Blog 28: Interpreter of Maladies

On page sixteen of Lahiri's short story, Mr. Kapasi makes observations of the Das's children: "Mr. Kapasi noted that this boy was slightly paler than the other children" (16). What is "foreshadowing"? Why does the author focus on this moment and how does it foreshadow what may occur in the story? What did you first suspect when you read this line?

This quote by Mr. Kapasi foreshadows that Mrs. Das cheated on her husband and the son he is actually talking about is not really Mrs. Das' son. He is able to tell this because her son is very pale compared to Mrs. Das. The author focuses on this to show that there is something wrong with the kid and the mother. It shows that it will be significant to the story. When I first read this line, i suspected that there was something a little weird that the kid was very pale.

Blog 27: TBCC, The End

Period 3: What happened down in the Lenape Indian burial ground's cave? How do geologists at Stockton College explain the events? Why is it clear that Torey is still profoundly bothered by what he saw down there? In your opinion, is Dr. Fahdi have Torey's best interests in mind? Cite a quotation from the text to support your conclusions.

When Torey went looking for Creed in the Indian Burial Ground, he discovered a cave and when he took a cover over a body, he saw a body with blonde hair. As he took the cover off he discovered the body as if it were burning and the smell was terrible. He then ran away in fear. When the geologists at Stockton College explained what happened they said that the body was not exposed to any oxygen. So, when Torey discovered the body, the oxygen caused the body to decay and made a burning smell.

It is clear that Torey is still bothered by what he saw because when he was in the hospital, he refused to eat. This was because of the smell he experienced from the decaying body.In my opinion, Dr. Fahdi does have Torey's best interests in mind because he feels bad for Torey. He always cites that he does not mind Torey seeing his family or Ali, he just has to eat first. Dr. Fahdi is considerate of what Torey went through and only wants him to get better. However, Torey does not trust him with his consideration. "He looked down at his feet, and I knew he was looking at the food tray. He was playing games with me. They all were."(300 Plum-Ucci)

Blog 26: Dishonesty Breeds Dishonesty/ Ch. 17

4. Do you sympathize with Mrs. Creed at this point in the book? Explain your reasoning. What characters are aiding her in the search for her son? Who possesses the power in the situation and why? Include a quotation with your opinions.

At this point of the book, I do sympathize for Mrs. Creed a little in the disappearance of her son Chris. I feel the reason she is pointing fingers is that she wants to have some piece of mind that someone is responsible because she doesn't think that her son would commit suicide. The character aiding her in her search is Chief Bowen, this is the man who posses the power. This is because he is the chief of police in Steepleton. "Richardson, get up, before i cuff you and drag you out of here," (Plum-Ucci 221). This quote is by Chief Bowen and this shows his power because when he gets angry he has the right to do this. Therefore, Chief Bowen is the one who posses the power in this case.

Blog 25: Torey's Lyrics

In chapter six, Torey shares some of the lyrics from his band on pages 66-68. Choose two of these lyrics and explain what their significance is for Torey's life. Then, finish the song that Torey started--use any details about Torey's characterization or life in South Jersey to help you. Attempt to develop ten-fifteen lines for the song, and be sure to include a title. The song can be serious, silly, a rap, etc., as long as the lyrics are school appropriate and demonstrate aspects of Torey's characterization.

Be prepared to share the band's new jam!!

The two lyrics that Torey wrote was one about Leandra and the other about was about Chris Creed. This is significant to Torey's life because his girlfriend is Leandra. Also, the lyrics about Chris is important because Torey is torn about what had happened to him.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Crazy

Is he alive, or is he dead?

Freight train running all through my head.

Why would he do this?

Come on Chris.

Where did he go?

Where will he show?

All making me feel

Crazy.

Blog 24: Chapter One TBCC

Period 3:

What do you think of Torey as a character? Does he remind you of Holden Caulfield? Why/ why not? Speak to the reliability of both narrators and make a comparison of the two.

In my opinion I think that Torey is like Holden. I say this because they both speak casually about their past times. Also, they both have conflicts. Next, I think that Torey is a more reliable narrator because he does not seemed as troubled as Holden was. Holden would always find himself in trouble or acting in a bad manner. Torey seems more like your normal kid. Another reason they are alike is because of their roommates. In conclusion Torey is like Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye.

Blog 23: Issues In Our American Society

Choose TWO of the four New York Times: Upfront magazine articles to read: "Should I take a job promoting cigarettes?", "Driven to Distraction", "Is your lunch causing Global Warming?', or "Locked away forever?" All of the articles introduce controversial subjects highly debated in our current American society and provide data to support the argument being made.

After reading two of the articles, write a one-paragraph response to each. Consider the following questions for each editorial [your commentary need not be in this order]:

-How does the author of the news article support a specific position on the issue? Provide an example of this slanted perspective.

-What is your personal opinion on the subject under debate? Why do you support/ refute the article's points? [ex. Cigarettes- Why would you take the job/ not take the job?; Locked away- How old do you think an individual needs to be to tell right from wrong?; Global warming- What does your diet mostly consist of?; Distraction- Who do you know that texts while driving?]

