Final essay

Taking Goodness and Knowledge From this Generation

"It never occurred to either of us that the earth itself might have been unyielding. We had dropped our seeds in our own little plot of black dirt just as Pecola's father had dropped his seeds in his own plot of black dirt. Our innocence and faith were no more productive than his lust or despair" (Morrison 14). This quote at the beginning of Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye sets up the sadness and dark topics to come all throughout the book. This book like many other have sparked controversy over whether this novel should be banned because the content is offense. Although the content in the novel is graphic,  the book still sparks ideas about the real world in the minds of the high school level readers. However, the book is starting to be banned all over the country because of the content as a whole. The Bluest Eye shouldn't be banned from schools because it takes away the truth, masks realism and shows life incorrectly.

Truth, one of the many virtues members of society use in everyday life. Truth is something that people seek out and it is seen as more appropriate then lying. Banning The Bluest Eye would take away lots of the truth the novel holds within it's pages. One of the topics that would lose it's truth would be sexual abuse. The topic of sexual abuse is seen a lot throughout the novel and plays a big role throughout. In the novel, one of the first major scenes involving sexual abuse is where Claudia finds Frieda crying. Frieda is touched by Mr. Henry and is completely beside herself at what events took place. Frieda doesn't go into great detail but many readers could see this as painful to read. Sexual abuse is the most unreported crime in the U.S alone. Statistics say that only 46 percent of sexual assaults have been reported over the past five years. Taking away this part of book would take away from the readers knowledge of sexual assault. Thought it may be a tough subject to read, eliminating it from The Bluest Eye would take away from the so called truth of the novel. One of the other major events talked about in the novel is the rape and or sexual assault of Pecola Breedlove. This scene in the novel may be the most graphic and most pivotal scene in the entire novel. It is the hardest part to read because do it's very graphic detail of how Cholly is feeling toward his own daughter. This scene is one of many in the long line of books that Morrison has written to express the truth about violence and abuse in her novels. Morrison's novels, including The Bluest Eye, have be hated and challenged including  "When the mother of a high school student criticized Toni Morrison's Beloved for being graphic and disturbing. To be fair, the book is graphic and disturbing, but it's also a great work of literature that's profound, moving and important" (Winfrey 1). Having an opinion in the world is a good thing, however, many people do not understand how Morrison's novels convey accurate representations of truth, most heavily in sexual abuse. The scenes with the rape of Pecola and the sexual assault of Frieda may be the most graphic but they both represent the signals of truth woven through the events. It is statistically proven that 1 out of every 6 women in America have been the victim of an attempted or rape in their lifetime. Just with this statistic alone, readers of Morrison's The Bluest Eye would be able to identify the truth of this and search and be aware of signs of rape before they could happen. As seen at the end of the novel, Pecola is lost and slowing losing her mind and becoming more distant from the world after what her father did to her. These after effects of rape and or sexual assault aren't false, but however, fact. Rape and sexual abuse can have many lasting effects on an individual such as poor concentration, a Depression, Anxiety, Irritability and substance abuse. The effect of poor concentration is seen with Pecola because she ends up talking to her imaginary friend and loses sight of the real world because of the traumatic event. It is evident that truth holds the key to unlocking the vault to the real world. Banning The Bluest Eye would not only destroy the truth within the novel that leads of the real world, but it would also take away from the realism.

Realism, the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly. This is a powerful realization that the members of society need to start excepting. When events occur, we can't see them as fantasy, but we must see them as events that need to be dealt with like an adult and with the knowledge we have stored up over the years. The realism of physical abuse is a harsh realism that is brought to light in The Bluest Eye. The characters "Cholly and Mrs. Breedlove fought each other with a darkly brutal formalism that was paralleled only by their lovemaking. Tacitly they had agreed not to kill each other" (Morrison 55). The author describes the relationship between these two and many readers find it hard to witness such a relationship between to spouses in one novel. What Society thinks is that this is to dark and should never be read by teenagers who are just beginning to get involved in serious relationships. However, society doesn't realize that physical abuse, as all abuse, is harmfully terrible, yet very alive like the imagination of a young child. Physical abuse, especially in a relationship isn't healthy, yet sometimes it is hard for the spouses to rid each other of the pain of the other. "In our society where there are so many rewards for being a victim, It's common for both spouses to claim that it's the other who is being abusive, and in most causes, they're right" (Marriage Builders 1). This quote is very powerful and insightful because it is seen between both Cholly and his wife. One of them abuses the other more but they, in the end, would blame each other for what happened. Banning the book would detract from this accurate representation of  physical abuse in a relationship. Although most adult readers might see this as a negative thing for their teens to read, it is insightful and they can reflect off of it. They can build up knowledge of what to look out for and to make better, more stable relationships because they see what not to do, from Cholly and Mrs. Breedlove. To some readers, this book may even be helpful to their health and shouldn't be banned because it would take away from knowledge that the readers may need. Some teenagers may already be witnessing what is happening with Cholly and his wife, or they could even be like Pecola and be painfully witnessing their parents tear each other apart. Cholly and Mrs. Breedlove didn't recover in the sense of recovery most think of. However, Mrs. Breedlove got out of the hard situation and moved to the edge of town with Pecola to heal and grow. Most teens in an abusive relationship will read this book and see that their situation doesn't have to last forever. " On the road to reconciliation you will deal with pain and conflict, you will make mistakes, and you will shed tears. There will be a time of stripping away wrong attitudes, wrong ways of thinking that have prevented you from truly being with [the one you love]" (Rainey1). The Bluest Eye brings forth the realism in physical abuse to it's readers and is helpful to those in need and resourceful to those seeking knowledge to avoid it. Banning the book would hurt both of these factors as well as ruin the next generation of adults and how they take on the real world.

