Short Stories

                So in my English class, we read about eight short stories together as a group and discussed them as a class. In addition, I had to read three short stories on my own. I read "The Sniper" by Liam O'Flaherty, "The Catbird Seat" by James Thurber, and "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty. I liked "A Worn Path" the most, but I'm going to do my thesis on "The Catbird Seat" because they have a strong man vs man conflict.
                The man vs man conflict in this story is important because that's basically the foundation of the story. The man doesn't like the woman, and he plots a plan so she can get fired from the company. She tells her boss, and he doesn't believe her so she gets removed from the company because people think she's psycho. I don't know what my actual thesis statement is going to be yet, but it's definitely going to have something to do with that.

Reading Times: "The Catbird Seat" 10/23/12- 35 minutes, "A Worn Path" 10/25/12- 35 minutes, North of Beautiful 10/26/12- 90 minutes
Total: 160 minutes

Reading Times

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley: 135 minutes
The Sniper: 25 Minutes

Total: 160 minutes

Literary Elements

      In "Dry September" by William Faulkner, characterization seems like a strong literacy element because through each character you see how a lot of people were during those times, specifically 1931 like it says at the end of the story. There's also a social aspect to it  because they acted the way they acted because they believed in the hierarchies that probably was kind of like this:
      Rich white man
      Middle class white man
      Poor white man
      Rich black man
      Middle class black man
      Poor black man
     Anyway, this type of scale was what they based everything off of. Well, they brought the white women before the black men, but after the white men because back then, the white men didn't think the women could make their own decisions or have their own opinion which was complete discrimination. In this story, a black man was accused of doing something to a white woman whether it was raping her or just give her a look, but it doesn't specifically say it, but you can infer. One white man stood up for the black man because he knew the guy was good and didn't think he would do anything to harm anyone, so, of course, the other white men get on his case about it. This shows that, socially, a few of the white men actually cared for the blacks, but most didn't. In this, they characterized each person by what they had to say on the fact of the matter, and how they felt about certain things.

    Reading Times:
"Waltz of the Fat Man": 25 minutes, "Harrison Bergeron": 25 minutes, "And of Clay we are Created": 35 minutes, "Dry September": 35 minutes, North of Beautiful: 50 minutes

    Total: 170 minutes

Participation in Class this Quarter

       This year in English class, I have participated in the activities and things we're doing. I'm always prepared and have all the materials we need, except once I just finished my free reading book at home the night before, and I had class first thing that morning so I had to go to the library to get one. I've never asked to go the the bathroom, locker, or to get water during class, and I don't plan on it unless it's an emergency. I check my email every other day so I don't have any problems with that. I am guilty of packing up a little early, but I only pack up one or two minutes before the bell is going to ring and no earlier. I always have a positive attitude, and I've never been pessimistic during the class.
       Whenever there is a lecture in class, I always pay attention and take notes. I'm on my A game in those situations because I need to make sure I have all the things I need in order to study for certain things or do well in a certain assignment. I don't really ask questions about the things Dr. D has taught, but when my other peers ask questions I listen to what they ask and her answer to the question. I stay on task, and I really don't talk much in English.
        The only weak area I had in English class was the papers I turned in. That's where I mostly scored the lowest, but I don't know why yet because I don't think I have received my score for the finished products of my papers to see where I did wrong or need the most improvement.

Reading Times

 Short Stories: 10/2- 25 min., 10/3- 20 min., 10/4- 20 min.
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley: 10/5- 87 min.

Plot Structure Reading Response

     I started and finished the book Burned this week. It's by Ellen Hopkins. The font is in the style of a poem, so I guess it's a big poem, and it tells this story. I think it's the second book or the sequel to the book Crank which I read in the seventh grade or something. The main character in this book is Pattyn. She is Mormon. She has nine sisters, a dad, and a mom. The setting is in Nevada.
     I think the type of conflict for this book could be man vs man, man vs society, and man vs self. Pattyn started feeling temptations for boys when she was 16, and she didn't think she should because of her religion. She tried to resist, but she couldn't. Pattyn then dated a non-Mormon boy even though she knew it was a sin. Her father made Pattyn move with her aunt a few hours away during the summer because of this. Then Pattyn met another nice, non-Mormon boy named Ethan.
     I think the climax is when Pattyn and Ethan started to date. Pattyn's aunt approved. Pattyn new her father and church would never allow it, but she did it anyway. Ethan gave her a promise ring because they had gained love and trust. Pattyn then moved back home because summer was over, and her father would think that Pattyn would be back in her right mind. The resolution was when Pattyn wanted to marry Ethan so he came  to pick her up in his car, but they had gotten in a car accident and only Pattyn made it. Ethan was dead, and she felt dead to the world.
    I think the theme of this story could be to resist your temptations because something good can come out of it for yourself, but in the very end the last result could be terribly brutal if you don't watch out.

    9/25-30 min., 9/27- 20 min., 9/29- 3 1/2 hrs., pages 1-532
    Total: 260 min., 532 pages.

 

I am a Writer Who

            I am a writer who knows what she wants to write about, but may not be able to interpret it on paper that well. I can see the details clearly in my mind, although it may appear to be a bit foggy when others read it. When things don't require concrete details about a background, place, or thing I can write pretty well. Most of the time, we always have to write about that type of stuff in school.
           I am a writer who loves to use voice because it gives the things I write a little spunk. My voice is what separates my writing from other people's writing. Generally, I give good voice unless the topic or prompt I'm writing about is absolutely boring. I also am a writer who loves to get feedback from my writing, but I hate it when someone criticizes the things I write about because that is just uncalled for.
          I don't like to write poems because they seem hard to me. I'm not good with rhyming words, even though it doesn't have to rhyme all the time.
          I am just this writer who writes, thinks, and listens. I have my strengths, and I have my weaknesses. No other writer can be exactly like me.