Quarter 2 Reflection

*What is something you have accomplished since the new year that you are proud of?

        Something that I have accomplished since the new year is that I have not had any missing assignments. I am very proud of this because I have not had to go to working lunch at all. To achieve this, every day I make sure that I have everything done for each class. I make a mental list of all my classes and all the assignments that come with them. It has really helped me throughout the year. For ELA I always check Edmodo, this comes in handy when I can't remember what Mrs. Larson had said. This makes me very happy that I have accomplished this and I hope that it will continue.

*In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts?

        The area that I think that I made the biggest improvement in English Language Arts is analyzing a text or quote. Before this year, I would only explain the quote and what it means. Now I dig deeper into the meaning so I can really pull apart the text or quote. I explain how it effects people in life and how it effected people in the text. By doing this it could possibly show another side to it that your wouldn't have seen before. I can see this based on my performance of analyzation last year. 

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

        The most challenging part of the 2nd Quarter is keeping up with my 20 Book Challenge. I have had so much to do after school that reading for entertainment wasn't one of my priorities. The books that I have picked out were interesting, they just didn't come before homework or after school activities. One thing I can do to overcome this is to read in the mornings. I could wake up earlier so there could be maybe 10 or 15 minutes of just reading. Doing this can wake my mind up so I can be alert in the morning. 

Juxtapose To Kill A Mockingbird blog

1.  What do you think is the most important difference between the written and filmed version? Provide evidence with specific details.

         I think that the most important difference between the written and filmed version was that the perspective of the movie was different from the book. In the book, the whole story is shown through the eyes of Scout. However, in the movie it is shown through the eyes of multiple people. In the movie some of the perspectives are Atticus and Jem. In some scenes Scout wasn't present, so she wouldn't have been able to know what was going on. An example of this is how when Jem and Scout were waiting in Atticus' car, while he was in the Robinson's house. Scout was fast asleep so she wasn't able to see that Mr. Ewell came to their car and spit in Atticus' face. 

          I feel like this is an important difference because it makes the tone of the movie different from the book. When it is told through a childs perspective the mood is more mild and light. When it is told through and adult, however, it can be harsher and darker. And example of this in the movie, is when Judge Taylor talks to Atticus about the Robinson trial. He explains to him that he wants Atticus to take on the case. The makes the movie feel more serious. We didn't get this scene in the book because Scout wasn't a part of it. She was around playing and messing with Boo Radley. At that point in the book we didn't feel that sense of reality. It was all just children's games.

3. What is the purpose in having different versions of a story? Think about how different versions contribute to the overall understanding and interpretation of that piece of work. Use specific concepts to support your opinion.

          There are a few purposes in having different versions of a story. One of these purposes is giving the viewers a better understanding of the scene. For example in the book, To Kill A Mockingbird, you had to make inferences and guesses based on the textual evidence to understand what the people looked like and the setting. In the movie, it gives you exactly what they looked like and their surroundings. Another example for a purpose is that you might be able to understand the occurrences of a story more. In the book, when the attack of Jem and Scout occurred, I was very confused. I did not understand what exactly was happening and it didn't make sense to me. However, in the movie I was able to see what was happening and I wasn't as confused. 

Found Poem Blog

What Is Best For The Family

Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion
Declaring what is Best For The Family
Teaching me how to be a lady
Try to behave

She fitted into the world of Maycomb
Secretary of the Maycomb Amanuensis
Scratch most folks in Maycomb

The last of her kind

They recieved a Crawford instead of a Finch
She was cold and there
Said wasn't supposed to do anything
That required pants

We are not run of the mill people
One had to behave like a sunbeam
I'm wouldn't be so sure of that
She must have put him up to this

Aunt Alexandra was of the opinion

Declaring what is Best For The Family

The last of her kind

 I commented on:
Melissa's Blog
Sophie's Blog
Lorin's Blog

Character Relationships Blog

Atticus and Aunt Alexandra

          Atticus and Aunt Alexandra from To Kill A Mockingbird, are similar in one way. They way they are similar is that they are both from the same pure bred family. The book states in chapter 13, "'Your aunt has asked me to try and impress upon you and Jean Louise that you are not run of the mill people, that you are the product of several generations' gentle breeding...'" This quote shows that Atticus and Aunt Alexandra are very important. Their family of one of the highest in the town.

         They are also different in many ways. One of these ways was that they acted differently. In chapter 9 it states, "...I decided that she was swapped at birth, that my grandparents had perhaps received a Crawford instead of a Finch." This explains that Aunt Alexandra is not kind like Atticus is. She seems like she is from another family. Another reason they are different is that Aunt Alexandra thinks that the kids should grow up now and Atticus doesn't think that. The book states in chapter 13,"' She asked me to tell you you must try to behave like the little lady and gentleman you are.'" This quote explains that Aunt Alexandra was telling Atticus what to say to the kids. Later in the same chapter it also states, "'I don't want you to remember it. Forget it."' This quote shows that Atticus didn't really want to say these things to the kids because he didn't want them to grow up already.

        Atticus' relationship with Scout is that he is her father. He is also her friend. She confides in him and asks him many questions. He answers her in an adult way, not like she is a child. The quote states, "'What's rape?' I asked him that night... He sighed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force and without consent." This shows that Atticus gives her the real answer and doesn't try to sugar coat it. Scouts relationship with Aunt Alexandra is that she is Scouts "femine influence". This means that Aunt Alexandra is supposed to make Scout more like a lady and show her the ways of womanhood.

