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Maybe Love Isn’t Forever

 I hoped and dreamed that he wouldn’t leave, but their life was such a hell being together. (Opener) Now my parents, they put up a front. Every time they come to my school for a meeting or conference, they have on a front

“Nobody needs to know our situation,” my mom says.

“But, some people already know cause it isn’t a big deal.”

“I don’t want anybody teasing you.”

“It is fine, nobody cares anyway.” (Dialogue)

I always thought that parents would always be in love, be together forever, and be happy together. (Magic Three) I was wrong, and I realized it when I was just 7 years old.

            5 A.M waking up in a cold room like any other day like every other day. At my age, no one should know about this time of day. The house was dark as a cave (Simile); I rolled out of bed and into the bathroom. The house, it feels different. It is like the house is angry, maybe even sad about something. (Personification) Maybe, I should just ignore it. My teeth are now brushed and they are white as pearls. (Simile) and off I go to get some breakfast with my parents! I walk in the kitchen; there isn’t a piece of bacon to be found, or my dad. My mom is standing in the kitchen alone with this blank expression that I don’t recognize. “Morning, Dakota,” (Dialogue) my mom says in a monotone voice. Her tone, her eyes, and her posture it is different. (Magic Three) I can’t identify what it is, but it isn’t happy and it isn’t tired.

“There isn’t breakfast today,” she says.

“Why not?”

“Dad and I need to talk to you about something.”

“Is it bad? Cause you seem sad.”

“You won’t be happy about it.” (Dialogue)

What could I not be happy about? Whatever it is, my dad always makes the best of it.

My dad, his footsteps, they aren’t peppy. They are loud and sad. The floor vibrates, more than usually. I can barely keep still. I want to see what is going to happen. I run over to my dad fast as a cheetah, (Simile) “HI DAD,” (Dialogue) I say enthusiastically.  “Hello Dakota.” (Dialogue) We walk over to my mom. Her eyes, I can see them better now and I could see the horrible emotion that filled them. Puffy, red, and cloudy, it is like somebody just punched her in the eyes but, they haven’t swollen up yet. (Simile, Magic Three) I look at my dad. His eyes, his breathing, and his clothes, they are all out of sorts. (Magic Three) He is never this messy.

“What is going on,” I ask cautiously.

“Your dad and I, we need to talk to you about something important.” My mom states firmly.

“What is it? I am shaking in my pjs!”

“Your mom and I have been having some problems. Problems that aren’t getting ironed out.”

“What kind of problems?”

“Your dad and I aren’t getting along as well, as we use to.”

“WHAT? What does that even mean? You guys love each other and you are supposed to get along, perfectly. I’ve never seen you guys argue.(Dialogue)

            The tension in the house becomes thicker. The house creaks, waiting in anticipation for the answer (Personification). The answer isn’t coming fast enough. I stare at my parents, in agony. I want, need, desire to know what it is going on.(Magic Three) Am I too young? Will I not be able to understand? I just want to know. My mom, she hasn’t said anything. My mom is holding on to the table as if it keeps her from falling. My dad is holding on to the wall like he is an old man and needs a walker (Simile). I am frightened, what if somebody died? I don’t know what I would do. I need answers and I need them now. TALK, PLEASE!

“Your father and I need some time off.”

“Cheryl, don’t lie to her. This time is off, Dakota. It is going to last forever.”

“WHAT! WHAT! I DON’T UNDERSTAND!”

“Your dad and I are separating. He has to move out.”

“SEP-ER-ATING? What does that mean?”

“Dakota, your mom and I aren’t getting along. We argue a lot more than is normal.”

“Wait…Dad. You are leaving…forever?”

“Yes, Dakota. I can’t live here anymore.” His voice is cracking like he is a teenage boy going through puberty (Simile).

“Dakota, this isn’t your fault. Your dad and I just don’t love each other anymore. We need to become different people”

“You said that love last forever! This isn’t forever!”

“I know. But remember, your mom and I will still be your parents, even though we aren’t together. We will still love you. I will still love you. You are my daughter, I will never stop loving you.”

“Dakota, mommy loves you. I will always love you.”

“Who do I live with?’ (Dialogue) I say as the tears fall like a stream from my eyes, to my nose, to my chin (Simile, Magic Three)

“You will be living with me. Your dad will be moving in with somewhere else.”

“Dad, you can’t leave! I need you! Your hugs when I have awful days! Your jokes when I need cheering up. You..can’t..leave!”(Dialogue)

            I am yelling and they don’t even seem to care. The room quiets down and I hear my mom sobbing. She has no reason to cry, it is not like she loves him anymore. I still love him and I will always love him. I have these memories and I can’t even make new ones with my dad anymore. He is basically gone. His hands, his embrace, his laugh are so warm (Magic Three) and they are leaving me. Now, I won’t be able to have them everyday, they are my own personal drugs and I am addicted. (Simile)

“I have to leave now, Dakota.”

“YOU CAN’T LEAVE!”

“I have to leave. I will be back. Not to live here, but to see you. Promise.”

“YOU CAN’T LEAVE! NOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“Don’t follow me.”

“Don’t let go.” (Dialogue)

            He lets go. I am standing in the middle of my parents, my mom is holding on to me and my dad has let go of me. I haven’t let go and I need to chase him back to where he belongs. I dash after him and grab hold of his leg. He isn’t going anywhere now because I won’t let him. The scent of tears travel to my nose, they are my dad’s. (Imagery) I didn’t know tears existed in my dad’s body. I thought he was too manly to have tears or to even cry. I feel his huge arms picking me up from his leg to his chest. My forehead is gently kissed as tears spill on to me. My dad’s shirt is drenched with my tears and the hallways echoes from my wails. My dad carries me back to my mother, who has fallen to the floor, and sets me down with her. She grabs hold of me and her touch is cold; (Imagery). My mom is making my dad leave the house; how can she think to even touch me. I am furious at her and try to wiggle out her grip but she just grips harder.

            My dad’s footsteps become quieter. The front door opens, shuts, and my heart stops working. (Magic Three) He is officially gone and I am with my mom. There is nothing else to do. She puts me in my bed and I cry until I fall asleep. I awake later on that day and realize that what happened wasn’t a dream. I yell as if somebody just broke both my legs (Simile) and my mom comes running in. Her eyes are worst than before, which I imagine my eyes look like too. I gaze up at her, turn over, and go back to sleep.(Magic Three) I want nothing to do with her right now. She closes the door and walks to her room. Sleep comes easily because I am fragile like glass. (Simile) Just a few hours ago, all the water in my body rushed out through my eyes. (Hyperbole) Life goes on and school comes the next day. The rest of the days, months, years of my life are different. (Magic Three). I become more and more unlike the person I was before the separation. I am stronger but I am weaker. I don’t fall for peer pressure but I get mad at meaningless things. Things like somebody bumping into me and saying excuse me. Things that I didn’t notice before my dad left. I am older now and understand everything. They won’t tell me the reason why they separated because they say I don’t need to know. “Not everybody can keep up with the changes a person goes through and they eventually fall out of love,” (Dialogue) says my mom. People can’t control if they fall out of love, it just happens,”(Dialogue) says my dad. Sometimes people take on bigger roles than they should of. As the years past, I realized that my dad was never actually gone he is always still here. My dad still loves me and I see him often. I realized that things happen and marriage isn’t always for everyone. Divorce was made for a reason. 

Introduction:

            Almost every English class the students would walk in and see a journal on the board. The students would sit down and do the journal. Here are 6 of the many journals that were given and my responses to them.

Journal #1: Have you ever faced what seemed like an impossible task? How do you get through it (if you did…)? Were you alone?

GROUP PROJECTS! I really don’t like them, especially when your “team mates” don’t do what they are supposed to. This event happened in about 7^th or 8^th grade. It was a project that was worth 20% of your final grade. I had to get this done. I collaborated with my team mates and we decided what each of us were supposed to do for our project. But one of the people in my group was a horrible partner that didn’t do any work they were supposed to. The day before the project was due she skipped school. So the other two people and myself had to do that part of the project in 20 minutes and put it on the poster board. But we didn’t have a computer to type it up on. So we had to write it by hand. Ends up we got an A so everything turned out ok.

Journal #2: Why write?

I write to express myself. When I have no one else to talk to but myself, my pen and my paper. I feel like people don’t understand me sometimes so I go and sort of talk to myself and think about what to do about a certain situation. Or maybe I just want to write about life, something inspirational so when I need advice I can always go back and read it over. This is why I write.

Journal #3: If you really knew me…

If you really knew me you would know that in public I seem like a happy soul a person who has a care free life (which sometime I do). But on the inside I am an angry person. I do have anger issues. If someone pushes me over or close to the edge I will flip, go over board and not be able to control my actions. I do have to go to therapy to try to take control of my problem. If you really knew me you would know that I have anger issues.

Journal #4: How important is it to fit in?

People who know me know that it is every important for to be liked. I need to fit in to feel good about myself. I need to have friends, I need to feel like if I’m going to fall someone will be there to catch me. I love being liked by people it makes me feel good.

Journal #5: What are people’s expectations of you? What are your own?

Peoples expectations of me are to do well in school, to be responsible and wary and to be me. It is hard doing all these things and when people have these things on their shoulders and more they crumble under the pressure. My expectations are the same but a little bit more strict. When I do things I want myself to go above and beyond and when I don’t I feel bad about myself. It is hard living up to other peoples standards or expectations, but it is even harder living up to your own.

Journal #6: What is your response to seeing/reading and saying the ”N” word?

Seeing this word all over this book is hard and upsetting but at the same time ok. It is ok to see because it reminds you how things in the past really were and how things have changed for the better. It is refreshing to see how well African Americans are treated today knowing that things have changed forever and for the better.

This was my first English Benchmark, which was to analyze 10 quotes out of Macbeth and make a thesis on Macbeth or Lady Macbeth. I chose Lady Macbeth and got 85 as my grade. 

Lady Macbeth Examination

By Nicholas Murray

Thesis: Lady Macbeth is a strong willed and wicked woman in the beginning of the play, but in the end she was not strong enough and too fragile to live with what she has done or keep her title as queen.

In act I scene 5, page 16 Lady Macbeth has received a letter From Macbeth, containing the prophecy of being Thane of Cawdor then King. He tells her that he has already been named Thane of Cawdor, which fills Lady Macbeth with joy. She (alone) then says, “That which cries ‘Thus thou must do’ if thou have it;/ And that which rather thou dost fear to do/ Than wishest should be undone”(lines 23-25).  Basically, what Lady Macbeth is saying that there is only one-way Macbeth will be king and she does not think Macbeth is up to it. Since This is the first time seeing Lady  Macbeth, a bad first impression is mad. She is pondering what must be done for Macbeth to be king, which includes sinful things. This first impression shows us that  Lady Macbeth has an evil mind.

            In act I scene 5, page 17 Lady Macbeth confirms what she is going to do. She has now become aware that king Duncan is coming to their home with Macbeth so she thinks more about what must be done. She says, “Come, you spirits/ That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,/ And fill me from the crown to the toe topful/ of dearest cruelty” (Lines 39-42). Lady Macbeth is asking the spirits to make her bold like a man. By “unsex me she” means she wants to be cruel like a man not kind like a woman. She knows that for Macbeth to be king Duncan must die. She does not think Macbeth is cruel enough to kill him so she wants to be the cruel one and pull the strings. This gives the reader a clearer picture of what kind of person Lady Macbeth is. It shows that she might not be as bold now, but she wants to be bolder. That fact that she wants the strength to kill somebody shows that she is already cold hearted.

In act II scene 2, page 27, Lady Macbeth waits alone for Macbeth. Macbeth is out executing king Duncan to become king after Lady Macbeth’s pleas. She quotes,  “That which hath made them drunk hath made me bold;/ What hath quenched them hath given me fire. (An owl/ shrieks) Hark! Peace” (Lines 1-3). Lady  is talking about the plan in this scene. The plan was to get the guards drunk, take their daggers when they pass out, then frame them for the murder of Duncan. She thinks that because she went through with the plan, she has become even bolder. The truth is that she is kind of scared. She must be if she was scared by an owl’s shriek. This shows her inner turmoil. She may put on a brave façade, but like anyone in this situation, she was kind of scared

In act II scene 3, page 35, the king is found dead in his room. When everyone realizes the king is dead they all panic, even Lady Macbeth.  In her apparent “shock” Lady Macbeth says, “Help me hence, ho!” (Line 116). This simple line was enough for the lords to drop the talk of the king’s death, while throwing off any suspicion. Even though Lady Macbeth is kind of scared, she is able to put on a good act. Lady Macbeth must still be a strong willed person. In spite of her guilt she is un-phased. 

In act III scene 2, Page 46, line 13, Lady Macbeth speaks as the new queen. The children of king Duncan have fled leaving no one to be king except for Macbeth. Macbeth enters and seems worried. She quotes, “What’s done is done” to Macbeth. Lady Macbeth sounds content as the new queen with all her goals accomplished. But she may just still be shaken by what she has done to the king. She must not want Macbeth to worry about anything so they can act like nothing happened and try to live as happy as they can. She has no intension of what she has done to found out so she just wants to keep everything as it is.

In act III scene 5, Page 56, line 142, Lady Macbeth is worried about Macbeth. After Macbeth kills Banquo, because it was prophesized that he will have more sons and they will be king, and leaves Lady Macbeth out the plan, and there is a party hosted by Macbeth, Banquo’s ghost appears but only Macbeth sees it. Lady Macbeth takes Macbeth aside and tells him, “You lack the season of all natures, sleep”. She is worried about her husband. She does not want things like this happening in her new life. At this point she is worried.

In act V scene 1, Page 84, line 35 Lady Macbeth begins to sleepwalk. In her sleep she says, “Out, damned spot! Out, I say!”. She must be talking about the blood she has on her hands after all those crimes. That much blood would drive someone mad. Her will is probably breaking.

