Finally It's Over

It seems that we have been doing these blogs forever. When i first heard we would be doing such an interesting project throughout the entire year I was exciting, but boy how wrong I was. Though sometimes having a blog instead of regular homework has been fun, it's mostly been a pain. Every Friday night as I'm out with friends I take a second to think, and more often than not I remember that I've forgotten to update my blog. But I think we did this easily forgotten blog because it is training us for the rest of our high school careers. Not only are we taught responsibility, but we are also forced to use our newly learned knowledge in an environment that seems a little less school based. We have covered everything starting with just free writing with Writing About Reading, though I still feel mostly the same way about books I did back then I don't feel like I took advantage of one of the easiest blog posts of the year. Instead of showing myself through my work in most of the first five blog posts, I tried to use higher diction, and make myself out to be someone I know I'm not, just to empress the teacher. But one thing I definitely slacked on was annotating, when I started The Invisible Man, I had no idea what I was doing, all I knew was how hard it was to cram five little sticky notes into one chapter. Yet I still loved the book, and after reading my post again I realize how much of an impact the book had on my English learning. Using the blog as an output of this learning helped even more, I discussed theme and it was the first time theme really made sense to me. But theme isn't the only literary element we covered, we also did imagery in my post Bloody Memories, where I described a big event in my life. And after imagery we did characterization in my post Characterization:Beth, as we went through the literary elements I finally understood them. I think that I understand motif solely because of blogger. We have read many books this year, and for each one I have written multiple posts on themes, motifs, symbols, and any other element you can think of. When I wasn't writing about just class reading books, I wrote of which books I will be reading this summer, in post Summer Reading. The main meaning of this blog became apparent by the end of the year when we had to comment on other peoples blogs more and more often. As I read the posts that weren't my own, I could see the writers start to understand what they were writing about more and more as they made it to the end of the post. I felt this too, even in this post. The quote I'm choosing to reflect this entire work is this, "Many a time I sit and wonder why/This race so - so very hard to run,/Then I say to my soul: take courage,/Battle to be won," This is by Bob Marley. I chose this because the battle to be won is English class, and the blog is my courage to win the battle of English class. Over all this blog has been frustrating, a fun experience, and a great learning tool. So good bye blog, old friend.

Summer Reading

Though it was a possibility to read this during the school year i haven't wanted to because I just want to enjoy it, this book is The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel. I want to read this because pi is a conundrum of math, and because this book had been suggested to me by man friends and family members. The second book is The Giver by Lois Lowry, I want to read this because many of my friends read this last summer, and it's supposed to be a fun read. No matter which book I'm reading this summer I'm still very excited for summer.

Dreams

When I was around five or so, I had the same dream for about a week, it was exactly like the one Beth (my twin sister had) In it my entire family would be outside on a porch enjoying some sun, then out of no where a giant T-Rex would run in and eat my family. For months after this dream I was terrified to go out side, and tried to convince the rest of my family to stay inside with me. Though this dream never came true, in Romeo and Juliet, it seems dreams are used to for shadow Romeo and Juliet's deaths. But like Marcutio said said, dreams aren't real, and if they are i won't have time to think about it if dinosaurs are running around eating people up.

RomeO and JulieX

This week as I was slacking, and procrastinating on all my homework, I went to hulu an online TV website. As always I looked for the newest episode of the Simpson's. Within just the first two minutes of this episode, The Squirt and the Whale, there was a reference to Romeo and Juliet. It was very short, but during an add on the Simpson's TV they have characters kissing each other. I can't explain exactly what happened but just copy and past this link and you'll find it at two minutes. http://www.hulu.com/watch/141735/the-simpsons-the-squirt-and-the-whale

English What a Blast

Well this year has passed faster then I could have hoped. Somehow school didn't seem so boring this year. No doubt that's partly because of English. In class we've covered more then I've ever gone over in any English class, and finally things make sense. Before high school I was a horrible speller, slow reader, and definitely not the best essay writer. But thanks to you Mrs. Gilman I've got a hold on this language I speak every day. During the summer i wasn't sure about this Honors English thing. How could I do well in an Honors class if I could barely handle regular English. But with Beth's encouragement I read that book and wrote that essay. During that time I saw all these strange words motif included. At first I thought it was motive or something, boy was I wrong. I still don't have a full grasp on what it means, but I don't think anyway does. So to sum up this entire blog post...This English class has taught me more then I expected, and I'm glad I made the decision to go to Honors English.