Taking away on of Morrison's most impactful novels may be suitable for some, but you have to look under the surface to see the ever lasting damage this will cause. Ignorance is something members of society keep their kids away from by feeding them knowledge of the real world. Parents want to keep their children educated and give them information to make it through life, however, they are fearful of what might happen if they are exposed to so many topics. "Assuming that kids can't handle books about intense, upsetting, controversial topics is worse than just silly, it's insulting" (Winfrey 1). This article brings up one of the biggest parts of ignorance in society. Adults want to ban this novel because they believe it is to controversial and to adult for their teenage children to read. It all ties into one big ribbon on a Christmas present of the minds of society. Ignorance is a stem of not witnessing realism and truth in all things and with too much ignorance comes a weak minded society. The Bluest Eye dissolves any worry of ignorance of the next generation and it is the spark in the minds of the future. Ignorance toward harsh topics makes society fail and when society fails, everything is lost.

The Bluest Eye is seen by many people as one of the most controversial book teens read in school. However, the book weaves together a masterpiece of realism, truth and the resolve of ignorance in our younger group in this society. The character of Pecola shows the readers of the novel the hate and pain a child or anyone could go through by witnessing this topics. The realism in physical abuse is powerful and hurtful and the truth of sexual abuse is harming. However, The Bluest Eye shouldn't be banned because these two factors morph together to nullify ignorance and make our society a more knowledgable place. 

Sources

1.) Hankerson, Mechelle. "East Wake High." NewsObserver.com. 31 Aug. 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

2.)  Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Vintage International, 2007. 249. Overdrive. 

3.) Rainey, Dennis. "Responding to Physical Abuse." Family and Marriage, Help and Hope for Marriages and Families. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

4.) "Can YA Books Ever Be "inappropriate"?" HelloGiggles. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

5.) "11 Facts about Sexual Assault." DoSomething.org. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

6.)  "How to Overcome an Abusive Marriage." Marriage Builders ®. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

Reaction to spring

Okay so this chapter was very in depth and opened my eyes to a whole new prospective in this book. We start off the chapter with the event with Frieda and Mr. Henry. This is very provoking and hard to comprehend but if you look back in the text and read between the lines, it was almost like you could see this event coming. It was interesting to see how the girls reacted to the situation by going to see Pecola about getting whiskey for Frieda so she doesn't get ruined. Which brings me to the hard parts of the chapter. We get an insight into Cholly's childhood and also how he meets Polly and how they fall in love. In ways it is easy to feel bad for Cholly and all of the things he has had to go through in his life. Between the death of his great aunt and trying to find happiness in the world. He goes looking for his dad and gets rejected like a piece of trash which upsets Cholly and he begins to drink away his problems. I think this is the wrong way to go about it, Polly made him happy but he doesn't want to be with one woman forever and he would rather have sex with different women then being with only one. He is afraid of having children and thinks they shouldn't love him because he has been rejected by so many people and lost so much, he begins to think that absolutely no one should show that they care for him. This leads to one of the hardest parts in the book which is when Cholly is drunk and comes in to find Pecola doing dishes. He sees her doing the same thing that Polly did the first time he meet her and he is tempted to have sex with her. This is hard to read but shows more back story into why Pecola and her family is the way they are. We also figure out why the title of the book is what it is. Beauty is a big part of this novel and is seen when Pecola goes and visits the minister and asks for blue eyes. She wants them because she feels like then her life would be different and none of these things would have ever happened to her. She sees that white little girls have it better then girls like her which is why she wishes for blue eyes to make her pretty. This is sort of a touching moment because you feel for Pecola and you wish she had never gone through what she is going through. It makes you think and this has probably been one of the most in depth and hardest chapter to read.

Culture Blog

The Chinese beauty Stanard is different from the American beauty standard. In Chinese culture, it is pretty for women to have pointed eyebrows and have their hair in a tight bun on top of their head (Cultural China). American beauty stems from have a symmetrical face that is also average but also attractive. This could be with any kind of hair or eyes just as long as the face is symmetrical. Even though Western cultures are different from non-western cultures, some of the beauty standards are still seen as the same. Even Chinese and Japanese men and women see beauty as a symmetrical face with averageness yet still attractive to look at (Rhodes). Both cultures are still different in their beauty standards, enough so that each can be called a separate beauty standard. Chinese culture is elegant and sharp where as American could be viewed as average yet beautiful. Chinese beauty standards have also stuck around for hundreds of years where as, American standards of beauty seem to change depending on the latest fashion or decade. 

Citations: 

Rhodes G, Yoshikawa S, Clark A, Lee K, McKay R, Akamatsu S, 2001, "Attractiveness of facial     

      averageness and symmetry in non-Western cultures: In search of biologically based standards          

      Beauty"                                                 

"Chinese Philosophy of Beauty." Cultural China. Cultural China. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.

Theme Song Blog

The song I chose was Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Ray. This song seemed to speak to me when I was thinking of the tone and subject matter of the book so far. The tone of the book has been pretty dark so far and this song has an almost eerie and sad vibe to it. Some of the lyrics also spoke to me when I began to think of some of the characters. A lyric that is constantly repeated is "will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful" this just spoke to me because it seems that beauty and popularity in a sort pop up as themes of this book a lot. How Pecola feels ugly and how Clauida and Frieda feel ugly and angry that some people like Maureen look better then they do. The song is sort of talking about their lives in the since of beauty. As well as sort of the idea of love through out the novel. How it is hard to tell that some parents in the novel love their kids. It is hard to tell if Pecola's mom loves her after she loved on the little white girl like she was suppose to love on Pecola for accidently dropping the pie. However, she beat her. Almost as if Pecola was just an ignorant burden to her. The song is dark like this novel and it just speaks and has those qualities that what Lana Del Ray is conveying in her song is similar to what is happening in the novel, even if the lyrics don't directly apply to it. 

Here is a link to the song on YouTube, I hope it works and if it doesn't, then just look up- "Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Ray

Link: www.vevo.com/.../Young-and-Beautiful/USUV713008

Characterization Blog

I am going to write about the scene where Maureen Peel is introduced into the story and I am going to write from Maureen's perspective.

It was my first day at the new school. My mom woke me up extra early and I yawned with joy. I was so excited to go to school that morning. I got up and brushed my teeth and ran downstairs while my mom packed my lunch. I peeked in my school lunch bag and saw what I loved most, my sandwich was cut into four squares and I had a nice big red, juicy apple. 

" Your eyes look beautiful with your outfit today sweetheart. Here is your lunch. Don't be late." Said my mom as I grabbed my lunch and rushed out the door. 

I walked in school and immediately I felt like I had been there my entire life. Kids stared at me and I heard some of them say I was beautiful or "look at her eyes." I didn't see the big deal in it. My mom had emerald green eyes like I did. Although, these children weren't like me. They wore clothes that were dirty and tattered and they had deep brown eyes, all of them. I loved them all already. 

They treated me nicely and when I got to my first class I thought I would be alone at my table but four other kids walked up to me with smiles and bright eyes that were inviting to me. As they all sat down around me and the teacher, Mrs. Lagrange, started class, I could feel someone's eyes glaring into the back of my head. I turned around and noticed this little girl sitting with one other little girl, both of them staring at me.

"Claudia it isn't nice to stare." Said the taller of the two girls.

The smaller one, Claudia, gave me one last ugly look, almost as if she was mentally killi me with her eyes and she turned away. I turned around, concerned that I had done something wrong. So I had to fix it somehow. I decided that after school I would go and talk to this Claudia and see if I had done something to upset her. That was the last thing I wanted to do. Time past quickly and it was time for lunch. I rose from my seat and began to walk toward the door. Out of nowhere, Clauida walked up and shoved me hard against the door frame and walked out the door with the tall girl behind her. 

What I had done? I thought. I dusted myself off and walked out the door and down the hall, four or five kids all talking beside me, asking where I had come from and if they could sit with me at lunch. I heard none of this because I was so deep in thought about why this little girl could be so mean to me. No one had ever been mean to me, everyone was always nice. It had been decided. As I walked into the lunch room I knew what I had to do. I had to talk to Clauida and the tall girl and see what the problem was before anything else bad happened to her. She sat down at lunch, kids sitting all around the table she had chosen, and she began eating.

Ad Analysis

I chose this ad because it is very easy to understand . It's intended audience is basically everyone in the world or who lives by an ocean. With all the pollution around the world and trash in the ocean, ads should be spread to everyone about this reoccurring problem. It uses the persuasive technique of showing a beautiful ocean with a nice sand beach. This shows the people that read the ad that all of the oceans in the world would look like this if we all fixed our pollution problems and just throw away trash. This ad relates to what we learned in class because this ad is easy to understand and is effective with its use of images and short and sweet sloggens like the one on this trash can. 

Response to first part of The bluest eye

Well initially my first response to this was kinda scary. It seems like Claudia our main character has a good life. Although, it seems that her mom blames everything on her and makes her feel bad and she thinks her life is hard until when she realizes her parents care. It is seen when she says she knows someone loves her because you see her say that her mother came and kissed her on the forehead after what happened with her and the puke. I was a little confused about the things with the out and outdoors because until it was explained I had no idea what it meant. The italic part at the beginning was what through me off because it was just in your face. I am curious to see what happens with Pecola, although the italic part was kinda like a foreshadow of events to come. I am just a little timid sob this book now. The writing is great but the plot seems so, different. And I am looking forward to seeing how the author connects everything and how it goes. I am very curious to see how the title comes into the story and wraps it all together. 

Collage

I used this picture because it shows a basic pretty girl that is most likely the design and model esque for most fashion women's magazines. So all around the picture I used different tom boy saying because all pretty girls come in different backgrounds. Even tomboys can be pretty girls. The one saying I repeated over and over was "we are all perfect in our own way" this seemed like a good saying because it describes everything girls should think about.

Chapter 8

Nick felt like he had to tell Gatsby something in the middle of the night. He went to his house and asked Gatsby if he talked to Daisy but he didn't so they had a new convo about how Gatsby fell in love with her and how they would wait for each other when h was sent away to war. But he couldn't respond to her letters and he went to go find Daisy but she had married Tom. Nick leaves but doesn't want to leave Gatsby. Nick goes to work and really bored and falls asleep and calls Gatsby but the line was busy. he gets a call from Jordan and they were mad at each other because of the way they spoke to each other so they ended on bad terms. Scene flashes to Wilson's garage and police are all there and Wilson is insane and the police officer told him to calm down. Wilson started talking about the yellow car and thought Gatsby was driving it so he went to the city to look for the car. He figured out it was Gatsby's car so. Scene goes to Gatsby laying on a blow up mattress in his pool and Nick hears four shoots and runs to see what happened and Gatsby is dead on the pool and Wilson is dead on the ground with a gun in his hand. The character we are going to focus on in this chapter is Wilson. "I spoke to her, I told her she might fool m but she couldn't fool god. I took her to the window and I said God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me, but you can't fool God!"(159). This quote shows how crazy that Wilson is becoming after the death of Myrtle and how crazy he has become so that he can find out who killed her because he has a plan and knows what needs to be done. A big quote that shows importance in this chapter is "the touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing, like the leg of transit, a thin red circle in the water. It was after we started with Gatsby toward the hous that the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete"(162). This quote shows the death of Gatsby and Wilson and how that the both were killed and that all was going wrong because what Wilson had set out to do was to kill Gatsby and to make all right.

Chapter 7

So in chapter 7 Nick is invited to have lunch with Daisy and Tom in East egg. Gatsby and Daisy have an unspoken thing and it is right in front of Jordan. Wilson knows about the affair with atom and a Myrtle however Wilson has noooo idea who actually she is cheating with. Tom notices the exchanges between Daisy and Gatsby at dinner and see the emotions. They all go to the city and Myrtle is hit by a yellow car that everyone thinks is Gatsby driving it and then they go to the hotel and Tom comfronts Gatsby about all of the Daisy stuff and they fight and she gets into the fight and kind of takes Toms side and they leave. Nicks birthday and they are driving back to the island and see myrtles body and Gatsby is blamed for it. Gatsby is depressed that Daisy took toms side. The character is Myrtle and she is currently dead. "It's just a crazy old thing. I just slip it on sometimes when I don't care what I look like"(31). Yes this quote is from a chapter long ago however this quote is a good example of why Myrtle is arrogant and think highly of herself even though she has like no money and is poor. She isn't a very good person because she kinda is mean and thinks so highly of herself to make herself look rich and better although she is not that great. "She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!" (130) this quote shows the tension between not only Gatsby and Tom but the whole situation of Gatsby loving Daisy. He is trying to put Tom down saying that Daisy never loved Gatsby but just got tired of waiting which may be part true but in a way I feel like Daisy has some feelings for atom but has more for Gatsby.

