Outside Reading #8

When Anna's parents finally arrived at home Picoult describes the emotion of the situation, "They come in like a hurricane. Kate barely manages to look at me before my father sends her upstairs to our room. My mother whacks her purse down, then her car keys, and then advances on me. 'All right,' she says, her voice so tight it might snap. 'What's going on?'" (Picoult 53). After a long angry debate, Anna's parents convince her to talk to the judge and repeal the lawsuit. "My mother holds me tighter. 'We'll talk to the judge and explain it. We can fix this,' she says. 'We can fix everything.' And because those words are really all I've ever wanted to her, I nod" (Picoult 58). After that conflict, the book goes to Sara's perspective again where it is affirmed that Kate's diagnosis is APL. Sara speaks with the doctor about the change in lifestyle that goes along with that disease, and it begins to sink in with the family that it isn't just temporary.

Outside Reading #7

Anna finally followed through on her lawsuit against her parents. This appeared in one of Kate's dialysis sessions, "run three times a week, for two hours at a time" (Picoult 49) The purpose for this session is to clean Kate's blood because of her kidney failure. Anyway, when Kate was having one of these sessions, Vern Stackhouse, a sheriff and a family friend, handed Sara Fitzergerald a pile of papers, or the papers that announced Anna's lawsuit for the "Petition for Medical Emancipation." Even worse, Anna was standing in the same room, but a medical scare on Kate's part temporarily distracted her mother from her rage. Anna quickly called Jesse to pick her up and bring her home, only to face her parents when they meet at her house later...

Outside Reading #6

After only a little bit into "My Sister's Keeper" it is becoming evident that Anna is secluded from her family's ties and attention. Anna's father, Brian Fitzgerald, acknowledges this, "This is when I realize that Anna has already left the table, and more importantly, that nobody noticed" (Picoult 40). If Anna's father even noticed her lack of connection with the family, then it must be extremely apparent and a large factor to Anna. This is probably the reason that Anna is filing the lawsuit against her parents for the rights to her body; because of their ignorance and lack of concern for her. However, I believe Brian is more conscious and sensitive of Anna than Sara, her mother. Sara is more worried for Kate and her condition which is probably why Anna was 'produced' to deal with Kate's issues and not necessarily another child. The past and uncovering of Kate's illness, Sara and Brian's relationship, and history of the family is beginning to reveal the reasoning behind many of the actions of the characters and it is interesting as a reader to understand what is going on when the people in the book are oblivious to unfolding conflicts (dramatic irony). It is fun getting hooked on the story and feeling like a part of the plot and I'm excited to see the characters' next actions.

Winter Break/Birthday!!

So today is my sweet sixteen and Winter Solstice (aka December 21)! I'm really excited for winter break and having time to spend with my family and friends. For Christmas, I'm going to my cabin with my Aunt's family, my family, and my grandparents. It will be interesting to see what it looks during the winter because I am used to going there for a few months in the summer. This will be one of the first time that my cousins from California will see and experience the thrill of snow!...yaya. This week in LA has been pretty fun reading and seeing how the plot of Much Ado About Nothing, and watching the movie is a good twist on reading. So yea, that was pretty much the week in LA..well see ya later!

Much Ado About Nothing

So far, Much Ado About Nothing by Shakespeare has been pretty interesting. Its complex plot, however, can be difficult to follow at times. I enjoy how cunning and witty the characters are when they are argueing, even though there are still some jokes that are used in our society today. For example, Beatrice and Benedick's quarrels are interesting to follow with all of the puns and clever remarks. The story line is definitely less intense than Romeo & Juliet which gives and will continue to give a lighter and more comedic feel to the play. The plan for revenge that Don John and Borachio are plotting to make it seem like Hero is in love with Borachio and not Claudio are sometimes a little obsessive, however. It is unrealistic to believe that someone (in this case Claudio) would mistake another woman (Margaret) for Hero just because she is wearing her clothes. Other than a few situations like these, the humor, discussion, and events are overall entertaining.

