Final Blog Post

I enjoy reading during free time because it is just like a present, waiting to be opened and to see what is inside. I make time for reading in my life in any extra moments I feel tired or when I do not have homework. The biggest obstacles are many other time commitments. The best reading experience this year was during testing to make it very easy to read. Being able to choose the book important to me is very important, because most of the time I only read books that I enjoy. In the future I hope to read more books and in increasing difficulty.

Blogging is like carrying a load. The best part of blogging was being able to see how others approached it and what books they enjoyed reading to also try reading. Making my thoughts public online helps others develop their thoughts and put it out as well as showcasing who I am. In order to make blogging a more important part, allow people to freely explain what they are doing to make it not seem forced.

Freshman year was definitely new, and like exploring something new. I definitely grown as a student and changing my studying habits with a new look on school. Some challenges I faced this year that helped me was some overwhelming homework or tests that I studied for. Extracurricular activities also help shape who you are. In sophomore year I hope I continue to enjoy school and do well. 

New book as semester closes

Hello Everyone!

Since I finished Of Mice and Men, I'll start by wrapping that book up and discussing a new book that I started reading.

At the ending, John Steinbeck brilliantly returns to the original beautiful scene that Lennie and George had been standing with each other at. Many subtle differences expresses the danger that might proceed.
"A silent head and beak lanced down and plucked it out by the head, and the beak swallowed the little snake while its tail waved frantically." shows the danger of the snake who was affected by forces he could not control just like Lennie.

Lennie begins to imagine about what George would say and his Aunt Clara, and brings the emotional part out of this story. When George comes back, it is very depressing, as we know something bad will happen, but George passes it off and acts happy and forgiving.

When George makes the necessary decision, we know that it was his only option, as that would be totally out of character otherwise. In this cruel world where their dreams never came true, none of the other workers even understand why he did this except Slim.

Also, I began reading the Lord of the Flies. This discusses a plot where many British boys are stranded on an island.
The author uses body shapes to show different representations of characters into our society. Ominously the author describes the horrors of society coming out.

In a word, a slice of perspective Mary Schmidt

The author of this article is Mary Schmidt, a writer for Chicago Tribune.
In this piece, the author makes the reader feel guilty, and makes them want to feel bad for the people who have such depressing parts of their lives. The author does this very effectively through her own personal anecdote and current events around the world with people losing so much, with references to the earthquake in China and typhoons.
At the end of the story, the author's last words are the most resonant within readers. "But in this world of cyclones and earthquakes, a lot of us have potato chips to spare" (Schmidt, 2). We remember the less fortunate, and she wants us to remember to give and help other people.
This article tells us to promote helping others and even in desperate situations, know that other people are sharing the same pain or even worse. "Compared to them," she said, "I have a lot." Quotes her mentally disabled sister. Who is in such a terrible condition, but still empathizes for far worse off people.

Throughout this article,the author uses many different methods to support the message. She plays with paragraph length, using short paragraphs to emphasize certain points. By switching from elevated diction to lower diction, the author can sound formal and be serious while laughing and making different jokes as well. "I knew it meant 10 potato chips, seven Triscuits and never quite enough ice cream." is an example of low level diction to connect with the reader.

This column reminds people about humanity. To society, it provides an even greater challenge to improve our society, help out other individuals. Since this column was written, it reminds us of many forgotten morals that our society needs to remember. This reminds us that if you are well off, remember these other people who aren't as fortunate.