In act V scene 1, Page 85, lines 70-71, the doctor hears all the deeds Lady Macbeth confesses in her sleep. Context: Lady Macbeth confessed all that has happened in her sleep. He says, “Unnatural deeds/ Do breed unnatural troubles”. He realizes that Lady Macbeth has done horrible things. These horrible things drove Lady Macbeth mad. Lady Macbeth is now a fragile woman.

In act V scene 3, Page 89, lines 39-41 the doctor tells Macbeth, Lady Macbeth’s condition and why she is sleepwalking. He says “Not so sick, my lord,/ as she is troubled with thick-coming fancies/ that keep her from her rest”. She is not sick but a mental trouble is making her sleepwalk. This proves that she is losing her will. She is currently unfit for the crown.

In act V scene 5, Page 92, line 16, a woman’s shriek is heard. Afterwards Seyton appears with bad news. He says, “The queen, my lord, is dead”. Lady Macbeth died and lost the crown because of the things she did to get the crown. This only happened because she had a change of heart. She lost her will became fragile and died.

Conclusion: Lady Macbeth was a very unstable woman in this play. From start to finish she went through many changes in her personality. First she had started out as an evil manipulative woman to become queen. After the plan to kill Duncan was formed she became nervous. After she became queen she had nothing to worry about. That is until Macbeth went mad with power. She couldn’t handle it all and went mad herself. Because of all the guilt she had she became weaker. Because of her weakness she died and lost the title of queen. Because she became weak her dreams were not fulfilled

            As a 9^th grade English student I feel that my portfolio shows the growth I have made since I first became a 9^th grade English student. When I first entered English 9 I would constantly make grammar mistakes, my sentences would sometimes not make sense, and I had trouble with expanding on topic than just writing 3 or 4 sentences as a paragraph. Now that I leave English 9 I make minimal grammar mistakes, my vocabulary grew, I revise my work about 4 times until I find it sounds perfect and my paragraphs aren’t paragraphs until they have exceeded 8 sentences or more. Looking back at all my old projects and looking at the one I recently did I can see the growth and the person I came to be. Through out this class I have also seen a change in my self. I’ve noticed that I have begun to see things from a different perspective. I have grown as a person, mentally and physically.

  Through out English 9 my strengths are being able to expand on my writing and being able to adapt to the new vocabulary they the English 9 had to introduce to me to enhance my writing vocabulary and just in general. My weaknesses are dealing with the parts of speech which I have trouble remembering which part of speech goes with which word. I would like to work on the part of speech and also I would like to work on being able to write conclusions.

  Going back through my portfolio it gave me a chance to see how much I’ve really grown and the challenges that I overcame with myself. Now that I actually reflect on myself I notice that the way I’m leaving English 9 is not the same way I entered I’m more confident in myself and I’m prepared for what 10^th grade may have for me. While making my portfolio I had issues with revising one of my benchmarks that involved me re-doing most of my work. From my point of view I felt that there was no point in re-doing it if I had already gotten a good grade but I though about it and I know I’m capable of doing better. There’s always room for improvement. I stayed positive and was able to revise all my work and feel proud of myself.

The piece I’m most proud of is the 3^rd Benchmark where we had to compare and contrast the Odyssey. It’s my most proud piece because it’s the piece I was most enthusiastic about and the piece I really took my time to do and tried my hardest. I tried hard on all my benchmarks but there’s some things that if people are interested in their going to give their all into it.  While I was doing this project I felt that once I began writing I didn’t want to stop. 

Macbeth Character Analysis

Thesis: ‘’Lady Macbeth begins from stopping at nothing to get what she wants, to dying from what she had’’.

   In Act 1 scene 5 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth had recently received a letter from Macbeth stating his recent meet with the weird sisters and how they hailed him Thane of Cawdor, and King. As the messenger brings news of King Duncan joining them for dinner that following night, Lady Macbeth begins her soliloquy saying ‘’Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’’ (Act 1, scene 5, lines 39-40). What Lady Macbeth means is that she wants to be less of a woman and a strong as a man. She wants to be able to feel no guilt and have no second thoughts on her evil deeds therefore showing her charisma.

  In Act 1 scene 5 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth begins here ways into royalty. She’s telling Macbeth of her rigid plan and is sighting move by move of his deed is to be. She wants him to ‘’Look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’’ (Act 1, scene 5, 64-65). In other words she wants him to make Duncan feel as in trust but inside be the demon that will show. Lady Macbeth wants to seem as innocent as she was before the death and after for no suspicion. Even though it might not be as easy for Macbeth.

  In Act 1 scene 7 of Macbeth, Macbeth doesn’t want to continue on with the bad deed. He wants to enjoy his honors and not risk losing them so quick with such repulsive acts. Lady Macbeth notices she must act fast in order to get what she wants and begins to use her feminine sexuality to go her way.  She begins to put Macbeth in a position where he isn’t man enough to proceed with his deeds. Specifically she says ‘’and live a coward in thin own esteem, letting ‘’I dare not’’ wait upon ‘’I would,’’ ’’ (Act 1, scene 7, lines 43-44). She is insulting his manhood in able for him to get frustrated and Macbeth yields to her just to prove her wrong. Lady Macbeth is at the point where she wants nothing to go wrong with her plans and will go at any lengths to get what she wants.

  In Act 2 scene 2 of Macbeth, Macbeth has just killed Duncan and he regrets his deed. His hands are filled with blood and is still holding the daggers that were suppose to be put with the guards.  Macbeth regrets his acts and believes the guilt will live on with him. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth is correcting his mistakes and is ashamed. She says ‘’ My Hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white’’ (Act 2, scene 2, lines 67-68). What she means here is that her hands are bloody to but she shames to have her guilt show out with such ease. This indicates that Lady Macbeth at this point has no heart and is going at all lengths to fulfill her plans.

   After being crowned in Act 3 scene 2 of Macbeth, Macbeth is keeping stuff to himself, having sad thoughts, having nightmares, and still is guilty. He is also scared of the fact that Banquo is suspicious and decides to kill him without telling Lady Macbeth. In this case Lady Macbeth to tell him ‘’Things without all remedy should be without regard. What’s done is done’’ (Act 3, scene 2, lines 12-13).  She’s trying to explain to him that if there’s no way to fix your mistake than don’t keep thinking about it.

  In Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth has been sleepwalking and unaware of being watched. The Gentlewoman and the doctor are both waiting for Lady Macbeth to see her night actions. Lady Macbeth walks in with a candle, eyes open but sleeping. The doctor us confused and asks where did she get a candle from is she is asleep. The Gentlewoman responds ‘’Why, it stood by her. She has light by her continually. ‘Tis he command.’’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 22-23).  The reason for Lady Macbeth to demand a candle by her at all time is because she’s scared of the dark. Lady Macbeth is guilty.

   In Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, The Gentlewoman and the doctor are watching Lady Macbeth as she continued her weird acts. Lady Macbeth Gets out of bed; Gets paper, Folds it writes on it, reads it, seals it, Rubs hands, and talks as if someone were with her. As she speaks she says ‘’ yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? ‘’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 38-39).  Lady Macbeth is talking of when Macbeth killed Duncan and she seen all the blood. She partially reveals that Macbeth killed Duncan to the Doctor.

   In Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth had just revealed some shocking news while she is sleepwalking. She reveals this to the doctor and the Gentlewoman and both are shocked. Lady Macbeth talks about Duncan, she speaks as if she were talking to Macbeth and he were there letting most there secrets out.  The Doctor is surprised and tells the Gentlewoman ‘’Go to, go to! You have known what you should not‘’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 46-47).  The doctor begins to notice the lies that have been going on and knows he heard what he was not supposed to hear.

  Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth goes to bed and the Doctor analyzed her actions and came to a conclusion. The doctor is speaking to the Gentlewoman and confirms that Lady Macbeth has gone insane and has a disease. He tells the Gentlewoman ‘’my mind she has mated, and amazed my sight’’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 77).  The Doctor is amazed from what he has heard and seen. He thinks there’s it could be something evil, but it more than what he can do.

  Act 5 scene 8 of Macbeth, The Battle had just ended and everyone is hailing Malcolm King of Scotland. Malcolm killed Macbeth for name of his title, King. He reveals the way of lady Macbeth death due to her insanity. In His speech he says ‘’ who, as ‘tis thought, by self and violent hands took off her life’’ (Act 5, scene 8, lines 70-71). In other words, Lady Macbeth committed suicide due to her disease.

   Lady Macbeth began from going at any lengths to get what she wants. Slowly she turned insane throughout the time from the guilt.

Perfect Disassemble

 At 6 years old all you want to see around you is happiness(Opener). At the age of 6 I was a very happy child. I had my mom, dad, sister, brother, nephew, and brother’s wife with me.  We all lived together in the same apartment in New York City. 2 bedrooms and 7 people the highlight of my life! (Humor)  My brother and sister decided to have children at a young age while still living with my parents.  In my opinion that was not the best decision they could have made.  My brother and I got along great while on the other hand my sister and I were like two bombs about to explode, but being the youngest child had its advantages. As the youngest child in my family I was the spoiled one and boy did I love it! (Humor) My friends would always came over my house because I was the one who had the best toys or the coolest things, those I love you daddy’s paid off (Humor).

    I have always seen my family to be the perfect family. Though no family is perfect that’s how I saw it in my eyes. When I was 8 my brother began moving in and out. Eventually my brother got divorced with the mother of his first child. Who said young parenting would be easy. Ending up living in his own apartment my brother left our home to my sister, my parents, and I.  In this time my dad had kidney disease and was on dialysis for 6 months in need of kidney transplant but he was not able to find anyone who was the same blood type. My mom wanted to give a kidney to my dad, but wasn’t compatible. After the 6 months my dad’s doctor found two brothers named Sean and Kensley who were going through the same problem. Sean needed the Kidney transplant and Kensley wanted to donate his kidney to his brother but were not the same blood type. After many tests the doctors came to realize my dad was compatible with Kensley and Sean was compatible with my mom. There was a miracle given from god.

At age 10 I became the aunt of my sister’s son Anthony. He was born with asthma, murmur, 7 UTI’s, classification in his kidney, and high blood pressure It’s an everyday struggle for him, a child full of energy and intelligent somehow makes he is able to make his way through the day. My sister still lives with us but in a room my dad made by putting a wall half way through the living room. My sister didn’t get to finish college because of her pregnancy but is well looking forward to finishing college when she has more time.  My sister and I still clash but we put our differences aside because of the new addition to the family we continue to be the perfect family, even without having my brother around as much.

     At the age of 12 kids get excited to enter their teen years. Having more freedom is more fun than sitting in my room playing tea party with Mr.Snuggles (Humor). But there’s one difference of this age than all the other ones, have been living in Philadelphia for 1 year now. We moved when I was 11 because my mom wanted a change. She wanted her own house and a different environment. My perfect family had disassembled slowly. My sister lived In New York City with my brother but in different parts, my parents and I lived in Philadelphia 2 hours away from happiness.  Yet I see a disassembled family I had to realize I still had my parents and that’s still perfect to me.

            Age 13 and the perfect family involved having the perfect parents. From time to time my parents would argue about the dumbest things, but I didn’t want to face the chances of an imperfect family and would ignore all the arguments. One late night my dad was making coffee and they started arguing on that my mom said she didn’t want coffee and my dad got smart. This is where the 8oz bag of coffee really began the drama (Humor). My mom stormed out the kitchen and ran upstairs. Next thing I know my mom’s coming down the stairs with her coat and a bag of clothes. Knowing we didn’t have anyone in Philadelphia I started getting scared and started crying because I knew what was going to happen next in this scene. I knew my mom would do anything to make me happy so I cried and cried for hours and begged her to stay until finally she decided to stay but didn’t forgive my father. Although I got to see my perfect family again I knew the happiness surrounding my perfect family was gone. I knew my mother was staying because of me but her heart was not in it. And I knew I was being selfish for thinking of my happiness and what I wanted to see before thinking of my mom’s happiness(Rep 4 effect).

           Age 14 going on 15 soon and from time to time I still hear the late night arguments, now I try and help out but I don’t solve the problem. I still think about my years as a young child and my definition of a perfect family to be a family that stays together. However, the real definition of a perfect family is the family who is simply happy.  

The Odyssey 

Penny and Penelope both face issues with their husbands and differently with the suitors, Penny is engaged and Penelope has to deal with 140+ suitors. Vernon T. Waldrip is Penelope’s fiancé while Penny has not yet chosen a suitor for which she wants to marry. Both suitors show to be a threat to Everett and Odysseus and both in a different way challenge Everett and Odysseus’s lives. Even though Vernon T. Waldrip and the suitors seem the same, Penny and Penelope deal with them differently, which makes Waldrip a stronger suitor and foe.

             Vernon T. Waldrip from “O Brother Where out thou” and the suitors from “The Odyssey” both have similar situations. They’re both suitors to Penny and Penelope but neither actually marries Penny and Penelope.  They might not have gotten married but they’re still threats to Everett and Odysseus. Vernon T. Waldrip was practically taking Everett’s family away from him and Everett’s kids thought that Everett died from a train accident. Even after Everett was in front of his children and Penny still tried to convince them he died in a train accident. As for the suitors they also wanted to marry Penelope and take Odysseus’s family from him. Penelope finished it off; she can’t seem to avoid the suitors. In book 19 Penelope says, "So I finished it off. Against my will they forced me. And now I cant escape a marriage, nor can I contrive a deft way out"(Book 19 Lines 175,177). Yet the suitors wanted to marry Penelope for power not for love. Even though the suitors did not get to marry Penelope if Odysseus did not get there in time he would have lost his wife like Everett could have lost his wife the next day.

