Willa Cather in her novel "My Antonia" offers her view of pioneer times. This book could have been a tiny bit more interesting than it was, and it could have been done by changing the point of view.
I think the book would be a lot more interesting if it was told in Antonia's perspective. I think Antonia went through more difficult situarions than Jim. She went through getting pregnant before she was married, she planned to get married but her soon to be husband backed out, and her father committed suicide. I just think that the book would have been more meaningful to girls mainly, because we would get to take a look on how woman back then dealt with rough situations.
I think that Jim sounded a tiny bit fruity, feeling wise. I could tell a woman wrote the story because not many men talk about their feelings about things. I think Willa Cather should have told her story in a woman's point of view rather than a mans, due to the fact women tend to put their feelings into place, even if they do not need to.
I think Jim changed the title because he was in love with Antonia and they had been best friends for a while, so instead of just saying Antonia he wanted to show a little bit of ownership of her and named it "My Antonia."
All in all it was not the best book I have ever read, but it also was not the worst. The book "My Antonia" was just a happy medium for me.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Book Review
My book was Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper. The setting of my book is a little village in Africa, called Ziavi. The way Amari, the main character, described her village didn't seem real. I couldn't imagine having to live on dirt floors, with bamboo houses and having to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. The setting of Copper Sun doesn't change much throughtout the book. The main conflict in Copper Sun faced by Amari is how she reacts to being a slave and losing her family,because the white men killed them. A couple characters in the book are Amari and Afi. Amari is a 15 year old girl,and she is by far the most important character in the book. Amari was kidnapped from her village by white men who sold her to be a slave. The last character that is important is Afi. Afi is a woman that Amari met in Cape Coast Castle. Afi helped Amari throughout the book. She taught Amari to stay confident and to never to give up on something, and she taught her to stay alive and well also.
Effects of Setting
Author Willa Cather embedded literary devices, such as metaphors, similes, and personification, within her writing.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
Chunk #1: Comment the effect of the setting on the characters within the novel.
The setting effects Antonia in a few ways. Women and girls now do not have to be the stay at home mother, they are not expected to do all the inside work, or farming. So as Antonia learns to be a hard worker from her setting of a rural area. Jim's setting also effects him in the same way. From living in a rural area he has learned to be very respectful and a good worker.
Chunk #2: discuss the effect a setting on you, including imagery (lots of adjectives) and a simile or a metaphor as you describe the land.
The setting that effects me most is Batesville's setting. Living in a small town, it is like the town tattles on you twenty four seven. Batesville has made me into the young adult I am today. Batesville has so many good things about itself, but Batesville has a few of bad things also. Batesville acts like a hole you can not get out of. No matter how hard you try to run away from all the mess inside the town, that same mess follows you until you can't go any longer. That's how I have learned to be so blunt and to just confront something or someone right when it happens. The good things about Batesville are widespread though. Batesville is so small that I know most of everyone, and when I need something, there's not one doubt in my mind that somewhere in this town I can find help. Batesville is like your best friend, and your enemy at one time.
Paragraph:
The setting effects Antonia in a few ways. Women and girls now do not have to be the stay at home mother, they are not expected to do all the inside work, or farming. So as Antonia learns to be a hard worker from her setting of a rural area. Jim's setting also effects him in the same way. From living in a rural area he has learned to be very respectful and a good worker. The setting that effects me most is Batesville's setting. Living in a small town, it is like the town tattles on you twenty four seven. Batesville has made me into the young adult I am today. Batesville has so many good things about itself, but Batesville has a few bad things too. Batesville acts like a hole you can not get out of. No matter how hard you try to run from all the mess inside the town, that same mess follows you until you can't go any longer. That's how I have learned to be so blunt and to just confront something or someone right when it happens. The good things about Batesville are widespread though. Batesville is so small that I know most of everyone, and when I need something, there's not one doubt in my mind that somewhere in this town I can find help. Batesville is like your best friend, and your enemy at one time.
