its finally the end!!

Oh my gosh!!! Its finally over; the real journey begins. My school career has been a very interesting experience. From our school to the news to where it is now; it has been a big change. I have been at the same high school for 4 years and i can say that it made me the person I am today. Everything was the same ole same ole until I reached 11th grade,when I got in AP Language. That was a huge transformation. My teacher Ms day challenge us to be the best we could be and knew when we were not. This class introduced me to things that I have not been challenged to do. Going into 12th grade I had to take her again because I did not want to go to a regular; that would have been a big change. The downfall of taking this class as a senior is that we as a whole class got senioritis; we did not want to do anything. Even though we was lazy, when it was that time to get our work in, we completed it and went back to being lazy. This year and the whole experience of high school was extremely tiresome. However, it was worth it coming out number 8 in my class. I must say I will miss the times we had in this class:debates,laughs,sometimes the work and jokes. Awwww man its finally the end , time to start at college!!!!:-)

Interview with August Wilson

In the Interview with August Wilson,David Savran and August Wilson displayed many truths about African Americans and society today.Reading the interview, "we're all like our parents' caught my attention because it is truthful. Our parents teach us as Wilson states " the things we are taught  in life , how to respond to the world, our sense of morality - everything, we get from them" shows that he's  not putting all the blame on parents. He indirectly says that even though you are like your parents you control your own life. Wilson puts the blame on no one while  explaining himself on how he feels about today's society.   The interview displayed reality among-ts the society.

Tragedy of the Common Man

     I found Arthur Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man” to be surprisingly interesting.  I think that the common man is actually even more tragic than any king or higher power.  I agree with Arthur Miller saying “the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were”.  Characters really connect with me if they are relatable.   The common man is much more relatable to me than a king or god..  On the other hand, I feel like Arthur Miller’s Willy Lowman was much more relatable and therefore I greatly enjoyed Death of a Salesman and found Willy a “common man” to be very tragic.  Willy was a character “who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing-his sense of personal dignity”.  Willy spent his whole life looking for his dignity and will sacrifice anything to achieve the American Dream.  There was nothing wrong with Willy wanting to have pride and live a successful life.  His  flaw was “not necessarily a weakness” but prevented him from enjoying his life and being happy.  A common man is more relatable than Kings, Gods, and the fairy-tales they introduce people to.

On Close Reading

In Peter Rabinowitz "On Close Reading" he explains the various types of reading and  the effects they have on the reader. I appreciate how he understands that we should not read that same piece over and over again because your mind can not grow if you keep reading the same things.Mr. Rabinowtz sort of gives you a new way to think; he makes you understand that being open minded is actually good for you. while reading this I understood more that it is important to read different types of literature to understand how people write and perceive things. This reading was the honest truth.

On the minimalist Fiction

In John Barth's "Minimalist Fiction" he talks about minimalist fiction is and  preaches less is more.When I read this I found it strange that the author was emphasizing less is more but throughout the writing he used  parenthesis and constantly used ellipsis. The author also conveyed that a writing needs to be simple and straight to the point so people can understand. I quite frankly can understand where John Barth is explaining because sometimes i just want to read a book or any type of writing that is straight forward and to the point.  John Barth writing is very realistic and easy to relate to.

On the danger of reading fiction

The story “On the Danger of Reading Fiction”, Thomas Jefferson clearly shows his hostilty for reading fiction novels. Jefferson has stated that fiction novels are “time lost in that reading” and thinks it should be instructively employed. It is obvious that if a person read this that they would get offfended about the comments about fiction reading.  Jefferson’s take on fiction novels takes a very negative and closed-minded approach. while, reading this i saw that it was crystal clear that Jefferson does not like ficton. It is understandable why the author felt this way about fiction because fiction is just an imagination and it can infect the mind. However, fiction is not all bad; it can be enjoyable to read.

FIGURES OF SPEECH

Figures of speech is defined as a way of saying one thing in the terms of saying something else. Many poets, writers, and inteligent people use figure of speech to capture the imagination of a reader; it puts an image in a person's head. Examples of figures of speech are: similes, metaphors and oxmorons. The author of Figures of  speech proposed an example of figures of speech with saying  "the diner leaped from the table and roared at the waiter," by using this vivid sentence, it painted the picture of a heated diner wanting to attack the waitor;using this sentence, it compares the diner to an animal. Many people respond more to figurative language rather than literal language because it grabs your attention.

