What 'Tuesday' Has Inspired You?

Based on the 6 Tuesdays you have read about in Tuesdays with Morrie, choose which topic (The World, Feeling Sorry For Yourself, Regrets, Death, Family, or Emotions) that has had the most impact on you or inspired you. On your blog discuss the importance of this topic with your own opinions, including textual evidence (direct quotes) from the book.   

        Based on the six Tuesday's with Morrie the one that spoke out to me the most was Emotions. One of Morrie's aphorisms stated, "Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent," (Pg. 103). This aphorism really spoke to me, and the way Morrie described it moved me. He describes how it is okay to be scared and have bad feelings, but he says not to cling to them too long. If you do that then you can't feel all the emotions out there. You are able to let the experience "penetrate you fully."

        He used many emotions as examples. My favorite was the one about loneliness. He specifically said, "All right, that was my moment with loneliness. I'm not afraid of feeling lonely, but now I'm going to put that loneliness aside and know that there are other emotions in the world, and I'm going to experience them as well," (Pg. 105). You're stuck in one place thinking about that one experience or emotion, you move on to other things. This is great because otherwise you would always be lonely, sad, depressed, or even worse things. Don't cling to things, cause there is more out there than that one thing.

        This chapter has really inspired me to know all the other great things in life.to not cling to the past, but to move forward, otherwise you will lose the great experiences that could have  happened. Sticking to one feeling drags you down, I know that this has happened to everyone at least once. It isn't a good feeling. Morrie is just saying that it is okay to have that feeling but do not have it for so long that it overwhelms you otherwise the experience will penetrate you.

Tuesday's With Morrie - Bucket List

What are your initial reactions to what you have read in Tuesdays with Morrie thus far? One of the main themes developing in Tuesdays with Morrie is not to take your life for granted. Based on this premise, what is on your Bucketlist? 

    Thus far in Tuesdays with Morrie I have had many reactions just because of Morrie. The way he puts little things into life lessons makes me very surprised and interested on having a conversation with him. He gives little aphorisms about life such as, "The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in," (Pg. 52). He helped people with these little sayings, because they are entirely true. He surely has spoken to me, and I assume many others by this point. 


     Morrie has ALS, and there is no cure for the disease. He already knows it is terminal yet he is still positive. He does not see his illness as a setback, "'It's horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it's also wonderful because of all the time I get to say good-bye.' He smiled. 'Not everyone is so lucky,'" (Pg. 57). I find that very powerful, how could have have a terminal illness and still be this positive? Personally, I don't know how but Morrie did. He has gone through so much and he still continued to grow into a better person everyday. He shocks me.

My Bucket List:

- Jump out of a plane
- Graduate from college
- Eat a spider
- Have an impact on someone's life
- Travel to all the continents
- Travel to all 50 states 

- Learn to speak fluent Spanish
- "Repay" my parents somehow
- Hug a lion

3rd Quarter Reflection Blog

- In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts? 
- What is something you have accomplished this quarter that you are proud of?

-What has been the most challenging part of 3rd Quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?

        The area I think I improved the most in my ELA class is in my arguementive writing technics. I've learned how to organize my research so that when i actually have to write my paper it's way easier. After I have conducted all of my research I then know I have to put my essay in TIQA format. My first sentence includes the claim made for that particular paragraph. Then the second sentence I state  where, when, and who the quote or information came from. The final sentence is the analysis, basically how this quote helps out my argumentative claim. I feel more confident in argumentative writing, TIQA format, and organization. 

        Something I have accomplished that I am proud of is my butterfly project. I thought I did really good on analyzing, the actual butterfly, and the meaning of each and every piece I put on the butterfly. My favorite part on the butterfly was how I explained the difference of both the sides. The positive and negative side. The positve was very colorful, it represented how life used to be before the Holocaus. The negative side was dark and gloomy, which represented life in the camps. I thought that showed a lot of the poem I was given since there was some good and some bad in the situation. 

        The most challenging part of the 3rd quarter for me was keeping my reading on track. For some, point in this quarter I wasn't reading. Which led to me doing poorly in the MAP testing and even entrance exams. On my entrance exams I did an amazing job on my math, but my reading was not as high. To fix this all I need to do is read. I just have to make sure I read a little everyday so that I don't fall behind this year and next year. 

40 Book Challenge 03.09.16

The Year of The Hangman by Gary Blackwood

Prompt: 

- List some problems the characters faced? 

- What do you think will happen next?

