Reflections

Using blogger for the third quarter has been valuable in numerous ways and has been a great help. It helped me to think, write, and post in ways different then before. I believe i have grown as a writer since the beginning of the school year. 

From posting my assignments via blogger i have been able to take other people's opinions, process them and reflect them through my work. 

I feel this is an exciting and different way to do work. Its exciting because anybody can read your work and see what a great job you may have or may have not done. I think the idea that anybody in the world can access our work makes us write better. 

Suggestions i have for you are as follows; make sure people actually read somebodies else's work and not just post a comment saying what a wonderful job. Also we would like to see how you grade us.

I think we should be graded as if we were writing an essay for the PSSA's or the ACT's it would make us do a much better job. 

Because of blogger i think it has brought the two classes 11-1 and 11-2 together and has helped our relationships that much better.

The Great Gatsby

The first chapter of the book opens and introduces us to a character by the name of Nick Carraway. He seems to be the narrator and the book is told through his eyes and point of view. He gives us a brief synopsis of his life, previously and presently. The timeline in this story is approximately the summer of 1822 and Nick has just arrived and is starting to begin his new life in West Egg, a small part of Long island. He goes on to tell us about what he learned from growing up and also what he learned from his father. He introduces us to and describes a character to us who goes by the name of Gatsby. Gatsby lives in a nice large mansion and is described as a gorgeous person. Nick also helps us distinguish between West Egg and East Egg, but later goes on to tell us about a trip he takes to visit his cousin Daisy who lives with her husband Tom. Tom receives a phone call from a woman. Later Jordan tells Nick that the woman is Tom's girlfriend. Soon after Tom and Daisy try to persuade Nick into hooking up with or asking Jordan out, but Tom leaves and when he arrives home he finally sees Gatsby for the first time.

American Poetry Supermarket

The poem i choose was, Bury Me in a Free Land by Frances Ellen Watkins. (http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/bury-me-in-a-free-land-2/)
The author was born in Maryland which was a free state during the time she was born and attend the Academy for Negro Youth, which i believe gave her some inspiration on the poems she wrote and the topics she wrote about. During her life Frances also acted as an activist and while living in a underground railroad station and this may have also gave her some kind of inspiration for her poem.

Kate Chopin

The ideals of Kate Chopin do not compare with those of other authors of the American Romantics we have read about. The American Romantics focused on ones connection with nature, visual arts, music, and literature. Instead Kate focuses on the issues women face such as a oppression. Kate is unable to connect with other authors because of the topics and ideas she focuses on and chose to write about. She does hint a bit of Romanticism in the images she creates through detail and descriptive language. Although she doesn't really talk about Romanticism we can see a progression toward realism because the two stories i read that she wrote both focus on real life issues revolving around women.

In both stories Kate sides with women and write about the hardships and issues they face. In one story a lady by the name of Mrs.Sommers is poor and oppressed she finds $15 and decides to spend it on her kids but when she goes shopping she does the exact opposite. She spends the money on her self and makes her self feel good. Kate also seems to write from a feminist point of few. She writes about women and there struggles, their struggles to find a name for themselves and show the world who they really are.

I think that Kate Chopin writes for the world surrounding her, but mainly women. I think she wants the world to realize women are unique individuals with unique wants and needs. She seems to mainly write to all those women out there who face oppression and face issues which she can relate to. Her stories can also be a source of advice and help women over come many fears issues and hardships.

The fact that she wants to help other women facing problems similar to hers. I admire the fact that she wants to help people and let them know they are not alone they can get help. She also holds me to her writing because it is so true and helpful.

"Little Mrs Sommers one day found herself the unexpected possessor of fifteen dollars.  It seemed to her a very large amount of money, and the way in which it stuffed and bulged her worn old porte-monnaie gave her a feeling of importance such as she had not enjoyed for years." This shows how $15.00 gave this women such pride and joy. It makes me smile and feel good inside just like Mrs.Sommer. I like the fact that the $15 makes Mrs.Sommer feel special, i love to see other people happy and full of joy.