Figuring out Metaphors

       In the perspective Figuring out Metaphors, It explains the usage of metaphors and the way people perceive  metaphors.A metaphor is a trope or figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things that actually have something in common. For example, Sally is a block of ice and Sam is a pig are some metaphors that people understand easily. People can understand that this is a metaphor because a block of ice is dull and unemotional.Metaphors are used for variety reasons such as sarcasm, exaggeration, or repetition. Metaphors are used for creation to add flare in the poem or story to make it more fancy.

On the words in poetry

     In the poem on the words in Poetry, the author Dylan Thomas, professes his love of words in a poem.  He loves the rhymes,symbolism,and nursery rhymes. He is very descriptive in his perspective of poetry, for example, he stated," the first poems I knew were nursery rhymes, and before I could read them for myself I had come to love just the words of them, the words alone." He shows the passion of the words that were felt in the first poem he read and love what the words stood for.  I agree with the author because poems have a way of establishing emotion and creativity. My first poem was from the Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Hams, as a kindergarten student I was impressed  of the rhymes, creativity, and descriptive imagery Dr Seuss used.   Words used in poems should be treated like a painter to art. 

Billy Collins

          In the introduction to poetry is simply about Billy Collins putting his thoughts on how a poem should be read.  I think he is giving the reader instruction about how to approach poems, not simply stating that analysis is beating the poem. He invites  the joy that poetry brings us but there is a tonal shift, which warns the reader not to over analyse.The poem states that poems are living things, that they are alive. Collins uses personification, metaphors, and similes to prove his point.  Collins wants students to fully immerse themselves within a poem and enjoy it as well as discovering what its deeper meaning is. Students should try to find the meaning themselves rather than trying to get the poem to tell them what it means.

Death of a Salesman

  Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman is the story of a man, Willy Loman, gone deaf to the outside world. Even though many try to help him, he shuts them out and creates his own reality in which he is successful and loved by everyone. In Death of a Salesman, Willy has many influences both good and bad attempting to direct his life.

   One negative influence in Willy's life is the inability of his friends to confront him about his problems. It is Willy's wife that causes him the most harm; in her vain attempt to protect Willy, she actually allows his eventual death. The first sign of her negligence comes in one of Willy's flashbacks. Willy brags, "I did five hundred gross in Providence and seven hundred gross in Boston". However, as Linda begins counting his commission, the value rapidly diminishes to "roughly two hundred gross on the whole trip"(35). Linda sees what is happening but dos not say anything. A very similar situation occurs later in their life when she finds out that Willy is no longer on salary, but borrows money every week from Charley. By not saying anything, Willy in either of these, Linda allows him to sink further into his false reality. But Linda makes an even worse mistake that allows for Willy's suicide. She acknowledges his suicidal tendencies when she says, "He's been trying to kill himself.” She tells the boys that she has found the rubber hose in the basement, but she still will not confront Willy. Another character who is unable to be straight with Willy is Willy's boss Howard Wagner. Howard allows Willy to keep his job, but does not pay him. If he had just fired him right out; it would of forced Willy to find a new job. By stringing him along, Howard allows Willy to maintain his fantasy world unchallenged. These areexamplesofthemostnegativeinfluencesinWilly'slife
       To start off, the only people who want to help Willy are those who he least listens to. In fact the two best influences on Willy come from the same family. Bernard grew up with Biff and Happy but chose a much different path. At a key time in Biff's life, Bernard warns "If he doesn't buckle down he'll flunk". In this scene Bernard is trying to tell Willy that he is influencing the wrong values in his sons who are destined for failure. Willy however does not want to listen to Bernard because he has the most popular and athletic son in town. But even later when Willy sees Bernard's success he will not listen. Bernard sees that Willy is still holding on to a job that is not working for him and tells him "sometimes, Willy, it's just better for a man to walk away". Willy can only respond by asking "But if you can't walk away?" Charley, Bernard's father, even takes trying to help Willy a step farther. Charley sees early on that Willy's job is not working out and begins offering him a job. Charley continues to offer this job until the end. And even though Willy refuses to take a job from Charley, Charley continues to loan Willy the money he needs every week knowing he will never get paid back. In this play Charley and Bernard are the only characters from the beginning to the end that truly do everything they can to help.
       Because Willy does not want to listen to the outside world, he is forced to create his own sources of guidance.  Ben appears to the audience in the form of Willy's flashbacks. He excites Willy with tales of self-made fortune. Willy uses Ben in order to explain his own sources of guidance. This guidance comes in the form of Ben his brother and Dave Singleman. Ben appears to the audience in the form of Willy's flashbacks. He excites Willy with tales of self-made fortune. Willy uses Ben as a nuisance  in order to explain his own failures. He makes himself believe that if he had gone with Ben, he too would be rich. By doing this he avoids facing his own failures as a salesman. Though we never see Dave Singleman, he is the single most powerful influence on Willy. He is Willy's personification of the perfect salesman. Willy hopes to gain the respect and success that Dave Singleman had. All of the good qualities that Dave Singleman possessed were superficial. Nothing is said about his family life or character.
By creating a mold of the ideal man in his head, Willy sets himself up for disappointment. When he is unable to be the ideal man he wants to be, he loses his will to live and deems himself as a failure. But because he has shut himself off from those around him, no one is able to reach him before it is too late.