 Both Suitors get close to marriage but finish off differently.  Vernon T. Waldrip proposed to Penny and they scheduled to get married the day after Everett showed up, while Penelope only wanted Odysseus and did not want to accept the fact that she might had to have gotten married to one of 140+ suitors at her house. Penelope challenged the suitors for her grooms place knowing the only person who could pass the challenge was Odysseus.  In Book 19, she reveals her plan to Eurycleia, saying, “Now I will bring them on as a trial for my suitors. The hand that can string the bow with greatest ease, that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes- He's the man I follow, yes, forsaking his house where I was once a bride, this gracious house."(Book 19 Lines 648,652). With this hard task Penelope believes that none of the suitors will be able to even get past the first step. Therefore delaying the marriage with her suitors for hope that Odysseus would return. While on the other hand Penny did not care and figured Everett was not going to return which made her unfaithful, becoming Vernon T. Waldrip’s fiancé. Though Everett was the father of Penny’s children she found Vernon T. Waldrip to be “Bonafide” a guy who can offer more to her kids than Everett could. While, the suitors had nothing to offer to Penelope and nothing the suitors could possibly do would make Penelope be unfaithful. 

 Over 140 suitors fighting 6 other men makes it seem like an unfair battle. Yet the suitor’s lack of knowledge and strength makes every single one of them died. The suitors proved that they don’t compare to Odysseus when it comes to battle and knowledge they all thought that since they had armor surrounding them that it would be easy but Odysseus was smarter. Once Odysseus shot Antinous the rest of the suitors were in shock and scared that Odysseus has returned. As in book 22 the narrator describes them and says “Terror gripped them all, blanches their faces white, each man glancing wildly-how to escape this instant death” (Book 22 Lines 43,44). At this point suitors are aware that Odysseus is not going to let them off that easy. While on the other hand Vernon T. Waldrip’s proves he is the better man when he fights Everett and wins. Vernon T. Waldrip won the fight in less than 3 minutes leaving Everett to look like he is not good enough to compare to making Penny’s choice of husband clearer. The suitors at that point didn’t have a chance against Odysseus and he got to keep his wife as soon as the battle was over as to Everett he still had more work to do to get Vernon T. Waldrip away from his Family and regain his life back.

 Penny and Penelope deal with their suitors differently, but even though they seem the same, Vernon T. Waldrip is a stronger suitor and foe. Vernon T. Waldrip defeats Everett in their meet and makes Penny not regret her choice. The suitors lose 6 to 140 plus making Odysseus the better man for his wife and no suitor can take his place. 

Me Mag

Blue moon is a fantasy novel and was written by  #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noel. Blue Moon was published on July 7, 2009 by St. Martin’s Press and is the second book of the immortal series preceded by “Evermore” and followed by “Shadowland”. Blue Moon got praised “Publishers weekly bestseller”, An international bestseller, Deputed at #1 on the New York Times Best sellers list, Deputed at #14 on the USA Today Best sellers list and nominated “Children’s book council’s best book of 2009”.

  Blue Moon deals with a 16-year-old girl named Ever bloom that can see people’s auras and get they’re entire history by on touch because she is immortal. Ever is now learning to control her power as they grow but her love Damen Auguste has become ill and is losing all his power and becoming mortal to the point where he dies. Ever is willing to do anything to save Damen. While she is on her journey to the beautiful dimension of Summerland where time does not matter, she learns much. She finds out she can get her family back from their death in the car accident and also discovers Damens horrible past. Through out her journeys to Summerland she meets 2 twins who are there to help Ever in her journey and deciding right from wrong. The Blue Moon is the answer to all her problems now she is to decide between getting her family back and the love of her life. She then decided her family but it only last to the point where the accident reoccurs and she is back to the life she left. Ever than saves Damen from the illness with an antidote she found in Summerland having only hours left before he died.

  Blue Moon has many interesting characters such as the main character Ever bloom and the lover of her life Damen Auguste. Damen Auguste is also an immortal in the book.  During this novel Damen is ill but not in a sick way he is possessed by Roman who is seeking revenge on Ever for killing Drina and is hurting what Ever loves most. Roman was in love with Damens ex wife Drina but once Drina died he planed his revenge in a clever way. Romy and Rayne are twin girls who have been helping Ever with her task to save Damen in Summerland. Miles and Haven are Evers best friends who also get possessed along with the entire school by Roman. My favorite character would have to be Roman not because he was the “villain” in this case but because he was so clever. He was able to gain Ever’s trust and destroy her with that, he possessed an entire school and almost got away with his plan. He played it off when he acted that he did not know Ever was the one who killed Drina but he knew all along. Readers my age or readers who have similar issues should take in the “problem solver” the way Alyson Noel set these characters to solve their problems.

   Through out the book I felt as if I could relate to Ever. Not with the powers or her undying lover for Damen but for how she would do anything to save Damen. If I put myself in that situation and changed Damen for one of my parents I know I would go to any lengths to try and save them.  I also understood why Ever chose her family to Damen. Ever needed her Family, love comes and goes but family is forever. Throughout most of the book I tried putting my self in Evers situations and my heart would just break sometimes. While Ever began to explain how much she missed her parents after she got to be with them once more I began to cry because I thought of how I would feel I wasn’t to able to see my parents again. It opened my eyes into really appreciating what I have.

  I enjoyed this book very much it keeps the reader wanting more. After I finished reading “Evermore” I began Blue Moon as soon as possible and loved every page of it. Alyson Noel exceeded my expectations and gave the book twists I never would have thought would occur. The only weakness of this book is that Alyson Noel had Ever give it away to easily, on something being wrong about Roman. After noticing Ever kept repeating, “there’s something odd about Roman” I began to notice Roman was the problem of all that was occurring. A strength about this book was that while Alyson Noel was giving it away about Roman she was also twisting my mind and making it more of a question than a statement if Roman was the problem.

  I recommend this book to all teenagers and adults as well. The love between Ever and Damen is what brings the entire book alive. Their history, their ways of solving their problems makes you want to live it yourself. The way Ever feels about herself with the power she now gains shows the reader an entirely different point of view in life.  This book takes you to new levels in reading and nobody should miss out on the love and exciting fantasy this novel has to offer. 

1-25-11

There are many different ways to know that you’re an adult. You can go the legal way, which that is 21 years old and older. Or my way which is when you mature enough reach an appropriate age and you’re your own person. In my opinion I feel that each person has there own moment of becoming and adult. Some people mature faster than others and become an adult when their ready to become one. For example when they’re ready to take care of their own lives and make the right choices. For others the moment of becoming an adult is the legal way even though the person is not ready for the responsibility the title adult has.

2-16-11 

As a young child I had trouble with a friend that a lot of other people did not like. I don’t remember exactly what the situation was but of what I remember I know she lied of something I did. One night I was on 3 line with 2 of my other friends and a conversation about her started. My friends pressured me into calling the girl but when she didn’t pick they decided to leave a voicemail. One of the girls who was on the 3 line said “I hope you die see you on the other side”. After being called into the principles office the next day at school I got blamed for my friend’s actions since my number came upon their caller id. Hardest part about all this was facing my mom knowing that no one would believe me and I would do the crime. 

Impossible task: Facing my mom after I knew she felt ashamed. 

3-16-11 

The way your environment shapes who you become is by the inspiration you get from it. The way my environment shapes is me is the people I hang out with more common called my friends. The friends you hang out with depend who you are. If you hang out with school hating, smoke loving friends than you’re not headed off to a good future. Yet if you hang around the right people that will push you into doing the right things than any time soon your going to do the right things on your own and helping others into making the right choices.  For example in 6^th grade I was a straight A student than came 7^th and 8^th grade and my friends change I went to an A and B student with a couple C’s. I knew my choice in friends weren’t good but it was fun. At times I knew I was doing the wrong thing but most teenagers don’t want to seem like “lames’ in front of their friends. Now High school I have a variety of friends I mostly became my own person. I have the “Lets cut class” friends and the “I have to get my work done but still have fun with it” friends.

4.5.11 

An expectation put upon me by my parents is that I’m always going to get good grades. Though I know I’m capable of it I also know I’m human and I have flaws. In the 6^th grade I had straight A’s and only one B through out the entire report card by the end of the year. Now my mom believes that if I don’t get A’s it’s a very bad thing.  I try not to let my parents down I always want them to see the best in me an I be the child they wanted, and when I know I haven’t met my parents expectations it tares me up inside. Yet now I’m starting to learn that they want me to try my hardest but they also understand its hard to always do it all when you a whole bunch of stuff to deal with. 

            As a 9^th grade English student I feel that my portfolio shows the growth I have made since I first became a 9^th grade English student. When I first entered English 9 I would constantly make grammar mistakes, my sentences would sometimes not make sense, and I had trouble with expanding on topic than just writing 3 or 4 sentences as a paragraph. Now that I leave English 9 I make minimal grammar mistakes, my vocabulary grew, I revise my work about 4 times until I find it sounds perfect and my paragraphs aren’t paragraphs until they have exceeded 8 sentences or more. Looking back at all my old projects and looking at the one I recently did I can see the growth and the person I came to be. Through out this class I have also seen a change in my self. I’ve noticed that I have begun to see things from a different perspective. I have grown as a person, mentally and physically.

When others see my work I hope that they understand the point that I’m trying to get across. More importantly I want the viewer to get any reflection to myself that I have done. When I write I always try to reflect back to myself depending the situation. If it’s writing about myself then I try to see things from a different point of view.  Also I want the reader to understand how self-assured I felt about my piece of writing.

            Through out English 9 my strengths are being able to expand on my writing and being able to adapt to the new vocabulary they the English 9 had to introduce to me to enhance my writing vocabulary and just in general. My weaknesses are dealing with the parts of speech which I have trouble remembering which part of speech goes with which word. I would like to work on the part of speech and also I would like to work on being able to write conclusions.

            Going back through my portfolio it gave me a chance to see how much I’ve really grown and the challenges that I overcame with myself. Now that I actually reflect on myself I notice that the way I’m leaving English 9 is not the same way I entered I’m more confident in myself and I’m prepared for what 10^th grade may have for me. While making my portfolio I had issues with revising one of my benchmarks that involved me re-doing most of my work. From my point of view I felt that there was no point in re-doing it if I had already gotten a good grade but I though about it and I know I’m capable of doing better. There’s always room for improvement. I stayed positive and was able to revise all my work and feel proud of myself.

            The piece I’m most proud of is the 3^rd Benchmark where we had to compare and contrast the Odyssey. It’s my most proud piece because it’s the piece I was most enthusiastic about and the piece I really took my time to do and tried my hardest. I tried hard on all my benchmarks but there’s some things that if people are interested in their going to give their all into it.  While I was doing this project I felt that once I began writing I didn’t want to stop. 

Macbeth Character Analysis

Thesis: ‘’Lady Macbeth begins from stopping at nothing to get what she wants, to dying from what she had’’.

    In Act 1 scene 5 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth had recently received a letter from Macbeth stating his recent meet with the weird sisters and how they hailed him Thane of Cawdor, and King. As the messenger brings news of King Duncan joining them for dinner that following night, Lady Macbeth begins her soliloquy saying ‘’Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here’’ (Act 1, scene 5, lines 39-40). What Lady Macbeth means is that she wants to be less of a woman and a strong as a man. She wants to be able to feel no guilt and have no second thoughts on her evil deeds therefore showing her charisma.

    In Act 1 scene 5 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth begins here ways into royalty. She’s telling Macbeth of her rigid plan and is sighting move by move of his deed is to be. She wants him to ‘’Look like th’ innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’’ (Act 1, scene 5, 64-65). In other words she wants him to make Duncan feel as in trust but inside be the demon that will show. Lady Macbeth wants to seem as innocent as she was before the death and after for no suspicion. Even though it might not be as easy for Macbeth.

    In Act 1 scene 7 of Macbeth, Macbeth doesn’t want to continue on with the bad deed. He wants to enjoy his honors and not risk losing them so quick with such repulsive acts. Lady Macbeth notices she must act fast in order to get what she wants and begins to use her feminine sexuality to go her way.  She begins to put Macbeth in a position where he isn’t man enough to proceed with his deeds. Specifically she says ‘’and live a coward in thin own esteem, letting ‘’I dare not’’ wait upon ‘’I would,’’ ’’ (Act 1, scene 7, lines 43-44). She is insulting his manhood in able for him to get frustrated and Macbeth yields to her just to prove her wrong. Lady Macbeth is at the point where she wants nothing to go wrong with her plans and will go at any lengths to get what she wants.

    In Act 2 scene 2 of Macbeth, Macbeth has just killed Duncan and he regrets his deed. His hands are filled with blood and is still holding the daggers that were suppose to be put with the guards.  Macbeth regrets his acts and believes the guilt will live on with him. Meanwhile Lady Macbeth is correcting his mistakes and is ashamed. She says ‘’ My Hands are of your color, but I shame to wear a heart so white’’ (Act 2, scene 2, lines 67-68). What she means here is that her hands are bloody to but she shames to have her guilt show out with such ease. This indicates that Lady Macbeth at this point has no heart and is going at all lengths to fulfill her plans.

    After being crowned in Act 3 scene 2 of Macbeth, Macbeth is keeping stuff to himself, having sad thoughts, having nightmares, and still is guilty. He is also scared of the fact that Banquo is suspicious and decides to kill him without telling Lady Macbeth. In this case Lady Macbeth to tell him ‘’Things without all remedy should be without regard. What’s done is done’’ (Act 3, scene 2, lines 12-13).  She’s trying to explain to him that if there’s no way to fix your mistake than don’t keep thinking about it.

    In Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth has been sleepwalking and unaware of being watched. The Gentlewoman and the doctor are both waiting for Lady Macbeth to see her night actions. Lady Macbeth walks in with a candle, eyes open but sleeping. The doctor us confused and asks where did she get a candle from is she is asleep. The Gentlewoman responds ‘’Why, it stood by her. She has light by her continually. ‘Tis he command.’’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 22-23).  The reason for Lady Macbeth to demand a candle by her at all time is because she’s scared of the dark. Lady Macbeth is guilty.