Outside Reading #5

The main method that Jodi Picoult is revealing events that explain the build-up to the present is the use of flashbacks in My Sister's Keeper. This technique is used when Sara, Anna's mom, is recalling the first hints of Kate's illness. She began describing the natural events in her family's (Brian-her husband, Jesse-her son, and Kate-her daughter) life; taking a bath, going to bed, playing. After a few pages of this course of events the symptoms begin to appear, when Kate is still very young, "The bruise is the size and shape of a four-leaf clover, and sits square between Kate's shoulder blades" (Picoult 26). For a parent this isn't exceptionally different from anything in a healthy child, but after further bruises, Kate's parents took her into the pediatrician. Many tests later, Kate was diagnosed with Leukemia, a blood cancer. Picoult portrays Sara and Brian's emotions very vividly, in the perspective of Sara, so you feel like you are in the room with the doctor and the family. This big news will change the family's lifestyle, behaviors, and priorities, and it will be interesting to follow them in that transformation.

Shakespeare Video

I believe the new Shakespeare unit will be fairly exciting. We read Romeo and Juliet last year, and I liked how poetic the writing style (kind of going along with the time period) and the plot were very entertaining. The sophistication of the play is interesting to decipher all of the different dialogues and mini-speeches of the characters. The movie on Shakespeare was a good representation of the ending of Romeo and Juliet and sort of a refresher on Shakespeare's style and life. Some of the facts on the society at the time of those plays arises the difficulties of the time period in which Shakespeare was writing, and especially with women's rights. The culture and social structures had a large influence on the plays being presented, and it will be interesting to keep that in mind if we read some Shakespeare plays.

Outside Reading #4

In the next few chapters of My Sister's Keeper the style of the writing and the perspective is changing. The first chapter was in Anna Fitzgerald's point of view and the following chapter is for Campbell Alexander, the attorney that Anna visited regarding suing her parents for the rights to her own body. Through the discussion that Anna and Alexander had in his office, more information on Kate's condition and Anna's purpose is revealed. Anna began to describe the procedures she was forced through to Alexander: "The first time I gave something to my sister, it was cord blood, and I was a newborn. She has leukemia-APL- and my cells put her into remission. The next time she relapsed, I was five and I had lymphocytes drawn from me, three times over, because the doctors never seemed to get enough of them the first time around. When that stopped working, they took bone marrow for a transplant. When Kate got infections, I had to donate granulocytes. When she relapsed again, I had to donate peripheral blood stem cells"(Picoult 21). Through that lengthy description, Anna's frustration is definitely evident and it is fairly reasonable to imagine why suing her parents is an option. After a while, Campbell Alexander's sympathy grows for her situation and her agrees to the case.

Research Paper: Alternative Energy Sources Conclusion

Throughout the process of annotating, note-taking, outlining, and researching, I have learned many things about the different steps in writing a research paper and alternative energy sources. The main proponent arguments of the sources are that it decreases dependency on foreign oil, it is healthy to the environment, and it would create new business opportunities. The arguments against it are that is uneconomical (mainly expensive), consumes a lot of space (for windmills renewable energy), and it is dangerous to the bird population. Obviously, I'm in favor of the government subsidizing energy supplements, mainly because the arguments against it are inconsiderate, unreasonable, and somewhat selfish. Firstly, it is only uneconomical for the time being while scientists are testing new ideas, but in the long run it will be worth the experimental costs. As for the space, the amount of energy saved by simply using a few acres of ocean area would supply a large amount of California. The loss of birds by windmills is tragic, but not significant enough to matter all that much. 4,400,000 birds were killed in 1998, but that number is quickly increasing due to better technology in wind energy. All of these issues will be further discussed in my paper, and it will be interesting to see how it will fit together.

Outside Reading #3

In My Sister's Keeper, tension is beginning to rise in the sense that Anna feels threatened by all her sister's illnesses because it directly affects her. "Lately, I have been having nightmares, where I'm cut into so many pieces that there isn't enough of me to be put back together"(Picoult 12). After the scene with Kate's mishap, Anna took a pouch of money and went to count it in her bathroom to be secretive. She counted $136.87 which obviously wasn't enough for whatever she planned to do. As a result, she turned to her brother, Jesse, for a ride to Campbell Alexander's Esquire office, but the matter of this visit remained unsolved throughout the chapter. Finally, after being discriminated based on her young age in the office, Anna reveals the true reason for her visit; she wants to "sue her parents for the rights to her own body" (Picoult 19) I believe this introduces one of the main conflicts of the novel so far, and it will continue to arise as the plot develops. The struggle for Anna to maintain her health and dignity to her sister and parents will continue to arise throughout My Sister's Keeper.