their eyes were watching God

 

Whenever a books turns into a film, it is very predictable. Their eyes were watching God was a movie with Halle Berry, Terrance Howard and Michael Eally in it. Every character, setting, and event in this movie had a significant meaning. Their eyes were watching God was released March 16, 2005.  The genre of this movie was fiction and the setting was in rural Florida.

First off, Their Eyes Were Watching God describes the life of Janie, a black woman who experiences different men and love. She was raised by her grandmother and spends her life traveling with different men until she finally returns home. In her journey she finds that she has to depend on different people, two of those people were her grandmother and Logan kellicks. Janie’s marriage with Logan Killicks was arranged by her grandmother; it was by force not choice.  Her grandmother wanted her to marry a decent man before she died, so that Janie would not have to depend on her and would not have a hard life. However, Janie was unhappy because her marriage was not what she wanted; it was what her grandmother wanted. She was just married to be married and the first chance she got to find someone that she thought was worth marrying, she took that chance.

Secondly, the men she dated had a great influence on her look of life. The next man she married was Joe sparks; she met him while she was with Logan. Logan was a well dress black man who was looked highly upon at the community Eatonville. Janie found him as the perfect man until one day the perfect man became the abusive controlling man.  For example, as time passed he wanted Janie to only serve him all three meals each day and wear her hair up because he saw and knew that he was not the only man that wanted Janie; he controlled her by telling her that she could not have the best without him.  It made Janie feel like she was not anything without him

Lastly, Janie found teacake, a young man that was younger than her. She saw things in teacakes that she haven’t seen in the other men she was with; he showed her life, youth, and true love.   For example, he took her to a soul club and she hasn’t been around anything like that. The music and people around her made her feel younger than what she really was and that made her love teacake even more. However, the movie shifts when she has to kill him because he got rabies from a diseased dog that tried to attack Janie in the big hurricane. That showed he sacrificed his life just for Janie.  However, it was still a melancholy scene because the one person who she truly loved, she had to kill.

             In conclusion, the significant parts of the movie shift many times. The setting of this movie changes the mood of the scenes. Janie experienced different men to find herself and was pleased at the end of the movie because she found herself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane  is a 1941 American Drama film.  The movie was the classic masterpiece, Citizen Kane (1941), is probably the world's most famous and highly rated film, with its many remarkable scenes, cinematic and narrative techniques. Within the jumble of its own artistic, Citizen Kane develops two interesting themes. The first concerns the humiliation of the private personality of the public figure, and the second with the crushing weight of materialism. Together, these two themes comprise the bitter irony of an American success story that ends in useless melancholy, loneliness, and death. The fact that the personal theme is developed verbally through the characters while the materialistic theme is developed visually, creating a unique stylistic counterpoint. Its theme is told from several perspectives by several different characters and is thought provoking. The tragic story is how a millionaire newspaperman, who idealistically made his reputation as the champion of the underprivileged, becomes corrupted by a lust for wealth, power and immortality. The apparent intellectual superficiality of Citizen Kane can be traced to the shallow quality of Kane himself.. His clever ironies are more those of the exhibitionist than the crusader. His second wife complains that Kane never gave her anything that was part of him, only material possessions that he might give a dog. His best friend, Jedediah Leland, was a separated observer functioning as a conscience remarks to the reporter that Kane never gave anything away; he left you a tip. In each case, Kane's character is described in materialistic terms. What Kane wanted, love, emotional loyalty, the unspoiled world of his boyhood, symbolized by rosebud, he was unable to provide for those around him, or buy for himself. The film's first sight is a no Trespassing sign hanging on a giant gate in the night's foggy mist, illuminated by the moonlight. The camera pans up the shackle-link mesh gate, which changes into images of great iron flowers or oak leaves on the heavy gate. On the gate is a single and wrought iron K initial. The gate surrounds a distant, forbidding-looking castle with towers. The same shots are repeated in reverse at the very end of the film. The initial and concluding clash of realism and expressionism suggests in a subtle way, the theme of Citizen Kane.