        One problem Creighton has faced is he is taken to the colonies. He was taken by two men onto a boat which was heading to the colonies. Those men took him because his mother couldn't handle him alone. Creighton was always getting into trouble and taking his mothers things to gamble. His mother thought that sending him with his uncle in the colonies he might be disciplined. His uncle and lieutenant were taken as prisoner so Creighton was alone now. He had to be a spy and find out what the Americans were doing. He couldn't handle being in the colonies by himself without money or a home. He then finds a job and home with Dr. Franklin. From there he gets many secrets to pass onto his uncle.

        Another problem Creighton has faced was helping his uncle and lieutenant escape, since they were being held as prisoners. He first had to get a gun as protection. He stole the gun from Peter, his friend. The gun belonged to Benedict Arnold and Peter was supposed to keep it safe. Creighton took the gun by falling on the ground and then when Peter helped pick him up he snatched it from him. He brought the gun to his uncle to help him escape. They escaped but now everyone was looking for the person that helped his uncle and lieutenant.

        I think that next Creighton will get caught being a spy. Dr. Franklin figured out that Creighton had helped the two prisoners escape. I think that Dr. Franklin will figure out he is a spy, but let Creighton choose on what Dr. Franklin should do about it. Another thing I think could happen is Creighton could be caught by the people he hangs out with, like Peter. All the people he gambles with are getting suspicious ever since they brought up Harry Brown (Creighton's father). They might find out that Creighton is a traitor just like his dad. 

40 Book Challenge 03.07.16

The Year of The Hangman by Gary Blackwood

Prompt: 

- Describe the main character

- What has been the most interesting part of your reading?

        The main character is Creighton Brown. He is a fifteen year-old Brit. He has gotten in trouble with the law many times in England. He sneaks out late at night to go gamble with men, even though he is becoming poor. Creighton's mother sends him off to the colonies so he may be disciplined by his uncle. He must act as a servant for a "cover" because they don't like the English. I know that he is very stubborn, conceited, arrogant, and rude because he can't even handle pretending to be a servant. He also has grown up to see death as entertainment, which shows his character. Overall he is very rebellious. 

        One thing I found interesting was how the author described Benjamin Franklin. Since he was a real person it is nice to hear from a different view rather than all these facts. He is viewed as a respected American Patriot. They even call him Dr. Franklin. He has a lot of knowledge and has made many  useful inventions, which is why he is called Dr. Franklin. another character stated how Dr. Franklin knows a lot and tells how a certain item came to be, which is why he is great in his business. One thing I found funny about Dr, Franklin was he was at his desk naked because he says "it allows the body to breath."

        Considering that I have never read a historical fiction book, I really enjoy it. Rather it being a nonfiction book with just facts you get a plot, which personally makes it more interesting. You get a different approach with the characters, that are real. I was never into social studies or history class, but I am interested into historical fiction now. I find it very interesting that I still can make connections with this genre. A connection I had was how Creighton behaves, he is rebellious. He is a teenager. Every teenager relates to another. 

"Life is Beautiful" and "Night"

-What connections can be made between Life is Beautiful and our reading? 

-What events, scenes, or situations are similar or different?

-What is similar or different about the mood or tone of the pieces? 

-How is life shown as beautiful throughout the film. Pull out at least two examples from different parts of the film and explain your rationale.

Between “Life is Beautiful” and the memoir Night there are many connections that can be made. One connection is the father and son relationship shown throughout both pieces. In the film, Guido goes the extra mile for his son and does absolutely anything to help him. One of the things he did for him was when they reached the concentration camp. Guido does everything in his power to prove to his son that the Holocaust is all a game. Guido "translates" the rules of the "game", however everyone knew that he was just making up things as he went along. 

       On the other hand, the book Night shows the father and son relationship differently. In the memoir, it is the son that does everything possible to help his father. Wiesel, the author, would always try to keep his father alive. He did this even though he father was sometimes a burden to his survival. In the memoir there were a couple times when sons betrayed their fathers during the Holocaust. One of the times was when Rabbi Eliahu’s son betrayed his father. Wiesel thought a lot of this and thought, “What if he wanted to be rid of his father?... had this thought of separation to free himself of a burden that could diminish his own chance of survival” (91). After thinking about this, Wiesel felt the need to say a prayer. Wiesel prayed to promise himself to always help his father in this time of need.He also asked for “‘the strength never to do what Rabbi Eliahu’s son has done’” (91). In both the memoir and film, in the father and son relationship, one sacrificed themselves for the others' well being. 