Alternative Energy Sources

For my research paper, I chose the subject of Alternative Energy. The main question I'm looking to answer is "Should the government subsidize alternative energy sources?", which basically determines if the government should provide incentives (economic and political) for these energy sources. My position is for the subsidization because it is good for the environment, it would reduce the dependence on foreign oil/gas, and it would create new business opportunities. Throughout reading articles and researching this topic on the Internet, I have discovered many interesting facts about alternatives. There have been many attempts at finding, funding, and executing plans in order to decrease greenhouse emissions and support local and national companies (like for the production of ethanol). An article titled "Alternative Fuels: E85 and Flex Fuels" revealed that all cars manufactured after 1980 can use at least E10 (10% Ethanol and 90% gasoline) which would not only be cheaper but reduce emissions significantly. Also it would decrease the dependence on foreign oil. This is just one example of the many options we face to improve the environment, dependence on foreign oil, and create new business opportunities. It is not only a potential benefit but a responsibility we face.

Outside Reading #2

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is beginning to unfold. The novel is told in the perspective of Anna Fitzgerald who describes herself as a "freak" and "refugee-skinny with absolutely no chest to speak of, hair the color of dirt, connect-the-dot freckles on my cheeks that , let me tell you, do not fade with lemon juice or sunscreen or even, sadly, sandpaper."(Picoult 9) Anna's older sister, Kate, was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia when she was two, and Anna acts as her allogeneic donor. Whenever Kate needs a replacement or transplant, Anna is the person who is turned to for these parts, whether it is a bone marrow or stem cells. I can sense the constant fear of the family that Kate will have another relapse where the cancer that is "hibernating" takes over her body again. This emotion is experienced when Anna was upstairs talking with her mom, and downstairs Kate suddenly began to sob. Overtaken by fear, Anna and her mother sprint down the steps to find Kate crying about an event on a soap. Situations like these occur many times, but after this certain event took place, Kate rubbed her lower back, the place of her kidneys, and Anna knew that trouble was arising. It will be interesting to follow Anna and her family throughout this engaging story.

"What you say online could haunt you"

After reading this article and discussing it in a worksheet, I believe that school administrators and college admission workers should not be permitted to have a Facebook or MySpace for the purpose of checking up on students. First of all, if a student was found doing something inappropriate or illegal in pictures or on posts it is unconstitutional to discipline or fire them according to that evidence. The school's authorities do not extend past the point of school, unless it is the case of a private school where a contract is signed for the students to give up their rights to school officials. Also, I think that even disciplining someone based on these websites would not necessarily affect the school environment in a positive way. That sort of action is more likely to disrupt the system than help. Of course, there are always the exceptions of potentially dangerous situations in the case of firearms or other signs of actions that could danger the student body or society. Lastly, always checking up and monitoring students' profiles inhibits the right to freedom of speech and expression. In a sense, these online sites were created for students to reflect themselves (or not), and with schools constantly watching over, they would be hesitant to personalize their profiles and other aspects of the site. Overall, allowing administrators the privilege to discipline or fire people based on Facebook or MySpace is a violation of rights, expression, and ineffective.

Outside Reading Quarter 2

For my Outside Reading book, I chose My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I received many recommendations from friends and family who read it saying it was a fast read but very sad. Even though I'm already getting a piece of that impression after only being a few pages into it, I believe the book will be a good page-turner and suspenseful. So far in the novel, there is a character Anna who describes herself as different than most kids a sense of maturity and curiosity about the nature of simple events. For example, instead of just acknowledging a family, she wonders why and how families choose the amount of kids they have. After this description, Anna went to a pawn shop to sell a necklace that seemed to have significant emotional value, but the reason for this is unknown this far in the novel. I'm looking forward to discovering more truths about this character as the book unfolds.