WHAT A YEAR!

                 The year is coming to an end and I am elated to say that I will be a senior. This year was filled with work, laughs, and disapointments. However, I handled everything better than I thought I would.      Coming into the ap language class I had some doubts on whether I would want to be in this class or not.  However, I learned more than I expected; I came out of AP with a better understanding of myself and my flaws as well as my peers. I enjoyed my Ap class this year; we have had laughs, quiet time, and being real time. Everything we did this year was beneficial for my Ap class. I would not change a thing that happened this year. I wish my Ap class the best on the test we are going to take and our future.

Chances?

In this life second chances are rare. Many people are seeking for another chance, either because they messed up in the past or made a mistake. Some get that second chance to prove that they deserved it and some get another chance and mess it up again. Some are grateful and some are ungrateful but, however, was the second, third or fourth chance meaningful? Are second chances meant in this life? It’s guaranteed that second chances are not leaving this life; second chances are needed in this life.

People in jail, for example, are rarely given a second chance. They could be fully changed for the best, but society is not going to give an ex convict a chance because of their past.  It is harder for an ex convict to find a job rather than anyone else. Unfortunately, the unemployment rates for ex convicts are 25-40%. According to Alexander Hamilton, “unemployment rates are key factors in recidivism.”

On the other hand, it is understandable why ex convicts are unemployed; some were murderers, robbers, and rapists.  Entrepreneurs and managers have to do what is best for the business, employees, and customers.  However, do the criminals bad ways exclude for what the employees did in their past? Are all employees saints? “He who has without sin let him cast the first stone.”  This means that everyone in the business or company are not all innocent and proves that criminals and other people need second chances.

To conclude, people are given second, third, and fourth chances in this world.  Does that mean they deserved it?  It depends on whether they really deserved it and proved they need a second chance. Chances are not given to you its earned.

Is this True??

     Is it easier to find a war than a job these days? Do people believe that education is not an important factor of life. This cartoon is arguing that with the wars going on and the economy being so poor, that it is easier to find a war then to find a job. It is also arguing that the wars going on is so huge and they have tried to put a stop to it but nothing has been done to make it stop. It is arguing that the president is doing so much with the war that he is not doing as much to create more jobs for people in the US. It is arguing that it is easier to be a soldier in this day in age because this war doesn't look like it has an end, and jobs are so scarce right now that it would be so much easier for people to find a job in the army.

It effects people as they see this cartoon greatly because without it saying "its easier to find a war then a job these days" it would just be a picture of a army guy with a paper in his hand looking at a guy in a cap and gown with a diploma in hand. The cartoon really makes the reader realize what the picture in the cartoon means. The text in this cartoon really makes the cartoon make sense. The cartoon explains how it would be easier to find a war than to find a job even as a graduate with a diploma.

 This political cartoon is very effective in getting across the argument by the visual picture and by the quote "i figure its easier to find a war than a job these days." The quote and  picture work together to make this ad effective and bring across the argument.

Robbery or Foolishness

     "I never imagined the cops could do that to a child. We're traumatized. Imagine how I felt seeing my son in handcuffs. It was horrible. I couldn't believe what I was seeing," said by Wilson Mendez mother, when she found out her son was arrested for 5 dollars. Her son was accused of stealing then fighting for money. However, these allegations were false; her son did not do anything to deserve any of the wrongdoings that came about. The NYPD interogated Mendez for ten hours after they charged him for robbery. The NYPD claimed "If we didn't handcuff him and he ran out the front door, then we would have had an escaped prisoner on our hands." For a seven year old, really? What could a seven year old do to the police? They treated this young boy like he was a "hardened criminal." "He  was handcuffed and verbally, physically and emotionally abused, intimidated, humiliated, embarrassed and defamed," said the suit. Wilson cried out to his mother,  'Mommy, it wasn't me! Mommy, it wasn't me!'"  This young boy had to prove his innocence to his mother. An experience like this traumatized this boy tremendously to the point that his mother sued NYPD for 250 million dollars. Was this overboaard or sensible? This all cME bAfter all of this unneccesary drama the city's law department ended up dropping the robbery charge against Wilson and and court documents said another classmate later admitted to the theft.

