Final Reflection

           

              The picture above is a good representation of my attitude towards reading. I definitely do like reading. Everything from newspapers, to novels, to magazines, I enjoy reading all the words spelling out different stories and life lessons. I do have trouble making time for reading in my day-to-day life. For me, it's hard to have a set time where I just focus on making progress in whatever I am reading. In making time fore reading, I struggle to find that time that is for reading, as I am trying to balance homework, sports, music lessons, friends and family. So that is something that I have been working on and need to continue working on in the future. Being able to choose books independently is very important to me. I honestly won't enjoy reading if I do not like the book or genre. I am not a big fan of non-fiction (which I know is a problem since everything we read in class is almost nonfiction) and when I am given a nonfiction piece, I usually take a longer time on it or I am not motivated to finish it. So for leisure reading, I like having the option of choosing books from my favorite genres from my favorite authors. For future reading, I do have a couple of goals.    1) I want to set time aside just for reading. 2)Read more nonfiction. 3)Read from a wider range of genres. (This semester, I was stuck on sci-fi and I got really sick of it). So to prevent that from happening again, I need to read from more genres.

               
                The picture above shows my feeling for blogging. I really am not a big fan of it. The best part maybe seeing others commenting on your blog or you looking at other peoples's blogs. It gives you an idea on what other people in the classroom are reading and what books they are spending their leisure time on. For me the worst part of bogging is summarizing what I've read. Instead of having a short summary and longer reflection, I have just the opposite. Although I don't like it, making your "reading life" and thoughts public online is beneficial for other student. It gives them some suggestions on the books that are enjoyable while others, you should steer clear from. But it all depends on your style/type of reading.

  
         
             The above moving laughing smiley face describes my school year as a freshman student. It's hard to believe that we have less than 6 days left! I think I have definitely changed or grown throughout this year. I have worked hard to not only maintain my grades but to excel in them and really try my best. I have made many friends this year--some of whom I am very closely to now. A positive experience that I've had this year was definitely being apart of Stugo. I really enjoy Student Government because I love all the people in it and I like being able to contribute ideas and arranging school event like homecoming, staff appreciation breakfasts, spirit week,etc. Also seeing how attached all the seniors were to Stugo made me really motivated to try and contribute in Stugo. One goal that I have for my sophomore year is to just speak up more. I want to try and get involved in some new things whether it's clubs or sports, I want to try it. Thank you everyone for a great year and making my freshmen experience really great!   :)  

The Maze Runner

           Summary: A boy named Thomas wakes up in a metal box, with no memory of the past, only his name. He wakes up on a type of farm, known as the Glade. There are many other boys living in the Glade. The area is surrounded by very high walls, like a maze. Every month a boy is sent into the maze. Supplies come through an elevator each week. Thomas learns that in the maze, there are these monsters called grievers. If one stings you, you go through a very traumatic experience called "the changing." He meets the leader Alby, the second in command leader named Newt, and befriends a younger boy named Chuck. He makes a rival/frenemy, I guess you can call it, with Gally, who is very suspicious of Thomas. And he meets Minho, a runner.The day after Thomas arrives, a girl comes, the first ever. Her name is Teresa. Thomas feels a strong connection to her.Thomas decides he wants to become a runner. When he saw Alby (who got stung) and Minho struggling to come out of the maze, he runs in, breaking one of the Glade's biggest rules. All 3 of them were stuck in the maze at night. They survive the night, making Thomas a hero for some, but really suspicious in others's eyes. Since he broke one of the rules, he is sentenced to "Glade jail." Minho allows Thomas to become a running trainee. Gally objects, accusing Thomas of being a spy. Teresa is still unconscious but she and Thomas begin communicating telepathically. She tells Thomas that they both had something to do with the making of the maze. After spending the day in jail, Thomas begins his training under Minho, and he learns how the runners map the maze. Then Teresa wakes up and tells Thomas that the maze is a code. Alby and Newt become very suspicious of her. That night, the maze does not close like it normally does. They all hide in a boarded up house, waiting for the grievers to come. Gally tells them that the grievers will kill one glader each night until they're all dead. Thomas and Teresa investigate the maps and discover letters that don't really have any meaning. Thomas then allows himself to get stung by a griever trying to remember the past. After recovering, he remembers that Teresa and him were forced to help the creators of the maze and that he knows a way out. They have to all go into the maze to escape. Thomas leads them and as they are escaping, they are attacked by grievers. Many die but the rest of them escape and come face to face with the creators. A woman comes to greet the Gladers and she tells them they have done well. She has a young boy with her. That boy is Gally. He throws a knife at Thomas, but Chuck sacrifices himself and jumps in front of the knife to save Thomas. Thomas attacks Gally, and suddenly a group of rescuers come and shoot the woman and take the gladers to a dormitory-type building. They finally feel safe. We later find out in the book that the gladers have not escaped. They have just moved on to the next step of the trials. The point of the experiment is to find people who are resourceful and intelligent enough to fight the Flare (a deadly disease) and rescue humanity.