"As I looked about me I felt that the grass was the country, as the water is the sea. The red of the grass made all the great prairie the colour of wine-stains, or of certain seaweeds when they are first washed up. And there was so much motion in it; the whole country seemed, somehow, to be running."
"The grave, with its tall red grass that was never mowed, was like a little island."
"Winter comes down savagely over a little town on the prairie. The wind that sweeps in from the open country strips away all the leafy screens that hide one yard from another in summer, and the houses seem to draw closer together. The roofs, that looked so far away across the green treetops, now stare you in the face, and they are so much uglier than when their angles were softened by vines and shrubs.
Chunk #1: Comment the effect of the setting on the characters within the novel.
The setting effects Antonia in a few ways. Women and girls now do not have to be the stay at home mother, they are not expected to do all the inside work, or farming. So as Antonia learns to be a hard worker from her setting of a rural area. Jim's setting also effects him in the same way. From living in a rural area he has learned to be very respectful and a good worker.
Chunk #2: discuss the effect a setting on you, including imagery (lots of adjectives) and a simile or a metaphor as you describe the land.
The setting that effects me most is Batesville's setting. Living in a small town, it is like the town tattles on you twenty four seven. Batesville has made me into the young adult I am today. Batesville has so many good things about itself, but Batesville has a few of bad things also. Batesville acts like a hole you can not get out of. No matter how hard you try to run away from all the mess inside the town, that same mess follows you until you can't go any longer. That's how I have learned to be so blunt and to just confront something or someone right when it happens. The good things about Batesville are widespread though. Batesville is so small that I know most of everyone, and when I need something, there's not one doubt in my mind that somewhere in this town I can find help. Batesville is like your best friend, and your enemy at one time.
Paragraph:
The setting effects Antonia in a few ways. Women and girls now do not have to be the stay at home mother, they are not expected to do all the inside work, or farming. So as Antonia learns to be a hard worker from her setting of a rural area. Jim's setting also effects him in the same way. From living in a rural area he has learned to be very respectful and a good worker. The setting that effects me most is Batesville's setting. Living in a small town, it is like the town tattles on you twenty four seven. Batesville has made me into the young adult I am today. Batesville has so many good things about itself, but Batesville has a few bad things too. Batesville acts like a hole you can not get out of. No matter how hard you try to run from all the mess inside the town, that same mess follows you until you can't go any longer. That's how I have learned to be so blunt and to just confront something or someone right when it happens. The good things about Batesville are widespread though. Batesville is so small that I know most of everyone, and when I need something, there's not one doubt in my mind that somewhere in this town I can find help. Batesville is like your best friend, and your enemy at one time.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Argument: Abortion Should Be Legal
Assertion/Claim (Topic Sentence) = Main Idea
Opposing Claims/They Say:
My Rebuttal/I say:
My Paragraph
Abortion should be legal. Abortion should stay legalized because in some situations it could be harmful to the mother, or she could have been rapped. If the woman was rapped or she accidentally got pregnant and abortion was illegal, the woman may not be financially ready for a child and won't be able to care for the child anyway. Also what if the woman was rapped I do not think there is one woman on this earth that wants to take care of the child that is father rapped her. The child would just make the mother have constant memories on the day/night the incident happened, no one wants that. Another reason to support keeping abortion legalized is if the government does not keep abortion legalized woman may proceed to do self-induced abortions, which is very harmful to the woman. If abortion is illegal women that were rapped or truly despise children, and does not want to have a child may try self-induced abortion which includes punching the abdomen or being kicked in the abdomen. People also use hangers and sharp objects, which could cause a bad infection, and if the infection is bad enough it could kill the woman too. If the women does not do the self-induced procedure correctly she could still have the child but it could have defects from trying to do that damage, and those defects wont be minor in any circumstance. Just because part of the government says it's wrong because of their beliefs in God should not be the only reason it should be illegal. Because the government is just a bunch of crap. They want us to agree abortion should be illegal because God says its wrong, yet they wont let us pray in schools or let teachers about God, but when abortion comes into the picture heaven forbid we go against. I say it should be the woman's decsion, her body, her choice. The government should stay out of it! Now you and everyone can see I'm obviously right about this situation.
