English Final Blog Reflection

Sadly, this will be my last English post for my freshman year. Time flew by so quickly. 

          Reflecting back on how I wrote and grew this year as a writer, I would have to say my 2015 best blog post would have to be, To Kill a Mockingbird: Post 2. Link to blog post: http://keerthisreadingblog.blogspot.com/2015/04/to-kill-mockingbird-post-2.html#gpluscomments. I think this post exemplifies my best literary/textual writing because I tie in not only the understanding of the book, but as well as the theme of the book. The author's most important message is the theme so when the reader can identify the theme the author's goal is achieved. Some textual evidence to support my thought is: 
"There are multiple lessons in the book that are very important. It also shows how segregation was like back in that time period. Some of the themes in the book are:

1.  The Coexistence of Good and Evil
2.  The Importance of Moral Education
3.  The Existence of Social Inequality "

                   This shows how I can identify the theme within the book and I can explain how the themes pertain the book (history of segregation). I also put a link that shows the depth of the themes. I also agree with what the other reader wrote about the themes. Overall the blog post is well written given the fact that the way the author wrote the book is a little challenging to understand. Harper Lee uses different phrases and historical significance's that the readers should know before hand.

                   One thing I struggled through this experience was what to write about for the book. I wasn't sure what to write 3 paragraphs on without boring the reader. Maybe the reason for that was because I didn't read some good books that I actually enjoyed. I couldn't find books that really drew my attention in to every small detail. I enjoyed lots of books but by the end of the year I completely ran out of books that I wanted to read badly. A way to overcome that weakness is to collaborate with my friends and ask what are some good books they enjoyed and further my research to my perspective. But 1 strength I believe I succeeded in finding during this experience was when I found a really good book, and described it's deeper meaning. Like all the Nicholas Sparks books I read this year, i found a deeper meaning the author was trying to convey and shared that in my blog posts. (even my mom liked it :D ) So I believe that was one strength in my writing.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Issue on Feminism

               I didn’t get that much time to read these past couple of weeks in To Kill a Mockingbird, but in what I read, I learned that people always told Scout, she can’t do manly things. She was scolded for not wearing a dress but wearing pants, playing with boys, not playing with “girly” things like a tea set. Back in the day society didn’t allow girls/ women to do things men did. They were not equal, and still today lots of people still have that mind set.

               That upsets me that people are still like that today.  I support women equality in jobs/opportunities in fields where it is male dominant, like engineering, manufacturing, CEO positions at companies, politics, and entrepreneurship. I agree with Scout, you should let women do the same jobs as men. It doesn't make sense why women can’t do the same things as men. We both have the same ability to be successful. Men shouldn't undermine the power of women.

               In the book, I feel empathy towards Scout. She has to grow up thinking playing with dolls and having tea parties is the right way to behave. She was told that when she cussed or wore pants, she would be a disgrace to the family, which isn't true in reality. With that mindset, people begin to grow stereotypes downgrading girls/women in becoming fragile, delicate, shy. Bold, confident, and intelligent girls became rare back then. 

              Attached to this post is an ad showing how people raise the girls not letting them do "manly" things and stick to trying to look pretty. Girls should be able to feel beautiful and smart at the same time and shouldn't let people tell them they can't do things just because they are girls. You should be able to achieve your dreams and aspirations no matter want gender you are. We are all the same.

Link to Ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP3cyRRAfX0

To Kill a Mockingbird: Post 2

               I recently finished up to Chapter 9 in the book To Kill a Mockingbird. Up till now, Harper Lee describes the life Scout and Jem live. Lee also describes and introduces Boo Radley. (The mystery man) Boo Radley shows the opposite of what rumors were told of him. He shows care to Scout and Jem even though they still think he is a murderous man. Then later, Scout’s dad, Atticus gets a case that a black man (friend of his cook, Calpurnia’s) who is charged for rape of a white woman. They don’t get into detail about the case, but Atticus has a serious discussion with Scout about segregation in their society.

               Along with this quick summary, I also put a link to spark notes showing the themes, symbols, and motifs spark notes thought of the book. There are multiple lessons in the book that are very important. It also shows how segregation was like back in that time period. I haven’t gotten very far in the book and sometimes the book goes all over the place so it’s sometimes hard to understand.

Some of the themes in the book are:

1.         The Coexistence of Good and Evil
2.        The Importance of Moral Education
3.         The Existence of Social Inequality

Link: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/mocking/themes.html

To Kill a Mockingbird Written by: Harper Lee

This week, I started reading To Kill a Mockingbird, By: Harper Lee. I wasn't very sure what the book was about but I've heard it’s a great book so I picked it up. To Kill a Mockingbird is about a lawyer from the South defends a black man charged of rape of a white girl. I only have read 38 pages of the book and at first I was very confused. Lee goes all over the place in the beginning. She puts it in the daughter of the lawyer’s perspective and talks about multiple characters at once. At first, I wanted to put the book down but slowly the author redrew me back into the book. 

