tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26802627380214799492024-03-14T04:19:08.890-07:00Elyse B American Lit BlogElyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-59816456591412453172012-06-07T18:06:00.000-07:002012-06-07T18:06:25.519-07:00Evernote<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout the course of the year I have not really used Evernote
as a note taking tool. Personally I do not like taking online notes because not
having them in my hands makes me unmotivated to study. I am pretty busy a lot
of the time and sometimes I do not have access to the internet. Though I think
not having to carry around a notebook would be helpful, I would rather be able
to have access to my notes at all times. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
ability not to print my notes, and work off the iPads was also a reason I did
not like using Evernote to take notes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the one instance when I did use
Evernote I liked to how it was accessible from the iPad, my iPhone, and from my
laptop at home. These are some of the few reasons I did not use Evernote more
often. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To improve
Evernote, I would recommend it being compatible with Dropbox. The ability to
access my notes, and papers from Evernote, and then drop them into a Dropbox
folder quickly would make the app a little better. Not having the ability to
have a tab button to indent the first sentence of the paragraph was also a
problem both myself, and other realized. Other than these two problems, I did
not use Evernote enough to find more flaws in the technology. For some students
I think that this is a very useful tool. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-62398177621808886742012-06-07T16:52:00.003-07:002012-06-07T16:52:28.868-07:00iPad Pilot Project<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Let me start by
saying I am not the most "computer savvy" person in this world. I
know how to text, open twitter, write a word document, and Google. Beyond that
I try to avoid using computers and technology as much as possible. Having the
iPads was a learning experience to say the least. I enjoyed having the iPads in
class, because for even a person who isn't an Apple fanatic I found it very
easy to learn how to navigate the iPad. There are also many apps that help with
both note taking, and projects. The availability of these apps have allowed for
more creative projects, and a better use of new technology in the classroom. I
also liked being able to research content in books and terms. Having the iPads
was helpful in allowing us more access to the Internet. Also it was nice to not
have to go to the computer labs anymore, because I was always late for class by
the time I realized that I had to be go to the library computers. Overall I
really liked having the iPads in the class room, and I think they are a really
good tool for schools. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div data-mce-style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"></span></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Though there
were many advantages to having the iPads to the classroom, there were also a
few limitations. When taking notes I am a classic pen and paper kind of person.
I did not like taking my notes and emailing them to myself because I would
rather be able to hold the paper in my hand to review. I also did not like how
the iPad did not offer the ability to print. I would have been helpful to print
articles or even the notes I typed on the iPad. I also found it hard to type
quickly on the iPad without a keyboard. The iPads are very fragile and
breakable technology. I was afraid of breaking the iPad, knowing that they are
so expensive. The possibility of breaking it was another problem I had with the
iPads. Last, the iPad disconnected frequently with the school Wi-Fi after just
leaving the classroom. If this if there could be ways to possibly fix some of
these issues, than I think that this could be a very valuable tool for learning
in schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I think that the
Grosse Pointe School District should invest in more iPads for the rest of the
schools. Though they are very expensive I think that all schools should be
introduced to them at least. For elementary students in a controlled environment
it could be very beneficial in introducing them to new technology. They could
also begin the exploration of note taking, and research. The iPads could be a
costly addition to the schools, but if students could access their books from
the iPads, books would not be lost and damaged as easily. The school could also
save money on paper, with electronic worksheets. The iPad would also allow the
internet to be more available in classrooms. Teachers can create more
interactive websites, and blogs that keep the entire class more connected as
well. The availability of the iPads in class could also allow for more research
projects in class rooms which I personally believe are more beneficial to
learning that just taking notes off of power points. The iPads are great
technology, and being able to access those in more than one class room would be
very beneficial to schools, teachers, and students.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-77900575957151517892012-05-20T18:20:00.002-07:002012-05-20T18:20:27.533-07:00The Catcher in the Rye Chapter 1<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A significant
characteristic that Holden portrays throughout chapter one, that may create
more difficulties later in the novel, is his careless attitude. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He shows a
careless attitude towards his own life, as well as his in school experiences.
“That’s also how I practically got t.b. and came out here for all these goddam
checkups and stuff. I’m pretty healthy, though” (J.D. Salinger 5). As Holden
talks about smoking and getting sick he acts as if it was not a big deal to be
so ill. He also ignores many notices about his poor grades, and progress, and
probation in school. Without an education he isn’t going to be able to move
forward and have the skills necessary for advancement later on in life. The
very fact that this doesn’t bother him exemplifies his lack of character and poor
work ethic. He doesn’t demonstrate a strong desire to pursue anything later
than life, has a “bad boy” attitude, and acts as if he is too cool for everything.
He uses very vulgar language which shows that he doesn’t really care how he appears
to other people. This lack of respect towards himself may also be a result of
something the reader might discover later on in the book as well. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Holden is
also very careless about his schooling. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did not feel badly about forgetting the
equipment in the subway. “I left all the foils and equipment and stuff on the
goddam subway. It wasn’t my fault though” (Salinger 3). This lack of responsibility
and ownership for his mistakes reflects how he doesn’t care for anyone else
besides himself and his reputation. He doesn’t put any effort towards school
and his education. He was told many times that he was close to being kicked out
and once he finally reached the point where they had to remove him from the
school, he behaved as if it was no big deal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t want to try in school and this lack
of effort resulted to the end of his education at Pencey. This school is very distinguished
and has a stellar reputation. To have the honor of being a student Holden
should been <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>proud and exhibit a
concerted effort toward a high scholastic record. His poor attitude led him to
lose the honor and privilege to go to this Pencey and left him to try to find
another place to attend school. When he got expelled from Pencey he played it
off as it was an occurrence that often happened and that he wasn’t the only
victim of this type of situation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These together led show Holden as having a
lack of care for his life, and schooling which can possibly cause him difficulties
later on in the book. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-46980976390789123902012-03-25T18:03:00.000-07:002012-03-25T18:03:26.972-07:00Gothic Story<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Spring had just begun in Grosse Pointe, newly blossomed trees were full of soft lilacs, and the fragrant pink roses filled freshly painted window boxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lake was still, and the rising sun created a pink and purple hue over the sky. Emma Harris was on her early morning run, the cool air brushed swiftly over her skin and her feet rhythmically tapped the cold cement. Emma Harris was a well know wealthy Grosse Pointer. Her father’s family had developed a respectable law firm, and she lived in an old family home along Lakeshore Road. She achieved high marks academically, was the top scorer on the Varsity soccer team known for her triple hat tricks, was on the Homecoming court, and quite popular among the junior class at Grosse Pointe South High School. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Monday morning Emma was sitting quietly in the back of her AP biology class, when suddenly there was a disruption at the door. A tanned and slightly disheveled looking guy walked through the door, wearing worn jeans, a red plaid shirt, and broken in work boots. His unique look caught Emma’s attention, and when he introduced himself, his slow southern drawl entranced her. From this moment, she knew she needed to get to know this mysterious new guy from a small town in southern Louisiana. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">After class, Emma made sure to introduce herself. “Hey, I am Emma. I know my way pretty well around here, so if you need any help I am happy to direct you. I know this school can get pretty confusing!” <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Hi, I’m Jake. Yeah, I know I got lost finding the entrance into the building. This school is the size of my entire old town!” he replied with a deep chuckle. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Together they walked to tutorial class which they coincidentally had together. The entire hour they talked about their lives, school, and Jake told her all about his old town. He told her about the one grocery store, the corner gas station where old Mr. Jones, the owner, still pumped gas for the customers, and the popular BBQ restaurant where the kids hung out every weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“My family knew I couldn’t get far in Ida, so my dad took a job at a Ford plant in Detroit, and moved us here so I could get a better education.” Jake said sadly. She could see the pain and genuine sadness as he talked about moving from his old home- the life he knew, and his friends and extended family. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Over the next week Emma and Jake became really good friends, talking from the moment they woke up, until they could barely keep their eyes open at night. That weekend Emma invited Jake and few friends over for a welcoming party. Jake pulled up to her house, and without even stepping inside, just the plain size of her house overwhelmed him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He felt intimidated by Emma; he compared all of her luxuries, to the little his family had. Afraid to lose the one friend he had made though, he went up to the large oak door and slammed the large eagle door knocker at the immense entrance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The door slowly opened with a loud creak and Jake walked in cautiously. The house foyer was dark, and a large stuffed moose hung over the fireplace mantle in the room to his right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The furniture was old - likely inherited antiques and the marble tile was cold underneath his bare feet. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Emma?......Emma?” Jake called cautiously from the door way. His voice echoed through the long corridors of the old house.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“We are in the recreation room!” Emma’s voice echoed back to him. “It’s the 5<sup>th</sup> door on the right!”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Slowly Jake made his way to the unmarked fifth door, trying to keep track as he walked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family photos filled the walls of the hallway. He counted the doors as he passed. 1, 2, 3, 4….then he came upon the 5<sup>th</sup> door. It was different than all the others. The door was an eerie blood red, and before he even touched the silver engraved handle, the door opened. Jake pushed it open the rest of the way and began to walk down the stairs. Suddenly there was a loud creak followed by giggles, and a BOO! <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“Goodness, Emma! That is not a way to welcome someone!” Jake shouted with a hint of fear in his voice. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Emma’s recreation room was a teenager’s paradise. To the right was a mini movie theater with reclining chairs and a large screen. There was a small nook straight ahead of the stair case that was filled with arcade games of all sorts as well as a pool table. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then to the left was a room with a tile floor and sitting in the center was a hot tub. Next to the hot tub was a full on snack bar completely stocked with candy, chips, and drinks. Jake felt as if he was in a movie, no one in Ida could afford a place for fun like this in their home. This was clearly a fantasy come true.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I hope you brought your swim trunks,” Emma said jokingly. Jake smiled backed and his smile revealed perfectly straight teeth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began to form feelings for her, and, by the way she was acting, Emma felt the same. They flirted the entire night and during the following days at school they became inseparable. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Not too long after Jake moved to town he and Emma started going out and quickly after they began dating the entire school knew. They hung out every day and would sit in her rec room and do homework, or go practice soccer in her back yard. Emma felt like what she and Jake had was perfect. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">After some time, Emma’s parents start to become concerned because Emma began to lose all contact with her old friends, was forgetting to turn in homework, and she was missing soccer practices which was so unlike her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uneasy about this situation, they finally, confronted her about how her declining grades and sudden changes, and about their worry about Jake’s influence on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was adamant in her explanation. She said Jake wanted to spend time with her, and only her, because she was his only friend in Grosse Pointe. He needed and relied on her to help him feel a part of his new community. Jake would make all kinds of plans for them after school; walks around the parks, exploring parts of Detroit she hadn’t even know existed, and trying new restaurants and cuisine. Slowly, as time went on, she realized just how isolated from her old friends and family she had become. She tried to slowly include others in the couple’s plans. She was startled, but also flattered by Jake’s possessive and seemingly intense attraction and attachment to her. Jake calmed her fears by assuring her of his love for her and how he just wanted to take care of her and keep her to himself. She believed that this was the meaning of true love. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Jake resisted any newcomers joining their twosome and finally people stopped even trying to include themselves. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She spent less and less time with the family and friends. The more her family tried to intervene and keep Emma from Jake, the more time they spent together, sometimes leaving their sheltered Grosse Pointe. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">One Friday it was essay day in AP biology and after class Emma asked Jake how it went. “I didn’t write a word, I was staring at you the whole time. It was as if I couldn’t get you off of my mind.” Jake said flirtingly with a hint of seriousness. Emma was flattered, and a little startled by his actions. She knew he cared about her but seriously, to the point of distraction? During lunch she went to go grab Jake’s AP biology book when she found his pocket knife sitting at the bottom of his bag. She grabbed it to cut her fresh red apple and when she opened it, the sleek blade was covered in a layer of a deep burgundy dried blood. Concerned, she asked him about the blood and he suddenly became very defensive and slightly hostile.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It was from a time when my dad and I went hunting before we came to Grosse Pointe,” he said with a slight stammer. Emma could sense Jake’s uneasiness, so decided not to pursue this topic. It did however make Emma wonder a bit about Jake. Emma began questioning some things about Jake. She asked many times to meet his mom and dad, and was put off each and every time. There was always some excuse. Emma and Jake always met at her house or in her car when they spent time together. Jake never made any reference to any of his family and friends. It was puzzling and slightly concerning to Emma. Something just did not seem right. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">These niggling questions would not leave Emma’s mind. After hours of just tossing and turning in bed, she got up and went online and did a search on Jake and Ida, Louisiana. She just wondered if there was more to the Jake story than what she was being told. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ida had an online registry of every family that has ever lived there in the last 200 years, and to her surprise Jake’s family was never recorded as living there. Becoming a little afraid of his possible lies, Emma started to distance herself. Jake began texting her message after message and when she didn’t respond right away he became angry. She often saw him following her in school. She tried to be friendly but separate a bit from Jake. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She began to hang out with some of her old friends but kept a cautious friendship with Jake. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Feeling desperate to get Emma back, Jake wrote her a note during tutorial in bright red pen,<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Dear Emma,<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Meet me in Cleminson Hall during 6<sup>th</sup> hour, I have a surprise for you :)<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Segoe Script","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>Love, Jake”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Emma’s curiosity weighed out her slight uneasiness about Jake’s behavior, so she planned on going to Cleminson. All of fifth hour she sat unable to focus on her teacher. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her mind pondered what Jake had in Cleminson to surprise her. The bell rang loudly signaled the end of fifth hour. Emma ran quickly out of her room at the top of the IA building, and pushed down the many stairs through the crowds of people. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The doors of Cleminson were large and their carved metal handles were cold underneath Emma’s soft, freshly manicured hands. She slowly pulled open the heavy doors and cautiously entered the dark room. She walked across the soft red carpet but there was no sign of Jake, so Emma continued into the room. A sudden ice cold breeze came and sent shivers up Emma’s back. She made her way to the black spiral stair case, carefully taking each step up. When she reached the top she stood over the railing to the balcony scanning the room for a sign of Jake. Still she couldn’t find him, so she climbed back down the stair case, and walked around the entire room observing all of the old South memorabilia. She made her way over to the window and stared out at the large lawn where random patches of red flowers bloomed. Suddenly, she felt hot breath run down her neck. Quickly she turned, standing behind her gripping tightly around her arms, was Jake. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“I knew you couldn’t resist a surprise, Emma” Jake said slowly. “Finally we are alone, I have been waiting for this moment since the day I saw you in AP biology. I have done nothing but think about you Emma. You are mine and only mine. If you don’t want me, then no one gets you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Emma began to panic, realizing the seriousness of this situation. How could she have been so naïve? Emma strained to wrestle out of the tight grip of his hands around her arms, but she couldn’t escape. She let out a loud shriek but through the old, thick walls no one could hear her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was trapped with Jake, and fearful of what might happen next. Jake slid a knife out of his pant pocket and held it up to Emma’s neck. The metal felt icy against her neck. He slid the knife across her neck, quickly warm red blood covered his hand. He released his grip and dropped her on the ground next to the window. Jake ran from South, leaving behind his beloved Emma. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Later on that night the janitor came to clean Cleminson and found the stiff, stone cold body laying mangled on the floor. Police cars soon surrounded the school, and the body was taken out on a stretcher and carefully lifted into the back of the ambulance. The police and family soon suspected Jake, Emma’s most recent and possessive friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they could not find him, they did a complete and thorough search. They retrieved his old files from Ida, where Jake went by a different name. Jake’s family had not moved here because of education, he ran away from his old town by himself because he was wanted for murder, and stalking charges on two other female students. Jake was found 3 weeks later in a small town in Indiana, was captured and later tried on all charges. He was found to be guilty and put in jail, without a chance for parole. People have said he was writing and professing his true love to a college student at Michigan State University and urging her to come visit him at the penitentiary in Grayling, Michigan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is said that his case is up for appeal due to a technicality. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3MFxkKlnXWPl5uNS4NLKReVirO67pc3Vtzp-Nns5F3U1VcDzS5hzm4tdVpCmQoX05RWQtBoFY-2w-dOcLcgmU9ObsyeiQMgoIpyp7nuBNFLaHbXTKYgPyZGX426fGFIHV8XtK0n2LqBO/s1600/071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP3MFxkKlnXWPl5uNS4NLKReVirO67pc3Vtzp-Nns5F3U1VcDzS5hzm4tdVpCmQoX05RWQtBoFY-2w-dOcLcgmU9ObsyeiQMgoIpyp7nuBNFLaHbXTKYgPyZGX426fGFIHV8XtK0n2LqBO/s320/071.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-75109129704472685832012-03-15T19:09:00.002-07:002012-03-15T19:09:33.387-07:00Poe's Obsession with Death<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Throughout his short stories, Edgar Allan Poe gravitates towards the theme of death. In each story, Poe emphasizes different ways death has effects on people and their behaviors and subsequent actions towards death. In the stories, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Cat, Berenice, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar, The Masque of Red Death, and The Fall of the House of Usher</i>, Poe illustrates society’s reactions to death and touches on the fears people have in dealing with the difficult concept of death. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The in story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Cat</i>, Poe uses guilt along with death to emphasize the feelings people have after killing another being. As the main character’s irritability and instability is heightened through abuse of alcohol, he began to hate everything in his mundane and ordinary life. In the end after killing a pet cat, which later ended in him killing his wife, he began to feel immense guilt. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I rapped heavily, with a cane which I held in my hand, upon that very portion of the brick-work behind which stood the corpse of the wife of my bosom” (Poe, “The Black Cat”). The previous quote shows how the guilt of killing someone can cause force people to turn themselves in as in this story. When the police had come to look for the reported missing cat, the killer felt responsible to turn himself in, albeit appearing subconsciously, for the murder of his wife. This leads to him purposefully hitting the wall where the cat and his beloved wife were buried. Poe’s take on death in this story is playing on the reasons why people feel the need to kill others and the feelings they have after a murderous event. Poe uses death and guilt to show people how it is very difficult is must be to deal with the culpability people feel after killing someone else. This also shows how they may feel remorseful or at the very least great unease once the person is gone, and they will never get to see them again. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Throughout the story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Berenice</i>, Poe shows how people are afraid to completely lose someone who has passed away and moves into the heaven or hell. In the story, the character unearthed the tomb of his cousin to obtain her teeth. He had had an intense and weird obsession with them before her death, but after she died he was compelled<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to get them because he didn’t want to lose all of her. “Yes its memory was replete with horror—horror more horrible from being vague, and terror more terrible from ambiguity” (Poe, “Berenice”). Losing people that are close to you can be very devastating and life altering. During this short piece Poe uses death and the teeth to show for the longing of having that person alive again or at the very least some part of that person’s very being.. In the story the character is afraid to completely lose his lover so he went and retrieved her teeth as a way to have something tangilbe to remember her by due to her death. The teeth were an object he had a fixation with before she had passed, so it<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>seemed very fitting <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that this is what the piece de’resistaence when he dugout her tomb and went in search for a special rememberance. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Poe relates death to time in the story The Facts in the Case of M.Valdemar. In this story though the characters try to elongate the time it takes for a person to be actually dead, the outcome is no different than if the person had died months before. “no person had as yet been mesmerized in articulo mortis. It remained to be seen, first, whether, in such condition, there existed in the pation any susceptibility to the magnetic influence; secondly, whether, if any existed, it was impaired or increased by the condition; thirdly, to what extent or for how long a period, the encroachments of Death might be arrested by the process (Poe, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar). This story relates hypnotism, time, and death all together. The story ties in the ideas of many scientists of the time who were working very diligently to find a way to stop death. This story also plays with death and time, and the ideas of how death is not as strong as time. In the story though they can keep a man alive through hypnotism, the end result is death. Time in the end over takes death, and no one can last longer than time. This idea puzzled many people in the late 1800’s, and Poe used this in his advantage to create a sense of panic in the reader. This relationship between time and death occur multiple times in different stories Poe has written. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Masque of Red Death</i> also relates to this story because it also directly relates to time, and how even death cannot out last time. “…<span style="color: #333333;">gasped in unutterable horror at finding the grave-cerements and corpse-like mask which they handled with so violent a rudeness, untenanted by any tangible form (Poe, The Masque of Red Death). Throughout the years, scientists have tried to create ways to cheat death, and escape its vicious cycle. This story contradicts scientists’ hopes and plays along the lines of death in all its power even having to submit to time. The story <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">In the story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Fall of the House of Usher</i>, Poe directly writes about the fears of the people of that time period. Being buried alive was a common fear for many in society during the time period this story was written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<span style="color: #333333;">The disease which had thus entombed the lady in the maturity of youth, had left, as usual in all maladies of a strictly cataleptical character, the mockery of a faint blush upon the bosom and the face, and that suspiciously lingering smile upon the lip which is so terrible in death” (Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher” 13). Poe successfully captured the audience, and created a fear within the reader by playing off what frightens them outside of the story and on a daily basis. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Despite the fact that the story plots could have taken a more positive turn Poe chose to continue the path of death. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Fall of the House of Usher</i> the sister could have escaped her tomb, and not of ended up dying, but Poe wrote the story to end in death. The fact that the outcome of many of his stories ended with death contributes to his obsession of death, and manipulating death. Poe’s obsession with death also contributed to the outcome of his stories. Without this obsession Poe’s stories would not be as well written, with as much fear, and suspension. The obsession with death fueled his writing and made his plots so twisted and gothic. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Many of his characters in stories are faced with illness and insanity. Disease, leading to sickness and death was another common fear in the world at this time and even today.. Poe used the unknown treatment and cause of some diseases to create anxiety and terror in the reader. These also allowed for different ways for him to create diverse plots within stories. In the end many of these unknown diseases caused character to pass away. Insanity was another common attribute <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poe used to personify his unique characters. The insane, and mentally instable, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>people in his stories commonly were the one who killed the people at the conclusion of the novella, or the character’s who’s emotions were affected by the passing of certain characters. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Poe’s use of death and the way he twists the idea of death in his stories successfully creates suspense and fear in his works. Throughout his pieces he uses death frequently and often to create many different moods and intense feelings in the story. The main theme of death is worked into many of his stories, each with a unique plot, and a alternating use of the idea of death. The reoccurring theme of demise in his literature lends one to the idea of Poe having an obsession with the topic of death. The numerous deaths, and ways Poe uses this theme to create fear in his reader also adds to his fixation on deceased people and the reactions of those close to the people who have died. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Poe did not have this obsession with death his literary works would be not be as strong, because he used this fascination to help him develop creative, and enthralling plots that keeps the reader disgusted, as well as intrigued by the story. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Bibliography<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Poe, Edgar A. "Berenice." <i>PoeStories.com</i>. N.p., 1835. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. <http://poestories.com/read/berenice>.<span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Poe, Edgar A. "The Black Cat." <i>PoeStories.com</i>. N.p., 1845. Web. 13 Mar. 2012. <http://poestories.com/read/blackcat>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Poe, Edgar A. "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar." <i>PoeStories.com</i>. N.p., 1845. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. <http://poestories.com/read/facts>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Poe, Edgar A. "The Fall of the House of Usher." <i>PoeStories.com</i>. N.p., 1839. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. <http://poestories.com/read/houseofusher>. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Poe, Edgar A. "The Masque of Red Death." <i>PoeStories.com</i>. N.p., 1850. Web. 15 Mar. 2012. <http://poestories.com/read/masque>.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.sparknotes.com/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.sparknotes.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/article/265750/How-Edger-Allen-Poes-Fears-and-Obsessions-Shaped-His-Writing/"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.teenink.com/nonfiction/academic/article/265750/How-Edger-Allen-Poes-Fears-and-Obsessions-Shaped-His-Writing/</span></a><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" /> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-89362727932783936382012-03-02T14:22:00.001-08:002012-03-02T14:22:41.834-08:00Faust Legend<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It was a dark and humid evening in Soldotna, Alaska. The cloud filled sky was dim, and created an envelope of gloom over the old log cabin of the Smith family. Lucas Smith was a young high school graduate visiting his family cottage for a few weeks before the fall semester of college. Though he excelled in school, and was good looking in a Jimmie Dean sort of way, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he felt something was missing in his life. He would watch movies and aspire to have the glamorous and frivolous life of all these movie stars. He wanted the attention of all the girls, and to have money he could spend in whatever way he pleased. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, he wanted a life of the rich and famous. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One early morning, he decided to take a walk along the edge of the crisp, transparent lake. The air was brisk, and with every breath he could feel the cold encompass his whole body. The lake was clear and every few minutes you could see birds fly frantically across the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he kept walking, the air began to thicken, and a dense fog started to form, increasing in thickness with every step. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the intense mist he started to see an ominous figure. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He cautiously began to near the unknown object, and as he got closer, Lucas could identify parts of this being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appeared to be a female creature towering 8 feet. She had long jet black hair with piercing red eyes. Her skin was a deep bronze and she wore a tight red dress that matched the color of her eyes. Resting on both shoulders were jet black crows with the same penetrating eyes as the she devil. In the distance, the loud squawking of the birds could still be heard. Lucas was frozen in panic. Suddenly the mysterious person advanced towards him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">She began talking to him in a soft and enchanting tone. “So Lucas, you want fame and fortune? You want all the attention of innocent, sweet, young girls all over the world? You are so naive; you don’t think those people are famous by chance do you? They are all mine, or at least their souls are. I am the devil and I can give you fame and fortune; I can make the girls swoon at your feet? Just say the word, and promise me your soul and all of these luxuries can be yours.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lucas stood on the cool damp ground, unable to look away from this devil whose words entranced his very being. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew he shouldn’t listen to her, but the thought of all she had to offer made him think of what his life could be, all without having to really put forth much effort to get obtain financial security or extreme popularity. The birds in the distance stopped, and Lucas slowly begins to move toward the devil. As though he had no control, he quietly says “You can have my soul, just make me famous.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As quickly as he ran into the devil, he was back at the cabin as if nothing at happened. Unsure of the situation that had just occurred he went to lie down to reflect upon this unique and highly unusual encounter with the devil woman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly he drifted into a restless and fitful sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A few hours later he awoke, not sure of where he was or who he was anymore. He got out of bed and walked into what used to be the kitchen. He was surrounded by maids and butlers who dressed him in diamonds, and a silk robe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The old family cabin had been transformed into a large mansion with the highest quality goods all around. He ran to the window and outside was the large HOLLYWOOD sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t believe that this vision who had just appeared in the woods could have actually made him famous. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though skeptical about the whole situation he didn’t care how it happened, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he was just ecstatic to be rich and famous. Clearly, his greed and narcissistic personality came shining through his very being and soul. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As time went on his fame grew, and he starred in movie after movie while his stacks of millions accumulated in his safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His fans adored him and he was loved by most people until he one day began to let his fame get to his head. His greed kept increasing, and he began to only want even money and more grandiose material possessions. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Years passed and Lucas’s income kept increasing and so did the amount of possessions he bought. Greed had overtaken him, and all he wanted was more money. One day he was filming a new movie. While getting ready in his dressing room a thick fog quickly filled the room. Again the devil appeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I have made you famous, and you had your wealth, but you have abused it. You have become greedy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t let you and your greed continue on the earth. You had promised me your soul and I am taking it to hell with me” said the devil.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Almost instantaneously, she wrapped a long rope around Lucas and he was brought kicking and screaming down into the deep underworld.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shortly after he was dragged into hell, the flock of birds flew over the cottage in Alaska and soared over the building where they were filming. Unexpectedly, there was just one lonely, isolated last black bird that flew with them squawking loudly as they glided fast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-47214357237293068572012-02-16T17:35:00.001-08:002012-02-16T17:35:37.004-08:00Huck Finn Verdict Response<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">My overall involvement with the Mark Twain Mock Trial was that it was a great learning experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my character Huck was on the stand, it was a little nerve racking because <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as a character one is<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>not sure what to expect when being cross examined. Huck’s character was a really fun one to portray. It was a lot of work though because Huck is a very large character as he is the narrator throughout the novel. I was worried that I would be unable to represent him well as a character. Huck also was a very important character to the defense’s side because he befriends Jim, so I felt the pressure to answer correctly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The amount of questions being asked becomes very overwhelming on the stand, or at least that is how I felt. It was necessary that to take time before answering questions so I did not contradict a previous answer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both sides asked questions that made the jury really question some of Twain’ s intentions through different characters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sides both asked rebuttal questions that caused all the lawyers to think on their feet and be quick witted. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The prosecution and the defense both brought very clever points to the trial. The trial was a good way to do a review of the whole book, and bring emphasis to important themes in the book. As the trial was unfolding <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the reader was not sure what the outcome would be. Both sides had very strong arguments to why Mark Twain should be guilty or not guilty. When the verdict of Mark Twain being not guilty was determined, I was happy and surprised. It could have reasonably gone either way, but because my character was on the defensive sides I was happy that our hard work had come with a matching and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>victorious outcome. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-87216762833552761042012-01-16T18:49:00.000-08:002012-01-16T18:49:17.277-08:00Huck Finn Blog Post 3<span lang="EN"> When Huck encounters the Grangerford family, the family shows many allusions to Shakespeare’s <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>. The dispute between the Shepherdsons and Grangerfords is a humorous allusion. The family feud very much resembles the dispute between the Montagues and the Capulets. Similar to the two families in the book Romeo and Juliet, Shepherdson and Grangerford families have forgotten what they are fighting over. “…but they don’t know now what the row was about in the first place” (Twain 309). This quote strengthens the point of not knowing the reason behind the fighting of the families. The feud has been running for so long, that generations have grown up with the idea that the opposing family is very much an enemy. There has not been to assume a leadership position and try to resolve this dispute peacefully. <br />
Another allusion <i>to Romeo and Juliet </i>is when Sophia Grangerford runs off with Harney Sheperdson. This resembles the taboo of Romeo and Juliet, the offspring of the two disputing families who fall in love and defy the rules made by their own families. “Well, den Miss Sophia’s run off! ‘deed she has. She run off in de night some time-nobody don’t know jis’ when; run off to get married to dat young Harney Shepherdson…” (317) These two characters have to meet secretly because their love is forbidden, just as in <i>Romeo and Juliet. </i>The love between them could possibly bring together the two families but because of the strict parents, they are to afraid to share their love for each other with anyone else. The children are not doing this to be rebellious. Many children who grow up in such strict household would go and marry someone out of spite for the parents’ rules. These two characters in both book are truly in love with each other. <br />
The death of two of the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons is a sad allusion to the deaths of many Capulets and Montagues in the play <i>Romeo and Juliet.</i> The Grangerford and Shepherdson families are hurting each other to win a feud with no ending. “Well, then, what did you want to kill him for?” “Why, nothing-only its on account of the feud” (308). The deaths are also sad because there is no reason behind them. The Shepherdson and Grangerford children have not done anything to each other. The children go out and kill each other because that was what they were told to do as they were growing up. Many have died and it makes both families lives difficult. Nobody can leave their house without a weapon. Together they go to church and both fathers and many sons sit with riffles between their legs to protect themselves. This resembles the difficulty of life between the Capulet and Montague “gangs”. They could not leave a home unprotected for fear that if they did they would be killed for just a mere walk around town. </span>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-29547204261145917282012-01-11T19:05:00.000-08:002012-01-11T19:05:00.358-08:00Huck Finn Blog Post 2<span lang="EN"> Throughout the story, Huck and Jim form a very strong relationship. This connection very much resembles a father son bond. During the time frame of this story, society frowned upon this friendship because Jim is an escape slave and Huck is a runaway white boy. “Jim, this is nice,” I says. “I wouldn’t want to be nowhere else but here” (Twain 159). This quotes exemplifies the relationship between the two characters. It shows that Huck enjoys spending time with Jim. Furthermore, they like each others’ company which is very much the way fathers and sons act when two people care about each other and have common interests. . In Chapter 12, Jim and Huck spend time fishing and sharing time outdoors. The activities they were engaged in are very much what young boys around Huck’s age do when they are able to spend quality time with their father. Without a strong father in the picture, it is very positive for Huck to allow Jim to take the role of a father in his life. <br />
While the adventures of Jim and Huck continue, Jim shows a very protective and sheltering demeanor over Huck. “Come in, Huck, but doan’ look at his face-it’s too gashly”(161). After they come across the dead body in the float away house, Jim wants Huck to stay away because of the atrocious sight. At this point in the story the fatherly instincts Jim has begin to show. Fathers do all they can to protect their children and he is striving to do all he can to keep Huck out of harm’s way. Jims also attempts to teach Huck new things that will eventually help him as he grows and matures. He tells him about good and proper morals as they come across the floating house and the abandoned boat. Together throughout their journeys, Jim and Huck teach each other important values, life lessons, and knowledge. The time they have together, gaining insights into each other as human beings, shows the strength in their father son relationship. </span>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-10756827115034572162012-01-08T18:15:00.000-08:002012-01-08T18:15:02.761-08:00Huck Finn Post 1<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Throughout the first 10- chapters, the story of Huck’s life unfolds. His life is everything- but ordinary. His life experiences have led him to become very independent. Huck likes to do much by himself and believes that he is capable of living alone. “All right; I can stop anywhere I want to.” (Twain pg.129) This quote is from when Huck was packing to leave the cabin where his abusive and alcoholic father was keeping him isolated. Huck does not have a stable father figure. This quote portrays to the reader that Huck has the determination and drive to make it without parental support. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lack of parental responsibility has caused Huck to become more self-sufficient and self-reliant which becomes even more apparent as his life journey unfolds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;">Huck is also a very mischievous character. Despite the fact that he is not allowed to “get” involved in shenanigans, he finds himself in much trouble with his side-kick, Tom Sawyer. Huck gets joy out of knowing he’s not allowed to be so roguish. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Tom made a sign to me-kind of a little noise with his mouth-and we went creeping away on our hands and knees”.(Twain pg.55)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Huck and Tom went sneaking around late at night, fully knowing that they were breaking the rules. The two boys also established a band of robbers along with other impish friends. Both of the boys are very creative and imaginative. Their ingenuity leads to many of the problems they encounter. </span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-10310650414015527322011-12-18T18:53:00.000-08:002011-12-18T18:53:26.773-08:00Could Specialissimus exist?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Elyse Beach</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1st hour American Literature</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">December 18, 2011</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The transcendentalist society of Specialissimus is very unique. With no conformity, limited rules, and no judgment the society sounds as though it would be a good addition to today’s world. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although many people think that a transcendentalist society would be possible in today’s world, a society with behavioral rules, no judgment, the disapproving of conformity, and people’s resistance to change are why a transcendentalist society could not exist today. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The Specialissimus transcendentalist society has very many behavioral rules. These rules would benefit today’s world. No bullying and no plagiarism are two rules that exist. The prohibition on bullying will help society because people will be free to behave in ways that make them unique without fear of being made fun of and ridiculed. Plagiarism allows people to be lazy and exist off of the efforts of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By creating harsh consequences for this help people embrace their own creativity and express their own thoughts instead of copying others ideas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People’s behavior has to be monitored to create a successful society. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The behavioral rules could help the society to integrate as part of the world today.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The world unconsciously makes judgments about people they do not even know. Trying to create a society without criticizing others on their differences would be difficult. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though people wish that we lived in world where judging did not exist it is very hard to avoid. Peoples thoughts cannot be controlled so saying that people cannot judge would end up in defeat because many are unaware of the judgments they make. People’s judgments of others can also help them in life, and without judging others you cannot make a proper decision on if they will be a good influence in someone’s life. People choose to make unintelligent decisions such as doing drugs or drinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are people that should not be used as examples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By judging their undesirable decisions as bad, people can avoid socializing and interacting with them. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Conformity very much exists in many everyday places. Factories and driving are examples of conformity where people are obligated to follow the rules. Without the conformity in factories workers would be out of control. The work would not get done because employees would show up at any time, and if they did show up they would not do any work. This would create a world where nothing would be produced and an economy could not thrive because we do not have control over employees, and working facilities. Driving is another example because without traffic laws, danger would be created for both fellow drivers and pedestrians. Chaos would be created without driving rules and restrictions. Laws are put in place to create the same regulations for everyone. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without some types of conformity in the world people would be unruly and there would be much pandemonium. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Citizens in today’s world resist change as much as possible. Most change today is viewed as bad and so many avoid change at all costs. There is a very small amount of people that would agree to change their old, comfortable life style to adapt to the idea of a new one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Change goes very much against conformist beliefs so many people don’t embrace it. All the aspects that exist in the transcendentalist society are what help keep today’s world under control and productive.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The idea of integrating a new transcendentalist society into today’s world would not succeed. The non conformist beliefs, lack of judgment, and unwillingness to change would prevent the society from thriving in the world today. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-91235375788964271572011-11-20T18:57:00.000-08:002011-11-20T18:57:04.848-08:00Dangers in What You Believe<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Conformity is a central theme in the movie “The Dead Poet’s Society”. The teachers and their techniques are very old school, and frankly, not interesting. The teachers are elderly white males with dull, tiresome, mundane voices and very strict class rules. Unlike the teachers in the schools, the boys in the school are quite the contrary and believe in unconformity. The conformities that exist in the school stop the boys from pursuing their dreams and explore who they really are during high school. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teenagers need to be allowed to experiment, broaden their horizons, try new adventure to determine their own potential and interests. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this critical time in their lives, restricting their need to discover themselves can cause many unexpected and undesirable outcomes. The extreme differences between unconformity and conformity between the teachers and the students, lead the boys to acting out behaviors.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the film there are many examples of the boys’ misbehaving antics. Neal, who unfortunately cannot become an actor, because of the disapproval of school personnel and his father, ends up committing suicide. The pressure of being just like everyone else and having his life planned out for him by his father became so overwhelming that he felt he did not have any other way of dealing with the pressure to conform. Some of the other students created a new club called the Dead Poets’ Society with the inspiration of a new teacher named Mr. Keating, who believed very much in unconformity. This new teacher was harshly criticized for his new ways of teaching and his influence over the boys in the school. The boys who were in this club had to secretly meet, because the fear of being expelled participating in something they believed in. In the end though there were some devastating endings, many of the boys stood up for their beliefs even though it meant risking being expelled or being punished which really showed that they were unconformists. </span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-38895541759392250682011-11-17T13:41:00.000-08:002011-11-17T13:41:19.345-08:00Transcendentalist Shirt Response<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wearing my transcendentalist shirt created many reactions throughout the day. I was asked by students and teachers why I was wearing my shirt. I was proud to tell them the reason behind my shirt, and was proud of all the things about me on my shirt. Not the majority, but a few people gave me confused and strange looks. Even though it was hard to not worry about people judging me I am proud of what makes me who I am, so there opinions and looks didn’t affect me. To participate in this transcendentalist was an eye opening activity, and it was nice to express myself and watch others express who they are. This is a great extra credit opportunity, and I am glad I got an opportunity to express myself in a setting where even though I don’t mean to, I try to fit in.</span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-81196042390575754622011-11-13T16:59:00.000-08:002011-11-13T16:59:22.106-08:00Being Herself: Lovin Life<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">An example of a modern day transcendentalist would be Selena Gomez. Her true personality is expressed through her acting and her music. She is an amazing artist, and in her songs, she encourages young girls to be themselves. In the song below “Who Says” by Selena Gomez, the lyrics say “But when it comes to me, I wouldn’t want to be anybody else.” This very much expresses the beliefs of transcendentalists. They believe that others should express who they are without the opinions of others affecting them or changing the very essence of their being. She is very charismatic and is able to influence teens and young adults all over the world. Many people look up to her as a role model and characterize her as a performer with character as well as strong morals and values.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BzE1mX4Px0I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzE1mX4Px0I&ob=av3e">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzE1mX4Px0I&ob=av3e</a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Selena’s transcendentalist attitude guides others to believe it is okay to be who they are, and that other people’s opinions don’t matter. Being a musician and actresses in the public eye, she has a great deal of pressure to act a certain way for the media. We have often seen other actors, actresses, and musicians crack under this intense pressure. They become influenced by materialistic goods, the unrelenting examination of their fans, and even put on an act to try to portray someone they are not. Though many think it is easier to pretend to be someone they are not just to fit in, sometimes it is harder. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emerson once said “imitation is suicide” by imitating someone you are killing what you could be if you were yourself. Selena supports this, and she stated “Be yourself always, there’s no one better!” which sets a good example for young fans. Eventually, pretending to be someone we are not, will become evident. The game of pretense can only occur for so long without the scammer suffering or others become aware of the façade.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Hollywood and the business of performing, the artists often suffer ridicule and harsh criticism for every move they make due to severe scrutiny of the public. To rise above this judgment and to stay true to who they are is very inspiring, and this is what makes Selena Gomez a true modern day transcendentalist. Selena is true to herself and is a breath of fresh air in a world of much fake and pretense. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Gomez, Selena. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2011. <http://www.whosdatedwho.com/tpx_59520/selena-gomez/quotes>. </span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-86697293754030016552011-11-06T18:27:00.000-08:002011-11-06T18:27:46.554-08:00Walden Post<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Elyse Beach</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mr. Provenzano</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1<sup>st</sup> hour Honors American Literature</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7 November, 2011</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Henry David Thoreau once said “Why should be we live with such hurry and waste of life” (Thoreau 491). After 2 long years in solitude and isolation, Thoreau experienced much of what nature has to offer about life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although it is difficult, by minimizing the use of technology the people in society can live simpler and less stressful lives.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Technology allows people to communicate from miles apart, easily connecting businesses and families. With the internet people can acquire information instantly which many people feel is necessary in order to maintain life in this fast paced, instant communication society. With this improved technology, there have been significant improvements in many aspects of our world. We can quickly relay information to our loved ones, sharing news about life events. Businesses can operate efficiently by holding meetings with people who are miles apart geographically but can see each other and share ideas through the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even our health systems, use this technology to communicate about health issues, advancements in research or even on a smaller scale to remind someone about an upcoming appointment or presentation. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Technology has made communication and information more accessible at a much more rapid rate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a world of inner-connectedness, instant communication, and a focus on wanting everything immediately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite the efficiency of being able to communicate more easily with family, friends and business both near and far through email, Facebook, twitter, blogging, etc, people feel the need to stay connected to the point that it’s detrimental to relationships and living in the moment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting at the dinner table and having your family member text someone else takes away from the personal interaction of the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life without technology would be much simpler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The excitement of receiving a letter in the mail has been replaced with a text message that will eventually just get deleted. People also take advantage of the ability to hide behind technology. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People do not have the same face-to-face interaction and can communicate in relative anonymity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This allows people to hide behind technology and “say” things that they would never say face-to-face. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One consequence of this cyber communication is an increase in bullying and spiteful comments about others. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, texts and e-mails do not effectively convey the tone of a message or comment which is usually apparent in normal communications. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This leaves the reader to interpret a message and often leads to the wrong interpretation.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Society should consider limiting the use technology of technology </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">at home, at school, at work and in human’s everyday mobile life</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By using technology less and putting a cell phone or laptop down for a little while each day, people can enjoy life and take a moment away from the stress and pressure of constant and instant communications. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why do precisely these objects which we behold make a world” (Thoreau 495)? This quote is very true in the world today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world holds on to technology as if it is what gives us life, and without it we would live in complete solitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Technology has transformed the way our world works, and sometimes it is not always for the better. Children are starting to get involved with technology at younger ages. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">This can be<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>detrimental and lead to childhood obesity and medical complications such as diabetes due to their sedentary existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">because they are attached to the computer they don’t go outside as much to enjoy nature and the simplicity of a world with no technology. </span></span><a href="about:blank" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fishing, hiking, studying leaves and birds and growing a garden are all activities Thoreau would have experienced and should be shared today. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55b2TWQp-vZVSVZuP9JDM_Yu2yTXf8F5eE_oztu7PtBY7hj4IDV2ZanCpJ4r4TwqFzgzJ2Ir-Cen0DLxDzxs8Joh6qM7wUMFzq5NIP8tp3YSMwR09nAIndpGufhV5UjvtUo36JAWcTKs/s1600/Nature_VS__Technology_by_paskoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi55b2TWQp-vZVSVZuP9JDM_Yu2yTXf8F5eE_oztu7PtBY7hj4IDV2ZanCpJ4r4TwqFzgzJ2Ir-Cen0DLxDzxs8Joh6qM7wUMFzq5NIP8tp3YSMwR09nAIndpGufhV5UjvtUo36JAWcTKs/s320/Nature_VS__Technology_by_paskoff.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Technology is a very helpful tool which we, as a society, benefit from on a daily basis. It’s hard to imagine at day without a cell phone, email, fax machine or computer. Although it is helpful and often efficient to obtain information promptly, there are drawbacks. People are less likely to take the time to rest, relax and just “small the roses.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking the time to meet with people face to face and really “read” a situation, and live in the moment is critical to us as people. Take a step back in time, like Thoreau, and just enjoy nature and take a more minimalist approach at life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also limits the amount of time we take to enjoy the minimalism of life, and nature without it.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://mytakeonlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/cell-phones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227px" ida="true" src="http://mytakeonlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/cell-phones.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.inkingrey.com/uploads/images/1276616940-moderntech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" ida="true" src="http://www.inkingrey.com/uploads/images/1276616940-moderntech.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-16463373141487043662011-10-24T06:08:00.000-07:002011-10-24T06:08:39.024-07:00Declaration of Independence<div class="entry-likers"></div><div class="entry-debug"></div><div class="entry-annotations"></div><div class="entry-body"><div><div class="item-body"><div><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are times in life when those without authority or any means of assuming authority must stand up for what they believe in. When it impacts the life they will lead, and the path to success in achieving their dreams, they should be permitted to make their opinions heard. In those occasions when an entire group of people agree upon changes that must be made, it should be in the best interest of those with authority over the aforementioned group to put their best effort in to reaching the prospect of the changes deemed necessary. We, the student body of Grosse Pointe South, take it upon ourselves to express the faults within the classrooms, the school, and the school district. Year after year, the curriculum within Michigan schools stays generally the same, with very few changes. Adults are often afraid of change, even if those changes that could be made would benefit the students who go through that set of courses. But we have decided that something must be done to fix that, and we must move out of the rut that the Grosse Pointe School district seems to be stuck in. Without consequences put forth and voiced by the student body, there is no motivation for teachers, staff, and administers to make those changes that promote the higher quality of learning. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have limited the amount of teams and clubs students want to run and participate in.<span> </span>Students have many interests and to form a team or club we need staff sponsors. Some teachers are not willing to donate their time after school limiting the amount extracurricular activities. The students that would like to have new teams or clubs are not able because of the lack of teacher effort. We are unsatisfied by the lack of teacher effort, and the lack of activities that students would like to have. </span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">They have limited the amount of snow days because Grosse Pointe is a walking District. We do not take buses but that does not mean that students do not drive themselves to school. It is dangerous for anyone to drive on the snow covered and icy roads and is especially dangerous for new drivers. For the students that walk to and from school it is hard, because the sidewalks are not cleared or salted that often. Students and teachers slip on the icy sidewalks walking into school and injure themselves. The community would be safer if we could stay home on excessively snowy days. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have placed fees on our athletics. They have required these fees multiple times a year. They have refused to let us play without these fees, when we cannot pay. They have insisted we pay these fees, even if our sport requires more money to pay for other things. They make us pay these fees still, if we fundraise, or gain separate donations.</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">They have increased the amount of homework for students at Grosse Pointe South. We are at school for eight hours and then have to spend four or more hours on homework every night. That is way too much time. We all have many extracurricular activities and do not have the time for piles of homework. Teachers do not understand that we have six other classes everyday that give us excessive amounts of homework. The students at Grosse Pointe South have to stay up into the late hours of the night, to finish their homework and that is not healthy.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have given students many different essay formats. We as students should have one essay format that is consistent in every class. The lack of a constant essay format creates confusion while writing essays for the student body. Essays are a large part of our grade and if we use the wrong essay format our grade could suffer. The absence of one essay format for the school makes it unclear which essay format the student body should follow. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have placed tests from multiple classes on one day. They have placed stress upon us, when we know that studying for multiple tests is nearly impossible. They have deprived us of time to study when studying requires material from several classes that are very time consuming. They have deprived us of a good grade when we could not study. They have given us a disadvantage against other students with different teachers, who would be given more time to study their class’s material. </span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">They have increased the amount of non-academic requirements. Unnecessary classes like gym, health, and a computer class should not be required for students at Grosse Pointe South. We took those classes all through elementary and middle school. For a student that is not interested in those classes, they limit the amount of classes they can take that are relevant to their future career. The student body is not saying that those classes should be eliminated from Grosse Pointe South; they should just not be required.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have restricted schools we are allowed to attend. Students in Kindergarten through 8<sup>th</sup> grade should be allowed to choose the school they want to go to.<span> </span>Families move and we are forced to switch from their former schools. We should not have to be separated from our prior friendships formed at designated schools by you.<span> </span>Students also have unique learning complications, and they should be able to go to schools that they can benefit most from.<span> </span>Without being able to choose our schools the students may have to switch schools, or attend school unfit to help with their unique learning abilities.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have reserved days to be only eight hours. They have not added hours to our day specifically for work, so that we could go home homework free. They have not added hours to our day specifically for sports, so that they do not run late into the day after school. They have not added time after school, to get more done, and provide for an extra day off. They have not placed a few extra hours on a school day for work, or sports, which would provide for an extra day off and a stress free environment at home.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have not provided for a more flexible schedule. They have not allowed students to take one class off each week to provide for more study time or to pursue other activities. They have not allowed individual time in school to pursue activities outside of school, like sports. They have not given time in school for individual study that may result in higher testing scores. They have not even allowed giving up a class per week for individual study when an elective cannot be given up for a tutorial.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Therefore, we, the student body, following the precedent set by our nation’s founding fathers, with the will of justice and right, severe the bonds and secede from the tyrannical and archaic establishment, and assert our right to teams without high and individual fees; the access to a system of testing where the tests are set at different dates, not piled on one day; the ability to graduate with the necessity of acquiring credits from classes that are not academic; the sanctity to days off from school when there’ enough school that other local districts are closed; the creation of a uniform way to write essays for every class in school; the freedom for a balanced and reasonable load of nightly homework; the freedom to step classes; the easing of how difficult it is to form clubs in school; the much increased level of education that would be received in a day with two extra hours, ne for sports and one a homework period; and the power to chose which school we want to go to, as long as it is in the district and you live in the district, for grades K-8. It is not logical or right, that we the student body, should struggle on while burdened by these tyrannical policies of the establishment, and if it is possible for these rights to be gained by sedition from the establishment, then we have the right, we have no choice but to secede from the oppression we are currently faced with.</span></div></div></div></div></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-14330203850739887132011-10-16T18:53:00.001-07:002011-10-16T18:53:30.221-07:00The Crucible Epilogue<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>On a cold street corner in Boston, sit a ragged, fragile woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was so skinny, her cheek bones were exaggeratedly defined, and it looks as if her skin just lay over bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To every other Bostonian this woman looks like every other poor beggar on the streets, but to a certain onlooker it was a familiar face. This limp woman was Abigail Williams, and the pedestrian walking by was Elizabeth Proctor. After the death of Elizabeth’s husband in Salem during 1692 due to the conviction of him by Abigail, Elizabeth gave birth to a son John, married Jacob Smith, and moved to Boston to get far from the town that changed her life forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abigail on the other hand left Salem to go start a new life in Boston, though when she got there she was unable to make money and became another homeless woman on the street. On a cold brisk day in late November, as Elizabeth is finishing her errands, she passes by the same street corner as always but today there was something different about it. Standing limp, frail, and dirty is Abigail Williams. Elizabeth, though wanting to confront her, just passes by, trying to conceal her identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few days later, a Sunday, Elizabeth is returning from church when she again walks past that same street corner where again Abigail stands, looking even worse than before. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Continue home, boys I forgot to pick up something for supper” Elizabeth says sweetly to her family.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">After much contemplation Elizabeth gains the courage to finally confront Abigail after years of trying put the complications of Salem behind her. Her heart was pulsing so much that she thought Abigail would be see it. She did her best to steady her nerves and calm the shaking in her voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Abigail Williams?” Elizabeth asked cautiously.