    In Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, The Gentlewoman and the doctor are watching Lady Macbeth as she continued her weird acts. Lady Macbeth Gets out of bed; Gets paper, Folds it writes on it, reads it, seals it, Rubs hands, and talks as if someone were with her. As she speaks she says ‘’ yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him? ‘’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 38-39).  Lady Macbeth is talking of when Macbeth killed Duncan and she seen all the blood. She partially reveals that Macbeth killed Duncan to the Doctor.

    In Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth had just revealed some shocking news while she is sleepwalking. She reveals this to the doctor and the Gentlewoman and both are shocked. Lady Macbeth talks about Duncan, she speaks as if she were talking to Macbeth and he were there letting most there secrets out.  The Doctor is surprised and tells the Gentlewoman ‘’Go to, go to! You have known what you should not‘’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 46-47).  The doctor begins to notice the lies that have been going on and knows he heard what he was not supposed to hear.

    Act 5 scene 1 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth goes to bed and the Doctor analyzed her actions and came to a conclusion. The doctor is speaking to the Gentlewoman and confirms that Lady Macbeth has gone insane and has a disease. He tells the Gentlewoman ‘’my mind she has mated, and amazed my sight’’ (Act 5, scene 1, lines 77).  The Doctor is amazed from what he has heard and seen. He thinks there’s it could be something evil, but it more than what he can do.

    Act 5 scene 8 of Macbeth, The Battle had just ended and everyone is hailing Malcolm King of Scotland. Malcolm killed Macbeth for name of his title, King. He reveals the way of lady Macbeth death due to her insanity. In His speech he says ‘’ who, as ‘tis thought, by self and violent hands took off her life’’ (Act 5, scene 8, lines 70-71). In other words, Lady Macbeth committed suicide due to her disease.

    Lady Macbeth began from going at any lengths to get what she wants. Slowly she turned insane throughout the time from the guilt.

Perfect Disassemble

At 6 years old all you want to see around you is happiness(Opener). At the age of 6 I was a very happy child. I had my mom, dad, sister, brother, nephew, and brother’s wife with me.  We all lived together in the same apartment in New York City. 2 bedrooms and 7 people the highlight of my life! (Humor)  My brother and sister decided to have children at a young age while still living with my parents.  In my opinion that was not the best decision they could have made.  My brother and I got along great while on the other hand my sister and I were like two bombs about to explode, but being the youngest child had its advantages. As the youngest child in my family I was the spoiled one and boy did I love it! (Humor) My friends would always came over my house because I was the one who had the best toys or the coolest things, those I love you daddy’s paid off (Humor).

            I have always seen my family to be the perfect family. Though no family is perfect that’s how I saw it in my eyes. When I was 8 my brother began moving in and out. Eventually my brother got divorced with the mother of his first child. Who said young parenting would be easy. Ending up living in his own apartment my brother left our home to my sister, my parents, and I.  In this time my dad had kidney disease and was on dialysis for 6 months in need of kidney transplant but he was not able to find anyone who was the same blood type. My mom wanted to give a kidney to my dad, but wasn’t compatible. After the 6 months my dad’s doctor found two brothers named Sean and Kensley who were going through the same problem. Sean needed the Kidney transplant and Kensley wanted to donate his kidney to his brother but were not the same blood type. After many tests the doctors came to realize my dad was compatible with Kensley and Sean was compatible with my mom. There was a miracle given from god.

At age 10 I became the aunt of my sister’s son Anthony. He was born with asthma, murmur, 7 UTI’s, classification in his kidney, and high blood pressure It’s an everyday struggle for him, a child full of energy and intelligent somehow makes he is able to make his way through the day. My sister still lives with us but in a room my dad made by putting a wall half way through the living room. My sister didn’t get to finish college because of her pregnancy but is well looking forward to finishing college when she has more time.  My sister and I still clash but we put our differences aside because of the new addition to the family we continue to be the perfect family, even without having my brother around as much.

            At the age of 12 kids get excited to enter their teen years. Having more freedom is more fun than sitting in my room playing tea party with Mr.Snuggles (Humor). But there’s one difference of this age than all the other ones, have been living in Philadelphia for 1 year now. We moved when I was 11 because my mom wanted a change. She wanted her own house and a different environment. My perfect family had disassembled slowly. My sister lived In New York City with my brother but in different parts, my parents and I lived in Philadelphia 2 hours away from happiness.  Yet I see a disassembled family I had to realize I still had my parents and that’s still perfect to me.

            Age 13 and the perfect family involved having the perfect parents. From time to time my parents would argue about the dumbest things, but I didn’t want to face the chances of an imperfect family and would ignore all the arguments. One late night my dad was making coffee and they started arguing on that my mom said she didn’t want coffee and my dad got smart. This is where the 8oz bag of coffee really began the drama (Humor). My mom stormed out the kitchen and ran upstairs. Next thing I know my mom’s coming down the stairs with her coat and a bag of clothes. Knowing we didn’t have anyone in Philadelphia I started getting scared and started crying because I knew what was going to happen next in this scene. I knew my mom would do anything to make me happy so I cried and cried for hours and begged her to stay until finally she decided to stay but didn’t forgive my father. Although I got to see my perfect family again I knew the happiness surrounding my perfect family was gone. I knew my mother was staying because of me but her heart was not in it. And I knew I was being selfish for thinking of my happiness and what I wanted to see before thinking of my mom’s happiness(Rep 4 effect).

Age 14 going on 15 soon and from time to time I still hear the late night arguments, now I try and help out but I don’t solve the problem. I still think about my years as a young child and my definition of a perfect family to be a family that stays together. However, the real definition of a perfect family is the family who is simply happy.  

The Odyssey 

Penny and Penelope both face issues with their husbands and differently with the suitors, Penny is engaged and Penelope has to deal with 140+ suitors. Vernon T. Waldrip is Penelope’s fiancé while Penny has not yet chosen a suitor for which she wants to marry. Both suitors show to be a threat to Everett and Odysseus and both in a different way challenge Everett and Odysseus’s lives. Even though Vernon T. Waldrip and the suitors seem the same, Penny and Penelope deal with them differently, which makes Waldrip a stronger suitor and foe.

Vernon T. Waldrip from “O Brother Where out thou” and the suitors from “The Odyssey” both have similar situations. They’re both suitors to Penny and Penelope but neither actually marries Penny and Penelope.  They might not have gotten married but they’re still threats to Everett and Odysseus. Vernon T. Waldrip was practically taking Everett’s family away from him and Everett’s kids thought that Everett died from a train accident. Even after Everett was in front of his children and Penny still tried to convince them he died in a train accident. As for the suitors they also wanted to marry Penelope and take Odysseus’s family from him.

Penelope finished it off; she can’t seem to avoid the suitors. In book 19 Penelope says, "So I finished it off. Against my will they forced me. And now I cant escape a marriage, nor can I contrive a deft way out"(Book 19 Lines 175,177). Yet the suitors wanted to marry Penelope for power not for love. Even though the suitors did not get to marry Penelope if Odysseus did not get there in time he would have lost his wife like Everett could have lost his wife the next day.

            Both Suitors get close to marriage but finish off differently.  Vernon T. Waldrip proposed to Penny and they scheduled to get married the day after Everett showed up, while Penelope only wanted Odysseus and did not want to accept the fact that she might had to have gotten married to one of 140+ suitors at her house. Penelope challenged the suitors for her grooms place knowing the only person who could pass the challenge was Odysseus.  In Book 19, she reveals her plan to Eurycleia, saying, “Now I will bring them on as a trial for my suitors. The hand that can string the bow with greatest ease, that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes- He's the man I follow, yes, forsaking his house where I was once a bride, this gracious house."(Book 19 Lines 648,652). With this hard task Penelope believes that none of the suitors will be able to even get past the first step. Therefore delaying the marriage with her suitors for hope that Odysseus would return. While on the other hand Penny did not care and figured Everett was not going to return which made her unfaithful, becoming Vernon T. Waldrip’s fiancé. Though Everett was the father of Penny’s children she found Vernon T. Waldrip to be “Bonafide” a guy who can offer more to her kids than Everett could. While, the suitors had nothing to offer to Penelope and nothing the suitors could possibly do would make Penelope be unfaithful. 

Over 140 suitors fighting 6 other men makes it seem like an unfair battle. Yet the suitor’s lack of knowledge and strength makes every single one of them died. The suitors proved that they don’t compare to Odysseus when it comes to battle and knowledge they all thought that since they had armor surrounding them that it would be easy but Odysseus was smarter. Once Odysseus shot Antinous the rest of the suitors were in shock and scared that Odysseus has returned. As in book 22 the narrator describes them and says “Terror gripped them all, blanches their faces white, each man glancing wildly-how to escape this instant death” (Book 22 Lines 43,44). At this point suitors are aware that Odysseus is not going to let them off that easy. While on the other hand Vernon T. Waldrip’s proves he is the better man when he fights Everett and wins. Vernon T. Waldrip won the fight in less than 3 minutes leaving Everett to look like he is not good enough to compare to making Penny’s choice of husband clearer. The suitors at that point didn’t have a chance against Odysseus and he got to keep his wife as soon as the battle was over as to Everett he still had more work to do to get Vernon T. Waldrip away from his Family and regain his life back.

Penny and Penelope deal with their suitors differently, but even though they seem the same, Vernon T. Waldrip is a stronger suitor and foe. Vernon T. Waldrip defeats Everett in their meet and makes Penny not regret her choice. The suitors lose 6 to 140 plus making Odysseus the better man for his wife and no suitor can take his place. 

Me Mag

Blue moon is a fantasy novel and was written by  #1 New York Times bestselling author Alyson Noel. Blue Moon was published on July 7, 2009 by St. Martin’s Press and is the second book of the immortal series preceded by “Evermore” and followed by “Shadowland”. Blue Moon got praised “Publishers weekly bestseller”, An international bestseller, Deputed at #1 on the New York Times Best sellers list, Deputed at #14 on the USA Today Best sellers list and nominated “Children’s book council’s best book of 2009”.

            Blue Moon deals with a 16-year-old girl named Ever bloom that can see people’s auras and get they’re entire history by on touch because she is immortal. Ever is now learning to control her power as they grow but her love Damen Auguste has become ill and is losing all his power and becoming mortal to the point where he dies. Ever is willing to do anything to save Damen. While she is on her journey to the beautiful dimension of Summerland where time does not matter, she learns much. She finds out she can get her family back from their death in the car accident and also discovers Damens horrible past. Through out her journeys to Summerland she meets 2 twins who are there to help Ever in her journey and deciding right from wrong. The Blue Moon is the answer to all her problems now she is to decide between getting her family back and the love of her life. She then decided her family but it only last to the point where the accident reoccurs and she is back to the life she left. Ever than saves Damen from the illness with an antidote she found in Summerland having only hours left before he died.

            Blue Moon has many interesting characters such as the main character Ever bloom and the lover of her life Damen Auguste. Damen Auguste is also an immortal in the book.  During this novel Damen is ill but not in a sick way he is possessed by Roman who is seeking revenge on Ever for killing Drina and is hurting what Ever loves most. Roman was in love with Damens ex wife Drina but once Drina died he planed his revenge in a clever way. Romy and Rayne are twin girls who have been helping Ever with her task to save Damen in Summerland. Miles and Haven are Evers best friends who also get possessed along with the entire school by Roman. My favorite character would have to be Roman not because he was the “villain” in this case but because he was so clever. He was able to gain Ever’s trust and destroy her with that, he possessed an entire school and almost got away with his plan. He played it off when he acted that he did not know Ever was the one who killed Drina but he knew all along. Readers my age or readers who have similar issues should take in the “problem solver” the way Alyson Noel set these characters to solve their problems.

            Through out the book I felt as if I could relate to Ever. Not with the powers or her undying lover for Damen but for how she would do anything to save Damen. If I put myself in that situation and changed Damen for one of my parents I know I would go to any lengths to try and save them.  I also understood why Ever chose her family to Damen. Ever needed her Family, love comes and goes but family is forever. Throughout most of the book I tried putting my self in Evers situations and my heart would just break sometimes. While Ever began to explain how much she missed her parents after she got to be with them once more I began to cry because I thought of how I would feel I wasn’t to able to see my parents again. It opened my eyes into really appreciating what I have.

            I enjoyed this book very much it keeps the reader wanting more. After I finished reading “Evermore” I began Blue Moon as soon as possible and loved every page of it. Alyson Noel exceeded my expectations and gave the book twists I never would have thought would occur. The only weakness of this book is that Alyson Noel had Ever give it away to easily, on something being wrong about Roman. After noticing Ever kept repeating, “there’s something odd about Roman” I began to notice Roman was the problem of all that was occurring. A strength about this book was that while Alyson Noel was giving it away about Roman she was also twisting my mind and making it more of a question than a statement if Roman was the problem.

I recommend this book to all teenagers and adults as well. The love between Ever and Damen is what brings the entire book alive. Their history, their ways of solving their problems makes you want to live it yourself. The way Ever feels about herself with the power she now gains shows the reader an entirely different point of view in life.  This book takes you to new levels in reading and nobody should miss out on the love and exciting fantasy this novel has to offer. 

1-25-11

There are many different ways to know that you’re an adult. You can go the legal way, which that is 21 years old and older. Or my way which is when you mature enough reach an appropriate age and you’re your own person. In my opinion I feel that each person has there own moment of becoming and adult. Some people mature faster than others and become an adult when their ready to become one. For example when they’re ready to take care of their own lives and make the right choices. For others the moment of becoming an adult is the legal way even though the person is not ready for the responsibility the title adult has.

2-16-11 

As a young child I had trouble with a friend that a lot of other people did not like. I don’t remember exactly what the situation was but of what I remember I know she lied of something I did. One night I was on 3 line with 2 of my other friends and a conversation about her started. My friends pressured me into calling the girl but when she didn’t pick they decided to leave a voicemail. One of the girls who was on the 3 line said “I hope you die see you on the other side”. After being called into the principles office the next day at school I got blamed for my friend’s actions since my number came upon their caller id. Hardest part about all this was facing my mom knowing that no one would believe me and I would do the crime. 

