Friday, May 30, 2008
Free Writing
I'm not exactly sure what to write about, so maybe I'll just talk about my week. My schedule for the next three days is pretty packed, thanks to our Current Jam performances. Opening night was Wednesday, and since the theater wasn't sold out, it was a good night to get used to having an audience in front of us while we sang and danced. I was able to become more comfortable performing after the first night and I feel like I did much better at last night's show because of it. We have another show tonight at 7:30, two shows tomorrow, and another on Sunday. I am so excited to go home tonight and just relax before the show because every other night this week, I have had a bunch of really big assignments to finish before and after the performances. I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning the past three nights because of all the projects I had to finish and tests I had to study for. Needless to say, I will make sure that I get a nice long sleep tonight. To some of my friends, staying up that late is more ordinary, but I am someone who LOVES to sleep and I get really crabby if I don't get a good amount each night. I'm not exactly sure what else I'm doing this weekend besides the Current Jam performances but I was hoping to get together with one of my good friends who I haven't hung out with in a long time. I am also trying to secure a summer job and so that might take up some of my time as well. And after this weekend, I only have one more day of school and then I'm done with high school forever! So excited!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Characters
Long Duk Dong
This character portrayed in Sixteen Candles impacted the US teenagers and the way they viewed Asian-American citizens. Because he character was a quircky, shy, and awkward foreign exchange student who used lines like "What's happenin' hot stuff?" many American teenagers found it to be funny. This was the point of the character, but the role was not meant to create any stereotypes among the teenage crowd. Unfortunately, after the film gained huge success, many teenagers started calling their fellow Asian-Americans "The Donger" instead of "Bruce Lee." While some say it is only for humor, others find i offensive.
Barbie
Barbie is the only children's toy that had created such a large amount of controversy. While playing with the doll, girls tend to give the doll a personality, lifestyle, and relationships that mirror perfection. This has caused so much controversy because mnay think that girls find the doll the image of perfection simply because of her physical appearance. While many stores, in the earlier days of Barbie, refused to sell the doll because it lacked realistic measurements of a woman's body, the toy has since become extremely popular and has changed into a more realistic-looking doll.
Remy
Remy is a fictional character from Sarah Dessen's novel, This Lullaby. I was first drawn to her character because she was a 17 year old girl who wasn't afraid of anything. She had many difficulties in her relationships with men due to an "alternative" childhood and upbringing and was often cold towards those that believed in romance and love at first sight. I found her to be so interesting because I felt like we were complete opposites. I think most of society is always looking for "that person" who they will fall in love with and make their life so much better. Remy's character was so different because of her resistence to love and romance.
This character portrayed in Sixteen Candles impacted the US teenagers and the way they viewed Asian-American citizens. Because he character was a quircky, shy, and awkward foreign exchange student who used lines like "What's happenin' hot stuff?" many American teenagers found it to be funny. This was the point of the character, but the role was not meant to create any stereotypes among the teenage crowd. Unfortunately, after the film gained huge success, many teenagers started calling their fellow Asian-Americans "The Donger" instead of "Bruce Lee." While some say it is only for humor, others find i offensive.
Barbie
Barbie is the only children's toy that had created such a large amount of controversy. While playing with the doll, girls tend to give the doll a personality, lifestyle, and relationships that mirror perfection. This has caused so much controversy because mnay think that girls find the doll the image of perfection simply because of her physical appearance. While many stores, in the earlier days of Barbie, refused to sell the doll because it lacked realistic measurements of a woman's body, the toy has since become extremely popular and has changed into a more realistic-looking doll.
Remy
Remy is a fictional character from Sarah Dessen's novel, This Lullaby. I was first drawn to her character because she was a 17 year old girl who wasn't afraid of anything. She had many difficulties in her relationships with men due to an "alternative" childhood and upbringing and was often cold towards those that believed in romance and love at first sight. I found her to be so interesting because I felt like we were complete opposites. I think most of society is always looking for "that person" who they will fall in love with and make their life so much better. Remy's character was so different because of her resistence to love and romance.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Stories
Part 1:
During childhood, stories are meant to expand the imagination and teach the important morals of our society. Many children's stories include wildly creative characters, plots, and settings. This defintely helps the children learn to use their imagination. While the plots in these stories are all different, most of them are written to convey a meaningful message to help the children learn valuable lessons about life, friends, how to behave, etc.
