in love with him. In the beginning, I did not like Bella. I thought she was too plain and wasnt the type of characer the author should have put in her position. As i kept reading, I began to love this character and could not think of anyone better. In my opinion, the characers more than anything make the book as great as it is.
Breaking Dawn has more htan one setting. Wherever the setting is, Meyer makes you feel like you're there. In one part of the book, Bella and Edward are running through the woods, and the author is so descriptive I could have closed my eyes and seen everything they were seeing in the woods. Some of the book's settings are very easy to picture while some are made up, and are harder to picture in your head at first.
Throughout the book, and the books before in the series, everything is going perfect for the characters and one small detail will change the story so much you don't want to put the book down until you finish. In this sotry, Bella and Edward get married. Bella realizes she has to make a huge decision in the next few weeks. Will she become a vampire and live forever or not? WHile on her and Edward's honeymoon, something starts growing inside of her. Bella is pregnant. When the Cullens realize the thing inside Bella is slowly killing her, they all know it can't be a human baby. Will this creature be so dangerous that the Volturi, the law of the camprites, will be invloved? When the story writes over to the point of Jacob, he also has very important decisions to make. He must decide whether to keep fighting for the girl he's always loved, Bella, even if she is about to become a werewolf's worst enemy. He also must decide whether that love is enough to betray his own kind for.
Even though I have not fallen in love with a vampire, I was able to connect with all the characters in many ways.
This book is hihghly recommended for readers who have finished the books Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. Stephenie Meyer finishes this series in a way that will keep you satisfied, not leaving you with unanswerred questions.

754 pages

Teachers

2009-09-10T12:46:00.001-07:00

Many students look forward to certain classes more than others. One reason for this is the teachers. The teaching style of teachers has a major effect on how much the students will learn. Some teachers, for example, decorate their room and make their room more appealing and comfortable for their students. This would definitely be a better learning environment. Also, the background the teachers know on the subject they are teaching is a major effect.

A teacher making his or her room relevant to the subject they're teaching helps students get more "in the mood" for the class and become more excited about the class. If a teacher's room is dull with no posters or posters not relating to the class, the students will have a harder time focusing on the correct subject. For example, in my current English room there are books everywhere and comfortable chairs to sit in. This makes the class more welcoming. If there were blank walls and all the chairs were the same in all the same order, it would be harder for students to focus and easier for them to get bored with the class.

Every student learns better if the teacher not only knows what they're teaching out of the book, but also more background information on the subject. This makes answering questions from the students easier for the teacher to answer and for the student to understand the answer. Teachers who know no background information on the subject make it harder for the students to understand some explanations, which can lead to the students making lower grades.

Cell phones

2009-09-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Many people disagree about whether cell phones have a positive or negative influence on people. I think they have had both. Cell phones can get in the way of some things, but they have also helped in certain areas.

They have helped families by making it easier for parents to talk to their children when they're not in the same area as them, and it's easier for children to talk to their parents. The use of cell phones have also helped younger people be more social because it is easier to talk to others more often.

Cell phones have negative influences, too. Although they have helped teens socially, they have also hurt them. The use of text messaging has caused some teens to not be capable of carrying on a normal converstaion with others since they only know how to say something to someone by typing it out. It also causes teens to say things they might not ever say to someone if they were standing right next to them. With school work, cell phones have oftened interfered. Many students are so addicted to texting they have to do it during school hours. This could cause them to learn less since they can't pay as much attention in class.