My Thinking:
This paragraph is based mainly on inductive thinking because it only shows my side of the argument.
Source:
-Why Abortion Should Be Legal
- Abortion should be legal.
- Abortion should stay legalized because in some situations it could be harmful to the mother, or she could have been rapped.
- Commentary 1: If the woman was rapped or she accidentally got pregnant and abortion was illegal, the woman may not be financially ready for a child and won't be able to care for the child anyway.
- Commentary 2: If the woman was rapped I do not think there is one woman on this earth that wants to take care of the child that's father rapped her. The child would just make the mother have constant memories on the day/night the incident happened, no one wants that
- If the government does not keep abortion legalized woman may proceed to do self-induced abortions, which is very harmful to the woman.
- Commentary 1: If abortion is illegal women that were rapped or truly despise children, and does not want to have a child may try self-induced abortion which includes punching the abdomen or being kicked in the abdomen. People also use hangers and sharp objects, which could cause a bad infection, and if the infection is bad enough it could kill the woman too.
- Commentary 2: If the women does not do it correctly she could still have the child but it could have defects from trying to do that damage, and those defects wont be minor in any circumstance.
Opposing Claims/They Say:
- The people that oppose abortion say it is wrong because part of the government says God says no, and its like murdering.
My Rebuttal/I say:
- Just because part of the government says it's wrong because of their beliefs in God should not be the only reason it should be illegal. Because the government is just a bunch of crap. They want us to agree abortion should be illegal because God says its wrong, yet they wont let us pray in schools or let teachers about God, but when abortion comes into the picture heaven forbid we go against. I say it should be the woman's decsion, her body, her choice. The government should stay out of it!
My Paragraph
Abortion should be legal. Abortion should stay legalized because in some situations it could be harmful to the mother, or she could have been rapped. If the woman was rapped or she accidentally got pregnant and abortion was illegal, the woman may not be financially ready for a child and won't be able to care for the child anyway. Also what if the woman was rapped I do not think there is one woman on this earth that wants to take care of the child that is father rapped her. The child would just make the mother have constant memories on the day/night the incident happened, no one wants that. Another reason to support keeping abortion legalized is if the government does not keep abortion legalized woman may proceed to do self-induced abortions, which is very harmful to the woman. If abortion is illegal women that were rapped or truly despise children, and does not want to have a child may try self-induced abortion which includes punching the abdomen or being kicked in the abdomen. People also use hangers and sharp objects, which could cause a bad infection, and if the infection is bad enough it could kill the woman too. If the women does not do the self-induced procedure correctly she could still have the child but it could have defects from trying to do that damage, and those defects wont be minor in any circumstance. Just because part of the government says it's wrong because of their beliefs in God should not be the only reason it should be illegal. Because the government is just a bunch of crap. They want us to agree abortion should be illegal because God says its wrong, yet they wont let us pray in schools or let teachers about God, but when abortion comes into the picture heaven forbid we go against. I say it should be the woman's decsion, her body, her choice. The government should stay out of it! Now you and everyone can see I'm obviously right about this situation.
My Thinking:
This paragraph is based mainly on inductive thinking because it only shows my side of the argument.
Source:
-Why Abortion Should Be Legal
Monday, November 14, 2011
Book Review
My book was Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper. The setting of my book is a little village in Africa, called Ziavi. The way Amari, the main character, described her village didn't seem real. I couldn't imagine having to live on dirt floors, with bamboo houses and having to sleep on the floor in a sleeping bag. The setting of Copper Sun doesn't change much throughtout the book. The main conflict in Copper Sun faced by Amari is how she reacts to being a slave and losing her family, because the white men killed them. A couple characters in the book are Amari and Afi. Amari is a 15 year old girl,and she is by far the most important character in the book. Amari was kidnapped from her village by white men who sold her to be a slave. The last character that is important is Afi. Afi is a woman that Amari met in Cape Coast Castle. Afi helped Amari throughout the book. She taught Amari to stay confident and to never to give up on something, and she taught her to stay alive and well also.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Henry vs. Forrest
There are a few ways that Henry is similar and different Forrest from each other.