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Abigail slowly turns towards the voice she remembers so vaguely. It had been 6 years since the two women had last seen each other. Abigail could barely breathe and her heart, along with Elizabeth’s, pulsed so fast it seemed to be continuous. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“How do you know-” Abigail stops herself and a blank look overtakes her face. “Elizabeth Proctor? Is that you?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Stunned by Elizabeth’s unchanged appearance and physique, Abigail was speechless. Abigail’s skeletal figure, though very changed, was still recognizable. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yes, Abigail it is.” Elizabeth says in her normal sweet voice. “It has been a while since we last saw each other.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yes... it has” Abigail says taken aback by Elizabeth’s friendly tone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">They both are surprised by the fact that they have met again, after all of the chaos in Salem a few years back. Unsure what to talk about they both wonder if it was meant to be that they meet again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Abigail, you caused many innocent people harm before you left Salem, and then you run away like a coward. Many people still morn over the terribleness of what you did.” Elizabeth says sternly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I know Elizabeth, and I regret it every day. I left and now look at where I am. I am just another person on the streets of Boston. I suffer every day and I don’t have a single doubt that it is because of my wretchedness in Salem.” Abigail says hoping for sympathy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Abigail did horrible things in Salem, some of which most cannot forgive her for. Elizabeth on the other hand forgave John before he was hung in Salem a few years before, and she knew that she could not keep pretending she was alright without forgiving Abigail. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Abigail, I can tell you really do regret it. I cannot go on pretending that you didn’t change my life forever, and that I live a normal life with a normal family. I forgive you Abigail. I know that my forgiveness is not going to change what happened in Salem, but I want us to be able to live without guilt, and detestation towards each other.” Elizabeth said with a nurturing tone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Elizabeth, I appreciate your forgiveness, and this guilt has been with me since the day I left Salem, even though I didn’t show it, I didn’t mean for John to be hung. I should really be the one apologizing.” Abigail says passionately.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Suddenly a feeling of relief over took them both. The sense of a release of guilt, and lack of forgiveness put both women more at ease.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Abigail, I hope you make the rest of your life worth it, and I am glad that we can put the past behind us, and we can live with the problems of Salem behind us.” Elizabeth said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Thank you Elizabeth.” Abigail said then, just as if nothing had happened she walked away. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">They both continued on their way and every once in a while Elizabeth and Abigail would cross paths around town. Though they had hard pasts with each other, those were behind them and they sustained a friendly attitude with each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both women’s lives were changed not only for the better, but for the best. Abigail went on to live without the guilt, and Elizabeth forgave her for her wrong doings because that is who she is a person, and if she didn’t it would have not fit into her personality. </span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-6691801524813393872011-10-09T19:19:00.000-07:002011-10-10T04:14:17.081-07:00"The Crucible" Essay<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Elyse Beach</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mr. Provenzano</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Honors American Literature 1<sup>st</sup> hour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">10 October 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> In Salem during the witch trails it was a time to largely distrust and place blame on seemingly innocent acts. People with stellar reputations fell victim and their lives were never the same.</span>Through out the play a series of unfortunate events, led to the conviction of innocent town members for witchcraft. Reverend Parris, John Proctor, and Abigail were the most prominent characters in the events that led to the Salem witch trials in the play, “The Crucible.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">In the beginning of the play, Reverend Parris is the character with the power in the town of Salem. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though he was the town reverend and was a man in authority, he was not a good leader. Parris though not the most dominant character in the book, was influential in the accusations leading to convictions of some innocent people of Salem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reverend Parris played a part in the escalating trials by allowing decent people with good reputations in the town of Salem and other close towns to be accused of outrageous wrongdoings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He saw Abigail, Betty, and other girls in the woods dancing, and he alarmed others by sensationalizing this situation. When Parris called in Reverend Hale, it showed the people in Salem that he could not control the situation involving witchcraft. Abigail took advantage of Reverend Hale who came into the town as an outsider, without knowledge of the town and the towns people and therefore placed blame on her nemeses which Hale didn’t know as either respectable or immoral people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parris knew that these people were innocent, but because he was a weak leader did not argue against her, and left it for the court to decide. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Abigail, I have fought here three long years to bend these stiff-necked people to me, and now, just now when some good respect is rising for me in the parish, you compromise my very character” (Miller 11). This quote shows how Reverend Parris is a pathetic authority figure and unable to successfully intervene to stop Abigail’s drama and risk losing any power and control he has in the town. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The character John Proctor is also partially responsible for the witch trials in Salem. John is both directly and non-directly related to the witch trials. John was one of the innocent town members convicted of witch craft. Further compromising his position is that he had an affair with Abigail, which led to her initiation with witchcraft. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If John had not led Abigail on and had taken her virginity she would not have thought he loved her. Abigail was accused of witchcraft after she was spotted drinking blood to kill Elizabeth Proctor, John’s wife. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abigail was in love with John, and told him that all of this had nothing to do with witchcraft. John had this information and didn’t tell anyone else about it. “I-I have no witness and cannot prove it, except my word be taken. But I know the children’s sickness had not to do with witchcraft “(Miller 68). John kept this crucial evidence from people with more authority than himself and Elizabeth his wife, by doing this it allowed Abigail to further falsely blame more individuals. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Abigail is the most significant character that led to the convictions of the Salem towns’ people. She blamed everyone that she believed to be outsiders, and lower class in Salem of witchcraft. Without her character, the story would not have enfolded in the manner it did. She instigated the situation and as a result many of the townspeople of Salem had to suffer horrible consequences. At this point in the play Abigail and her younger cousin Betty named people in the town and telling Reverend Hale that they are witches. “I saw Sarah Good with the Devil! I saw Goody Osborn with the Devil! I saw Bridget Bishop with the Devil (Miller 48)! Abigail was the leader of the girls that were convicting all of the Salem citizens. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She forced them all to act as if they were being possessed by the convicted persons’ witchcraft. Abigail formed this assemblage of girls, and without Abigail’s’ leader ship none of them would have thought to place blame on this innocent beings. All she wanted was to get rid of Elizabeth Proctor who was stopping her from getting Johns affection and by doing so she took the lives of many helpless people of Salem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the end of “The Crucible” many innocent people die, and lies are finally put to rest. The trials in Salem would not have occurred without the involvement of Reverend Parris, John Proctor, and Abigail. Despite the lies and mistruths during the trials, truths were eventually told and there reputations remained untarnished </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Works Cited </span></div><div class="citation" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 26.25pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Miller, Arthur. <i>The Crucible</i>. New York: Penguin Group, 1982. Print. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-57576712953012222892011-10-02T14:51:00.000-07:002011-10-02T14:51:47.820-07:00The Crucible Post 2<span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> People are told since they were young not to lie, but what do you do if to save your life you have to lie? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In “The Crucible” Abigail Warren is convicting people of witchcraft that are innocent. These people have to make the decision lying to save their life, or to tell the truth and be tortured to death. In the story the innocent people being convicted know the consequences. “And why not, if they must hang for denyin’ it? There are them that will swear to anything before they’ll hang; have you never thought of that (Miller 69)?” These people are not actually trafficking with the devil they are just trying to save their own lives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this time in the story Proctor is making a very good point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people would lie to save their lives, because then they can keep their life. Though I would like to say that I would never lie, I would do whatever it takes to save my life. The hard part is why I would lie? I would love to always be truthful, but it is my life and being so young I still have more things to experience. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if I <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>was charged for witchcraft in puritan times I would lie to save myself from being tortured to death. </span>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-65533744919725893092011-09-22T19:09:00.000-07:002011-09-22T19:09:32.495-07:00The Crucible Act 1 Post<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Crucible Act 1 starts with introducing the readers to some very important characters. The readers are first introduced to Reverend Parris, a power hungry leader in society. Abigail, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the niece of Parris, is a little scandalous <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and inappropriate for woman of this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is involved in an affair with another important town member, John Proctor, a married man in his late 30’s. The power at the beginning of this act is in the hands of Parris. Power in puritan society was control over the people of the town and control of the church. At the end of Act 1 the power drastically switches into the hands of 8 towns girls, under the control of Abigail Warren.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls were supposedly contacting spirits, and acting like witches in the wood, when they were caught by Parris. They obtained their power by blaming other woman in the town of witchery as well. Religion was a very important part of the normal puritan life. The bible states witches are real, so the idea of contacting the devil and being a witch is a very serious crime. “And I pray you feel the weight of truth upon you, for now my ministry’s at stake, my ministry, and perhaps your cousin’s life.” (Miller 11) This quote shows that Parris is worried about losing his power over his ministry because of the girls’ mischievous behavior. Abigail Warren, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty soon become the talk of Salem, and the main people in court. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that these girls now had power over the Reverend was very abnormal for puritan society when the role of a woman was to be stay at home cook, clean, have kids, and raise the children. Salem is now changing, and nobody knows what is going to come with the events in the future.</span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-86665482755090118902011-09-18T18:38:00.000-07:002011-09-18T18:38:46.712-07:00"Sinners in the hands of an angry God" response<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sermon “Sinners in the hands of an angry God”, given by Jonathan Edwards many years ago, changed the lives of hundreds of people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If people read or heard this sermon today, there would be mixed reactions depending on differences in beliefs. Even to people that don’t believe in a God, the sermon is so powerful that it will leave them in terror. This quotation from the sermon is saying that god can kill anyone simply because it would please him leaves the people in panic “. . . and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.” (Perkins pg.98) This sermon caused terror even to the devoted Catholics who first heard it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These were people who would attend church functions at least weekly and lived very proper religious lives. To them the idea of not going to heaven was unheard of if you lived as Catholics “should”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In current times you have a great number of people who don’t go to church on a regular basis and religion doesn’t play an important part in their lives. They may feel that since they do not devote their lives to living by the words of the lord, God may be more likely to let them go to hell than more religious people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sermon will cause almost everyone to be fearful no matter how religious they may be, because according to Edwards no one can escape the decisions of God and he will choose whoever he wishes to die because it has that power over everyone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Works Cited</span></div><div class="citation">Perkins, George, and Barbara Perkins. <i>The American Tradition in Literature</i>. Ninth Edition ed. N.p.: The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1999. 97-98. Print. </div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-18642885317730579372011-09-13T20:25:00.000-07:002011-09-13T20:25:13.039-07:00(Sinners in the hands of an angry God) Post<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3REg6ZWLjZA?rel=0" width="480"></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the introduction to “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” the narrator states that the sermon delivered on July 8, 1741 by Jonathan Edwards, was remembered as the most famous sermon preached in America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Edwards was given a reputation as a stern, loveless man, because of his harsh words as he preached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sermon itself caused much controversy, and began a fire known as the Great Awakening. Through his sermon he pulled colonies out of traditional European Christianity, and the colonist began to understand salvation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though his words were harsh, Jonathan Edwards was depicted by his family and friends a loving, sensitive, warm, and a good father and husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To Edwards, hell was a real place that he could envision. Though he depicted hell in a horrible way through his sermon, it was men for the people to realize the reality of sin and hell, and to not let the people forget the gospel through Jesus Christ. Jonathan Edwards is now known as the man who gave the most terrifying sermon to this day, and unfortunately is unrecognized for the care he had towards the people and the way they live there life today, so that they can have a good future.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In the actual sermon by Jonathan Edwards, I would expect to hear about many gruesome and frightening images.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Edwards preached I would imagine him to be very descriptive, and use many words to portray the image of hell in his mind to the people. I would expect to be persuaded to live by the ways of the gospel throughout his sermon, because of the way he describes the awfulness of hell. The way he preaches could be very intense, and unusual to the way people normally give sermons. Through his words I would probably begin to understand salvation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of him in my perspective would be fear-provoking. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would not see him as a personable being, but would be terrified to step close to him. This is what I would expect to hear in the sermon by Edwards, because of the reactions of the many listeners before me.</span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-71433149599368189612011-09-12T13:24:00.000-07:002011-09-12T13:24:47.227-07:00Descriptive Post <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?q=sunset+scenes&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&biw=1280&bih=819&tbm=isch&tbnid=YuONQPhj5oDwQM:&imgrefurl=http://gimmecoupon.com/review/desktop-enhancements/screensavers/surreal-sunset-living-desktop-coupon.aspx&docid=je-wurlM92dyfM&w=800&h=600&ei=xARuTqTeFYPqgQfQtZX8BQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=469&page=1&tbnh=156&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0&tx=99&ty=125"><img height="480" id="il_fi" src="http://gimmecoupon.com/review/desktop-enhancements/screensavers/images/surreal-sunset-living-desktop-screenshot-big.jpg" style="padding-bottom: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 8px;" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
The image above is of a sunset of the shore of an island. On the right hand side of the image is a palm tree as well as a shoreline of the island fading in the distance towards the middle of the picture. In the very right corner there is a full moon, with a purple tint. The very top of the image is purple, and it fades to lighter shades of purple until it turns in to a orange and pink mixture as the water and skyline meet. The water mirrors the sky by starting with a light purple pink mix at the shore and turning into an orange red color as it meets the skyline. The land and palm tree are all black. The very top of the picture looks like a purple space with stars, a moon, and smaller planet which is a darker purple just below the moon. Just before the sky meets the water there are dark purple clouds which are reflected in the water as light pink, orange, and purple. The shoreline on the right side of the picture is mountainous and is reflected into the water. This is the description of the gorgeous sunset!Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-12821906780329709652011-09-11T16:37:00.000-07:002011-09-11T16:37:25.051-07:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhykKF8UaRzW-llkyeV4Guhzn0Gxsr6v0X0wueyjBV4-b6cnps-trNrAAmkj6LFjeN0hHW06xhXQveGGLWRQYduBjcIoOG1f4leCOb68U91NpFV2uLsFqpLNBag9ErEJr_wAb_0a-szmj/s1600/297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhykKF8UaRzW-llkyeV4Guhzn0Gxsr6v0X0wueyjBV4-b6cnps-trNrAAmkj6LFjeN0hHW06xhXQveGGLWRQYduBjcIoOG1f4leCOb68U91NpFV2uLsFqpLNBag9ErEJr_wAb_0a-szmj/s320/297.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me and Delvert at Black River Horse Camp!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGmg3yystfEewq-84GFhetmEacwvtahPk_P8K4QoinkDOwCZ7TAfNl6JW7TNab64SNELCSw6p-AxvovKgLvuJZQs-kEJMXD6BZ54TGdHEihPD-4KwjECI6Tajg580JrpId7H-JYkcE_2c/s1600/cute+allie+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGmg3yystfEewq-84GFhetmEacwvtahPk_P8K4QoinkDOwCZ7TAfNl6JW7TNab64SNELCSw6p-AxvovKgLvuJZQs-kEJMXD6BZ54TGdHEihPD-4KwjECI6Tajg580JrpId7H-JYkcE_2c/s320/cute+allie+and+me.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nGeKSiCQkPw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my cousin Allie who I talked about in my About Me post :) This pretty much explains us.</td></div></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nGeKSiCQkPw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX6UKQ0-jn1GXy3vlr15KoOVTPv5IDJvcVrrsWqfMh_Cb_tOVimu6wE5v9xeRz-3i5pWd6tX5daK0GOX0iUOhGKguwqBnjqmmEbHoxfnu3ztvzCEgKCnc_sAlJihQMc4fp5dfe5_2dbL-/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKX6UKQ0-jn1GXy3vlr15KoOVTPv5IDJvcVrrsWqfMh_Cb_tOVimu6wE5v9xeRz-3i5pWd6tX5daK0GOX0iUOhGKguwqBnjqmmEbHoxfnu3ztvzCEgKCnc_sAlJihQMc4fp5dfe5_2dbL-/s320/015.JPG" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is me and my sister JJ. I love her she is my best friend!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-unNS8lU6Bg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table> Everyone has pictures on their blogs so I thought I would include a couple of my favoirtes :) I also posted my favorite funny video, and a song I love (p.s. i love country music)Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2680262738021479949.post-52484465987139732132011-09-10T10:36:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:36:24.232-07:00Honors American Literature Class Expectations<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Elyse Beach</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Mr. Provenzano</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Honors American Literature 1<sup>st</sup> hour</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">9 September 2011</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Honors American Literature Expectations</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">In an Honors American Literature class the students should be expected to do their homework, always turn in their own work, and strive to do their personal best.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">As honors students, the scholars should always have homework completed and ready to turn in on time. Teachers give homework to help the students gain <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>necessary skills for the class. Homework is an opportunity to review what was taught in class and helps the students know where to focus additonal time and attention on content. Students’ work should be done neatly and thoroughly because it can be used for reference as they study and prepare for tests. The class grade also includes homework and if the students choose not to complete homework they are forfeiting a good grade opportunity. Homework reflects the students’ effort in the class and helps the teacher know how dedicated the class is to the subject area. Parents also value homework since it discourages students from making poor choices due to less free time. Certainly homework is a crutial piece to an honor students’ academic success.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Students in honors classes should always turn in their own work. To be in an honors class the students should be hardworking and dedicated. They should complete their own papers and be proud to turn in quailty work. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plagerizing in a very serious offense. If a student is caught plagerizing the consequences could include a failing grade in the class and even expulsion from school. Some students have had their college admissions withdrawn due to plagerizing. Students in these higher classes should be able to do the work they are assigned or be dismissed from the advanced English class. Having the integrety to complete their own work is a necessary component to being in an Honors American Literature class. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Honors students should be expected to always strive for their personal best. Honors classes require many hours of additional work and if students do not put their best effort toward the class it will be reflected in a lower grade. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By completing their papers to the best of their ability, the scholars should feel good about turning in their finished product. For students to achieve their personal best with all assignments they must put in additional reasearch, editing, and time to produce quality work. Additionaly, sometimes it requires hiring a tutor or taking supplemental classes to further develop the skills for the advanced class. To achieve high marks students’ often have to give up other extra curricular activities so that more time can be devoted to working on assignments. The work that the students’ turn in is a relection of their<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>true character. Turning in quality work allows the teacher to obtain an understanding of their students’ commitment and personal investment in the class. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Honors American Literature students should be expected to turn in their homework, do their own work, and demonstrate their best effort to participate in advanced classes.</span></div>Elyse Beachhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01472149170508430762noreply@blogger.com0