         These two people affect Scout in a few different ways. Atticus influences her by showing her how to be a good human being. In chapter 9 it states, “‘This time we aren't fighting the Yankees, we’re fighting our friends. But remember this, no matter how bitter things get, they're still our friends and this is still our home.”’  Atticus is trying to tell Scout to not fight her peers. Aunt Alexandra influences Scout because she in some way, tells her that her father is a 'nigger lover'. This influences her to think that her father isn't as amazing as she once thought he was. In the book in chapter 9 it states, "At a safe distance he called, 'He's nothing but a nigger-lover!' 'He is not!' I roared." This quote shows that Francis was calling Atticus a 'nigger-lover'. Francis learned it from Aunt Alexandra. Even though Aunt Alexandra didn't really positively influence Scout like Atticus did, she did influence her.

TKAM Setting Blog

         The picture I chose to represent Maycomb County shows a small town with old cars. One of the main cars looks very dirty as if it could be a farming truck. In the book, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee it states, "As Maycomb County was farm country, nickels and dimes were hard to come by for doctors and dentists and lawyers." This quote shows that mostly everyone was a farmer in Maycomb County. The truck in the front of the picture looks to be a truck that carries produce produced on farms. The truck accurately represents the lifestyle of Maycomb County. This photo also depicts Maycomb because the man in the picture seems to be very hot. The book states, "Somehow it was hotter then: a black dog suffering on a summer's day; bony mules hitched to Hoover carts flicked flies in the sweltering shade of the live oaks on the square. Men's stiff collars wilted by nine in the morning. Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum." This quote explains that Scout, the main character, remembers Maycomb to be excruciatingly hot. The picture shows this because the man in the car has his head down resting in the shade of his car. There seems to be a rag of some sort on his neck and head that could be helping him keep cool from the sun. This picture also represents the way people could have acted in Maycomb county.

         There was a few things that I thought about while looking at the photo. One of these things was that the main car seems a lot more dirty and beat up then all the other ones. The reason of this was that this could have been a farmers truck, since it needed a trunk for all the produce. Something else that I thought about was what the difference would have been if this picture was taken today. Well, one of the differences would be that all the cars would be a lot newer and have air conditioning. The "farming" truck would be a big SUV that you see on the highways with the logo of the store, restaurant, or farm on the sides of it. Another difference would be how the stores would have new companies like Apple, Forever 21, Zumiez, and McDonalds. Maybe the buildings themselves would be more modern with air conditioning and plumbing.

        While looking at this photo I had a few questions. These questions was, What was the exact purpose for the photographer to take this photo?, Who is the man in the truck?, and What time of the year was this picture taken?.

Evans, Walker. Untitled Photo. June 1936. Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black-and-White Negatives, Library of Congress, Greensboro, Alabama

Election Reflection Blog

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  My thoughts about the election in general is that this was the most intense one I have ever witnessed. Both sides of the party were at each other's necks all the time. What I mean by this is that they were always insulting each other and trying to make the other person look bad. Both politicians had very strong and different beliefs so no one wanted both to win. It was also very intense because people predicted that they would be very close in the election. Clinton and Trump would change this country for the better or worse.
  
  My thoughts on the results of this election is that I wonder what kind of a country this is. How could so many people vote for a crazy man. I understand that I am being very biased, but it boggles my mind how people can see a positive future with him. For example many people will say that his beliefs towards women shouldn't effect how he is as a president. I totally disagree with this. If he shows disrespect and superiority towards women, then how is he going to make good decisions based on their best interest. He is a business man, so he will do things for the money.
  
  This election shows me that either many Americans are unreliable or that many democrats didn't vote for Hillary. I am just stunned how many people really believe in Trump. I still feel like someone on TV is going to say "Just kidding everyone! That was a joke he really didn't win". I am very disappointed in our country. However, I do understand that he doesn't have as much power as people think. Some people are afraid that he is going to build a wall and all the other extravagant things he promised. Congress, although will hopefully stop him from doing these things. 
  
  On the other hand, it is predicted that Congress is going to be Republican dominated. These Republicans will vote for his ideas even if they don't agree with them. They will do this because they want to keep their jobs. When the next election comes Republican citizens wouldn't vote for them because they didn't vote for Trumps bills. They would do whatever they could to keep their jobs.
  
  

  

  
  

Veterans Day Poem

       
"The Rows"

Cars lined up in three rows
This road has felt our car's weight for hours
Beeping and yelling arise from the sea of vehicles
I sit bored, staring out into the squabble

A old man of 60 walks along the rows
His long beard black and white
The baggy clothes fit loosely around his thin body
The baseball hat he wears shows the words "Vietnam"

A creased piece of cardboard is held up with his frail arms
It reads "Homeless Veteran. Please help"
The eyes of this man show pain and sorrow
His body shows guns and missiles

Loose change fills the mcDonalds up
The pennies and dimes that people don't care about
Are his only source of income.
He relies on the few cents that you get back at the store

Soon
He approaches our car

I can feel the plead he shows with his eyes
I can feel the pity that I myself encounter
I can feel pain in which many like himself have felt
I can feel the homesickness that haunted his mind

Thousands just like him
Roamed around the city