          My thoughts on the book: I did like the plot of this book for sure. Sure it was like a typical sci-fi novel, where the main characters are under a simulation, but instead of fighting other humans like in Divergent and Insurgent, they were fighting monsters, which was a good change. I actually liked the movie more than the book. Part of the reason was because I think the book dragged on a bit, while the movie showed the whole plot and didn't leave that much out. Also the movie did a good job of showing how the grievers looked because if I hadn't known how they looked, I wouldn't really know what to visualize. Honestly, I'm just tired of sci-fi, which I know I've mentioned in my other posts. Over the summer and in the future, I want to read  a wider variety of genres. I really have been wanting to read Papertowns by John Greene. I've heard it's good and I liked The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska.

Holiday Season Summons Memories of Good Deeds by Tara Dixon Engel

 1) How does the writer want the reader to feel when reading this column?

         

          After reading this column, it is easy to see how Engel wants the readers's emotions to be. By using touching good deeds and gestures, the readers are supposed to realize how the holidays truly bring out the best out of each other. The column makes us appreciate the little things like compliments, or kind smiles from strangers. It doesn't always have to be this big, grand gesture, but rather something small and genuine that we remember the most. In the article, the news reporter was so apologetic and anxious when she didn't have all the money, thinking that the attendant would call the cops on her, but instead he put another $2 worth of gas into her car, and told her to have a Merry Christmas. The reporter referred back to the event and said: "It was a small gesture, from the attendant, wherever he is, has likely long since forgotten. But I never forgot. Through all the years--almost 30-- and all the kind things people have done for me, I still remember that simple, heartfelt gesture"(Engel).

2) What does the writer want the audience to remember the most?

        Like I said in the first prompt, Tara Dixon Engel probably wanted us to remember that good deeds are sometimes better when they're small, because they look like the people did these good deeds effortlessly, making it genuine. Also she probably wants this article to inspire us to be more like the people in this column, making us want to do more good deeds for others. I was definitely inspired reading about the reporter and the gas attendant, and the kind gesture was heart-warming. But there is no problem with big gestures, Engel proved as she said: "I've had volunteers willingly hand over their coat they wore here to someone who needed it more than they did." These type of nice and caring things make us as the readers feel proud of the community in which we live in, and also the people in the community who would make these sacrifices for someone who they may not even know.

3)What is the purpose of the column?

        I think the purpose of this column was mainly to inspire people and show how the holidays have made people do some awesome things for others. I also think it was to recognize the people who made these kind gestures, as they may not have gotten much credit at the time. It brings some recognition to the House of Bread organization as Engel states how:" The House of Bread is a nonprofit community kitchen which serves a hot, nutritious lunch to anyone in need, in addition to providing personal hygiene and cold-weather items." This column acknowledges these not so well-known organizations and shows their gratitude to everything they have done.

4)How does the author utilize diction and syntax methods effectively to support the writer's message and purpose?

         The quotes and the direct statements from people really make this column sound like a story, which I  liked. It flows well and it makes it fun to read because everyone's personal experience sounds like a short story. The section about the military family had a lot of syntax and quotes, and these quotes really got Engel's point across. When Engel was talking about the family, she said:"My daughters were 3 years old and 11 months old at the time. When she spotted him coming down the hallway where we were waiting, the smile on his face was priceless. The months of separation had been worth it. Even more powerful, she said, was the look of joy on her 3 year old's face as she raced up to her father yelling "Daddy's home! The hug they shared made this moment all the more special. It was a day I'll never forget." The quotes, coming from the perspective of a military wife, really makes us appreciate the service and sacrifices these people make, risking their lives everyday in the military. It makes us grateful and thankful, and it also makes us appreciate everyone, whether its our friends or family.

5) What is the value of this column to society? What difference does it make that this column was written? How does this column send a message to society that society perhaps needs to be reminded of in our present day?

         This column is a great thank you note to all the people who effortlessly do genuine acts of kindness, but is also an eye-opener to maybe people who need to think of other sometimes. In this column, it is evident that these good deeds to not require money, time or work but simply just a kind gesture like pumping extra gas in their car and relieving someone of their anxiety. So I think this column is worth a great value to society. The difference that this column makes is that it informs us of all the good things that people are doing. With so much conflict in our world, catastrophes, disasters, etc., it's nice to take a break from looking at the negatives and focus on the positives. 

