the soloist part 3

i found lopez's persistence to help Nathaniel inspiring and enojyiable. His never ending puruist to help him and make him a better person is amazing and commendable. Even if they argue he never gives up and backs down. This seems like an endless battle but still he continues and invests so much time an energy into a man that most people wouldn't even notice if they tripped over him.

the soloist part 2

the title of the soloist says it all and is the essence of the main character. Natahniel is a man on his own and has been for some time. he plays on his own and plays music that only he can really hear and understand. Even Steve Lopez is a soloist at times, he works alone and turns all these thoughts and stories in his head into great stories and pieces about real life that are descriptive and well done. They both have their own craft and excel at it. This book makes me think that were all soloists for at least one thing in our lives.

the soloist part 1

I feel that this book is very entertaining and interesting. There is a lot of contrast between the two main characters. One is a writer with a career and a home and the other is a homeless man playing music all day just to pass the time and remember.  I wonder if Nathaniel feels that he has a problem or sees it as a problem at all . I also think that there is a common bond between these characters and that is art, one is a writer and the other is a musician. Both of them do these crafts and don’t exactly know why, Nathaniel plays to a city that never hears him and Lopez is a writer that never really gets recognition or appreciation for his work. So far this is an excellent story and I cant wait to read on.

focus in on my opinions and questions and put your opinion into it 

catcher and the rye

Holden seems like a very critical and honest person. He always puts it like it is and never lies. He lives a life that most would frown upon with the dropping out of school and getting a hooker. There is a lot about Holden that I like and share a bond with. For one thing his analyzing of people and sarcasm is the kind of humor I share.  He’s not afraid to be honest and different from others, a quality I admire. It seems that he always does what he feels is right despite other opinions.  I see him as a free thinker in a world of conformists and liars, This is how I feel about Holden as a character.

Focus in on my opinion and post your own thoughts about Holden 

death of a salesman

I feel that Willie’s condition and dreams are simply a man crumbling under the pressure he has felt everyday for years now and it finally got to him. He was once a man with a dream and a goal to live the sweet life of a salesman. The only flaw in this logic and plan was that the sweet life of a salesman that he thought was so simple to achieve turned out to be a pipe dream and nothing more. While he did have some success in earlier years on the job he soon realized there was no loyalty or respect to those that put in many years of dedicated work in his modern world. Willy had a problem accepting that the world of business is a cutthroat one and where u will not make many true friends, just clients and co-workers.  The world around Willy had changed to much for his head to comprehend and he lost his mind because of it, he lost the ability to decipher between reality and flashbacks.  These are all factors that I think lead to Willie’s condition and eventually lead to his death.

give your own opinion of this story and Willy

3rd quarter review

I feel blogging has helped me a lot in my work and advanced me as a writer.  In the beginning I hated doing writing assignments but with this its so easy and actually fun to write and not worry about the length of it or ant nonsense because u understand our writing and you know how to read it without your own biases that every human has. What I have taken away from this experience is that my old English teachers were very archaic in their ways and it didn’t really sink in with me, this class did and always will. I feel continuing to do this will be a great approach and an asset to me and my work ethic. I say as an English teacher u should continue this for future classes and especially for our class next year.  I feel you should grade the way u have been, on the content based on what it’s saying not how long you can say the same point over and over. This hasn’t really changed how my community works  but it has kept me enjoying this class and making me happy. Over all I feel this was a great addition  and process to the classroom.

the great gatsby 2

This book The Great Gatsby was an interesting book but what I find more fascinating is how Fitzgerald represents and captures the time he lived in. His work reflected what he lived through and how he saw it all. His whole purpose for writing he once said was to “reach his generation”. He wanted to summarize his whole life experience and the view of the world in his writing and books. He grew up poor and yet lived in a rich town, this great irony is reflected in The Great Gatsby. He felt his fictional writing would “appeal to the lingering aftereffects in the readers mind”.  Fitzgerald in my opinion was a great writer years ahead of his time he had a great grasp of the things happening around him and knew how to capture its very essence on paper. You can feel the envy he has about the rich in how negatively there represented in this book.  He shows the realism that even when people have everything it may not be enough to make you truly happy, or a simpler way to say it is money cant buy you happiness. Overall I feel Fitzgerald was a great writer that still grabs a reader’s attention today and will continue to do so for generations to come.

the great gatsby

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,' he told me, 'just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'"

I find this quote to be a very interesting beginning to the story and a strong statement. It sets a tone of how Nick was raised and how he decides to act as a human being.  This is also a great message to live by as a reader. I find books often don’t give such clear messages like this and they should.  This also shows what kind of a father Nick had which was likely the man he is a reflection of today. The idea of Gatsby himself raises many questions and a lot of question. This story barely has Gatsby in it thus far he is a brief shadow in the scene or not even mentioned. Overall I find this book very interesting so far.

langston hughes part 2

Langston Hughes grew up during the early 1900’s which had a lot of racism and hate towards African Americans.  He also lived in the south, which was a dangerous place for African Americans. This poem has no rhyme but a certain rhythm and meter. The feeling behind the words are what draws me to this poem, you can feel the pain and suffering of the time. The other poem I read was http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/freedom-s-plow/ in this poem he uses much more description and powerful words to describe freedom and the fight for it.  What makes his work so American is his writing of slavery and freedom for those slaves. This shows a clear vision that only an American could write.  He has a style that changes with each poem. He does not stick to one kind of poem which gives the poems more appeal. Langston Hughes was a great American poet and still inspires us to this day. His words still move me and gives me a great vision of the past struggle and triumph of African americans.

langston hughes: the negro speaks of rivers

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15722

mark twain journal

I think that Mark Twain is trying to say that being good is not always the answer. He has a common theme of mischevious boys that always win in the end. Huckle berry fin is a great example of this. I wonder if Mark was a good or bad boy in his life. This must have been written for adults because it has a long and complicated story with a pretty violent ending.  The relevance of Mark Twain to me is his nostalgic writing, to me this is classic American literature.  Here is a great quote to sum up his writing theme. “ This Jim bore a charmed life – that must have been the way of it. Nothing could hurt him” this was how Mark Twain felt about evil or troublesome boys. I feel this is an interesting and different point of view on life growing up. Over all I think Mark twain was an interesting writer of the American realism era.

can writing enact social change?

I believe that writing does have the power to enact social change. It has the power to move people

 and give them insight into the current situations of the world. It has the ability to give people

 hope for the future or realize the grim present the people may be in.  it has the power to give

 truth and wisdom in a time of deception and ignorance. It can speak the words that so many

 want to say but don’t have the courage to. It can do so much just by telling people what’s really

 going on and how the world is around them. It takes a high grasp of reality and the ability to

 see the truth to make a speech that can enact social change. This is why I feel writing has the 

power to enact social change.

price of a child post

What is the true price of a child?

It takes the ability to say no and make your own rules

It takes care and love for another human being even over your own feelings

It takes the time to teach them the basic skills in life

It takes patience and understanding for when they make mistakes

It takes the ability to talk to them and help them through life

It takes the courage to defend them and keep them from danger

It takes responsibility and care

This is the true price of a child and this price is one that must be payed every day