Impossible task: Facing my mom after I knew she felt ashamed. 

3-16-11 

The way your environment shapes who you become is by the inspiration you get from it. The way my environment shapes is me is the people I hang out with more common called my friends. The friends you hang out with depend who you are. If you hang out with school hating, smoke loving friends than you’re not headed off to a good future. Yet if you hang around the right people that will push you into doing the right things than any time soon your going to do the right things on your own and helping others into making the right choices.  For example in 6^th grade I was a straight A student than came 7^th and 8^th grade and my friends change I went to an A and B student with a couple C’s. I knew my choice in friends weren’t good but it was fun. At times I knew I was doing the wrong thing but most teenagers don’t want to seem like “lames’ in front of their friends. Now High school I have a variety of friends I mostly became my own person. I have the “Lets cut class” friends and the “I have to get my work done but still have fun with it” friends.

Journal #4

4.5.11 

An expectation put upon me by my parents is that I’m always going to get good grades. Though I know I’m capable of it I also know I’m human and I have flaws. In the 6^th grade I had straight A’s and only one B through out the entire report card by the end of the year. Now my mom believes that if I don’t get A’s it’s a very bad thing.  I try not to let my parents down I always want them to see the best in me an I be the child they wanted, and when I know I haven’t met my parents expectations it tares me up inside. Yet now I’m starting to learn that they want me to try my hardest but they also understand its hard to always do it all when you a whole bunch of stuff to deal with. 

For this project we had to pick a Greek god or a goddess and write the math about them. I choose Athena.

For my independent reading choice, I chose "The evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly. It was a surprisingly captivating book. Kelly incorporated a lot of problems young women faced back in the 19th century which interested me because the wide difference form then to now.

Victoria Yarbrough

December 27, 2010

English Class  The Evolution of Culpurnia Tate.

     Book Review.

Book: The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate.

Author: Jacqueline Kelly

Winner of the ‘Newberry Honor’

Calpurnia Virginia Tate is the only girl out of seven brothers growing up in rural Texas at the turn of the last century. (1899) Calpurnia’s mother is trying to teach her how to become a young woman so that she can find a suitable husband when she gets older. However, Calpurnia would rather spend her time observing insects, animals, and plants. She wants to become a scientist, but is restricted by the sexist ways of her town and family. The only person that believes in her and wants to help her is her grandfather. He is a naturalist him self and sees potential in the young Calpurnia. As their relationship grows, Calpurnia’s grandfather teaches her how to become an avid naturalist. He believes that young women should be educated academically and should not have to worry about things like ‘posture’ and ‘sewing’.

Personally, my favorite character would be the main character Calpurnia, seeing things from her point of view really hit home for me. It shows her feelings towards a situation that may be looked at differently from someone else’s point of view. It is interesting reading the way she feels about situations. This book is a prime example of the saying “Just because you are a girl does not mean that you should not pursue your dreams”.

I my self can partially relate to Calpurnia. When I was younger people would tell me “All a woman needs to learn how to do is cook and clean and she’ll be alright”. That enraged me even at a young age. Women have so much more potential and can do anything that a man can. I love science which is another reason why this book spoke to me, I too like Calpurnia, love to look at living organisms and study them.

I liked this book. The author did a really good job of emphasizing that girls don’t have to learn about the Domestic aspects of life to succeed. I felt the need for a romantic interest in this book, it seems like a challenge to fit one in this particular story. However, if there was one, that would make me appreciate it the book even more. Also, science remained one of the main ideas throughout the book; I think that will sit well with science lovers who are looking for a thrill.

I would recommend this book to other people. However, the book may only take to girls who are older than 10 years old. It is a fun way to learn a lesson about pursuing your dreams and exceeding past expectations.

Revision:

Victoria Yarbrough

May 19, 2011

English Class  The Evolution of Culpurnia Tate.

     Book Report.

Book: The Evolution Of Calpurnia Tate.

Author: Jacqueline Kelly

Winner of the ‘Newberry Honor’

Calpurnia Virginia Tate is the only girl out of seven brothers growing up in rural Texas at the turn of the last century. (1899) Calpurnia’s mother is trying to teach her how to become a young woman so that she can find a suitable husband when she gets older. However, Calpurnia would rather spend her time observing insects, animals, and plants. She wants to become a scientist, but is restricted by the sexist ways of her town and family. The only person that believes in her and wants to help her is her grandfather. He is a naturalist him self and sees potential in the young Calpurnia. As their relationship grows, Calpurnia’s grandfather teaches her how to become an avid naturalist. He believes that young women should be educated academically and should not have to worry about things like ‘posture’ and ‘sewing’.  The idea of a girl’s academic success being more important than her domestic abilities became the main conflict.

Personally, my favorite character would be the main character Calpurnia, seeing things from her point of view really hit home for me. It shows her feelings towards a situation that may be looked at differently from someone else’s point of view. It is interesting reading the way she feels about situations. This book is a prime example of the saying “Just because you are a girl does not mean that you should not pursue your dreams”.

I my self can partially relate to Calpurnia. When I was younger people would tell me “All a woman needs to learn how to do is cook and clean and she’ll be alright”. That enraged me even at a young age. Women have so much more potential and can do anything that a man can. I love science which is another reason why this book spoke to me, I too like Calpurnia, love to look at living organisms and study them.

I liked this book. The author did a really good job of emphasizing that girls don’t have to learn about the domestic aspects of life to succeed. I felt the need for a romantic interest in this book, it seems like a challenge to fit one in this particular story. However, if there was one, that would make me appreciate it the book even more. Also, science remained one of the main ideas throughout the book; I think that will sit well with science lovers who are looking for a thrill.

I would recommend this book to other people. However, the book may only take to girls who are older than 10 years old and younger than 18 . It is a fun way to learn a lesson about pursuing your dreams and exceeding past expectations and sexist stereotypes.

Polyphemus vs. Big Dan Teague

While “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “The Odyssey” are set in two different times and are from two different points of view, there are some major similarities and differences between events and characters. Both “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” and “The Odyssey” are stories that describe a man’s journey home with the help of his crew, meeting different people, creatures, and triumphing over various obstacles. Although, the episode with Polyphemus and Big Dan Teague are set in different times, they both have some likenesses. Polyphemus is an antagonist in the book “The Odyssey”; he lives on an island that Odysseus comes to with his men. Big Dan Teague is an antagonist in the movie “O’ Brother Where Art Thou,” that Odysseus meets with his men.

         Polyphemus beat up Odysseus and his men, much like when Big Dan Teague beat up Everett and Delmar, while in the beginning of the movie/book that were kind. fgbh. Big Dan Teague greeted Everett and Delmar politely when he came up to them in the restaurant and then invited them onto a picnic.  However, Odysseus and his men snuck into Polyphemus’s cave uninvited, but Polyphemus was still pleasant towards them in the beginning. “Strangers! Now who are you? Where did you sail from, over the running sea-lanes?”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 9. Lines 284-285) Even though Polyphemus is a angry giant he was still kind to them when he found out they were in his cave, just as Big Dan Teague was kind and respectful to Delmar and Everett even though he wanted to rob them. 

            Both Polyphemus and Big Dan Teague attacked their prey for a reason. However, Polyphemus’ attack could be more easily explained than Big Dan Teague’s. Big Dan Teague invited Everett and Delmar to a picnic even though he had eaten lunch already. At lunch Big Dan Teague proceeded to eat everyone else’s food, then he began to explain how he was in the business of ‘making money in the Lord’s service’. Midway through his speech Big Dan Teague suddenly breaks off a tree limb and starts hitting Everett and Delmar with it. Big Dan Teague knocks Everett and Delmar unconscious, steals their money and leaves them dazed under a tree.   Similarly, when Odysseus and Polyphemus are just meeting, Odysseus is telling Polyphemus about how he and his men got to the cave. Polyphemus asks Odysseus about his ship and where it is, Odysseus expecting a trap of some kind, answers in his crafty way. “My ship? Poseidon god of the earthquake smashed my ship, he drove it against the rocks at your island’s far cape, he dashed it against a cliff as the winds rode us in.”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 9. Lines 318-321) Polyphemus doesn’t say anything in response, but he suddenly grabs two of Odyssey’s crew and eats them. Odysseus disrespected Polyphemus, by talking about his dad, Poseidon. Odysseus’s crafty skills ends up getting two of his men killed. Everett decided to trust a stranger, Big Dan Teague knew how stupid that was of him, and decided to use that to his advantage and steal their money. Both Polyphemus and Big Dan Teague attacked, but they attacked for different reasons. They both get something though, Polyphemus gets a meal and Big Dan Teague gets some money and another meal too. Both characters were aggressive when trying to get what they want.

            In both episodes, the monster or bigger opponent was given food; Polyphemus took the food without asking and Big Dan Teague was graciously given the food. Everett and Delmar went on a picnic with Big Dan Teague who ate their food from the restaurant. Everett bought food for Big Dan Teague and he thanked Everett for it, “Thank you boys for throwin’ in that fricassee.” However, Polyphemus just decided to eat two of Odysseus’s crew because he didn’t like what they said. “Not a word in reply to that, the ruthless brute. Lurching up, he lunged out with his hands towards my men and snatching two at once, rapping them from the ground.” (Homer The Odyssey. Book 9. Lines 322-325) Polyphemus thought he could just take what he wants because he is a giant and can kill all of them at once. On the other hand, Big Dan Teague knew that he couldn’t just kill them at once because he is bigger but there are two of them. So, Big Dan Teague decided to be nice about it, while Polyphemus decided to be violent. Both bigger opponents got their food, but in different ways.

            Both episodes have many things that are alike and different, even thought they are in different points of views and points in times. They show the difference between the real world and myths. In myths, giants are viscous are huge. They take whatever they want, but they get in trouble at the end or die. While, the human gets into trouble at the end to but the human is kinder at first and then gets mean. It shows how to worlds are different. Another thing is that it shows how some humans could be like mythical creatures because they are ferocious and larger than other humans. So, from the point of view of a smaller human that one person they know could be a mythical creature.

This was my 3^rd Benchmark, a comparison between a character from The Odyssey and any other character. I chose Odysseus and Everett from O’ Brother Where Art Thou’ and got a 96.

English Q3 Benchmark

By: Nicholas Murray

Orange Stream

Odysseus vs. Everett  

Journeys can be long and difficult under certain circumstances and can sometimes seem impossible. But if you have the right team to back you up things might became much easier. Odysseus and Everett both faced odds and at some points, things seemed impossible to do. Odysseus and Everett had very different help throughout there long journey. Even though Everett’s life and Odysseus’s life are similar, Odysseus had more help in the end and overall had an easier journey.

       While Odysseus was gone for 20 years and Everett was only gone for one year but did not have as much determination as Odysseus. For him to have still been searching for his home to his family, even with the possibility of not being wanted or not being recognized. For example, Odysseus didn’t want any thing to stop him or slow him down while heading home. So that the sirens would not make him stray from his path, he told them to restrain him. “First, she warns, we must steer clear of the sirens, their enchanting song, their meadow starred with flowers. I alone was to hear their voices, so she said, but you must bind me with tight chafing ropes so I cannot move a muscle, bound to the spot, erect at the mast-block, lashed by ropes to the mast. And if I plead, commanding you to set me free, then lash me faster, rope, pressing rope.” (The Odyssey Book 12, Page 276, Lines 172-179). In this quote Odysseus tells his men to tie him up so that the he will not be tempted by the sirens, taken off his path and be killed.  When Everett met those beautiful women he was easily seduced and forgot all about his mission, which gave them the chance to drug him. Because of this mistake he lost one of his friend.

       Gods helped out Odysseus while Everett had little help and was being chased. Odysseus had Athena to watch his back throughout his whole journey, which proved helpful to him. “Father, son of Cronus, our high and mighty king, surely he goes down to the death he earned in full! Let them all die so, all who do such things. But my heart breaks for Odysseus…” (The Odyssey Book 1, Page 79, Lines 54-57). She also helped out when the battle with the suitors came, “At his command, concentrating their shots, all six hurled as one but Athena sent the whole salvo wide of the mark (The Odyssey Book 22, Page 447, lines 267-269) … Again the suitors hurled their whetted shafts but Athena sent the better part of the salvo wide (The Odyssey Book 22, Page 447, Lines 285-286).” In both quotes Athena was showing sympathy for Odysseus and because of this she helped him. Everett had no one important looking after him until the very end of his journey, which wasn’t very helpful to him during his actual journey. After he prayed for help for him and his. His prayers caused the higher power to send a flood to stop him from being hung. Unlike Odysseus he does not believe in this higher power and it may never help him again.

Odysseus was missed by his family and was helped by his son to kill the suitors; Everett’s family turned his back on him, which left him with even less help. Odysseus’ son was by his side when he prepared for battle, “He paused with a warning nod, and at that sign Prince Telemachus, son of the king Odysseus, girding his sharp sword on, clamping hand to spear, took his stand by a chair that flanked his father--- his bronze spearpoint glinting now like fire…” (The Odyssey Book 21, Page 438, lines 480-484). Everett had no family member that would lift a finger to help him. His wife kept saying he didn’t know him and that a train hit him. His daughters had also turned their backs on him because of his wife. In the end his wife was still cruel to him. Unlike Odysseus, after Everett, wife finally addressed him as her husband, she still makes his life difficult, and she also makes it seem as though his journey is still going on.

Both Odysseus and Everett had a difficult journey, but in the end Odysseus had better luck than Everett due to the support of his family and his determination of getting home after so long. It is true that Odysseus had it tough in the beginning and lost all his friends. But, near the end of his journey he had so many powerful people helping him he could not fail. Everett had to brave it out with only two friends for nearly all his journey. Odysseus had an easier time when it came to finding his home after being gone for twenty years.

Journals

How important is it to fit in? -

It is not even important to try and fit in with everyone. If you can’t fit in, then you were not meant to be there. It’s kind of like a puzzle, if the piece doesn’t fit, don’t force it in, it’ll just break or mess everything else up down the road. Basically, it’s not worth killing yourself over fitting in, soon all the pieces will fall into place.