Midway through book

As of now, I read through most of the book Of Mice and Men. A lot has happened, and John Steinbeck has made it very action filled.
One of the most important events was the killing of Candy's dog. The fact that it grew old and useless from its use is what caused it to be killed. Candy feels very threatened that this will happen to him. Sadly, that is part of our world, where we dispose of the useless and weak. Candy must feel very threatened, and joins into the American Dream of Lennie and George.
Lennie and Curley get into a fight. Curley feels threatened when he can't find his wife, and immediately blames it on Lennie. Curley feels that Lennie is stupid, and purposely attacks him. George had told Lennie not to fight and hurt people, so Lennie doesn't resist as the champion boxer hits him. After a while, Lennie does fight back and crushes Curley's hand.
One of the depressing parts of the book is revealed as Crooks, the lonely colored worker, tries to tell innocent Lennie about his dream. "I seen hunderds of men come by on the road an’ on the ranches, with their bindles on their back an’ that same damn thing in their heads. Hunderds of them. They come, an’ they quit an’ go on; an’ every damn one of ‘em’s got a little piece of land in his head. An’ never a God damn 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 gets no land. It’s just in their head."(pg. 36). As Crooks tells this to Lennie, Steinbeck makes a huge point.
The American Dream doesn't always come true, and the victim here is Lennie and Candy. They hold on so tightly to this belief, and throughout the book this is proved wrong. A place to have freedom in your own decisions and actions is so difficult to find.

Mice and Men post

Recently, I started Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. The plot takes place during the Great Depression. Two migrant workers are traveling to California, and are ditched by the bus a ways from the actual farm.
The two characters we can meet in the beginning are Lennie and George. From the way Lennie speaks, we could tell Lennie has mental issues, and George consistently gets angry with this. George even goes on how it would be easier for him to work by himself. Lennie also gets them in trouble often, in particular trying to snatch the girls dress, because Lennie likes touching soft things.
George is described as "Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, and wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely"(pg. 2). These references shows the differences among these two men, one being large, and the other smaller. George is the smaller man.
One thing that was very inspiring about their story is their dream of having their own farm. This is very similar to the American Dream that everyone inspired to achieve in their own lives. Whether they accomplish this will probably be an essential part of John Steinbeck's reasoning for this book.
Other characters are Carlson, Candy, Curley, Slim, and Curley's wife. All these characters on the farm appeal to the dynamic duo in different ways. Curley's wife tries to flirt, and Curley is very mean and arrogant.

Raven Poem

From the classical poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe, one immediately develops a melancholy tone from reading. The fact that it is midnight, and described as dreary and bleak in December contribute to the overall sad mood.
The main character, the narrator, was sleeping and reading when the plot takes a twist. His wife had died, whom he loved named Lenore. A raven comes in, and the narrator starts asking it questions.
The raven only knew how to say nevermore. This comes back again and again to make the narrator more and more depressed.

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore:
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore!"	95
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

95 stanza, after this the narrator practically goes insane, combined with the terror of never seeing his wife again, he couldn't take it and went crazy. Even as he realizes the raven only knows this word, he asks more and more painful questions, and the raven responds with the same word.
Overall, we learn that this main character has continually fallen into distress and repeatedly hurts himself after losing his wife.

Fahrenheit Analysis Post

As Mrs. Phelps slammed the door of Mildred's house, she stalked off  towards her own home.
Mrs. Bowles, "I can't believe he would want to hurt someone like that, this fireman is evil." Mrs. Bowles, incredibly angry, left immediately.
Mrs. Phelps, with wet tears still on her face, thought back to the poem. It seemed to be sad, and miserable. As she got back to her house, Mrs. Phelps rushed to her phone, and called the firemen. A gruff voice picked up, and she stated "Fireman Montag has possession of a multitude of books, and should be arrested immediately."
She sat down to her couch, and thought back to her husband. Pete definitely was coming back soon, they always end war very quickly. Drifting, her thoughts touched on Mrs. Bowles' children, what a nuisance, and what a pain to deal with.
As she began watching the wall screen, her mind wasn't on the continuous fast pace shows. Mrs. Phelps could only think of the poem, [The world] To lie before us like a land of dreams, so various, so new, Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light... Mrs. Phelps thought in horror, could that be our world, could it really be how we function. Was I the ignorant one in that room? What are we being ignorant about? As these questions churned around her head, she only could sit in fear of her own society.
Suddenly, her phone started ringing, an automatic voice call. Wow, what could this be? As she picked up, she struggled to remain aware of her position and the society as a monotone voice told her husband had died in the war.