Skits

My first pick for a skit in class would have to be when Miss. Havisham catches on fire, here is my short description. After Pip has left Miss. Havisham's, he imagines her hanging. As he turns to look back into the house, Pip sees Miss. Havisham catch on fire. He ends up saving her and burning himself as well. This short scene makes a good skit because of the action, and the impact it has on Miss. Havisham and on Pip. My second favorite scene is in the very beginning, when Pip is assaulted by Magwitch in the graveyard. Pip goes to his parents grave, but the Magwitch sees his and lifts him onto a gravestone. Demanding food and drink. After being forced to stay home awhile because of Mrs. Joe, Pip finally gets the food to Magwitch. This would be a great skit, because this one event changed Pips life forever. In both good and bad ways. My final scene is when Pip learns of his great expectations. He is listening to Wopsle read a murder story in the pub, when a man starts to questions Wopsle about some details. He then introduces himself to Pip as Jaggers, though Pip had already seen him before he did not yet know that he was a lawyer. Jaggers proceeds to tell Pip about his inherited fortune. Pip's life is irreversibly changed after this. He even gives up Joe, which is why I think it so important. Though there are many great parts to this book, these are my favorite three so far.

UNDERSTANDING

Things are starting to make sense, and most questions are being answered. My question doesn't seem to have much content but once I explain it will be relevant. But I want to know how the convict found him after so many years. This happens in chapter 39 pg. 315. Was the convict keeping tabs on him for all those years? Did he look for years before he could find him? Thanks for your answers in advance!

Question

My question isn't about Pip but of Joe. When he is in the presence of his friends, he shows his intelligence. But when mingling with people of a higher class, Joe instantly seems to dumb down, incapable of even an easy decision. Like when he meets Herbert. "I'll take which ever is most agreeable to yourself." Herbert-"What do you say to coffee?" Joe-"Thankee, sir," returned Joe, evidently dispirited by the proposal, "since you are so kind as make chice of coffee, I will not run contrairy to your own opinions." As this quote expressed, Joe wouldn't out right declare what he wanted. Instead saying as little as possible, making him only seem dimmer. So why is it that Joe lowers himself in front of higher class?

Photo-Great Expectations

I think this photo represents who Pip is, and who he wishes to become in chapter seventeen. On the left is who Pip really is, he resents himself and is ashamed of who he is. But on the right is Pip dressed in high class cloths, staring at himself in a mirror. For he is now happy, for the time, as a gentleman, staring at himself with pleasure. There is a question mark in the back round because I don't think he will be happy for long as a gentleman, he may even want to return to his former life as a black smith.

The First Stage

The quote is of Pip recalling his first time at Miss. Havisham's, when he was forced to go by Mrs. Joe. Eventually Pip didn't need to be forced because of Estella. Even though her emotions toward Pip are quite different, she completely changes his life. Before he knew her, he could have been content as a blacksmith, but after his introduction, he becomes ashamed of his family, and the social class he is forced to live in.

Many people, and events have altered me. One of the things I think about the most happened about six years ago, when I lived on a farm. We had three horses, one for Pete on for my mom and Beth, then one for me. I was always attached to my moms horse by a lead, this way I couldn't loose control of the horse and run away. But on a nice day I felt ready, so i told my mom and she let me go. she did. At first it when smoothly, and i kept Captain(my horse) under control. But the closer we got to home the more Captain sped up. Just a couple hundred yards from home, he bolted toward the gate, everyone was left behind me. Just feet before we hit the fence Captain stopped, sending me flying off of him. For a while after this i wouldn't go near the horses, but finally I learned the lesson, "If you get bucked off, just hop back on and try again." Since then, I have used this experience frequently, using failure to push me and help me succeed.

The Importance of being Ernest Body Paragraph

As you guys know I am writing about the relationship between Jack/Ernest and Gwendolen, and how opposites attract. My first detail is Jack questioning is Gwendolen would still love him if his name wasn't Ernest. This shows how opposites attract because Jack loves everything about Gwendolen, while Jack only loves the thought of being with someone named Ernest.
My second detail is when Gwendolen tell Cecily she is to young and pretty to be around Jack. The point I got from this is how Gwendolen thinks men can't have young women around them. Jack is different he keeps Cecily out of kindness not physical attraction. I haven't got my final detail and commentary, but it will be similar to the first two. Good luck with your paragraphs.

The Importance of Being Ernest

The research we did helped me in several ways. First of all I can understand the culture and etiquette in the play better then i would have other wise. Like the way Algernon and Jack fight in the end of act two. Instead of yelling the keep mostly calm and target their aggression at other things, like muffins. Also it helps me understand the humor better, there are many things i don't know but know I can see Victorian jokes and puns just a little better.
If I had not done research i would also be confused as to the way Algernon and Jack ask for their brides hands in marriage. In both cases they haven't known the women very long, no more then months which is almost unheard of now a days. But in the Victorian Era women would marry young, and possibly many times. Once married their lives became more interesting, they could get schooling and flirt with more men. All and all I'm appreciate the research we did much more now that I've started ready The Importance of Being Ernest.