Poetry Response Blog

         This poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou, is about freedom and liberty. The author uses a caged bird and a free bird to explain the differences between how they feel. I think that the author wasn't really meaning to talk about birds. I think that it explained a person's soul and body instead of a bird. It says that a caged bird, a soul, wants something it never had but wants it more then anything. It envies the free bird because is has something that it doesn't, freedom. While the caged bird rages, with his feet bound and his wings trimmed, the free bird flies through the open sky. The caged bird sings because he longs for freedom and cries out for it, it isn't for joy. 

         I think the author wrote this because she wanted the world to know that people should be free. She talks about how horrible life is for the caged bird and wants us to sympathize for it. When we start to feel bad for the caged bird, she brings up the free bird's happy feelings so we can compare two. Once we see the differences we want the caged bird to have the same freedom as the free bird. This inspires people to want other people to be free. People put themselves in the birds shoes and they would want to be free. She had the intention of making the world a better place.

         This poem reminds me of the movie Tangled. It reminds me of this because the main character , Rapunzel, is held captive by her "mother". She is miserable and wants to be free, like the bird from the poem. She sings for freedom instead of joy. I first thought of this Disney movie when I read that the bird dreamed of freedom that it never had. This is similar to the movie because the main character wanted to be free from her tower because she had dreamed of what it felt like. The bird and the main character of the movie Tangled are very similar.

This is the poem "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou:

A free bird leaps on the back

Of the wind and floats downstream

Till the current ends and dips his wing

In the orange suns rays

And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage

Can seldom see through his bars of rage

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied

So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill

Of things unknown but longed for still

And his tune is heard on the distant hill for

The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze

And the trade winds soft through

The sighing trees

And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright

Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams

His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream

His wings are clipped and his feet are tied

So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with

A fearful trill of things unknown

But longed for still and his

Tune is heard on the distant hill

For the caged bird sings of freedom.

This is a drawing of what I visualize when I read the poem.

I think about this because it shows a free bird and a caged bird. The caged bird is singing like it says it does in the poem. The area of the free bird is light, while the caged birds area is dark. They are separate and not in the same dimension.

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Reflection of 2nd Quarter

Reflection

Prompt 1: In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts?

Prompt 2: What is something you have accomplished since the new year that you are proud of?

Prompt 3: What has been the most challenging part of 2nd Quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?

Prompt 4: Of the books you have read this quarter, which was your favorite? Why?

          The area that I think was my biggest improvement in ELA was time management. I think it was time management because now I know that I should split my work up into groups and not do it all at once. I have learned that if I do it all at one time then I could become frustrated and the quality wouldn't be adequate enough. By learning how to manage my time I have improved in scheduling my day efficiently. When my day is scheduled efficiently I am able to get work done.

         Something that I have accomplished since the new year is that I finished my CBL project. My group and I have been working on it since the beginning of the 2nd quarter. I am very glad that it is finished because it took a lot of work and time to create it. Almost all the CBL classes had something to do with the project.  We got a good grade on it and I am very proud of the overall outcome of it. 

         The most challenging part of the 2nd Quarter was balancing school and sports. Some days I would have a lot of homework but I had after school sports. Sometimes it would be very hard to finish my homework and still have time to go to my activity. To help overcome this I could have one day that is devoted entirely to school. This could help me because I wouldn't have as much work for the other days and school and sports could be somewhat even.  

          One of my favorite books that I read this quarter was The Help by Lauren Stocket. This book was my favorite because it had many feelings towards it. Sometimes I would be feeling sad then I could be feeling relieved. The book had a lot of emotions in it. Also I liked the book the best because it took place in the 60s so it was interesting to see the difference between then and now. The way people lived was a lot different back then, compared to now. 

The Help Book Talk

Transcript

The book that I have chosen to talk about is The Help by Lauren Stocket it is realistic fiction. This book takes place in Jackson, Mississippi 1962-1963.  There are three main characters in my book. Every other chapter a new character tells their point of view. The main characters are Minny, Aibileen, and Skeeter. Minny is a black maid who has a hot temper and is an amazing cook. Aibileen is a black maid too, but she is much older and has a way better patience. Skeeter is a young white woman who is awkward looking and is trying to be a successful writer. Throughout the book the characters have to overcome racism, fear, and the wrath of the Mississippi men and women. Skeeter thinks up of a way to change the views of everyone, but many are afraid to do it. The mood of this book was pity. As I read the book I felt so sorry for people who had to suffer through the racism and torment that the characters had to experience. It wasn’t just racism that was hard to read. Another thing was that Minny’s husband abused her and Skeeter’s mother falls very sick. While I read the book I felt so bad for the main characters. One of the themes of this book is courage. It is courage because in almost all of the main events the characters had to act courageous. One of these events was deciding if they should write a book about what life is like being a maid for a white family. This was very courageous because if people found out that the main characters wrote this then they could be sent to jail, killed, or worse. I’ve learned that you have to be brave in order to get what you want because things are not always handed to you.    