      There are many events, scenes, or situations that are similar or different in the novel and film. In both, they have love as a common theme. The main characters both do everything they can do for their family. Guido risks his life to help save Joshua's and Dora's lives. He risks his life when he went up to ‘translate’ orders for the German officer. He was actually making his son think that the officer was explaining the rules of the game, but he wasn't. Had he been caught, he most likely would have been killed. Which is obviously a huge risk to take for his son. In the memoir, Elie motivates his father to keep trying and moving forward. During the death march, they stopped at a small resting place. When soldiers go around collecting dead bodies, they were going to take Wiesel's dad because they thought he was dead. Wiesel explains having to, “hit him harder and harder. At last, my father half opened his eyes" (99). This saved his father’s life. In order to make these risks for your family, you need a lot of love for your family, especially during the Holocaust. 

        There are also events that are similar between the the memoir and film. An event that was similar was that both Guido and Elie were not educated while in the concentration camps. They were not aware of what would actually happen in the camps. Guido was forcing his son to take a bath when actually he would have been killed. With Elie and his father they had to lie about their age to not be placed in the gas chambers. They didn't understand why they were told to lie until later. A mother huge similarity was that both Guido and Elie's father died close to a few days before they camp the camp was liberated.

        There are many similarities and differences having to do with the mood or tone in the novel and the film. In the novel the tone is tragic and very depressing. Wiesel describes more of the hardships while he was in the concentration camp. One of the hardships he faced was finding out about the crematorium. When entering the camp for the first time he describes the smell and states, “In the air, the smell of burning flesh” (28). This brought a negative tone upon the memoir. It made it a lot more gloomy. On the other hand, the film's tone had a happy portrayal and some humor added in. Guido's reactions towards horrible situations makes you see happiness in everything. When the evacuation of the camp was happening, he hid his son and told him to stay in the hiding place. After saying goodbye for one last time, he gets caught by an officer and had a gun pressed up against him. He pretended not to be scared and marched in a goofy way. He showed his son that everything is fine. He does everything he can for anyone that matters to him. 

        There are many ways in which life is shown as beautiful in the film. One way is when Dora basically sacrifices herself to be with her family. That shows that even though she was not Jewish she would risk her life to be with her family. That personally brings light into my eyes. It shows that there are people that live their families so much they would put their life on the line for them. Another way in which life is shown as in beautiful in the film is how Guido does everything to protect his son from the truth. When he translates the "rules" of the "game" to his son was a huge risk because he didn't even speak German. Also, when the guard took Guido to kill him he exaggerated his march with a smile on his face to show to his son that he had no fear. He hid him from the horrible truth. Risking your life for the people you love, now that is what is beautiful.

"Night" Blog Two

        Throughout the story Elie's experiences during the Holocaust change him as a person spiritually. Elie was thirteen years old when he met Moishe the Beadle, "By day I studied Talmud and by night I would run to the synagogue to weep over the destruction of the Temple." He devoted himself to studying Talmud and one day he wanted to study Kabbalah. In the beginning of his life he had faith and innocence. Throughout the story, Elie changes his views on God. He questioned God many times in the camps, "Why should I bless His name? The Eternal, Lord of the Universe, the All-Powerful and Terrible, was silent. What had I to thank Him for?" (31). He questioned God because he thought why would God let these horrible things happen to innocent people. Elie and the prisoners worked long hours, were given small rations of food, and overall they were exhausted. He gave up on God more and more throughout his experiences in the Holocaust.

        Elie's experiences during the Holocaust change him emotionally too. Elie's family arrived at Auschwitz and they were separated, "I didn't know that this moment in time and the place where I was leaving my mother and Tzipora forever." (29). When you're separated from your family than you are unstable. They have always been with you, and for Elie to not know it would be the last time they were all together emotionally changes a person. They weren't even allowed to say goodbye to each other.

        Another experience Elie went through changed him emotionally and mentally. Elie's father had asked a Gypsy were the bathroom was located, "... he slapped my father with such force that he fell down and then crawled back to his place on all fours... My father had just been struck, in front of me, and I had not even blinked. I had watched and kept silent. Only yesterday, I would have dug my nails into this criminal's flesh. Had I changed that much? So Fast?" (39). Elie had watched his dad getting slapped just for a simple question, and Elie didn't act on it. He had changed because before, like he said, he would have hurt the person that has hurt his father. That is a lot of change, especially in one day at Auschawitz.

      Wiesel's experiences also changed him not only on the inside, but n the outside. Elie and the prisoners had to face the heat and thirst while on the train ride to the concentration camp, Auschawitz. Also, the hard labor and starvation at the camps, the prisoners were given rations of food that were small. Most importantly, nature's fierce elements and long marching when he was being evacuated. He also was injured on his foot, and he still had to keep marching otherwise he would die.