"All My Sons" Reflection

Overall, I enjoyed "All my Sons" by Arthur Miller. The plot was interesting to predict as it unfolded throughout the play, and the events were fairly different from any other book we've read in school. Miller structured the story in a way that the reader jumped into the perspective of the characters right off the bat in the beginning of the play. After a while of learning the situations of the characters, I developed an opinion on the case between Joe Keller and Steve Deever that Keller was innocent. When the truth behind Keller was revealed in the end of Act II I was surprised because the secret was covered up so well up to that point. As for the theme of the story, I think that it revolves around making decisions relative to family and strangers. In my opinion, it is right to put strangers before family, but only to a certain extent. In Joe's case, he chooses to harm soldiers in order to maintain his job and financial income for his family. I believe that decision was inappropriate and selfish, which reflects Joe's character. Joe's behavior reflects the Keller families decisions throughout "All my Sons", but despite this fact, the play was entertaining.

Act III Prediction for "All My Sons"

After deducing that the central conflict in Act II of "All My Sons" by Arthur Miller was the case between Joe Keller and Steve Deever, I believe the argument will heat up even more in Act III. The main cause for this opinion is the fact that in the end of Act II, Keller admitted to encouraging the distribution of faulty plane parts, partially in front of George. In Act III, I believe that Chris will turn in his father for murder in disgust, and Keller will replace Steve Deever in jail. This will cause a large uproar between the families and in effect, Chris and Anne's engagement will struggle. Previously, Anne believed that her father was guilty, but when she discovers that Joe Keller was living a lie the whole time, she will gravitate away from Chris and his mother. Also, as Anne never spoke to her father while he was in jail, there will be tensions in that relationship and with George when he is released from jail. After never accepting her father's decision, the family will be torn apart due to her loyalty to the Kellers. As for the issue of Kate Keller, who was ultimately holding on to her husband's innocence as a last resort that Larry is still alive, she will commit suicide as she claimed before. All of her hope and emotions put into Keller will fail and she will think she is left with no other solution than to kill herself. If all of these events were to take place, the ending of "All my Sons" would be extremely dramatic, but there's always a slight chance some of them will come true.

Outside Reading Reflection

I recently finished my book, Petal Pusher, by Laurie Lindeen, which really gave a true meaning to the struggles of a developing musician. A theme that presented itself at the end of the book was that following your personal beliefs is more important than success. In Lindeen’s case, she chose to come back to her morals after attempting to “make it big” in the music business. In some ways, the all-girl band, Zuzu’s Petals, was successful, selling 29,000 copies of their album “When No One’s Looking”, and touring Europe, England, and almost all of the United States. I believe that Laurie somewhat redefined the concept of stardom in the music business for me though, from the artist on the Top Billboard Charts to more of a well-liked sound that has a unique appeal to it. But going back to the theme of living by your beliefs for Laurie Lindeen, who drops the band because of the pressures to settle at home with her husband, Paul Westerberg. Throughout the book Lindeen explains the rigor of surviving in the music world, and the discipline (which she lacks) and persistence it demands.

"Where are the Major Threats to the Environment?" Reflection

I was intrigued by the passage we read in class about causes and effects of threats to the environment. I agree with Jimmy Carter in many ways, and I almost wish he was the current president throughout the time era of global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. Of course the article is opinionated, but it really highlights the ignorance of the United States on this issue throughout George W. Bush's presidency. Not to say that all of the global warming issues are the government's fault, but there were definitely measures that should have been taken that were purposely disregarded in order to benefit America financially. I did not realize, before reading the article, all of the other countries that were involved in the prevention of global warming through the Kyoto Protocol like Germany, UK, Japan, and more. The fact that the US created the idea and then withdrew from it is irresponsible to the environment and other countries. Hopefully, the article also brought some of these thoughts to other people because I believe that everyone should begin to work towards a cleaner world.