So far what has happened was, the girl named Scout and her brother, Jem have grown close together and she is about to start school. In the summer, she meets a boy named Dill. He looks like he is 3 but really; he is 7 and loves to read. Over the summer, the 3 of them grew inseparable and made so many memories. One day Dill said he wanted Boo Radley to come out of his house. Then the author makes the reader wonder, who is Boo Radley? Lee builds up so many suspicions of who the character is because, the town feared him, and he was a dangerous person. His father is a crude man that no one likes and Boo got into a bad group of boys and did very bad things. Later, Boo was arrested and put into this strict school for boys to get good education and focus. His father thought that was a terrible idea and told the judge he would fix his son. The judge knowing his father keeps his word willingly, let him. Ever since then, the Radley’s were dangerous and feared of. Boo never came out of the house so everyone started making these scary rumors about him. When Jem and Scout told Dill all these rumors, he wanted to see him. So they tried to go to his house but failed to because they were scared. Then, when summer was over, Scout went to school for the first time, starting a whole new different adventure.

A lot goes on in the book and may things happen at the same time. That’s what keeps the book so lively. I want to continue reading this book because I still haven’t gotten to the part where the lawyer (girl’s father) gets a case about a black man charged of rape of a white girl and why the man defends him. I have lots of questions running through my head and hopefully Lee answers them by the end of the book.

Movie Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN7dbfT7Wiw

Satire

The image above is an example of Satire because, the author criticizes Obama’s choices with spending the U.S money. Obama is spending way too much and not on the right things. The cartoon tells you that by emphasizing the money in the “fatty foods” making the man really fat and unhealthy. Then, the author ties in Michelle Obama’s Nutrition campaign by making Obama say, “Whatever you do, don’t let Michelle see you!” Which shows Obama not really helping or following what he says, or Michelle says. This cartoon is Horatin Satire. The author tries to let people know his view of the bad decisions Obama is making and turns his message in a witty humorous way. Some elements of Satire the author uses is: Irony [verbal], hyperbole, Innuendo, and farce.

Song writer Helps Kids Summon Courage to stop bullies By: Krista Ramsey

       The article was sharing a man, Keenan West a songwriter goes on a national tour to different schools talking about stopping bullies. He makes songs and shows kids at assemblies and also shows stories of different kids that have been bullied which inspires lots of other high schoolers to stop bullying as well.

URL to the article: Song Writer Helps Kids Summon Courage to Stop Bullies

Best written lines:

" Now the gym has become as quiet and still as an SAT testing sit. As West describes instances of cyber-bullying and intimidation, some students' heads go down, perhaps in a moment of self-examination. Other students – some seated apart from their peers – show keen interest, as if West were telling their story."

It's the best written line because, Krista creates humor in the sentences even though it's a serious topic. When she applies humor to the sentences it also creates a stronger effect and helps connect the reader to Krista's thoughts and emotions. These sentences also tell the reader to start thinking about their life and choices they've made. These words really impact the reader, it has good diction as well. The words are wisely chosen to give a better impact to the reader and carry out the message clearly.

Ramsey writes in a persuasive method, influencing the reader to support her opinions. She is a great argumentative writer. She also has great use of syntax and diction. In her article, For better vision, 
kids need time outdoors, she exclaims "But before parents claw back the iPhones, experts say that the
problem may not lie in the technology itself, but the amount of time spent on it, the environment in which it's used and the activities its replacing." This shows how well Ramsey can persuade an audience by stating an issue but also a solution or suggestion. Also, in Super Bowl QB's score points for great style, Ramsey shows that the style of words give a great meaning and can wrap it into a good present. " In fact, it's interesting how often the best turned-out  person in the room has one of the lowest salaries." In Song writer helps kids summon courage to stop bullies, Ramsey writes, "Now the gym has become as quiet and still as an SAT testing site." This shows that she also wrote in a way that makes you feel like your there, at the event.


If I were able to meet Krista Ramsey, I would ask her 3 questions:

1) How did you start your career as a columnist?

2) When did you get the passion to write?

3) What's your favorite topic to write in for an article?

We Were Liars: Part 2

               I started continued to read the book We Were Liars and the main character has it worse. After the accident, she has this brain issue where she forgets everything and asks the same question over and over again. All her loved ones think she’s crazy and stays away from her. She is isolated from everyone. She feels like she has no purpose to life. So she slowly gives each one of her belongings away until she has nothing so when she dies, she doesn't need to give anything to her family.

               I feel the desperation and loneliness of the main character. The author writes the emotions of the main character very well. You can connect to the character and feel empathy because she turns the character into a real human. The way she brings the character to life with realistic problems is amazing. That is a great way to connect with the reader. It helps the reader hook on to the book.

               The main character sees well in the world, but she thinks she doesn't belong because everyone tells her she can’t. I have attached an article showing how teenagers get lonely and how suicide is what they look on doing as their next course of action like main character in this book is deciding.

Article: http://www.nami.org/Content/ContentGroups/Helpline1/Teenage_Suicide.htm