What is A real man?

  Can a man cry?Does a couple of tears  prevent a man from being a real man? Not necessarily, Most of the gangsters  that is out there today cry and  some of them are not even real men. It takes much more to be a man then some tear drops coming down the face. A man takes care of his responsibility without anyone telling him too, a man stands tall as a tree and knows what he wants, a  man makes a future for him and his family.

   To begin, there are many men out there that are taking care of their responsibilities whether it is children or his family so the saying there are no good men out there is an opinion. However, it is some men who will not come to reality and stand up and take care of their responsibilities.  They will run as far as possible so that they can not spend their time on other things other than themselves. Not only do they not take care of their family but they will not take care of themselves. Some may stay in their parents house for along periods of times maybe until they may die and that is a pitiful case of a grown boy. A grown boy is boy whose age is grown but they are not acting their age. A man's belief is to work and earn to make a living not be given.

      In conclusion, It is not always men fault that they are lazy; it could be the parents or the spouse fault. I man will do what you let him do. I grown boy can always turn into a real man. A male baby does not come out the womb and know that he was meant to be a man. He has to be taught how to b a real man. On the other hand a man holds his fate and future in his hand.

Barack Obama

        Yes we can!! I can finally  say that I look like my own president. President Barack Obama was elected president November 4,2008; it was a tremendous change in everyone's lives.  Tears were shed, guns were shot and, hymns were song.  People have been waiting for this day since slavery. Barack showed everyone that you can accomplish anything no matter what color you are.  I was proud to know that I was living to hear that my very own president is African American.  He gives a presence that makes a person feel like, hey I can talk to this guy.  For example, he was not that close with his father and still made it through with his life. Alot of people can relate to him in that situation. Moreover, he speaks confidently and with such elegance.  He shows that not ALL black men are killers,robbers, and dumb;he changed people's perspective of the stereotypes of black men. He shows that a black man or any other man can come from a home without a father and still be successful.  Barack Obama has been talked about in plenty occasions, his race, his backgrounds, and etc., but nevertheless he came in and took up for himself and did it with so much pride. It was like he was saying I may be the president but I am a man first.   
          Barack Obama is a man trying to make  better lives for people.  Some may be mad and some may be dissapointed that he is president, but I am encouraging Obama to do what he thinks is best for everyone and not just certain people. He made this clear in his debates as well. I can not say it enough that I am very elated that I have an African American persident. This was an historical time because no one ever thought that we would have a black president. In addition, he is on his 2nd term. Never say Never!

  

Seriously lady?

         I know the election was an intense time in the world but, geesh, it does not cause for you to cause harm to someone because they did not vote. I am referring to a lady/wife,in Arizona, who ran her husband over just because he did not vote. She did not want Obama to win because she said she would  ''face hardship" in the next years. There is so many things wrong with what she did, there is not a specific point to start at first.
        To begin with why would you run over your husband because he did not want to vote, that shows a lot about her character. It shows for one that she is controlling and have anger issues. Realistically speaking, that is just one vote and that would not have made a difference anyway, so what is the point for the violence? Obama still won rather you wanted him to or not. That was just some nonsense to run over your husband, you got that angry and scared that you took it out on your own husband.From what I know Obama wanted everyone to elevate their living situation to a better situation so In my eyes she was overreacting.  Then, she had the temerity to say it was an accident. Yea, it happens all the time when you mix up the gas from the brake especially when you are chasing someone in the car; it happens all the time. I think not!
      People are saying all the time that a change needs to come but when it is a time for a change people want to go crazy. Be careful what you wish for because it might come true. This lady did all of that for something she had no control over and is now arrested.  I was happy that Obama won and conqured everyone who talked bad about him and did everytthing to bring him down.  I support and challenge him to prove the haters wrong. To this  angry lady were you facing a hardship these last four years when he was president?