What makes a good story? What kinds of stories do you like?

For me, a good story is one that leaves you unfulfilled and hungry for more at the end. I have never liked stories that have a completely happy ending with nearly all the problems resolved. BORING. I like conflicts and I love it when the ending is sad with so many questions unanswered. For me, it makes the story be interesting and keeps me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book. A book should not give the reader everything they want, and it should make them wait.

Response to reading/hearing/saying the “n” word...

In these days, the N word is not a big thing, plus it is in a book that is centered on the time of slavery. There is no reason anyone should have gotten mad because of that word just because of its context. In addition, so many people have used the N word and being called the N word is a good thing. Just because someone who is not black says it doesn’t make it racist. It is just hypocritical to be offended especially if you are one of those people.   

What is a “hero”? How would you define it?

A hero isn’t afraid to give his life; a hero will save you just in time. This can be interpreted in several ways. A hero isn’t afraid to give his life, for example. Their “life” might not be as extreme; it could be their social life, their possessions or their freedom. So a hero is not afraid to give up something dear to them in order to protect someone. A hero will save you just in time; can also go another way. It can mean that the hero will race to help you out no matter what. It can also mean that they wont let stop something before it gets out of hand, like a rumor. The hero will also take the blame for an ill deed, in order to not get anyone else involved. That is what I think a hero is.

Macbeth Evolved

            Throughout the story of Macbeth the character of Macbeth has evolved in so many ways. Macbeth has changed and evolved from a heroic and ambitious person to evil and mean spirited.

            In act 1 scene 2 of Macbeth, Macbeth is thought of as heroic for the country of Scotland he is one of a kind on the battlefield. He is praised when the captain describes him on the battlefield; “like a valor’s minion carved out is passage till he faced the slave which ne’er shook hand nor bade farewell to him till he unsreamed him fro the nave to th chaps and fixed his head upon our battlements.” (Act 1, scene 2, p 4) The captain is saying that Macbeth is a warrior who is very gruesome on the battlefield. Showing he is heroic and will fight for his country.

            In act 1 scene 7 of Macbeth, Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, are planning to kill King Duncan. Lady Macbeth plans on killing the king to get Macbeth prophesies to happen faster. Although, Lady Macbeth is confident in the decision Macbeth is not, he thinks to himself when he states; “If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were done quickly. If the assassination could trammel up the consequence, and catch with his surcease success.” (Act 1, scene 7, Page 20) insuring that he will get his power. Macbeth is saying that, if the assassination were done then he could get his success promised to him by the three witches much faster. As the story goes on the Macbeth get more and more anxious to make his prophesies come true.

            Also in act 1 scene 7 of Macbeth, after Macbeth’s wife, Lady Macbeth, gave him the idea of killing King Duncan, Macbeth man-hood is questioned because he doesn’t have the strength to kill. So he second-guesses himself by stating; “Bloody instructions, witch, being taught, return to plague th inventor.” (Act1, scene 7, p 21) This shows that Macbeth is very humble to King Duncan because he says he doesn’t want to kill the man who taught him how to kill. However this shows Macbeth is willing to at least think before he and his wife make a decision.

            In act 2, scene 1 in Macbeth, Macbeth finally makes the decision to kill off the king. He is doing this to prove his masculinity to his wife and to prove the witches prophesies true. Through peer pressure Macbeth makes the decision to kill the king when he says. “ Is this a dagger I see before me? The handle toward my hand” ( Act 2, scene 1, p 25) Macbeth is trying to state that he is not ready to do this, and he is about to do something he will regret.

            Act 2 scene 2 of Macbeth, the deed is done and not only is Macbeth feeling guilty but Lady Macbeth acts like there is nothing wrong. Macbeth shows his guilt when he comes back with the bloody dagger he used to kill Duncan with, and says. “Will great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand.” (Act 2, scene 2, p 29) Macbeth has stated that he wants to wash this blood from his hands because he doesn’t like that he just betrayed someone who he trusted. He has to over come his guilt if he ever is going to be a powerful leader and right at this point he doesn’t show those qualities.

            In act 3 scene 1 of Macbeth, the town finds out what was done but not who had done it, so the lords group together to find this mystery. Banquo, who is also a lord like Macbeth, has a suspect that there was foul play involved and he tries to go farther into in, but Macbeth soon find this and tries to shut Banquo’s investigation down. He decides, without influence from his wife, to kill Banquo by having two murderers follow him. Macbeth makes this plan by saying; “So is he mine; and in such bloody distance that every minute of his being thrusts against my near’st of life.” (Act 3, scene 1, lines 116-118) Macbeth is now on the path of evil because he is stating that he will kill banquo because he is a threat to his crown. Banquo will soon have his revenge.

            In act 3 scene 4 of Macbeth, after Banquo is killed he comes back as ghost to haunt Macbeth at his dinner party, but Macbeth is the only one who can see him. Macbeth knows he’s in way over his head when he says; “I am in blood, Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more.” (Act 3, scene 4, p 55) What is being said here, is that Macbeth is feeling some guilt he mite have done to much. As a reader, Macbeth is now making his own decisions and is not influenced by anyone else but himself and he is becoming more of villain with all these murders under his belt.

            In act 4 scene 4 of Macbeth, Macbeth is now a full blown king with and he is using his power to become a villain instead of a leader. Macduff was next to get executed because he knew too much about what happened to King Duncan and Banquo. So because of this Macbeth decides to kill Macduff while he is at home, what the muderers found was a house only filled with Macduff’s wife and son but he wasn’t there. Macduff hear this news and Malcolm, the real king who was next to receive the crown but run away, comforts him when he says; “This tyrant, whose sole name blisters our tongues once thought honest, you have loved him well; he hath not touched you yet.” (Act 4, scene 4, p 73) Malcolm statement on Macbeth shows that he is a disloyal king and cannot be trusted as the King of Scotland.

             In act 5 scene 5 of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth has just passed away because of her sickness and Macbeth isn’t fazed by this because he has a bigger challenge ahead of him.

This challenge is the war between Macbeth and the other lords. He doesn’t even think about his wife when the messenger says; “The Queen my, lord is, dead” (Act5, scene 5, line 16) Macbeth is feeling no hurt because he has been through this situation before with King Duncan. So now he has no one to back him up and he will face this army alone.

            In the end, Macbeth is found to be a ruthless killer, who has no feeling for his wife or his country. These quotes connect to my thesis because they help describe Macbeth evolvement into the monster that he became in the story. Shakespeare’s motive for the story of Macbeth was to inform readers to be happy with what you have, because Macbeth was given a promoted and the prophecy that he will be king; but he was impertinent and need more power.

http://trexy.wikispaces.com/BM+4+Portfolio

This is my favorite piece by myself and it was a rather upsetting time for me. I started my new year off with an argument with my step dad. It escalated and at the time I wished that the New year had never came.

“A Not So Happy New Year.” – By: Victoria Yarbrough.

New Year’s is such a joyous occasion. Being with family, seeing people that I haven’t seen for months, and feeling the triumphant feelings of getting through one more year (Magic Three). However, the “joy” of New Year’s was cut short for me. My step-dad and I had an argument that ruined my New Year’s and days to come. We were all at my Aunt Teresa’s house having a good time seeing family again. Everything was going smooth. We were all dancing, hugging, and eating. (Magic Three)  Like being asked to marry (Simile), it felt unexplainably great to see them again. After the ball dropped and everyone screams “Happy New Year!” my mom, dad, and I sit down for a while and begin talking. We were talking about how glad we were to start fresh and what were our thoughts of 2010.

We all agreed that 2010 was a trying year and that we were going to make the best out of 2011. My stepdad and I begin talking about the events of 2010 and how we were going to change. Him and me have had some issues in the past, like all stepchildren I just didn’t feel that he possessed the authority to tell me what to do. This caused sizzling hot (Imagery) arguments, and dark (Imagery) mean words to occur just about every day. How can you expect me to respect you if you don’t even know the first thing about me? And when I asked him this he got upset and began yelling at me. “ Oh, but when I am throwing money in your damn face everything is all cool and I’m your dad huh? But when I tell you to clean your room I’m just a stranger to you”. (Dialogue)  When it’s not even about that, “I just don’t feel that you should be yelling at me when you don’t know the first thing about me.” I replied. (Dialogue) So we drove home. All the while my step-dad is yelling at us. I remained silent while my mom took the back lashes (Imagery) for me. She was trying to defend me and explain my point. I felt helpless and stupid. How could I just sit there and listen to “Shut the Fuck up” (Dialogue), and “You don’t even matter” (Dialogue)? I still look back and think how I should have defended my mom. Seeing her cry made me hate him from an unknown place within me (Imagery). He has me mistaken because I don’t think that way. Why would I? I’m not some self center egotistic manic or a user. We arrived home and I went upstairs to my room and slammed the door as hard as I could.  With the anger doing tap dancing inside of me, I picked up an old juice bottle and threw it at the wall of my room. ‘CRASH’ (Onomatopoeia). He hollered at me through the door as if I had no right. I was furious. I was here before him! It’s practically my house next to my mom. Who did he think he was? Sometimes I despised him. The way he paraded around the house as if he was the boss, as if he were my real dad! No! He would never replace my real father. I locked the door of my room so he wouldn’t get in. I wasn’t in the mood for him, not tonight, not on new years. It was quarter to 2, and my mother began to knock on my door. I didn’t answer. The sound of rushing pounds (Imagery) came to be annoying. Constant bangs against my door. “BAM, BOOM, BOOM, BAM.” (Onomatopoeia) She began screaming. “VICTORIA! UNLOCK THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!” (Dialogue) I kept the door locked. I didn’t care. I was pissed to a new level. Why did he have to say something like that? I’m not a user and for the record, I never considered him as my father in the first place. More importantly, I didn’t mean to get my mother involved but I didn’t want to see anyone at this moment. Later on she stopped screaming and yelling. I was left alone for the moment and I began to cool down. Anger still ran through me (Personification) at an all time high. The thought was still swimming (Imagery- Personification) through my mind and I wanted to feel a little less. I felt numb and confused so I went to sleep. That was a waste because I woke up 20 minutes later to the sounds of hollering…

…Enough was enough. I swung open my room door and followed the sounds. They were in the basement.  The next thing I hear is “ If she cant respect me then I cant respect her, so Imma’ talk to her any way I want to.” (Dialogue) I hate how he thinks that he is right. He sounds like a child. “But that’s not what she’s saying at all. She just thinks that maybe you should get to know her before you try to be a direct father figure.” (Dialogue) My mom shot back. At that moment, I didn’t even want him to get to know me. Being on a stranger like bases sounded completely fine. Right when my step dad was about to say something, I came down the basement stairs and said, “ She’s right you know. I try to be friendly with you but we all know that you don’t care about me. You only do things for me because it pleases my mom.” (Dialogue). Surprisingly, it got really quiet. And I knew what the silence meant. I had been right. He didn’t give a damn about me. All though I tried to stop them, tears fell out of my eyes. Right there in front of my mom and him. I hated myself for it. Those tears made it seem as if I cared, but they were tears of anger. I felt played. All that time he didn’t care and I thought we were working towards some kind of relationship. I guess I should have expected it, but it shocked me. Why couldn’t he accept me? Why did I have to be so ideal for him? After that, we stopped talking to each other as much as we used to. Now, we barely speak. And I wish the New Year never came. At least last year, words were exchanged no matter how gruesome. Words were words.

My stepdad and I had a rocky relationship. But now that I know he doesn’t care about me, I don’t think there is a relationship.  It may be wrong to feel that way, but after knowing him for a few years and still not being on good terms what am I supposed to think? Maybe in reality we are both being silly. Whatever the case may be, I’m not ready to forgive. If there is one thing I can take away, I can probably say to trust my first instinct. Why? I knew he was a phony but I let the curious side of me win and I wound up getting hurt. Now I know to not be so trusting and to not distribute my respect and love if I won’t be loved and respected back.

Revision:

“A Not So Happy New Year.” – By: Victoria Yarbrough.

New Year’s is such a joyous occasion. Being with family, seeing people that I haven’t seen for months, and feeling the triumphant feeling of getting through one more year (Magic Three). However, the “joy” of New Year’s was cut short for me. My step-dad and I had an argument that ruined my New Year’s and days to come. We were all at my Aunt Teresa’s house having a wonderful time seeing family again. Everything was going smooth. We were all dancing, hugging, and eating. (Magic Three)  Like receiving a surprise gift(Simile), it felt unexplainably great to see them again. After the ball dropped and everyone screams “Happy New Year!” (Dialogue) my mom, dad, and I sat down for a while and began talking. We were talking about how glad we were to start fresh and what were our thoughts of 2010.

We all agreed that 2010 was a trying year and that we were going to make the best out of 2011. My stepdad and I begin talking about the events of 2010 and how we were going to change. Him and me have had some issues in the past, like all stepchildren I just didn’t feel that he possessed the authority to tell me what to do. This caused sizzling hot (Imagery) arguments, and dark (Imagery) mean words to occur just about every day. How can you expect me to respect you if you don’t even know the first thing about me? And when I asked him this he got upset and began yelling at me. “ Oh, but when I am throwing money in your damn face everything is all cool and I’m your dad huh? But when I tell you to clean your room I’m just a stranger to you”. (Dialogue)  When it’s not even about that, “I just don’t feel that you should be yelling at me when you don’t know the first thing about me.” I replied. (Dialogue) So we drove home. All the while my step-dad is yelling at us. I remained silent while my mom took the backlashes (Imagery) for me. She was trying to defend me and explain my point. I felt helpless and stupid. How could I just sit there and listen to “Shut the Fuck up” (Dialogue), and “You don’t even matter” (Dialogue)? I still look back and think how I should have defended my mom. Seeing her cry made me hate him from an unknown place within me (Imagery). He has me mistaken because I don’t think that way. Why would I? I’m not some self center egotistic manic or a user.