One being they both ran. But the difference in them running is that Henry ran from the war and his Lt. told him not to, and Forrest ran to save people and because his Lt. told him to.
Another way they resemble each other is they both were scared. But the reason Henry was scared is because he was scared for himself, and he was scared to die.
Forrest was scared for Bubba being left in the woods by himself so he went and saved him. These two characters have many more similarities and differences also, but I think is enough for now.
One being they both ran. But the difference in them running is that Henry ran from the war and his Lt. told him not to, and Forrest ran to save people and because his Lt. told him to.
Another way they resemble each other is they both were scared. But the reason Henry was scared is because he was scared for himself, and he was scared to die.
Forrest was scared for Bubba being left in the woods by himself so he went and saved him. These two characters have many more similarities and differences also, but I think is enough for now.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Wounded War Project
I had never really heard of the Wounded War Project until I got the packet full of stories about the war, and how hard it is. but after reading those stories, and letters of what they go through I think it would be a wonderful idea to join the Wounded War Project.
I think it would be great for our class to join because there are many soldiers out there that probably don't feel appreciated or think that they are thought of, especially when we the soldiers are going through a rough time or dealing with a life time injury. When my dad had to go to Germany to do anesthesia for the soldiers there, because that was one of the stops they made before coming to the U.S, he said it was gruesome and it really made him appreciate what they did for us, and some of them were I guess you would say depressed, because thy didn't feel appreciated. It would just make those soldiers feel appreciated.
Another reason I think we should do it is because those men across seas don't have much to call their own over there. So if we all sent them a backpack for of stuff those men could have a few more things that they could call their own. I mean I would hate to only have a handful of stuff that was mine.
Those are my reasoning on wanting to go forth with the Wounded War Project.
I think it would be great for our class to join because there are many soldiers out there that probably don't feel appreciated or think that they are thought of, especially when we the soldiers are going through a rough time or dealing with a life time injury. When my dad had to go to Germany to do anesthesia for the soldiers there, because that was one of the stops they made before coming to the U.S, he said it was gruesome and it really made him appreciate what they did for us, and some of them were I guess you would say depressed, because thy didn't feel appreciated. It would just make those soldiers feel appreciated.
Another reason I think we should do it is because those men across seas don't have much to call their own over there. So if we all sent them a backpack for of stuff those men could have a few more things that they could call their own. I mean I would hate to only have a handful of stuff that was mine.
Those are my reasoning on wanting to go forth with the Wounded War Project.
Remembering 9.11
There wasn't really to much that I could remember about September 11, 2001 just thinking about it. But after reminiscing for awhile I could remember quite a few things.
I lived in Kernersville, North Carolina at the time and I was at the elementary school there when the intercom came on and our principle, Mrs. Smoot, told all of us to go in the halls. We all sat there for a good ten minutes then my mom, Candi, picked me up. On the way home my dad called and mom was a little shackin up. I was about five or six at the time so I wasn't really sure what was wrong with her. When we got home my dad, Steven, met us at the door and followed my mom to the television. That's when I saw two buildings collapsing.
After that Tuesday, the day the attack happened, not many people were out in our town. There were not that many kids a school at all the next day either. I had to go though because my dad was still in school to be an Anesthesiologist and my mom had to work at the pharmacy, so they didn't have much of a choice but to take me. I remember my teacher, Mrs. Farris, trying to explain what had happened, but we all were so young we didn't quite understand. After school there still weren't many people out besides the ones that were stocking up on gas. By that Thursday most things had gone back to normal, but not all the way because we are still dealing with that day now in many ways.
That is pretty much all I remember about September 11, 2001.
