***Analysis of "Young Goodman Brown"

In class on Tuesday we analysised the Nathaniel Hawthorne short story "Young Goodman Brown."  The story is set in the Puritan time period and in Salem Village.  The story is a romantic piece and focuses on the evil of nature and the supernatural.  "Young Goodman Brown" revolves around Goodman Brown's meeting with the devil in the forest and his realization of the evil around him.

There are many different symbols in the short story that should be anaylized.  First is the staff.  The staff is shaped like a serpent which comes from the biblical symbol of the snake as an evil figure.  The the bible, the serpent tempts Eve in the garden of Eden which in turns causes her to bite into the forbidden fruit.  The devil tells Goodman Brown to take the staff and tempts him just as the serpent tempted Eve.  The staff helps clear up the fact that the old man in the forest has an evil agenda, and is in fact the devil.

Another symbol is Faith's pink ribbons.  These ribbons represent innocence and purity.  The color itself is a symbol of innocence and the ribbons are supposed to represent a innocence and youth.  Hawthorne mentions the ribbons in the beginning of the story many times to make sure the reader ties them with Faith and lets the reader know Faith is meant to be nd innocent and pure character.  The ribbons are also present in the forest when Goodman Brown is thinking about the goodness of the people around him and if he can trust them.  When Faith reappears after the forest gathering, she is wearing the ribbons.  This in turn makes Goodman Brown quesion even more about the goodness and purity of the people in his village.

Also the forest is another symbol.  In the romantic period nature was considered evil and dark.  If a character wondered into the forest at night, the reader should be expecting something awful and evil to e happening.  When Goodman Brown wonders into the forest at night, the reader should atomatically assume something evil and dark is about to take place.  The forest also represents sin and the forest holds all of the sin in the story.  For one the devil lurks in the forest and Goodman Brown meets him there.  Also the meeting was held in the forest. 

(:

Reflection Over "A Rose for Emily"

In the story, "A Rose for Emily," by William Faulkner, Emily kills her friend Homer Baron.  She then sets him in a bed and lays next to his decaying body.  This story very much disturbs me.  I feel like Emily had other choices then to kill the Homer.  Although she may have been lonely, I do not think murder is ever the right choice.

Some people may argue that Emily kills Homer because she is lonely.  Others argue Emily kills Homer because he is gay and she does not ever want to let him go.  Maybe she thinks if she can not have Homer nobody can. I think Emily does kill Homer because she is lonely and she does not want to be alone.

Then there is the question of the butler Tobe.  Tobe is a mysterious character.  Not only does he know what is going on in Emily's household, but he stays there.  I believe Tobe helped Emily carry Homer up to the bed to kill him or after she killed him.  Tobe also runs away when the townspeople show up for Emily's funeral, so he has to know what Emily did is wrong. 

**The Most Dangerous Game

"The Most Dangerous Game" has two key characters.  Rainsford, the protagonist, and General Zaroff, the antagonist.  There are some similarities between the two characters, but there are many more differences.  First off, the two characters are similar because they are both hunters. Rainsford is the best there is and Zaroff has read Rainsford's book and saw he is the best there is.  Also Rainsford and Zaroff are similar because they are both competitive.  Rainsford wants to beat Zaroff at his game while Zaroff tries competing with every one who ends up on the island.  

Some differences are what Rainsford and Zaroff hunt.  Rainsford sticks to the traditional wild animals while Zaroff has become bored with that and now hunts humans.  Also Rainsford does not believe in hunting the human race while Zaroff does not see anything wrong with that.  He needs a challenge from boring wild animals to more skilled and interesting humans.

I think the reader has to be aware of the many mentions of darkness.  There is a constant shadow that surrounds Ship-Trap Island.  The author also mentions the water to be "velvety, moist and black" on a moonless night.  This means when Rainsford has to find his way to the island after falling off the boat he has to do it in the dark.    

**Favorite Book

My favorite book is the novel A Million Little Pieces by James Frey.  Although the book is surrounded by lots of controversy, I think Frey did a great job writing about the experience of being in a rehab center and what it is like to go through that process.  The detail he adds is incredible.  The seen when he has a root canal will forever be ingrained in my mind.

Although Frey fictionalized most of the book, he still does an excellent job telling the story and letting his imagination run.  I believe he gives an accurate description of a rehab center and how difficult it would be to go through that experience.  

whateva i wanna blog 'bout...

Well since I'm not really sure what I want to blog about I'm just going to ramble.  It's raining really nicely right now.  My room is actually at a decent temperature now that it is cool outside.  I hate how they turn on the heat so early.  I mean really it's not that cold out yet.  I heard its supposed to snow on Wednesday and I'm kind of excited.  I do really love snow and especially Christmas!! I'm trying to finish the last of the English paper that's due for tomorrow and it's not really going to well.  Long papers are not really my thing.