Outside Reading #4

Petal Pusher by Lauren Lindeen is progressing rapidly in its plot. After arriving in Minneapolis, Lindeen focuses primarily on songwriting and improving at the guitar. To support herself, at first she works as a cook at the Global Cafe along with Co and some more musician friends. Throughout the novel, Laurie has flashbacks upon significant or sometimes random events. In one situation she was walking with Phyll and Co to a club in uptown to check out the Replacements when her leg completely froze. Lindeen tried to move it, but she could not, and many visits to the doctor diagnosed this condition as multiple sclerosis (MS). This disease caused the aspiring musician to spend many months in recovery even though it affects all of her day-to-day actions. Despite this setback, Lindeen and her band (Phyll-drums, Co-bass, Laurie-guitar and vocals) made attempts to practice and prepare for their first gig. The big performance ended up going horribly along with the next few, and the band's discouragement was not helped by the resignation of a key member, Phyll, who left a devastating note in departure: "I'm out of here, I cant' take it anymore. The drought my soul, like the drought of this summer, unbearable." (Lindeen 58) Following that incident, the remaining members of the band found a new drummer, Vicki, who was also only with Zuzu's Petals (the new name of the band) for a little while. It was with these members that Zuzu's Petals landed a small record label called Susstones. It was expected that the band record a single in order for the label to release a demo, so by pulling together their money and songs, Zuzu's Petals was able to promote a finalized 2 song album with other clubs across the country. Its main incentive being to go on tour, the stars are beginning to line up for Lindeen and her band.

"The 400 Blows" Review

The 400 Blows Film Literature Review
Overall, the film, The 400 Blows, effectively portrayed the desired story line of a boy’s way of life in France around the year 1959. The film was presented in the perspective of Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), so the plot was centralized on the views of a child. As a result, Antoine’s parents, Gilberte and Julian Doinel (Claire Maurier and Albert Rémy), are reflected as annoyances who impede and discipline Antoine’s amusement and options in life. In general, I enjoyed the film because it demonstrated a great amount of French culture in that time, and it is interesting to compare that with the development of American culture also in that time period.

Outside Reading #3

In my book, "Petal Pusher", Laurie Lindeen finally was fed up with Martha's Vineyard, the boring jobs it presented, the oppressive hot summer, and unsuitable living conditions in her life, and so were the other band members. Lindeen explains, "'Hey, it's Phyll.' She sounded all business, she must be working. 'I've had it. Let's move to Minnie.'" (12) And that was all it took for Lindeen to move into a one-bedroom on Hennepin Avenue in Uptown. She took a Greyhound bus to Minneapolis on August 1, 1985 along with some "poor working class" people aspiring to a new start also. On the bus, Laurie recounted some of her childhood and high school experiences. "My family in 1979 consisted of two parents apporaching forty: an adorable eight-year-old boy, my youngest sibling and only brother, Chris; a perfect-in-every-way ten-year-old, my sister Hillary; and an exceedingly kind and likeable fourteen-year-old, my sister Megan. Being neither adorable, nor perfect, nor exeedingly kind, I was the aloof oldest girl who couldn't wait to shake my dorky family and get out into the world" (Lindeen 15). Due to her perfect family and the pressure that was expected upon her, Laurie fell from a high school overachiever to a girl who "...got so crazily puke-and-pass-out drunk at my first homecoming that the principal had to carry me out..." (18). After attending the University of Wisconsin and dropping out after a few years, the only thing Lindeen had to turn to was music. Lindeen's writing style is portrayed in a laid back personal form, but I enjoy it because it is simple and to the point as she describes how she copes with all of her issues. The chapter ends with the female rocker arriving in Minneapolis with only her guitar and a few bags.

Memoir

I thought writing a memoir was a unique experience to reflect and see how I've grown in an experience. The event that I chose was when I went to Studio City, California to record a demo CD at my Aunt Janie's house. Exhilaration was the emotion that I believed was the most suitable for the situation because I felt that way about the music being created, the new opportunities that were presented to me, the people I met, California in general, and turning my dreams into reality. I traveled there the summer before eigth grade with a load of new songs, and I met a lot of colorful characters (and names) like Norwood Cheek and Peele Wimberly. With Norwood mixing (and a lot more), Peele on percussion, and me on vocals and guitar, we recorded the album "Bigger than Me". Overall, the experience was very influencial to my musical side and to my perspective on the hard road to becoming a musician. The stylistic tichniques I portrayed were repetition in the phrase "We think we set our goals too high, but when we reach for the sky..." (a lyric to a recorded song), and imagery in my senses when I was playing and recording. I concluded the memoir by revealing the hope that was awakened in me through that opportunity and how persuing my passion lead me to feel many emotions, but most of all exhilaration.