We arrived home and I went upstairs to my room and slammed the door as hard as I could.  With the anger tap dancing inside of me, I picked up an old juice bottle that I failed to throw out some time ago and threw it at the wall of my room. ‘CRASH’ (Onomatopoeia). He hollered at me through the door as if I had no right. I was furious. I was here before him! It’s practically my house next to my mom. Who did he think he was? Sometimes I despised him. The way he paraded around the house as if he was the boss, as if he were my real dad! No! He would never replace my real father who I know for a fact wouldn’t treat me the way he does. I can’t help but have curiosity towards what my life would be like if my real dad was still around. I locked the door of my room so he wouldn’t get in. I wasn’t in the mood for him, not tonight, not on New Years. It was quarter to 2, and my mother began to knock on my door. I didn’t answer. The sound of rushing pounds (Imagery) came to be annoying. Constant bangs against my door. “BAM, BOOM, BOOM, BAM.” (Onomatopoeia) She began screaming. “VICTORIA! UNLOCK THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!” (Dialogue) I kept the door locked. I didn’t care. I was pissed to a new level. Why did he have to say something like that? I’m not a user and for the record, I never considered him as my father in the first place. More importantly, I didn’t mean to get my mother involved but I didn’t want to see anyone at this moment. Later on she stopped screaming and yelling. I was left alone for the moment and I began to cool down. Anger still ran through me (Personification) at an all time high. The thought was still swimming (Imagery- Personification) through my mind and I wanted to feel a little less. I felt numb and confused so I went to sleep. That was a waste because I woke up 20 minutes later to the sounds of hollering…

…Enough was enough. I swung open my room door and followed the sounds. They were in the basement.  The next thing I hear is “ If she cant respect me then I cant respect her, so Imma’ talk to her any way I want to.” (Dialogue) I hate how he thinks that he is right. He sounds like a child. “But that’s not what she’s saying at all. She just thinks that maybe you should get to know her before you try to be a direct father figure.” (Dialogue) My mom shot back. At that moment, I didn’t even want him to get to know me. Being on a stranger like bases sounded completely fine. Right when my step dad was about to say something, I came down the basement stairs and said, “ She’s right you know. I try to be friendly with you but we all know that you don’t care about me. You only do things for me because it pleases my mom.” (Dialogue). Surprisingly, it got really quiet. And I knew what the silence meant. I had been right. He didn’t give a damn about me. All though I tried to stop them, tears fell out of my eyes. Right there in front of my mom and him. I hated myself for it. Those tears made it seem as if I cared, but they were tears of anger. I felt played. All that time he didn’t care and I thought we were working towards some kind of relationship. I guess I should have expected it, but it shocked me. Why couldn’t he accept me? Why did I have to be so ideal for him? Is it my fault that you don’t like me? After that, we stopped talking to each other as much as we used to. Now, we barely speak. And I wish the New Year never came. At least last year, words were exchanged no matter how gruesome. Words were words.

My stepdad and I had a rocky relationship. But now that I know he doesn’t care about me, I don’t think there is a relationship.  It may be wrong to feel that way, but after knowing him for a few years and still not being on good terms what am I supposed to think? Maybe in reality we are both being silly. Whatever the case may be, I’m not ready to forgive. If there is one thing I can take away, I can probably say to trust my first instinct. Why? I knew he was a phony but I let the curious side of me win and I wound up getting hurt. Now I know to not be so trusting and to not distribute my respect and love if I won’t be loved and respected back.

Reflection. This is a reflection on all of my English work this year.

What do you feel your portfolio says about you as a 9^th grade English student? What are we as viewers supposed to “get”/understand about you when we see your work?

What my portfolio says about me is that I have come along way as a writer. All of my writings are never perfect so I have to keep working harder and harder to make them better and better. That’s what I want my viewers to understand. My work is not perfect but I am working toward it.

What do you consider to be your strengths in English? What are your weaknesses? What would you still want to work on?

One of my strengths in English is journaling. I love to journal, I have such a good time doing it and getting all of my feelings out and expressing myself. One of my weaknesses is that I’m shy. I don’t like to get up in front of the class. Like for example, when we presented our Me Magazines. I rushed through it so I could get off the stage and I wasn’t up there long, nor had anything else to say. That is one thing I would like to work on. Talking in front of people and getting used to it. Another thing I would like to still work on would be adding literary devices to all of my paper. I get creative in the beginning and then as the paper goes on I start to lack on the creativeness.

What were your experiences in making this portfolio. What issues did you encounter? How did you resolve them? What was it like going back through all of your work?

Making this portfolio I thought was really interesting and fun. One issue that I encounter was finding one of my benchmarks. I didn’t remember what I had labeled it. I resolved it by typing in everything I could possible think of. Another problem I had encountered was fixing my 2^nd quarter benchmark. I wasn’t sure how to edit it exactly at first, until I had asked Ms.Dunn. The last problem I had encounter was with the first benchmark, I had forgotten a lot about Macbeth, so when I was editing it was difficult. I fixed it by re-reading the whole paper and it started to come back to me. It was kind of weird going back to my old work. I seen how much I grew as a writer which was very interesting.

What is the piece you are most proud of, and why?

The piece I am most proud of is my 2^nd quarter benchmark- Best Friends? I am most proud of this because I really took my time in writing it and put my heart in it. I had such an easy time remembering everything that happened because it had a huge effect on my life. Writing it made me realize how strong I was when this was going on.

Macbeth Character Analysis. This was the first paper that I have ever completed in Ms.Dunn's english class. At first I was nervous because I wasn't sure how I was going to get it all done and what exactly I was going to do. But after Ms.Dunn went over it and told us that we had to choose our favorite character, and show their changes. I had got started I was working very well and had fun doing it!

Drue Boccuti

    10/28/10

Thesis and 10 quotes

Thesis statement- Young Lady Macbeth didn’t care who she hurt, but old Lady Macbeth became a whole different person.

In Act 1 scene 5 Lady Macbeth has just gotten news that Macbeth and the King are coming to visit her. And she wants to kill Duncan, so Macbeth can work his way up to king. (Act 1 scene 5)“Make thick my blood; stop uh the access and passage to remorse.”

What she’s doing here is asking the spirits to make her not feel guilty so that she can help Macbeth kill Duncan because Macbeth feels too nice. Here is when she’s being cold hearted.

Act 1 scene 7, Macbeth just let Lady Macbeth know he doesn’t want to kill Duncan anymore, because it hit him that Duncan has been kind hearted to him and there close friends. But Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to hear it.(Act 1 scene 7.) “And pity, like a naked new born babe, striding the blast, or heavens cherubin horsed” She refers to a new born baby, that if she had promised Macbeth she would have killed it for him she would have and its not right he promised her and now he’s going to chicken out. She’s forcing him to kill Duncan, and making him feel lousy that he let her down.

In Act 1 scene 1 Macbeth keeps asking him self if he really wants to do this and is thinking what if it goes wrong? And trying to show her all the ways this can go wrong. Lady Macbeth doesn’t want to hear it. (Act 1 scene 1.)“But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we will not fail.” Basically she’s telling him that if he listens to her and does it right he wont fail. She’s only worrying about her and her husband but not the King or his family.

Still in Act 1 scene 7 Macbeth wants to put an end to this. He’s just nervous and is good friends with Duncan.(Act1 scene 7.)“We will proceed no further in this business. He hath honored me of late, and I have bought Golden opinions form all sorts of people, which would be worn now in their newest gloss, not cast aside so soon.” He doesn’t want to kill him and he’s finally getting respect from him. And he thinks its wrong. But she doesn’t care.

Act 2 scene 2 Macbeth has killed Duncan , and can’t stop thinking about it. He is very guilty. (Act 2 scene 2.)“A little water clears us of this deed.” Lady Macbeth is sick of hearing him. She told him when you wash your hands and the blood is gone, were free of the killing. It’s over. She clearly has no problem with no ever thinking of this again. All she’s thinking is that there one stop closer to becoming king and queen.

Act 3 scene 4 Macbeth killed Banquo and now he’s seeing his ghost and is freaking out. Lady Macbeth thinks he’s crazy.(Act 3 scene 4.)“O proper stuff! This is the very painting of your fear.” She doesn’t believe him and thinks its just because he’s guilty. She just wants him to stop being a baby because it will all be worth it to her when they are king and queen.

Act 5 scene 1. Now the tables have turned and Lady Macbeth is going crazy. And Macbeth just wants to rule and he doesn’t care who has to die for that to happen. Now Lady Macbeth is being watched by a woman.(Act 5 scene 1.)“It is on accustomed action with her to seem thus washing her hands. I have known her to continue in the quarter of an hour.” The lady starts to notice how she’s washing her hands all the time and talking about blood but there’s never anything on her hands to any one else but her. 

Act 5 scene 1. Now the women and a doctor are now watching her. They are both questioning all that she’s doing and what she’s saying.(Act 5 scene 1.)“Here’s to the smell of blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this hand.” What this means, is all the times she washes her hands and puts sweet smelling stuff on them it will still smell like blood and she will still see the blood out of her guilt.

Act 5 scene 2.  Lady Macbeth been so guilty that she just admitted to killing Banquo and King Duncan, that she actually admits it. (Act 5 scene 2.)“Banquo’s buried. He cannot come out of his grave.” Because of what Macbeth and she did, he will never be alive again. (Act 5 scene 2) “ Yet who would have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?” This is an explanation that she had killed Duncan because she mentioned that he had a lot of blood. She knew this, because she helped kill him.

Act 5 scene 2.The doctor finally found out what was wrong with Lady Macbeth because she just admitted to him that she killed him. (Act 5 scene 2) “Foul whisp’rings are aboard. Unnatural deeds. Do breed unnatural troubles. Infected mines, to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets. More needs she the divine than the physician. God, God forgive us all. Look after her; Remove from her the means of all annoyance, and still keep eyes upon her. So good night. My mind she has mated, and amazed my sight. I think, but dare not speak.” He prayed to God, so that he will forgive Lady Macbeth, for all the bad things she had done or helped Macbeth do.  Such as helping the murder. She then died.

In conclusion, based on all the passage examples it is very clear that Lady MacBeth has had a drastic change between the first couple paragraphs and the last paragraph. By wanting to help Macbeth be king, even if it required killing people. But now it has came back to haunt her and she feels very awful. She has such a hard time sleeping. Shakespeare’s message to us could be not to be greedy, and just take everything life gives you. Because in the beginning they had each other, and at the end yes he was king but he didn’t have a wife. 

The second benchmark I completed for Ms.Dunn was the Memoir Vignette. This was one of my favorite benchmarks. What we had to do was tell about a important life chaining snapshot in our life.

                                Drue Boccuti

Orange Stream

Best Friends?

I really look up to Demi Lovato. Yes you can say she’s my role model. When I seen her in Camp Rock she had this really cute hair cut with front bangs, I really liked the way they looked on her so I talked my self into it and got them cut. Little did I know that changing my look would make two of my so called “best friends” furious with me.

Then next weekend I went down the shore and I showed my friends. Well they made a very big deal that one girl Madison had side bangs. They swore that Demi Lovato had nothing to do with my hair decision and that I copied off of Madison. That very next week, I became a victim of cyber bullying.  I innocently was sitting on my computer only to find out that my two best friends, Katie and Madison were having a brutal bashing session about me and my new hair cut and how I thought that I was so special because I got these bangs.  I thought these girls were my friends. I found out the truth about them. Madison would go along with Katie just so Katie would like her. Everyone would, like she was something special. She had this kind of power over them and she got almost all of my friends mad at me for getting my haircut. I was really upset so I tried talking to Madison about it and she just made me feel worse. The fact that she was making me feel horrible about myself was making her feel pretty. This episode happened in September and continued through the whole winter. However my mom kept telling me “I know it’s killing you inside but just ignore them. The more that you ignore them the more it’ll get them knowing its not bothering you.”

“I know but it’s easier said then done.” I said with tears in my eyes.(Dialogue.) It was killing me inside, the months went on and I deleted them off my MySpace and avoided contact with these two people I considered very close to me. Then when I was finally over it one day in February Katie text me and says she wants to talk to me so when she finally did call I decided to talk the call and see what she had to say. It was shocking to hear her apologizing to me and blaming Madison for the whole thing.  Just like that she turned right against Madison. So I forgave her but kept it in mind how quickly she turned on Madison and when I got back to the shore in April we were friends again. It wasn’t a good while until I became friends with Madison again but it happened. As the summer went on Katie and I grew a little bit apart and from what I can see now I believe that maybe she didn’t like me for no reason at all and just has a grudge she holds upon me. I came to this conclusion because one night during the summer she invited everyone to the boardwalk but me so I am in my house minding my own business and she has one of her friends call me up from her sister’s phone and start with me out of the clear blue sky. 

“Hello?” I was nervous.

“This is Haley don’t ever call Briana ever again, ok?” Her voice was like scratching someone’s nails down a chalkboard. (Simile)

“Okay? But why are you calling me and starting something?” I wasn’t about to let her step on me. (Hyperbole)

“Who do you think you are?” (Dialogue) She could not answer the question I asked, and she knew she wasn’t making any sense and also that I was right. Not that any of the fighting made any sense anyway.  So I just hung up on her.

I wasn’t going to let them make me upset but they did make me very angry. My mom was there to hear the whole thing. I didn’t want to get the parents involved and I begged my mom to stay out of it. But she couldn’t so she got Katie’s parents involved and they were furious. They came over and apologized for their daughter’s friends’ behavior so I accepted their apology. “This isn’t the first time we’ve had problems with Haley.”(Dialogue). Then her dad went on to say- “Were not to crazy about her either.”(Dialogue) I just looked at my mom when they both said this. All that was running through my head- Why would you invite her down here if you weren’t crazy about her? But I was done bothering with them for good so I just decided to say ok. This was the second time that an innocent fight broke out and I was not going through this every summer. I wanted to enjoy my summer so I ended that friendship as quick as a cheetah runs.(Simile) Madison however fell out of the picture because she got extremely disgusted with the Katie drama that she doesn’t even come to the shore as much anymore. It is really sad that one girl could start so much trouble and Madison let her win and doesn’t come back that much. Everyone always told me she was jealous, but I don’t see any reason for her to be jealous of me. One time even my friend’s mom had said- “Drue, she’s so jealous of you.” (Dialogue) She had came out and said it plan and simple. I really couldn’t find anything for her to be jealous about, but I just agreed to disagree. I don’t know what goes through girls’ heads now of days and why they create such fights over some things that do not matter. I was taught to treat people like you would like to be treated. I for the most part am nice to everyone and I would never even think to be mad at someone for getting a haircut. 