I lived in Kernersville, North Carolina at the time and I was at the elementary school there when the intercom came on and our principle, Mrs. Smoot, told all of us to go in the halls. We all sat there for a good ten minutes then my mom, Candi, picked me up. On the way home my dad called and mom was a little shackin up. I was about five or six at the time so I wasn't really sure what was wrong with her. When we got home my dad, Steven, met us at the door and followed my mom to the television. That's when I saw two buildings collapsing.
After that Tuesday, the day the attack happened, not many people were out in our town. There were not that many kids a school at all the next day either. I had to go though because my dad was still in school to be an Anesthesiologist and my mom had to work at the pharmacy, so they didn't have much of a choice but to take me. I remember my teacher, Mrs. Farris, trying to explain what had happened, but we all were so young we didn't quite understand. After school there still weren't many people out besides the ones that were stocking up on gas. By that Thursday most things had gone back to normal, but not all the way because we are still dealing with that day now in many ways.
That is pretty much all I remember about September 11, 2001.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
War is...
War is dominate, prevailing lives of others.
War is widespread, expanding all over the world.
War is boundless, demolishing everything in it's way.
War is needed, protecting our rights.
War is destructive, taking lives of our people.
War is intense, upsetting those involved.
War is unfathomable, remembering all whose suffered the worst.
War is enigmatic, predicting what it could lead to.
War is tenebrous, suffering the worst consequence.
War is epic, changing things in the world.
War is widespread, expanding all over the world.
War is boundless, demolishing everything in it's way.
War is needed, protecting our rights.
War is destructive, taking lives of our people.
War is intense, upsetting those involved.
War is unfathomable, remembering all whose suffered the worst.
War is enigmatic, predicting what it could lead to.
War is tenebrous, suffering the worst consequence.
War is epic, changing things in the world.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Book Review
David Pelzers book "a Child Called It" was absolutely amazing. This book taught me to never feel bad for myself, because there will always be someone that has it a lot worse off than I will ever have it. I mean when David's mother made him swallow ammonia(which is Clorox and other cleaning supplies), or when she threw a knife at him and it hit him in the chest, it was very shocking that some kids actually go through violent acts like that with their parents.
I loved how descriptive David was in this book. It was like I was there through the whole book. Like when he described his mothers face looked when she would get mad, or how her house smelt, I could see it. The way he described this book was spectacular! David had brothers, they treated him terribly because their mother had brained washed them to think that David was a "bad boy", and that's why she would "punish" him.
David absolutely loved his dad. David looked up to his father as if he was his superhero. David's dad would sometime either bring him food(since his mother starved him for days), or just even acknowledge him. That was enough for David, when his dad was around he felt loved.
The settings of this book were either at school, in the kitchen, bathroom, or in the basement. I know that's a limited area of settings but just with those four places went so well with the story.
There is not one book I could compare this to because I have never read a book like this one. I wish more authors wrote stories like David's. It really changed my perspective on how some of the lower class kids really have it at home, and it's not their fault that they can't dress nicely or always smell like they've had a bath. After I read " A Child called It" I appreciate everything my parents do for me.
I can't make a connection personally because I have never been treated that bad in my life. This book made me thankful for everything I have.
I loved how descriptive David was in this book. It was like I was there through the whole book. Like when he described his mothers face looked when she would get mad, or how her house smelt, I could see it. The way he described this book was spectacular! David had brothers, they treated him terribly because their mother had brained washed them to think that David was a "bad boy", and that's why she would "punish" him.
David absolutely loved his dad. David looked up to his father as if he was his superhero. David's dad would sometime either bring him food(since his mother starved him for days), or just even acknowledge him. That was enough for David, when his dad was around he felt loved.
The settings of this book were either at school, in the kitchen, bathroom, or in the basement. I know that's a limited area of settings but just with those four places went so well with the story.
There is not one book I could compare this to because I have never read a book like this one. I wish more authors wrote stories like David's. It really changed my perspective on how some of the lower class kids really have it at home, and it's not their fault that they can't dress nicely or always smell like they've had a bath. After I read " A Child called It" I appreciate everything my parents do for me.
I can't make a connection personally because I have never been treated that bad in my life. This book made me thankful for everything I have.
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