-What statistics/ collected data/ pictures/ etc. does the author choose to make his/ her point(s) in the editorial? How are they effective?

Driven To Distraction

In my opinion, driving while texting is a terrible thing to do. It not only risks the life of yourself and the passengers, but also the innocent lives of others on the road. I feel that the law passed is justified in the sense that texting while driving is as bad as driving drunk. Both are very irresponsible and can end up very fatal. It is said that texting while driving is equivalent to driving with a blood alcohol level of .08. Therefore, I do think that driving while texting is a horrible thing to do.

Should I take A Job Promoting Cigarettes?

After reading this article, in my opinion, I feel that taking a job promoting a death of many people is not a good choice. Cigarettes kill 400,000 people a year in the United States alone. If I were to promote this, i would feel guilty of these deaths. Any person should not break their morals for money, because you have to make a stand instead of just giving in. Therefore, I would not take a job that promotes cigarettes.

Blog 22: Birds and Bees

Neither Momma nor Vivian ever discussed the facts of life with Ms. Angelou, leaving her with questions she is afraid to ask. The result of this is that Ms. Angelou conducts her own research and draws her own faulty conclusions. This is a dangerous thing to do, as Ms. Angelou becomes confused and disillusioned about intimacy, and ends up pregnant.

There are a lot of "what if" questions that can be drawn from this chapter. With a partner or by yourself, consider the following questions, and write your own opinions about them. CHOOSE AT LEAST FIVE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER. As a class, we will then review these questions and discuss the answers.

-Would Ms. Angelou have experimented with sex on her own if she hadn't been raped as a child?

I think that if Maya Angelou was not raped as a child, she would still have experimented sex. I say this because Bailey did it and she would get curious from it.

-What is the likelihood of Ms. Angelou becoming pregnant if Momma or Vivian had discussed the subject with her earlier?

If Momma or Vivian talked about the subject with Marguerite, I do not think she would have become pregnant because Momma and Vivian would talk to her about being safe.

-What if Momma and Vivian both gave Ms. Angelou information about sex? How would their versions differ? How would each version affect Ms. Angelou? Whose advice would she absorb more readily?

I think if Momma gave advice about sex, she would say only do it with someone you truly love and if Vivian said it she would not care as much about who she is having sex with.

-What if Ms. Angelou had never been sexually abused? Could her pregnancy have happened anyway? Why or why not?

I think that if Marguerite was not sexually abused she would not be pregnant because she wouldnt be so shy about her sexuality and would talk to family about it.

-What if Bailey were still around for Ms. Angelou to confide? Would he have told her anything about this subject? Would it have made a difference to Ms. Angelou?

-What if Ms. Angelou was living in Stamps when she became pregnant? How would Momma have handled the pregnancy?

I think if Marguerite lived in Stamps when she was pregnant, Momma would be a huge help and would look at the baby as a blessing and part of Maya not an inconvenience.

-Ms. Angelou hid her pregnancy until after she graduated, so that she would have an opportunity to advance in life. Would Ms. Angelou's future have looked different if she was living in Stamps? What could she expect from life then?

-What qualities has Ms. Angelou developed as she matures that will help her raise a child alone?

-What would happen to the baby's father if Ms. Angelou's uncles knew?

-What would happen to him if the setting was Stamps and our main character was white?

Challenge: Can you develop one or two "what if" questions based on your reading of the story? Give it a try! [2 ex. credit points]

What if Ms. Angelou had sex with another black man and had gotten pregnant, rather than a white male.

I think that if Maya had gotten pregnant from a black man, it would be a little better than getting pregnant from a white male. This is because the white community will not like the fact that the child's mother is blacka nd the father and white. It would be more natural if the baby had all black parents.

Blog 21: Making Connections

For the past two days, your class has viewed the I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings film and responded to teacher-constructed questions during your viewing; all participating students received credit for these worksheets.

Now it is your turn to develop questions and make connections between the film and book! With a partner or individually, post five questions you realized you had about Marguerite's story from viewing the film--a question can be formed from something you were wondering about. After you have developed your questions, find the answers in the book! Challenge: Cite quotations to support your answers. Include page number.

Ex. 1. Q: Why does Uncle Willie walk with a limp and what's with his stutter?

A: Uncle Willie's limp and stutter is due to a childhood accident that he had.

2. Q:Why are white people looking for Uncle Willie and want to kill him?

A:The people are looking for Uncle Willie because there is a black man who raped a white woman that looks like Willie.

3. Q: Why does Marguerite not like her father Bailey Sr.?

A: Marguerite does not like him because she wants to be back in Stamps with Momma and Uncle Willie. She feels she was deprived of them from Bailey Sr.

4. Q: Who was the man that was found dead that Bailey saw?

A: The man that Bailey saw killed was black man who was most likely murdered.

5. Q: Why did Momma sing when the white girls were taunting her?

A: She sang because she was just ignoring them, because if she would fight back she could be killed by some white people.

Blog 20

1. The Great Depression impacted the black community because they were already struggling. Now, it has just gotten much worse.