This past summer I wasn’t as excited as I have been in the past because I figured here we go again. What kind of lies is Katie going to make up about me and who will be mad at me now. To my surprise this summer turned out to be one of the best summers I ever had. As they say what goes around comes around and if I didn’t see it with my own eyes I would’ve never believed it. Katie came down the shore and all the people who she got to turn against me weren’t there, she was all alone. Just like a dog whose owner goes away and leave them there. (Simile) Her own sister was even tired of all the drama and remained my friend and hung out with me all summer. Katie was alone and had no one to bully around or to hang around with because everyone was just so sick of the drama that everyone stayed away and found her out. She started to bring down Haley and I thought it was going to be a problem as if another war was going to start over. Luckily it didn’t. At one point Haley even admitted to my one friend that she was jealous of me. So there it was. The truth had come out. 

All things happen for a reason right? I found out who my true friends really were who stuck by me and they are my friends Alexis, Luc & Damian. No one could take them away from me not even Katie. During this summer I also made some new friends and that drove Katie crazy because I know she was dying to hang out with them but no one really bothered with her. Even after all that she put me through, I still kind of felt bad. I know the feeling of being put down and having really hurtful things said about you. I still see Katie and Madison, however I am friends with Madison but not like it use to be. We used to be stuck together like glue but not anymore. (Simile)  I don’t have time for Katie’s nonsense and to make sure that nothing will happen again we came to a solution that we will be civil. She is still up to her old tricks she bullies another girl that I know Erin. You would think that Katie had learned her lesson. Erin is smart and just like I did she doesn’t let her know she is bothered by it. I do feel bad because Kate is even worse this time because Erin is usually picked on. I don’t have anything against her and will always stand by her because I know how it feels and how one friend makes a difference. She knows what happened between me and Katie and the best advice I give her is to just stick to what she is doing and don’t let Katie know she is bothering her because one day I hope for Katie’s sake she’ll grow up. This was a lesson well learned. I learned not to put my trust in to people because they can be very jealous for no reason at all and there is nothing you can do about it. I don’t understand how or rather why they can be so hateful or jealous of you. Girls become animals when they want you to feel horrible inside and make themselves feel important. (Hyperbole) Why can’t everyone just try and be nice to each other? We would have such a better time down the shore. If you have one friend who sticks by you then that is the only friend you ever need. In my case I had three of them who stuck by me through all this nonsense.

The third benchmark that was given to us was compare and contrast pieces involving the Odyssey. What I compared and contrasted was two pieces of art work along with a poem about the sirens.

Drue Boccuti

Orange Stream

      Same but Different

Ulysses Captator: The Appropriation of Myth in Roman Satire” By Dr. Bryce Walker. “Ulysses and Sirens” By John William Waterhouse, and the “Siren Song” By Margaret Atwood. Although they make look different, they all share a lot of similarities. In the Odyssey Homer describes the Sirens as hideous along with John William Waterhouse, Dr. Bryce Walker made the sirens appear gorgeous to show just how powerful their voices are.

The point in comparing these three very different works of art is because there are a couple things that they all have in common. For example, they all take place in the sea. “They swung aboard at once, they sat to the oars in ranks and rhythm churned the water white with stroke on stroke.”(Homer, The Odyssey book-12 line-158-159) This is important because in the poem it says–“It forces men to leap overboard.” When the pieces show us that they all take place near or in water, it makes it very easy to create a picture when we are reading this part in The Odyssey. Another common thing that these pieces share is, anyone looking at the paintings or reading the poem can definitely tell that the Sirens are deadly and not things that you want to interact with. The poem comes right out and says it. “The song nobody knows because anyone who has heard it is dead, and the others can’t remember.” The picture by Waterhouse displays some skulls next to the Sirens and Dr. Walker has made them look like vultures that are getting ready to attack. The poem actually includes both of the descriptions that the pictures display.  Margaret says –“Even though they see beach skulls.” Also, “Will you get me out of this bird suit?” There is a lot more then meets the eye with all three pieces of works. This is also a very important feature.

Margaret Atwood along with Williams had made these girls look awful. He also and made them fly. Dr. Walker took a different path has made them look beautiful and naked so that you would see that Odysseus, along with the other men were attracted physically other than just vocally “So they sent their ravishing voices out across the air and the heart inside me throbbed to listen longer.”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 12 line 208-209) What they do, and just how mean they really are. The reason that Dr. Walker did this was because he wanted to prove that the girl’s voices are strong enough to make the men go with them. But the poem -“Siren Song” and the painting by Waterhouse “Ulysses and Sirens” just tells you that the Siren’s are really dangerous and you need to plan out to stay away.

One more difference between the pictures and the poem is Odysseus’ reaction. The picture that John Williams Waterhouse had created “Ulysses and Sirens” he decided to go with Odysseus tied up just like in the book had described. “I alone was to hear their voices, so she said, but you must bind me with tight chafing ropes so I cannot move a muscle,”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 12 line 174-176) While Dr. Bryce Walker had made him look so strong that it looks like he was attracted so strongly that he broke off the pole. He is now fighting threw his men to get to the Sirens. While in the poem, it is just directed to what happens to all the men. The position of Odysseus is important because it gives you the meaning that no matter who you are, or where you’re at on the boat you’re going to be attracted to these voices. 

Even though these photos and poems may look very different, which they are, like all the examples that were given. But in some ways they have things in common and show the main point. For instance, they all show how powerful the Sirens voices are and how strong they are. Just like Homer had mentioned, “The high, thrilling sound of the Sirens will transfix him, lolling there in their meadow, round them heaps of corpses rotting away, rags of skin shriveling on their bones…”(Homer, The Odyssey Book 12 line 50-52) 

One creative piece that we did this year was the Macbeth creative project. We had to take the 10 quotes from the book and make a creative way to show them. It could have been anything you wanted. I decided to make a keynote.

Independent Reading Project was a paper that we had to write and basically give a review of a book that we had just completed reading. Tell what its about, the main characters, the problem if there is one.

Drue Boccuti

Book Review-

The book I read is called The Outsiders By S.E. Hinton. The movie, was based on the book. The movie was made in 1983, but the book was written in 1965. The book is also a best seller.

Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis, is the main character of the book. He and his best friends are called Greasers, they’re the poor kids in their neighborhood and are always in some kind of trouble with the rich kids who are called Socs. One night Ponyboy, Johnny, and Two-bit walk home with these two girls Cherry and Marcia, who are Socs. Their boyfriends are very drunk and they catch up and see the Greasers with their girlfriends.  The Socs are not crazy about it at all, there is almost a huge fight until Cherry (Bobs’ girlfriend) stops it and decides it would be easier to get in the car with the boys.  Later that night when Ponyboy comes home it’s really late and his oldest brother Darry was very worried, his other brother Sodapop tries to standup for Ponyboy but Darry pushes Ponyboy and he gets so upset and he leaves and runs into the park with Johnny. 

Johnny and Pony are just sitting at the park minding their own business when a car full of drunken Socs pulls up. Since they couldn’t fight the greasers around the girls now is their perfect opportunity.  The Socs are drowning Ponyboy in a fountain and the other is kicking Johnny.  Bob leaves Johnny to go help drown Ponyboy, Johnny gets out a knife and he stabs Bob.  Everyone else is scared so they run off, and Ponyboy is knocked out. Since Johnny had just committed murder he waits for Ponyboy to wake up and then they go to their friend Dally.  Dally is the one in the bunch who is always in trouble so he knows where to go and how to hide. He tells them to take a train to this desolate church in another part of town where no one will be looking for them. My favorite character is Ponyboy. I like that Ponyboy hates fighting even though all of his friends seem to enjoy it.  He seems to appreciate life and what surrounds him even though his life is bad.  There are a couple conflicts in the book, but the main one is person vs. person. For instance Johnny has to face all the Socs, because he killed one of their best friends. What people should take away from this book is that you shouldn’t start fights with people who are different then you.  Its just like bullying because people are different than someone else they like to tease or hurt it is pointless and sometimes it comes back to you.

If I would have to say that I could relate to any character in the book, I would say I relate to Ponyboy. I would relate to Ponyboy because I also hate fighting. In my shore house there is always fighting going on and I try to stay out of it just like he does but somehow I always get included. I always feel like Johnny felt. Guilty. Now don’t get me wrong I have never killed someone or even hurt anyone on purpose. However, I always feel bad about everything. If I was really mean to someone who didn’t deserve it I will try to make it right immediately. 

I loved this book. It is actually now my favorite book. One strength of the book is that it’s so real. The way they talk, the way they live all their lives and act. For example, Darry has to raise Ponyboy and Sodapop because their parents had died. They are always fighting just like normal teenagers. I honestly can’t think of any weakness of the book. I like it that much. If I could change one thing in this book, I would make it so that Johnny didn’t die. It is sort of ironic that he killed someone and even though he did such a gallant thing by going into a burning church to save little kids, he dies from it.  

I would definitely recommend this book to everyone. It’s a great story about friends who really do love each other. It teaches some good life lessons and it has some funny parts also.

Journal was something that we did very often in class. We would walk in class and there would be a topic to write about on the board. I enjoyed journaling.

Journal entries-

How important is it to fit in? 12-1-11 (1)

Fitting in, is somewhat important to me. Because I’m very self consciences and extremely sensitive. If I was getting made of and no friend to stand by my side I don’t know what I would do. No matter what its always a good thing to have at least one friend that’s always with you so you can tell all your feelings to and the comfort you. I’ve never done something that I felt bad about doing just so that I can fit in. Like I said, I’m very sensitive and I also take other peoples feelings into consideration. If one of my friends was making fun of someone else I would stop them from it and make them apologize. I think fitting in at this age is so important because kids are cruel and you don’t want to be picked on or left out. Also, just so you can have someone to laugh with. I think as I get older fitting in won’t be so important. I’ll have my true friends by my side and that’s all I will need.

What are people’s expectations of you? What are your own?

 (2)

The expectations that are put on me are high ones. My family expects me to do great things with my life. In school and out of it. They aren’t always strict which is nice. I’m very proud of these expectations because I try to exceed them and make my family proud and it feels good. Its also nice that they believe in me and think that I am capable of doing these things and more! My own expectations are the same. I know I can do anything if I put my mind to it, so I try very hard to do well in everything I do. Also, to stay out of any kinds of trouble and surround myself with good people.

If you really knew me.  (3)

If you really knew me you would know that I love to dance. I’ve been in dance classes ever since I was 2 years old. I used to take tap, hip-hop and ballet. I stopped taking classes when I was in 6^th grade. However, just because I stopped taking the classes doesn’t mean that I still don’t have the same love for it now then I did when I was taking classes. If you really knew me you would know that I love my family. My family means more to me then anything else in the world. I love spending time with them and laughing with them. If you really knew me you would know that I absolutely love spending all of my summers down the shore. I love laying on the beach and spending my nights walking on the boardwalk. Those are my favorite things to do.

What makes a hero? (4)

A hero doesn’t have to be someone who wears a cape and beats up evil guys for a living even though that it definitely one. A hero can be someone who is just a nice person all the time to almost everyone. Hero’s are of course people who do save people just like a cop or a firefighter especially. There are way to many qualities that qualify someone as a hero. Everyone has different ones. Being nice, loving, and kind. These are all such great things to be in my book. My dad to me is a hero. He is such a kind person. I remember one night we were driving home from a party and when we were driving by this old man had fallen my dad did not even hesitate to pull over and go help that man up. The man was having a hard time getting up but my dad did not stop until the man was up and walking again. This is just one of the act of kindness that he had done but I promise you there are so many more. If that’s a hero then I must not know what is.

A time when you were part of a group but didn’t want to do what the group was doing. (5)

At my shore house there is a lot of kids my age. We all get along very nicely. However some times I do not want to do what everyone else is doing.  No, I’m not talking about not wanting to go somewhere where they are going or do some sort of activity. I am always up for everything and anything. But when they are making fun of people and making them feel bad I’m not okay with that. I always try to make them stop but when its me against 4 other girls there’s not much I can do but either leave them and go with other people in my group or just ignore them until it stops. Last summer, one morning we were all going to the water park and my friend Briana’s mom was driving us.  Well, Briana didn’t want this girl Erin to come. Erin never did anything wrong to any of us Briana just felt like being mean to her. So we were all leaving at 10, well Briana told Erin to be at her house at 11. I didn’t even notice that she wasn’t with us until after we had pulled up to the water park. At that point there was nothing I could have done. I was extremely mad and it wasn’t even done to me. I don’t like leaving people out because in my head I always think “What if that was me?” So to make sure this doesn’t happen anymore I try to get my mom to drive everywhere so that everyone is included.

Reflection on Winter Break. 1-3-11 (6)

My winter break wasn’t really anything special other then Christmas. Christmas was the best day of my whole winter break. I got a new camera and 2 new pair of Uggs which was great! Other then the presents though, I enjoyed having all of my family over my house and talking with them. Sleep was something that I got a lot of I would wake up between 10:30 and noon everyday. My cousin also had slept over and we had a lot of fun. There was also a lot of mall time in my winter break which I always enjoy! On New Years I went over to Goldies' house because she was just getting back from Florida, she had a party which was a great way to bring in the new year. I wish we had a week off more often! So I guess in a way my break was special!