Black Boy (end!)

After reading "Black Boy", I discovered some reoccurring themes and techniques that Richard Wright used. For example, how in the beginning of every chapter the first line was italicized. I think that this sort of emphasizes what the chapter is going to be about or Richard's emotions throughout the text. Along with that, hunger is something that Richard struggles with. Whenever I think of hunger, the first idea that comes to mind is physical, but Richard's yearning for knowledge, literature, equality, a supportive family, money, and to fulfill his dreams are significant also. I like the fact that Richard doesn't conform to all of the feelings of the other African Americans because I believe that's that mindset that leads him to a successful life. Usually, the select few that choose not to go with the flow end up making a larger influence in their time, and I feel like that's what Wright did by recapping all of these events in his memoir. I liked reading "Black Boy" because unlike all of the other novels about the south during the time of segregation, Wright succeeded in moving north. I guess it showed how hopes and dreams could make all the difference in the long term...

Outside Reading Update

So far, Laurie Lindeen in "Petal Pusher" is kind of experimenting with new band members and checking out the music scene in Minneapolis and other Midwest cities. After dropping out of college, Lindeen makes it her own personal nightly "field trips" to visit different bars and clubs each day to experience new bands and acquire information on what life on the road is like. She seems to make a firm point on how, after seeing a lot of her guy friends perform in their own bands, she does not just want to be a fan. As a result, Lindeen started to find some band members including her, Phyll, and Co, but that just represents a rough start. One of the issues, however, especially for an all girl band is pulling off the "look” after growing up as a normal teen. Lindeen describes how her new band will succeed in this, "Oh, as for that small issue about not having spent out teen years locked in our bedrooms jacking off with guitars (but rather cheerleading and memorizing the choreography from numbers in "Grease"): no problem" (10). Another obstacle for Laurie and her band is having the musical ability to pull off a record deal. "I can carry a tune and I know the three chords to 'Wild Thing' on the guitar, so I'm almost there" (Lindeen 11). Realistically, the band has a long way to go. Through all of these setbacks, Lindeen is aware of how difficult this business will be but remains positive. Passionate and young, Laurie Lindeen is beginning to take her first steps as a musician.

Black Boy (Chapters 1-8)

I've enjoyed reading Black Boy by Richard Wright for the most part. The autobiography has some exciting events, but it is also kind of depressing. It seems like many of the books we read in school evolve around segregation in the 1900s and at first I thought this book was just the same, but it is dealing more with poverty and the hardships of an African American family. That's not to say that there is no representation of racism. Richard's mom is unable to find a decent employment because of her race. Also for example, part of Richard's personality has developed to defend himself against the whole issue. At first Richard questioned segregation because of how ridiculous it is, but sadly as he grows older he begins to understand the issue. "The hostility of the whites had become so deeply implanted in my mind and feelings that it had lost direct connection with the daily environment in which I lived; and my reactions to this hostility fed upon itself, grew or diminished according to the news that reached me about the whites, according to what I aspired or hoped for" (Wright 74). This is one of the many quotes that show Richard's transformation throughout the book. Segregation and poverty are not the only issues that arise in the autobiography and as more arise, I'm interested to see how Richard and his family will deal with them.

Outside Reading (Quarter 1)

For my Outside Reading book, I chose "Petal Pusher" by Laurie Lindeen. I am interested in this novel because it describes the journey to fame of a female indie rock musician from the 1980s to 1990s. In this sense, the text is easy to relate to, and I can also learn what the life of a professional musician resembles. The book is very relevant also because Laurie Lindeen is from the Midwest (Wisconsin), and she demonstrates an accurate representation of the music scene in the area. So far in the beginning of the novel Laurie describes her life during and after she drops out of college. The content varies from Laurie's job in waitressing on Martha's Vineyard and meeting Carly Simon to struggling in finding what she aspires to be. Laurie Lindeen also deals with the fear of supporting herself with music,especially for an all-girl band, but for the most part the book is written in a laid back tone. Lindeen also wrote the book in present tense to avoid any inaccurate perception on events that occurred. Overall, I am expecting the book to be a precise recount on a female performer's journey in the music business, including the struggles and highs of that lifestyle.

Enr. English 10

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