Part 2:
I think many people read later in life to enrich their knowledge of literature, at least those who are interested in doing so. Also, they may also read simply because they enjoy a particular author or subject matter. While I personally do not necessarily enjoy reading the texts that are given to me in an english class, I love reading books by Sarah Dessen. I have found that the matters she discusses in her novels are things that I can relate to and that is why I enjoy reading them so much. I'm sure this is true to many others as well, although the preferences among each person may vary.
Part 3:
Storied are important to our nation because they convey the morals and messages that our people care about. While some people write about the great things that our nation and its people have accomplished, others choose to write about the latest celebrity gossip or fashion trends. Depending on one's opinions, they might find one subject matter more important than the next. Still, when all of these stories and subjects blend together, it conveys the things that the people in our country care about.
Part 4:
One story I remember is Where The Wild Things Are. Though I do not remember exactly what the story was about, I do remember my stepdad reading it to me often as a child. One year for my birthday, he even bought me a poster of all the main characters in the story. Another book that my mom read to me was Goodnight Moon. While we enjoyed reading stories together, a hallmark of my childhood years were Disney movies. Those movies also helped me understand and form solid morals, the way childrens books do as well.
Part 5:
The exposition of a story should be clear about the setting, the characters, and the relationships. This does not have to be evident immediately, but it should be clear by the time the rising action begins to develop. Also, the climax in the story should happen towards the end. I cannot think of anything I dislike more in a novel than when the climax happens right away at the beginning of the story. The story should also have a clear ending. While specific details may be left for the reader's imagination, the author should at least convey an understandable and satisfying conclusion. The author should make sure that the plot and characters are relatable to the audience. The story should include some humor and the reader should not be distracted with gramatical errors that were purposely written by the author. I really don't like it when authors don't use proper punctuation or spelling, simply because it's their writing style.
During childhood, stories are meant to expand the imagination and teach the important morals of our society. Many children's stories include wildly creative characters, plots, and settings. This defintely helps the children learn to use their imagination. While the plots in these stories are all different, most of them are written to convey a meaningful message to help the children learn valuable lessons about life, friends, how to behave, etc.
Part 2:
I think many people read later in life to enrich their knowledge of literature, at least those who are interested in doing so. Also, they may also read simply because they enjoy a particular author or subject matter. While I personally do not necessarily enjoy reading the texts that are given to me in an english class, I love reading books by Sarah Dessen. I have found that the matters she discusses in her novels are things that I can relate to and that is why I enjoy reading them so much. I'm sure this is true to many others as well, although the preferences among each person may vary.
Part 3:
Storied are important to our nation because they convey the morals and messages that our people care about. While some people write about the great things that our nation and its people have accomplished, others choose to write about the latest celebrity gossip or fashion trends. Depending on one's opinions, they might find one subject matter more important than the next. Still, when all of these stories and subjects blend together, it conveys the things that the people in our country care about.
Part 4:
One story I remember is Where The Wild Things Are. Though I do not remember exactly what the story was about, I do remember my stepdad reading it to me often as a child. One year for my birthday, he even bought me a poster of all the main characters in the story. Another book that my mom read to me was Goodnight Moon. While we enjoyed reading stories together, a hallmark of my childhood years were Disney movies. Those movies also helped me understand and form solid morals, the way childrens books do as well.
Part 5:
The exposition of a story should be clear about the setting, the characters, and the relationships. This does not have to be evident immediately, but it should be clear by the time the rising action begins to develop. Also, the climax in the story should happen towards the end. I cannot think of anything I dislike more in a novel than when the climax happens right away at the beginning of the story. The story should also have a clear ending. While specific details may be left for the reader's imagination, the author should at least convey an understandable and satisfying conclusion. The author should make sure that the plot and characters are relatable to the audience. The story should include some humor and the reader should not be distracted with gramatical errors that were purposely written by the author. I really don't like it when authors don't use proper punctuation or spelling, simply because it's their writing style.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Poetry Critique
1. Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/maya_angelou/poems/492
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
2. I selected this poem because I have always enjoyed reading Maya Angelou's poetry. I found her voice and tone in this poem very interesting because she portrayed the 'phenomenal woman' as someone who is confident in themselves and their personality, even if they aren't completely confident in the their appearance. I think this is a great poem for any girl or woman to read because so many people find it hard to focus on the positive aspects of their personality, instead of just their appearance.
3. The title fits the poem perfectly because 'phenomenal women' is exactly what the subject and tone is.
4. Maya Angelou used a metaphor when she described the men surrounding her, like bees to a honey hive. She also used rhyming techniques to make the rhythm of the poem smooth and flowing. When she talked about he way the aspects of the 'phenomenal woman' it created a sense of imagery in the reader's mind.
5. The tone portrays a very confident, happy, and distinguished person. The author did this by describing her mannerisms in front of other men and women and the way she felt about herself. The words she used to do this also helped portray a sense of imagery and rhythm.
http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/maya_angelou/poems/492
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
2. I selected this poem because I have always enjoyed reading Maya Angelou's poetry. I found her voice and tone in this poem very interesting because she portrayed the 'phenomenal woman' as someone who is confident in themselves and their personality, even if they aren't completely confident in the their appearance. I think this is a great poem for any girl or woman to read because so many people find it hard to focus on the positive aspects of their personality, instead of just their appearance.
3. The title fits the poem perfectly because 'phenomenal women' is exactly what the subject and tone is.
4. Maya Angelou used a metaphor when she described the men surrounding her, like bees to a honey hive. She also used rhyming techniques to make the rhythm of the poem smooth and flowing. When she talked about he way the aspects of the 'phenomenal woman' it created a sense of imagery in the reader's mind.
5. The tone portrays a very confident, happy, and distinguished person. The author did this by describing her mannerisms in front of other men and women and the way she felt about herself. The words she used to do this also helped portray a sense of imagery and rhythm.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Travel
When I was 5 years old, my mom and I moved to France for 10 months so that she could participate in a foreign exchange program through the University of Minnesota. During that time, while my mom attended classes at the University of Nantes, I attended the local kindergarden school. Even though I did not know the language at first, I quickly grew accustomed to it after my long school days with French locals. Because I was so young, I did not realize it at the time, but that experience would affect the outcome of the rest of my life. After experiencing a culture and lifestyle so different from my own, I often think about the other countries and cultures I want to visit and explore at some time in my life. Places I'd like to visit include Australia, Brazil, England, Italy, Germany, Monaco, and several countries in Africa.
One of the reasons I am so enthusiastic about going to college is because I will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia this fall. I look forward to this experience everyday because I cannot wait to leave Minnesota, a place so familiar to me, and explore a whole new way of life. The town, the lifestyle, and the people are all so different from how we are in Minnesota. I don't know where I want to live when I'm older- if I want to return to Minnesota and resume the familiar lifestyle I have lived for so long- or if I want to live in a completely new city where I'm out of my own element. Only time will tell.
One of the reasons I am so enthusiastic about going to college is because I will be attending Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia this fall. I look forward to this experience everyday because I cannot wait to leave Minnesota, a place so familiar to me, and explore a whole new way of life. The town, the lifestyle, and the people are all so different from how we are in Minnesota. I don't know where I want to live when I'm older- if I want to return to Minnesota and resume the familiar lifestyle I have lived for so long- or if I want to live in a completely new city where I'm out of my own element. Only time will tell.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Mrs. B's Blog #1
1. During the summer and in my spare time, I really enjoy reading novels by Sarah Dessen. I have a collection of her writing in my closet which includes That Summer, Someone Like You, This Lullaby, Dreamland, and a few more. For me, every sentence in her novels make it worth the read. Her writing style is casual, funny, and reflective. I used to really like books like Gossip Girl and the A-List, but I've recently drifted away from them. I think this is because I just got sick of the whole "rich kid can buy everything she wants and is really unhappy" thing. A couple years ago, I tried writing my own short story, but I found that it was too similar to The A-List and so I decided to stop. I would love to someday write my own novel, but I'll need to take more writing courses before I am able to accomplish that successfully. I usually don't write anything unless it's a school assignment, even though I would like to. Since enrolling in this course, I have rediscovered my love for creative writing. When Mr. Miles asked us to write a page of dialogue involving two people on a blind date, I found a lot of inspiration in the characters I created. When I got home that night, I continued the assignment, this time just for fun, and molded the page of dialogue into a "mini" short story. I really enjoyed doing so and would like to continue to write creatively for fun.
3. Audrey felt a finger softly tap her shoulder. It was George. Again. Could he not see that she was trying to meditate? She was beginning to wonder why she had invited him along with her in the first place; she definitely didn't need anymore stress. Sure, he had been her best friend since preschool but sometimes he could just be so.. George.
Suddenly she felt another tap on her shoulder. This time, she removed her sleeping mask and earphones and glared at George. "What?" she asked coldly.
"Do the flight attendants still hand out pretzels? I'm getting hungry."
"Are you serious? They just finished serving lunch!"
"Audrey. We've been over this. You know I need my snacks, otherwise I get really cranky."
"This is so typical of you, George. Couldn't you just have packed some from home like I told you? And I'm sorry but I guess you're going to have to wait."
"Fine."
"Now, I'm going to put my headphones and my sleeping mask back on, and I would really appreciate it if you could just entertain yourself for a while. I mean, I haven't seen my mom in 8 years. I need to relax."
"Explain to me why your mom moved to Australia again?"
"It's a long story. After the divorce, she wanted to be as far away from my dad as possible. And that meant she couldn't see me either."
"Huh."
Audrey put her sleeping mask back on and imagined seeing her mom at the airport: what she would look like, what she would say, if she still smelled like Chanel No. 5. After about fifteen minutes, Audrey fell asleep to the sounds of Coldplay.
3. Audrey felt a finger softly tap her shoulder. It was George. Again. Could he not see that she was trying to meditate? She was beginning to wonder why she had invited him along with her in the first place; she definitely didn't need anymore stress. Sure, he had been her best friend since preschool but sometimes he could just be so.. George.
Suddenly she felt another tap on her shoulder. This time, she removed her sleeping mask and earphones and glared at George. "What?" she asked coldly.
"Do the flight attendants still hand out pretzels? I'm getting hungry."
"Are you serious? They just finished serving lunch!"
"Audrey. We've been over this. You know I need my snacks, otherwise I get really cranky."
"This is so typical of you, George. Couldn't you just have packed some from home like I told you? And I'm sorry but I guess you're going to have to wait."
"Fine."
"Now, I'm going to put my headphones and my sleeping mask back on, and I would really appreciate it if you could just entertain yourself for a while. I mean, I haven't seen my mom in 8 years. I need to relax."
"Explain to me why your mom moved to Australia again?"
"It's a long story. After the divorce, she wanted to be as far away from my dad as possible. And that meant she couldn't see me either."
"Huh."
Audrey put her sleeping mask back on and imagined seeing her mom at the airport: what she would look like, what she would say, if she still smelled like Chanel No. 5. After about fifteen minutes, Audrey fell asleep to the sounds of Coldplay.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Toward the Future
1. At first, I had difficulties coming up with a good idea for my play. I had certain story plots in mind, but I found that many of them would work much better in the form of a novel. This is because they required explanations about the characters' feelings and backgrounds, which does not really work when writing a play. When I finally decided on a plot to use, I realized that it was very similar to the movie Legally Blonde. From there, my challenge was to make the plot and the characters my own and drift away from those in the movie. I found writing a play challenging, perhaps because I had never done it before. I am so familiar with writing short stories where the author can describe things that can't be done in a play, so I found that to be a huge challenge. Yet, when I had the finished product in my hand, I felt proud of what I had written. I may be interested in writing screenplays, but I'm not sure yet.
2. Growing up with little siblings, I often find myself in situations where I have to help my eight year old sister struggles that she endures. I am always happy to help her and give her advice because I have been through many of the same situations as she. For instance, when she was having some problems with one of her good friends, I gave her advice on how to deal with those problems based on what I had learned growing up. I definitely give others suggestions and advice based on my own experieneces, but also based on what my close friends or family members have gone through.
3. When I took the AP World Literature class during the first semester of senior year, part of our curriculum was to read Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. What I loved about her novel was that her writing style was so light and witty. Though the novel involved some complex plots and characters, everything came together because of the way she wrote. What I also liked was that the themes she wrote about were so universal; they could relate to almost anyone during any time period. That is why I think her literature has lasted such a long time, and I think the same proves for any other writer. I'm not sure if I have the skill or dedication to write a piece of literature that is so timeless and influential as Jane Austen's writing, but I would be very honored if someone thought I did.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)