I love Halloween and fall.  I'm really glad it is that time of year again.  Although I do not like the cold all that much I do really like the snow and just the feeling of Christmas time. Christmas is quickly approaching and I'm wayyyyyy excited to decorate and such for that.

I hate going out into the freezing rain.  It's too cold and it just puts me in quite the "depressed" mood. I suck at writing papers.  I'm really excited were watching Buffy in class on Thursday.  That makes me really excited!! Buffy brings me back to like fourth grade I think.  Also I like the Halloween window stickers I have on my window right now.  They put me in a festive mood. I can not wait to decorate/carve pumpkins this week!!!! That is my favorite part of Halloween!!!

**Three Ideas :)

Okay to start out this lovely blog I am not really sure what I am really doing so I will just do my best!!

Topic #1: Animal Cruelty

Question #1: What areas of the nation is it the worst?

Question #2: What animals are treated the worst?

Question #2: What kind of "acts" are done to the animals?

Topic #2: Polygamy

Question #1: Where in the world is polygamy legal?

Question #2: How many people in the United States partake in polygamy?

Question #3: Can a polygamist be both genders?

Topic #3: Mandatory Organ Donation

Question #1: At what age can you donate organs?

Question #2: What organs are most frequently needed?

Question #3: At what age are you too old to donate?

:)

*ClAsS pErIoD rEfLeCtIoN*

The class period on Tuesday was quite interesting.  To start off, I did kind of like the students teaching the lessons. It was different and a different way to learn.  Although the "teachers" were kind of new to the teaching, it was an exciting experience. The handouts were pretty helpful too. I did not really like the answering of the questions on the handouts though. I thought the teaching was not perfect so the answering questions in class was not my favorite.

I did like the discussion we had towards the end of the class period.  I liked brainstorming ideas together as a class.  Also I liked how everyone had to say an idea because then we got to discuss the ideas. I also liked how opinionated some people got. I do not really like this paper brainstorming thing we have to do though. I think it's very hard to pick a topic and I'm still not sure what to write about. I've been thinking the whole night and still am having a difficult time thinking of something to write about!

*ClAsS pErIoD rEfLeCtIoN*

The class period on Tuesday was quite interesting.  To start off, I did kind of like the students teaching the lessons. It was different and a different way to learn.  Although the "teachers" were kind of new to the teaching, it was an exciting experience. The handouts were pretty helpful too. I did not really like the answering of the questions on the handouts though. I thought the teaching was not perfect so the answering questions in class was not my favorite.

I did like the discussion we had towards the end of the class period.  I liked brainstorming ideas together as a class.  Also I liked how everyone had to say an idea because then we got to discuss the ideas. I also liked how opinionated some people got. I do not really like this paper brainstorming thing we have to do though. I think it's very hard to pick a topic and I'm still not sure what to write about. I've been thinking the whole night and still am having a difficult time thinking of something to write about!

**Reflection

My experience in this class,,

As I was preparing for college, I was kind of nervous.  I wasn't sure what to expect especially in English.  I had taken an A.P. course in high school so I didn't really know if this class would be similar or different.  Mostly I was nervous about what the professor would be like or how many people would be in our class. 

When I walked into the room the first day of school, I was pretty nervous.  I looked around for a place to sit and realized the only spots open were in the back.  I was okay with sitting there, but I am more comfortable in the middle.  Ryan made us feel extra comfortable though.  I like how he was a TA instead of a professor and understands more how students work.  I was really excited for the class once Ryan explained everything and told us what we were going to be doing throughout the class.

I like how Ryan runs the class and bends the rules almost.  He makes English fun and exciting.  I like the fact we have to blog.  It is a different experience for me and I like how it makes English more creative and different.  I also like how Ryan makes us open up and like explain how we feel. The gecko is also a nice touch sometimes. Class is more exciting and I like paper writing and going through the steps.  I like how the class is smaller and we can talk easier and have discussions. 

This experience has definitely been good so far.  I think Ryan makes the class exciting and interesting and I'm glad I got him as a teacher!  

 

*eDiTs*

To fix my paper I needed to do a lot of things.  First I needed to go back over the whole paper and proof read it to make sure there were no major mistakes.  Next I needed to fix all the spelling and grammatical errors.  I typically find lots of those when I go back and read over my paper.  I also look for words that do not make sense in the paper.  I also check to make sure I fix everything I can.