Chapter 5

In this chapter Daisy and Gatsby get together and have tea just like Nick had planned for Gatsby and Daisy to do. Gatsby try's to impress Daisy by showing off his mansion and all of the things he has but Daisy begins to think it is awkward. Gatsby is frustrated with himself because he can't impress her. The character that I am picking for this chapter is going to be Daisy. We have found out that Gatsby really wants for Daisy to leave atom and come to him. "They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the think folds. "It makes me sad because I've never seen such – such beautiful shirts before"(118). This quote shows how in love that Daisy is with Gatsby and that she can't even control herself when she sees how much that Gatsby has done to make Daisy happy and she is sad because she is afraid to leave atom because of what he might do to Gatsby or to herself. Another really important quote from the chapter is "If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay . . . You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock." This is a very important quote because it shows the love between Gatsby and Daisy and how Gatsby's green light that Daisy could see across the bay is basically a symbol of love that he has for Daisy and I feel like the mist that is mentioned is symbolic for all of the things that are standing I the way of Gatsby and Daisy being together.

Chapter 6

So in this chapter we went more in depth about Gatsby's past . He was from North Dakota and he was poor and wanted a fancy and rich life, he was taken in by Cody and worked with him and he was an alcoholic and so Gatsby vowed to never drink. When Cody died he left Gatsby lots of money and so that is how Gatsby got wealth. We also figure out that Gatsby uses his money to buy a mansion and have all of this stuff to show it off for Daisy because originally they couldn't be together because Gatsby never really had all of the money and wealth and he had to go off to war. His real name is Jay Gatz but he goes by Gatsby now.  This chapter basically focuses on Gatsby so this chapter gives a good incite on to why he lives in west egg and how he is new money. He is also very awkward as we see in chapter 5 and 6. The character we are focusing on for this chapter outline is Tom.  So Tom is married to Daisy and he is having an affair and he is abusive. A quote we chose to represent him is "Tom was evidently perturbed at Daisy's running around alone, for on the following Saturday night he came with her to Gatsby's party. Perhaps his presence gave the evening it's peculiar quality of oppressiveness"(104). This quote shows that Tom is curious as to what Daisy is doing because he doesn't like the idea of running around by herself which is the reason he follows her to Gatsby's party. It shows that Tom doesn't trust her but I think atom is a terrible character because he is hypocritical to Daisy because he is cheating just like she is. The most meaningful quote we chose from this chapter is "his heart beat faster and faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever we'd his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. As his lips touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete"(111). This quote is very meaningful because it shows the love that Gatsby and Daisy share for the first kiss they have. This is a very good and vivid part of the book so we can see how deeply Gatsby cares for her.

Chapter 4

Nick and Gatsby go on a car ride. On the car ride Gatsby authenticated this life for Nick.  Nick gets mad at Gatsby for basically rubbing his life in his face. He tells a Nick at Jordan is going to talk to him. Meet Myer and he is kinda creepy. There is lots of love in the air. Daisy is the character we chose in this chapter to elaborate on. "And when I described him I was half asleep she said in the strangest voice that it must be the man she used to know"(77). This kinda gives us some insight to Daisy and maybe she had a thing with Gataby back in the day but the decided to marry atom and I'm still not sure why she did. Daisy is kind of an interesting character she is kind of a pushover and I'm not sure as to why she didn't follow her dreams and follow and stay with Gtasby if she had a thing with him.  A quote that we chose that was meaningful in this book is "anything can happen now that we've slid over this bridge, anything at all"(69). I feel like this is a meaningful quote because it is a quote shows that the characters in this book are very corrupt and they have problems and that anything can happen at any moment once you have made a decision in life. Life is a corrupt place.

Chapter 2 and 3

So in these chapters we basically got more of an insight into Tom's afair with Myrtle and Nick and atom went to the city to meet Myrtle and her husband George and Tom takes Myrtle and Nick into the city and Myrtle buys all of this stuff. George doesn't know anything about the afair. Myrtle and Tom and Nick go to the apartment in the city and have a small party where the Mckees and Catherine who is Myrtle's sister. Gatsby is brought up into the conversation and at the end of the night Myrtle decided to announce the word Daisy to everyone and Tom got angry and punched Myrtle in the face and broke her nose. In Chapter 3, Nick is invited to a party at Gatsby's and meets Jordan there and they start to have a closer relationship. At the party, Nick is anxious to see Gatsby and so Jordan and Nick go off looking for him but they only find a drunk guy in the library. Soon they do (without knowing it at first) met Gatsby and he took Jordan off to talk privately and then later that night, Nick left the party and there was a car crash and that is basically the end of chapter 3. The character I am choosing to focus on for this chapter is Gatsby himself. "Don't mention it, don't give it another thought, old sport." The familiar expression held no more familiarity than the hand which reassuringly brushed my shoulder. "And don't forget were going up in the hydroplane tomorrow morning, at nine o'clock."  This quote shows that Gatsby is kind and nice to people especially Nick and even though everyone sees him as a mysterious man, he is a kind man. Gatsby, although we are just meeting him is going to play a bigger part in the novel although. Gatsby is really nice even though everyone know him and he is a mysterious person. "The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody's best suit to get married in, and never even told me about it, and the man came after it one day when he was out, oh ow that your suit? I said. "This is the first I ever heard about it." But I gave it to him and then I lay down and cried to beat the band all afternoon." I feel like this quote is significant in the novel because it shows that people in this book don't really love each other they just want to be together for the money. Daisy and  Myrtle are alike in this way because they both make statements about how they need to keep a good position in life and have money. Daisy doesn't want to leave atom because then she would lose her position in life and the wealth. Myrtle wants to be with Tom because she never had all of that money and wants to be wealthy.

Chapter 1

In this chapter we met the character that is telling the story, Nick Carraway. He sets up the story telling us how he moved to New York and now lives in West Egg and lives right next to Jay Gatsby. They live in west egg which is basically the place where people just became rich. Nick goes to East a egg to visit Daisy and Tom who end up getting a phone call and before Nick leaves they try to make a  point and hint how Nick should become Jordan's love interest. When Nick arrives back in West Egg he finds Gatsby outside his house with his arms streched out his arms across the water to a strange green light. A quote that represents Nick in a way is "whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." (1). I feel like this quote shows that Nick has different experiences like that of Tom and Daisy because he went to Yale and isn't as stuck up about his wealth. Nick is the one that is going to tell the story for the rest of the book so he is a very important character to focus on. A quote from chapter one that shows the significance of the novel is "If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there  was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promise of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away" (2).This quote seems significant because it shows how Nick sees Gatsby in a different way then others do. He sees that he had some heightened sensitivity to life and how he is different from the others.

Huck Finn response

Usually determining what is right and what is wrong can sometimes be hard. A lot of the times people in society are taught by there parents to do what society tells us and to just follow the neon in society to keep on track. However, parents most of the time tell us this because they know that if they did something bad when they were like a teenager that it may have effected them latter in life and could make people judge you more or not let you do certain things because of it.  Some people will follow what their friends say which is like peer pressure and can lead to problems because sometimes kids won't realize what they are doing is good or bad until after it happens because of peer pressure. Which is another reason why I think that parents always tell you what you should and shouldn't do in life because what you do then can effect your future maybe in a good way or a bad way. However, just like in Huck Finn when Huck decided that he was going to hell anyway because he was going to save Jim may be a good example for something in every day life. If you are going to do something that not everyone thinks is socially acceptable you do it anyway because you stand up for what you believe in even when others think it is wrong. Just like gay people they stand up and embrace who they are because that is how they were born and they know they are making the right decision by standing up and showing everyone who they really are and they would see this as being right or someone standing up for gay rights and that person isn't actually gay. Most of the time understanding what is right and what is right comes from trusting what you have been taught in life unless you know that it is wrong to you so you stand up for what you think is right even if no one else thinks it is right.

Huck Finn quiz

A.) Jim depends on Huck for a number of reasons. For starters Huck is someone that may actually keep Jim's secret for him so that he isn't caught because of the fugitive slave act at the current time period. He also depends on Huck because Huck has more "street smarts" and a Huck even though he is a little kid can make do with certain objects and make it through tough situations.

B.)Huck depends on Jim for survival because he needs the strength that Jim has because Jim is older and would be better off in a fight. Huck also needs Jim because he just needs a friend to help him get through what he is going through. The whole running away situation would be better for Huck and Jim if they just stuck together.

C.) Huck is currently dealing with the moral dilemma of whether to help Jim escape and become a fugitive and keep Jim's secret or to turn him in and run away himself. He is confused because he has never been in a situation before where he is almost like a fugitive himself and that is why It is hard for him to decide whether or not to help Jim. His childhood and Pap may have influenced him in the ways he is reacting because Pap showed him that caring about other peoples situations isn't the important thing to do. However, Huck has to use his own moral judgement and be a good person and help Jim escape.

The N Word

Well I mean it is in modern society right now I feel like. This seems to still be around because some people are still racist. My bestfriend Zach is like half black and he uses the word all the time around other black people. It kinda bothers me but usually I don't say it because I'm white and I don't feel like I should be the one saying it because of past events in history when white people used that word against their slaves. It doesn't usually bother me to hear it because like I said my bestfriend uses it but it is more common for him to say it around other black people and then when he is with me he doesn't use it. I'm not gunna lie and say I have never said it because I have before and sometimes it has been derogatory. My dad's side of my family are very racist and they are still back in the old days where they use the word in a very negative way. My family doing this May have some effect on me and when I say it or if I say it but for the majority of the time I never use it. Most of the time I don't really hang out with people that use that word either so it doesn't really effect my life.

Stereotypes

Stereotypes are all over the place and most of time they aren't a good thing. I always feel like stereotypes are more common in high school with kids between the ages of 14-18. I am often stereotyped as the theatre geek with all of my theatre family or friends. Well I mean that's fine to say I'm a theatre geek. Honestly I feel like there are cliques and different groups in school. Like for example the preppy cheerleaders and the jocks and then the goths the theatre kids etc. Constant stereotypes are what makes high school what it is I think and they shape the way kids look at each other. However, when, for example, a theatre kid starts talking to a jock all hell breaks out. Everyone starts to think that just because you talk to someone who isn't into the same things as you that it is automatically a bad thing. In my opinion it shouldn't matter if people from different groups in high school wanted to talk to each other. I am not going to say I don't stereotype because I do it constantly all of the time. I can see someone with a cheerleading uniform or a guy with a football jersey and automatically assume the guy is part of the sports playing jock group type of people and the cheerleader is part of the preppy cheerleaders. I'm not one hundred percent sure why stereotypes exists beside the fact that they are around because people with the same interest usually are the best sorts of of friends and hang out better with each other.

Arguement question Jan 27th

Freshman coming into the high schools is one of the worst ideas cps had because they horseplay, they are immature and they stand in the hallway and talk. When freshman stand in the hallway and just talk it is very annoying as well as it can prohibit you from getting to your next class on time. Some people would say that it isn't just freshman that stand in the hall and talk but in my opinion it is the majority and most of the time juniors would actually like to make it to class on time.

Another good reason not to let freshman into the high schools is because they are immature. Most of time you try to talk to a freshman and they will freak out because you said something that was new to them. This can be about anything because anytime I talk to a freshman you barely have to say anything before they freak out. This causes problems and it makes if hard to be friends with freshman. Teachers or adults would say that it is because they don't understand that what they say upsets us. Honestly I feel like they do understand they just need to grow up.

The last reason is because they horseplay.  This causes a lot of problems such as in the hallway when you are trying to get to class and they come running up the hall or at lunch when they are loud and play fighting around you. Teachers would say that they aren't the only ones that do that because juniors physically fight each other in the halls. However, we don't do it every day in every corner of the building or run in the halls.

Rhetorical Analysis of "Civil Disobedience"

Civil disobedience  is an argument that is very impactful and forceful with the way Thoreau delivers the ideas of civil revolution in ones particular governmental setting. This piece of writing is more than just a statement but an argument that can help people understand just how powerful they can be in society. Thoreau uses different rhetorical means to get his point across in a powerful way. He is speaking to the American people or anyone that has a government and he is trying to memorably show people it is okay to stand up for what you believe and go about doing what they believe by civil resistance to their government.  The purpose that Thoreau had for writing "Civil Disobedience" is to show people how you should not succumb to government control because it is a metaphorical jail. Thoreau also uses Connation in each paragraph to help develop the pathos In the piece of writing. The emotional Appeal in the writing is to show the audience the negative sides of a governmental controlled setting. Thoreau is using this type of pathos to show the audience the purpose and occasion behind the writing in more depth then just coming out and saying it. The Connation that is used is emotional and shows how people can either stand up and defy the odds and be their own person or follow what everyone else does and be the majority instead of the individual. "Individual as a higher and independent power" this quote shows the ethos of the writing and how this is an ethical idea on what life should be like instead of what it is when it is just government controlling everything. This quote also shows how Thoreau delivers the tone of forcefulness and directness toward the audience.  "Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for just man is also a prison". This quote shows how Thoreau is using juxtaposition to make his argument stronger and show the faults in a governmental run society without the ideals of individuality and choice. Logos is present in this argument by using repetition and the ideas that a civil revolution isn't reached until the people make the choice to civilly disobey the terms of society. "Civil Disobedience" was written back in earlier times because of the use of phrases and words not so commonly used today. However, with a clear understanding and background knowledge the Kairos of the writing helps make the argument forceful and more of a statement. It is clear the subject of "Civil Disobedience" is that being an individual and standing out instead of following majority and being a leader. This is what helps make "Civil Disobedience" such a strong piece of writing and a very forceful and well devolved argument.    

Civil Disobedience

I am constantly standing up for my belief on gay rights. I know that this is a big issue in society at the moment and has been for awhile. A lot of my friends agree that gays should have equal rights just like straight people. There are people that stand up and say I am wrong like religious people or people that just don't agree. I always stand up for gay rights and support them fully but I never get so in my opinion that it turns into violence. I am always calm about it but I don't care what people think about me or what I believe. I mean I see it like this, back when America was in the midst of a civil war there were those that believed in slavery and those that did not. So there was a big war about it and slavery became illegal. However it wasn't for about 100 years latter that people started to realize that blacks should be just as equal as whites. I mean the United States has the saying that we don't have freedom until we are equal. This can apply to the idea of gay marriage and gay rights. How can America say that everyone here is equal and we are all free. That can't be true because gays don't get rights and it's not fair and it goes against their freedom so how is it that people can stand up and say America is where everyone has equal freedoms because that is a lie. No freedom until everyone is equal. Usually when people disagree about gay rights when I am around I will put my opinion out there and then see how it goes but I never let it get so out of control that it ends up in a physical fight. Everyone has a right to have their own opinion but that doesn't mean we should critizes others for their believes in a specific subject. This is a very big issue in today's society and I feel like it will be around until it is resolved like the idea of having slaves. I am going to stand up for what I believe in that everyone is created equal.

We all argue

Well I will just admit that I have have arguements all the time. I come from a family that thinks we have to be right every time we have an arguement. Back last spring break, my ex bestfriend (seperate arguement) and my bestfriend Zach were dating for the third time. So she wanted to break up with him because she was only with him for attention I mean who does that? So I helped break them up and went behind Zach's back and pretended like I knew nothing about it. I told his friend Caitlynn about it who was my friend at the time until she told Zach what I did. So we fought. I was so mad I couldn't even stand it for Caitlynn to go and say all of that stuff and then ruin a friendship. I have never forgiven her for it and never will. Zach and I had a fight and he was hurt because I went behind his back and lied to him. He had ever right to be mad at me but I was so mad at Caitlynn that I took it off on Zach. We had a big fight and we stopped being friends. It did end and we are bestfriends again after the fact that we apologized to each other and I told him I would never go behind his back again and I haven't. It was probably one of e worst arguements but the arguement I had with Caitlynn was pretty bad. She told me I wasn't a good friend and I got so pissed. I don't know who she thought she was telling me that when she was my friend and just went and told Zach everything I told her. I went off on her and said a lot of choice things. Although we all have moved on and Caitlynn has no friends because of what she did to her other friends. She told there secrets and ruined all her close friendships and it is her fault. So in a way I don't feel sorry for her because of what she did to me and my friendships but in another way I don't really care anymore and everyone has moved on so we are all okay and will be. I argue with everyone and I usually get my point across to each and everyone. That might be a bad thing sometimes but other times when you are mad at someone they will understand you are mad if you get that point across. It has been almost a year since that terrible spring break were I felt really bad sob what happened but it got better and a lot can change in one year.  I stopped being bestfriends with someone I thought would always be my bestfriend but it doesn't really matter because I have moved on and have a lot of other good people in my life now. So I guess sometimes arguements can be bad but other times they can change your life and show you that what you had and wasn't what you were destined to have in the first place.

New year New Semester

Last semester was kinda different from all of the other years that I have done. I was very busy but that is nothing new what with all the theatre I do. Since I was coming to an all new school this year I didn't really know what to think. I basically learned that I can do just about anything even if I am always busy with theatre and work outside of school. I managed to get all A's for first semester even though I had doubts in myself because of my hard Ap class and my chemistry honors class. However I proved myself wrong and managed to get all A's.  This semester I plan to get higher Asa's and focus a lot more so I can have higher A's.  This semester is going to be a little more crazy then last one because I am going to have auditions for a musical in town at the end of this month and I am in the all school play as the lead. That means I will be in two productions for the month of February until the all school play ends in March. However I will still be in the musical until it ends in May. Plus I have to work and I also have to get good grades so this semester should be a challenge but hey I like challenges. At the end of the year I would like to say I got all A's again and got the lead in my next musical and managed to survive Junior year to get to my last year of high school because everyone is right, junior year is the hardest. Although I do believe in myself to manage to make it threw this year. Although to manage to do all of this this semester I have to make sure that I buckle down and focus on everything I have to do and accomplish it.