I liked this book because it made me see what life was like for women during the 60s in the south. I was surprised to see what the difference was like from then to now.  What I remember most about the book was the fear that the maids had from the villain, Hilly Holbrook. She was a very powerful woman who could manipulate anybody and people believed anything she said. The maids were afraid of her because she could tell bad things about them to other people that weren’t true, and the maids would get fired or beaten. I would recommend this book to older viewers such as teenagers to adults. These ages can fully understand the meaning of it and they could cherish it. I wouldn’t recommend it to younger people because some of the content might be a little bit too intense and they might not understand the message. Someone should want to go out and get this book because while you read it you would never want to put it down. This book will make you see through the eyes of the help instead of the “powerful figure”. You will never see or hear maids and segregation the same way again.

Book Talk

40 Book Challenge Blog

The Help

By: Kathryn Stockett

Pages read so far 1-142

Prompts:
Summarize what you just read
Describe the major conflict. What side are you on?
If the author were here, what would you say and ask him/her?

          The book I am reading is called The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. So far this book is about how three women's lives are during 1962 in Mississippi. Their names are Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter. Aibileen and Minny are maids who work for white women, and Skeeter is a soon to be journalist who wants to write a book about what it it like to be a maid in their town. The main conflicts of this book are racism and fear. Since Skeeter wants to write a book about that sensitive topic, if the people who employ Aibileen and Minny find out they would fire them, or worse. There are moments in the book where you are terrified for the characters, and there are times where you feel sorry for them. This book has been really entertaining so far. 

          The major conflict in my book right now is if two of the main characters should agree to help write a book about their jobs. Their jobs are working as a maid for white women, their jobs are really hard. They don't get paid the minimum wage and they work hard cleaning the whole house and taking care of the children. Aibileen and Minny might not help make the book because they could put some of their experiences in there that the people they work for don't like. In the book they could put how awful their working conditions are and share personal stories about their employers. They might get extremely mad and fire or kill them. I am on the side to write the book. I think that if they were sneaky enough and they didn't get caught then it would be a major breakthrough for their community. The town could use the perspective of a lower class citizen. If a lot of people read it then they would feel bad for them and maybe change how they act. The jobs could be nicer, the employers would cut them some slack, and they might get paid more. Their whole lives could change.

           If the author was here I would tell her and ask her many things. One of the things that I would tell her is that her book has changed my perspective on things. I now realize how little jobs there were for women during the 60s. Another thing I would tell her is that her book will affect people in different ways. Some people could totally see her perspective and that others could disagree with her. One thing I would ask her is how she got all of the information about being a maid during that time. Did she interview a person who was a maid, or did she read someones writing about it? Besides of asking her how she got her information I would ask her why she chose to write about it. Maybe she felt like it was her obligation to inform the new generation about what life was like back then, or maybe she just thought that this topic was very interesting. Those are some of the things I would tell her and ask her. 

   

Nonfiction Blog 11/30/15

     

Women of the Wild West

By: Katherine Krohn

Finished 

The nonfiction book I am currently reading is called Women of the Wild West by Katherine Krohn. This book has mini biographies in it about daring women who lived through the wild west. Each of the women I have read about were considered odd to do something that was not considered usual. In the book the women I have read about are Calamity Jane, Annie Oakley, Sacagawea, Mary Jane Caples, Luzena Stanley Wilson, Virginia Reed, Eliza Hustler, Molly Sanford, Narcissa Whitman, Abigail Hathaway King, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Margret Tobin Brown. The book describes the hardships and experiences that the women endured. Some of these women faced events that a normal person wouldn't have been able to survive, with their endurance and faith they did. 

       A passage from the book that is very interesting to me is, "In her later years, Annie kept busy shooting in local competition and teaching women how to use guns. Annie gave free shootings to more two thousand women. She trained more than 15 thousand women in firearm safety and marksmanship. She also gave benefit shooting performances. All proceeds went to children's charities and to young women who wanted to pursue a college education. Annie helped over twenty women attend college. On November 3, 1926, in Greenville, Ohio, Annie Oakley died after a short illness. Just a few weeks later, Frank Butler followed his beloved wife. Throughout her life, Annie Oakley reached out to help those in need. She cared about people, especially children. Annie made one final act of generosity shortly before her death. She had her many silver and gold medals melted down and gave the money they earned to a children's charity." This passage is interesting to me because it describes how Annie Oakley did so much for women and children. It made me realize how generous she was and how she devoted part of her life to other people. It is interesting to think that one person could help and touch the lives of so many other people. She helped numerous people change their lives and careers. I feel like she was one of those people that would do whatever it takes to improve a life of an unfortunate person. I was astonished when I read this passage that she had her medals melted to give to charity. This passage was very interesting to me.

     After reading this book I will remember a lot of things. One of these things is that women had a certain role during the Wild West. Women were usually taught to care for children, cook, clean, and serve their husbands. The people in my book broke these rules, they provided for themselves and they didn't take orders from anybody else. I will always remember how they broke the rules of society and the rules of role playing. Another thing that I will remember was how determined the women were that I read about. Some of these women went on journey's for months or years to find a better life. Sometimes with only faith to keep them going. Being that determined helped them make a better life for themselves and kept them from dying. One of these women was Virginia Reed. She was a survivor of the Donner Party, if she didn't have persistence to keep moving forward she would have died. I will alway remember that some women who lived during the Wild West had a certain role and they broke it, and that these women were very determined. 

  

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Theme Development "A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich" by Alice Childress

Prompt: Theme

A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich Alice Childress

Finished

      In the book A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich by Alice Childress, one of its main themes ,power of the mind vs. authority, is supported by the character’s actions. This theme means what someone thinks against the jurisdiction. In the book it says that the main character, Benjie, is taking heroin and that his family and school are trying to make him stop. Benjie's thoughts is that heroin can calm you down and that it is a good decision to take it. On the other hand the people who control him, his family and school, try to convince him that taking drugs is wrong. The theme is being supported by his actions because he is physically taking these drugs and decides to not obey what his family and school think. His actions are representing what his mind thinks. By him taking the drugs he is going against his family and school's beliefs. The message that the author is trying to get to the reader is that you should sometimes listen to other peoples opinions or ideas. If Benjie listened to his family, he probably wouldn't have gotten into drugs in the first place. That is one of the main points that the author is trying to teach the reader.

     Another reason that power of the mind vs. authority is one of the main themes in the book is that there is a man named Nigeria Greene, a teacher, who thinks that what is said in history is wrong. In the book it states, "When I discuss him, I don't go by what's in these history books or we'd be dealin in lies." This means that Nigeria thinks that some history is incorrect. What he thinks goes against what is supposed to be taught. He thinks in a different way, and makes sure that his students think the same. The reason why the author includes this is because she wants the readers to know that there are different points of views instead of just what everybody tells you.

     The theme is also supported by the setting in which the character lives in. The character lives in a rundown ghetto town, there is violence and drugs everywhere. In the book it says, "My block ain't no place to be a chile in peace. Somebody gonna cop your money and might nock you down cause you walkin with short bread and didn't even make it worth their while to stop and frisk you over." This quote is explaining that the neighborhood that Benjie grew up in is rough and not peaceful. It also says that being surrounded by drugs sort of influenced him to do the same. The combination of living in a place where you are afraid to go down your own street and that you are surrounded by drugs can cause a person to do bad things. The setting extremely supports the theme because it causes the main character to make many hard decisions.

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1st Quarter Reflections

     During the 1st quarter of school I have learned a lot about the world. I have learned about what is happening in other nations, not just what is happening in the US. The Syrian Refugee Crisis was a major event that I studied. It has been taking place in the Middle-East, but is affecting the US as well. This event has taught me that some other parts of the world are not as fortunate as the United States. It has also taught me that the world is facing some horrible things. In the Middle-East some children haven't gone to school in years and haven't seen their families in a very long time. I am grateful that there isn't a huge war occurring in America. Since there is this big war happening in the Middle-East many people are suffering and their lives will never be the same.

    In my 40 Book Challenge I have not improved a lot. I have only read one other book besides the one I am about to finish. This has happened because I have been very busy and have not managed my time properly. This first quarter has been very chaotic for me and I have tried to be involved in a lot of things. I hope that I can at least read 4 books this month and fully understand them. If I do not finish the book I am currently reading in this week I will spend my whole weekend reading. To improve I will read a lot on the weekends and everyday before I go to bed.

    I think that I can improve a lot in the 2nd quarter. In the 1st quarter I didn't fully understand some things and I didn't put my best quality into things. Some of my AoWs I was rushing and trying to finish quickly so I didn't put my best effort into it. This quarter I feel like I have been very lazy. To change this I will focus more of my time on homework and make sure that the standards are met. I hope that this quarter will be an exceptional one.