For this particular paper I had to make sure I cited everything.  I went through my sources and highlighted the information I wanted to include into the paper and then transfered that into the paper.  I then wrote the authors name and added the page number of the article after. I then went through and did that to the entire paper.  Next I made a works cited page to include to the end of my paper.  This works cited page is in MLA format. :)

Topic Proposal :)

The topic of my next paper will be the inhumane treatment of animals.  I'll especially focus on the slaughter of dolphins in Japan and the clubbing of baby seals. I will cover many discuss many different points and explain why  these animals are inhumanely treated. :)

Colbert Report

I watched the September 23rd episode of The Colbert Report. In this episode, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is interviewed about the new developments about the city. 

I enjoyed watching The Colbert Report because I like how Stephen Colbert makes fun of himself and also a lot of other things involving politics. Colbert makes me want to watch and learn about issues facing the country today. I liked how Colbert poked fun at himself when he said democrats spend money and so does he. I also enjoyed how he went to a farm and talked with the migrant workers and farm workers.

I think Colbert makes a good point in politics.  I think he makes it easier for people to understand what is going on in the world today. He makes fun of things and situations and is not afraid to speak his mind. I also normally agree with Colbert's arguments and I think he makes a valid point. 

Article Reaction

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10670854

As I was watching the Oprah Winfrey Show earlier this year, I learned of the Academy Award winning documentary The Cove. The Cove tells the horrifying story of the thousands of dolphins being slaughtered in a Japanese town. These fisherman scare the dolphins into a cove and pierce them. As they struggle and slowly die, the water turns bright red with blood. Although The Cove star Ric O'Barry has handed over a petition to end the hunt with over 1.5 million signatures to the United States embassy in Tokyo, the Japanese government protects this practice.

I am totally against the slaughter of thousands of dolphins in the cove. Although this may be a "tradition" in Japanese culture, I do not think killing up to 20,000 dolphins is really necessary. These fisherman scare the dolphins, force them into a cove, and kill them slowly. Many other fisherman kill the dolphins at sea instead of scaring them into a small area. These fisherman care only about the multi-billion dollar business of dolphin entertainment and the "underhanded" dolphin meat industries.

Most of the dolphins are eaten as meat or sold into captivity. Although there have been may studies done on how dolphin meat is unsafe to eat, the meat is still sold to the townspeople and served in school lunches.  The levels of mercury are extremely high and dangerous to human health. Although the Japanese government has this knowledge, they still continue to risk the health of the townspeople and the school children.

Dolphins are also highly intelligent, sensitive, and self-aware. They are adapted to ocean life and are best left out of captivity. As these facts are public knowledge, I feel as though murdering dolphins is totally wrong and should be stopped. Dolphins are beautiful creatures and should be treated with respect.

Idea!!!

The idea for my paper is going to be the time when I first was pulled over for speeding.  It is quite the story.

Three Ideas...

A situation that has defined my life is my parents divorce. Although this did happen when I was six years old , it greatly shaped my life. Not knowing what it is like to live with two parents at a time is different, but that is not a bad thing. I have an amazing bond with my mom and she is the strongest person I know. She has been a great role model and has helped shape me into the person I am today. 

Another situation that has defined my life is my love of volleyball. Volleyball is one of the best team sports and you have to rely on every other person on the floor to do their part. This has helped me to hold my own and be confident in myself as a person. Volleyball is also a great way to meet friends. Some of the people I trust the most are my teammates. Volleyball is also a sport where you grow with your teammates and coaches.  We all grow as one and we progress together.  This has helped me become a more patient person and understanding of other people. 

The last situation that had defined my life is college.  College has made me a more independent person and has helped me meet lots of different people. It has made learn to think on my own and manage my time for the better.  College has made me a lot more responsible and has made me realize I'm more of an adult now more than ever. Being in college is definitely preparing me to be an adult and live in the real world. College is one of the best experiences of my life. 

What Defines Me...

What defines me is a very good question. Many events in my life have defined me. The way I look also helps to define me. The thing I like to do and the places I like to visit define me also.

One major event in my life that has helped to define me is my parents divorce when I was six years old. That situation alone has defined me the most out of anything. Only living with one parent since I was a child has shown me many different sides to life and helped me grow as a person. Living with my father every other weekend has been difficult and it also defines me. Although I did not see much of him growing up he has helped to define me also.

My long blonde hair and blue eyes also define me. The way my feet turn in and create my "piegon toes" defines me. Being short also defines me as I have a hard time reaching things off the top shelf or trying to climb up on top of my loft.

Being on the water and boating are two things I absolutely love and they define me. The many vacations I have taken define me. The most memorable one would be the trip to Washington D.C. with my family. There I saw the historical monuments and the Holocaust Musuem. Those few places made me realize there is way more to see and learn which also defines me.

Also there is a large part of me that does not know what defines me. I'm still on the journey through life learning who I am and what defines me. (: