Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Masterpiece Essay


   "Frankly, I'm not sure how far I would get if I attended public school today. It's not just that public schools aren't producing the results we want - it's that we're not giving them what they need to help students achieve at high levels. " I quote Eli Broad as a start to my essay. He, like I, agree that there needs to be something done differently in classrooms to enhance the thought processes and abilities of students. If near every class on Righetti campus were run with an Open Source Learning mindset, I believe that it would lead to more success. 
   I feel like I have definitely espoused learning this year. Before coming into this class all high school was to me was "BS" your way through all your classes just to get the points and just to get the letter grade. It doesn't matter if you don't remember the material a couple years from now, as long as you get the points now, then that's all that matters. That mindset completely changed once i set foot in Dr. Preston's class. At first, I guess you can say that I was completely lost. We didn't need a text book, we could use our phones whenever we want, and do all your work on a blog. Baffled and still attempting to take it all in, I didn't know what to expect. I always thought learning was just memorizing, or math. Although, this class taught me furthermore. I really didn't think it was possible to grow and expand my mind this much in just one short year. I honestly think that it's a shame that we have to wait to take this class until our senior year. This class, to me, is more like a privilege. I believe if students were to take this class Freshmen or even Sophomore year, then they would go through the rest of high school with a completely different mindset. Maybe they would even actually want to learn. 
   I love this class because you expand your own mind. The learning is totally up to you, leaving room for more and more material to be taught. Although, not all of it is taught by Dr. Preston. Some of it is, but a majority is taught by your classmates. I feel like we learn it so much better this way. Instead of a teacher's monotonous voice going over a verse of Hamlet or Macbeth, we are allowed to have discussions on what we think, or why a character committed to a certain action. It's easier to remember lessons and occurrences by collaborating. 
   Throughout the year, I did see some students not putting in the effort they should have. At one very short point, that included my self. Although, I quickly turned that around and started posting more and more on my blog. It got really easy to get off track because you don't have a person at your side constantly nagging you for your work. With the blogs, you finish your own work at your pace and stress free. It's a really convenient way of working because, for example, if you're not sure about a story you just read or need clarification, you can check someone else's blog and gather their interpretations. You quickly understand it, and you learn from your peers. 
   A piece of literature that really stood out to me this year was Hamlet. He went through a lot of situations that were very relatable to us as teenagers. This story can really be described as "the lie that tells the truth." The same goes for Macbeth. He goes through the same things teenagers collide with. For example, peer pressure, sticky situations, and friends. Also, Brave New World open my eyes to a different mindset. It was sort of a freaky story that reminds you that there is a cost to happiness. 
  I feel like I had a lot of laughing moments in this class. Maybe it's because a lot of my close friends were in the class with me. Not being able to think of them all, I'll list a few. One of my favorite non-literature 'laughs' is when we were writing our name on the Kudos board. Bridgit was doing Val a favor and writing his name for him. The class was dead silent watching Bridgit write Val's name when Val says, "Bridgit, my name has a 'T' at the end. The 'T' is silent though." So Bridgit goes on to writing 'Valt' on the board. I'm pretty sure the whole class was in tears because we laughed so hard. I
  When listening to masterpieces, I got the same thing out of nearly all of them: passion. It's a very cliché theme, but just watching everyone present so fluently, it's all i could think of. Whether it was Laike with her beautiful art, Edgar with his Warhol Experience, or Haley K with interior designing. Everyone was so passionate about their topic that it did nothing but intrigued the entire class. It was almost like a relief watching everyone talk about what the love because it seems like everything is perfect at that time. You're just so happy for that person because they're doing exactly what they love and you feel like nothing else matters at that moment. 
   I don't think I'm a hero... yet. I think that one day I'll be one, just not quite yet. I'm still young so that leaves lots of time for me to be a hero. I plan to be a physical therapist and help people get back to where they used to be. Whether it be simply walking, or playing the sport they love once again. In this way, I hope to be someone's hero. 
   In ending this essay, I'm happy and so relieved, yet sad at the same time. This is my last assignment of high school EVER. I'm super excited to go off and experience a completely different world where I finally conquer my dreams, but I'm sad to let this all go. Four short years, and I have loved everything about them. Both the good and the bad, I've learned to embrace it all, and I've grown so much doing that. As I ready myself to graduate on Thursday, I keep this class in mind. Not just for graduation, but for the rest of my life as well. This is the class the changed my life. 













Friday, May 1, 2015

TPCASTT - Richard Cory

Title- The title is Richard Cory and is very straight forward. It is talking about a man in the poem (Richard Cory). 

Paraphrase- This poem is talking about a man who always seemed so happy. Almost like he had the perfect life. He looked good, was always glowing, was rich and was the ideal mean. Although, he ended up shooting himself in the head because even though he seemed to have it all, maybe he didn't. 

Connotation- The author rhymes every other line, creating a rhythmic beat. He uses words like fluttered and glittered to make the people around Richard Cory feel insecure. 


Diction- The writing is simple and blunt that creates a schocking and serious atmosphere. The diction is proper and provides aspiration. At the same time you can call it journalistic because Robinson uses words like glittered and fluttered. 


Attitude- The attitude is serious. It creates shock because it's not what you expect. 


Tone- The tone of this poem is blunt. All details are straight to the point and you know exactly what happens right when you read it. 


Shift- This poem shifts towards the end in the last stanza. The last two lines. It's very happy and describes an ideal man, then quickly transfers to him shooting himself in the head. 

Title Revisited- The title is about the people who look at Richard Cory and want to be him. Richard Cory is a mirror. 

Theme- I believe the theme is: Just because you're happy on the outside, doesn't mean you're happy on the inside. 

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

MY MACBETH RESOURCES

Resources for Macbeth:

1. http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/macbeth/macbethresources.html

2. http://absoluteshakespeare.com/guides/macbeth/summary/macbeth_summary.htm

3. http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/play-summary/macbeth/

4. http://macbeth0260.blogspot.com/?m=1

5. http://m.william-shakespeare.info/shakespeare-play-macbeth.htm

MEET MACBETH

Off of the bat Macbeth is introduced as a character who is a very gory and bloody killer. The three witches do set up some foreshadowing for the reader. They foreshadow that Macbeth is to become of higher power and it startles Macbeth. Macbeth's tone is bloody and glory from what has been read so far and that is all through direct and indirect characterization.

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Lit. Analysis #3

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

1. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest it begins with a new patient entering the facility and his name is McMurphy. He is not afraid like the other patients and is the only naughty one who begins to rebel. As the story progresses he makes some friends and continues to defy Nurse Ratched. As the story comes to an end McMurphy goes to far and tries to choke Nurse Ratched. She then sends McMurphy to have a sugary and when he returns he is not the same so Chief Bromden suffocates him and then escapes.

2. The theme of the book is to challenge authority because not everything is done right and things can be different.

3. The author's tone in the book is serious. This is because McMurphy is dealing with a very strict Nurse who has no room for and fun or jokes.

4.
  • Symbolism- McMurphy is a symbolism of hope because he shows that the other patients that Nurse Ratchet can get upset and break.
  • Indirect Characterization- When McMurphy enters the facility and begins to laugh. It is the first laugh that has been done in a long time. This shows that the place is not fun and very plain with nothing funny going on.
  • Narrator- The narrator is Chief Bromden and this is important because he was a patient with McMurphy.
  • Conflict- McMurphy faces conflicts with Nurse Ratchet. She does not allow him to do anything and is not letting him off easy.
  • Antagonist- Nurse Ratchet is the antagonist in the book because she is the "mean" one. All of the patients are scared of her because of her power and authority. 
  • Juxtaposition- McMurmphy and Nurse Ratchet are an example of this because they both cause tension between each other throughout the book.

Characterization
1.  Indirect Characterization- An example is when McMurphy says that he will try and make Nurse Ratchet loose her temper. This shows that he is willing to break the rules and defy them. 
Direct Characterization- An example is when McMurphy breaks the glass because he can't get his cigarettes. It shows that he is stronger than the other patients.

2. No, the authors syntax and diction do not change because the author wants to keep the seriousness of the situation the same between the two main characters.

3. The protagonist is a round character because he knows how to control his emotions to get Nurse Ratchet mad. McMurphy is a Static character because he only has one goal in the book and he sticks with it all the way through the end.

Pac-man on Google Maps

Did you know you can play Pac-Man on Google Maps?! You just go to Google Maps, it'll bring up your area and on the bottom left hand corner you click on the "Pac-Man" icon and you get to play Pac-Man on a layout of the nieghborhood you're in. It's pretty awesome!