2. The Great Depression changed the community a lot because now everyone is struggling with money.

3. This did alter their view of life because they were looking for jobs before the depression. Now since the white people are now looking for jobs, the black community is the back end.

4. They were worse than the white community because it would be even harder now for them to earn money.

5. The blacks would recover quicker only because they have been in this situation before, the whites have not.

Blog 19

During our class today, many facts were shared about Maya Angelou: her life, time period, and overall message of her works. Additionally, a definition of racism was shared as well as past and present instances of racism in United States society.

For each category, share one fact you learned from the informative groups' presentations today:

1: Time Period: African-American Experience in U.S., 1930s & 1940s

2: Maya Angelou: Biography

3: Racism: What is it? How has it occurred in the U.S.?

4: Maya Angelou: Works & Publications

5: Racism: Where does it still exist in the U.S.?

One fact should be shared for each category. Five facts should be in complete sentences. Feel free to share more than one fact that caught your attention. If you were absent today, Tues., 2.03.10, research this information on your own to complete this blog posting.

1. During the 1930's and 1940's, African Americans could not vote, used separate bathrooms and water fountains, and had to go through the back door of places. Segregation

2. When Maya Angelou was eight years old, she was raped by her mother's boyfriend. Also, Maya's real name is Marguerite but she calls herself may because her brother called her that.

3. Racism is the judgment of another race or religion, thinking one's own is more superior. In the United States, the African Americans were oppressed.

4. Maya Angelou had many different poems, such as "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" and "Phenomenal Women".

5. Racism in the US still exists everywhere, regardless of people meaning to be racist or doing it for fun.

Blog 18: Gender Roles

Now that our reading of the tragic drama, Macbeth, is complete, we are able to take a more critical eye to aspects of theme, characterization, and plot. Perhaps one of the most glaring observations about the play is the limited influence of female roles. In fact, the two main female characters, Lady Macbeth ad Lady Macduff, are only referenced in terms of their husbands. This detail is very telling of the time period in which Shakespeare wrote and the time period the story takes place.

Visit the following website and read up on Shakespeare's treatment of Gender Roles in Macbeth:

"Gender and Sexuality in Shakespeare's Macbeth: A Reversal in Gender Roles" (Thacker)

Do you agree/ disagree with some of the article's analysis? Choose a quotation from Thacker's writing and argue for or against it.

I agree with the article's analysis on the roles of characters in Macbeth by their gender. For example, Macbeth is seen as a brave and powerful man. While Lady Macduff is his counterpart that is considered a ncie warm women. Also, it is considered that Lady Macbeth is someone who taunts Macbeth and dares him to do things. "It is important to Macbeth to be seen as a strong, powerful man." Therefore, i agree with this author because all of the character's genders have an affect on the play.

Blog 16: Story Time

Act III: Story Time

The witches, ghosts, and characters in Shakespeare's Macbeth are sinister and frightening. Suppose you are invited into an elementary classroom to share the play Macbeth with all of the kids.

How would you hold the "story time" without giving the children nightmares? Write an adaptation [another version] of the events in the play, which include the scarier aspects of the play: Macbeth, the witches, and the ghosts.

Post this story to your own blog, and then critique another classmate's version for appropriate content.

If i were to do story time in an Elementary school about Macbeth, i would make it so it is appropriate and not scary. I would start off by explaining the background of the story. Which is, a about a man named Macbeth who is a hero like spiderman. However, this "spiderman" wants to be a king. He decided he wanted to be king after these three funny looking sisters told him that he will be king one day. So, "spiderman" hired a few people to help him become king.

So, throughout the story these people would help "spiderman" be next in line to be a king. As "spiderman" becomes closer to being king, he gets selfish. These three funny looking sisters are not happy about him wasting their time. Next, the three people "spiderman" hired continue to make him more worthy of being king.

Blog 15: New Year's Premonitions

Banquo cautions his war comrade Macbeth about the Three Weird Sisters' [Witches] premonitions: "The instruments of darkness tell us truths;/ Win us with honest trifles, to betray's/ In deepest consequence..." (Act I, scene iii, lines 123-125). Here Banquo clearly states his position on the Witches' statements. Explain in a few sentences what Banquo means with these lines for their futures.

In this post, also consider what you believe for your future in the year 2010. Premonitions are similar to New Year's Resolutions in that they have an element of self-fulfilling prophecy. One sort of resolution has to do only with oneself. You might decide to lose weight, to stop eating candy, to exercise more, or watch less TV. Other resolutions might involve family or friends. You could resolve to be more patient with your little brother or more helpful to mom. Some resolutions are about school and the outside world, such as getting to class on time or trying for better grades. Make one goal for each New Year's Resolution category: Personal Improvement, Family and Friends, and School and the Outside World.

What Banquo means when he warns Macbeth about the three witches is that the instruments of darkness (witches) tell the truth. He also says that to win the battle even though it will take harm.

My personal premonition is to continue my consistent excercise. My premonition for family and friends is to be more grateful for everyone's health. Last i would like to try and improve my grades.