Insurgent

         

             I have finally finished Insurgent, and although I really liked the book, I am excited to read something new.

            From where I left off, here's a quick summary of how the book ended. After Peter saved Tris and Tobias, and they all fled from Erudite, they go to the Abnegation faction, more specifically to Tobias's home. There, they meet up with the factionless and their old friends. Tris later runs into Marcus, who tells her that Abnegation has some secrets they were going to reveal, and those secrets are the reason Tris's parents died. Tris doesn't know who to trust--Tobias or his abusive father? She decides to side with Marcus.  Christina comes along with Tris and Marcus, pretending to be Abnegation and Amity members. They arrive at the Amity faction and ask Johanna (Amity's faction leader) if they can speak to any Erudite that are in the Amity compound. Johanna holds a meeting to inform the Amity members about what is happening between the faction systems, and how she is on Tris's side. At Amity, Tris meets loyal Erudite members-- one named Cara (who is Will's sister). While they're on the way to the city, Tris asks one of the Erudite members if he knew Caleb. He tells her that he did and that Tris should not judge him harshly about what he did. They break into Jeanine's control room but while they're in them, Caleb comes in, trying to stop Tris. Marcus smacks Caleb, knocking him out. They figure out that the information is not in the control room, so they head to the laboratory. They run into Edward on the stairs, who is furious because they're now basically traitors of the factionless and Dauntless. Edward shoots Christina in the leg and she shoots him in the side. Marcus and Tris need to keep moving so they leave Christina there. Tris and Marcus split up. Tris goes into a door, and there she has to fight a simulation against herself. She fires the gun and defeats her simulation self. Tris races into the lab but finds Tori there, screaming at Jeanine and beating her. Tori wanted revenge on Jeanine because her brother was killed under Jeanine's command. Tris stops her, saying that they'll never get the information if Jeanine is dead. Tori calls her a traitor. Uriah and Tobias come, and Tori tells them that Tris is a traitor. Tobias tells Tris to tell the truth, and since her truth included helping Marcus, he doesn't believe her. Uriah and Tobias take Tris away. Christina is fine but Lynn dies. Before she dies, Lynn say she loves Marlene (who is also dead). After everything happens, Tori sets some rules. Amity will not be apart of the faction system but will still have to produce food for them. As she is talking about how the new system will be, Evelyn (Tobias's mom)  speaks up and says how there will be no more factions. While this is going on, Tobias, Marcus, and Caleb, had managed to hack into Jeanine's computer system. It was a video with a woman speaking, who ended up being one of the city's founders. She speaks about how Divergents make the world a better place. But the most shocking part was that her name was Edith Prior, meaning she is related to Tris.

            While reading the book, I also watched the movie. I have to say that I definitely liked the book better. First of all, they are very different from each other. The movie was mainly centered around this box, that had something very important in it, which ended up being the video. Also the movie didn't make me curious about what was going to happen next. It didn't end with any cliff hangers or anything to make you want to see the next movie. Overall they both were pretty good, but like I said before, I need a break from Sci-fi and I want to read something new.

                                                                                  

The Maze Runner

         I know that in my last blog post, I said that I wanted to take a break from Sci-fi, but then I remembered that I had bought The Maze Runner, a couple months ago, which I have been wanting to read for some time now. So I started reading it, which I hope I won't get bored of though. I haven't gotten too far into it yet, but I had watched the movie when it was coming out and I liked it, so I wanted to get into the series. Anyways in the movie, (which was a long time ago, so I don't remember much), a guy named Thomas, is basically put into a labyrinth, with no memory of the past. He becomes part of a group called the "Runners" and their job is to find an escape route out of the always-changing maze. With a girl named Teresa, the only girl in the whole setting, Thomas tries to convince everyone that he knows a way out. Here is a link to the trailer:

Insurgent

           Since we were reading Fahrenheit 451 for our class novel, I didn't have too much time to read Insurgent, which I was hoping to have finished by now. But here's a quick summary of what I have read from my last blog post up until now:

            While still in the Candor faction, a secret meeting is held with only Dauntless members. They hold this meeting to elect new leaders. Tris is nominated but she refuses. At the end of the meeting, Tobias, Tori, and a member named Harrison are declared new Dauntless leaders. Then, while at the meeting, they have a trial for Eric, and in the end, they all agree that he is guilty. Tobias kills him, not feeling any guilt of grief at all. After the meeting gets over, Tris and Tobias go to visit Evelyn (Tobias's mom) and Edward. Both are leaders of the factionless. They make a plan to gather the loyal Dauntless, factionless and and the willing Abnegation, to fight and take down Erudite and form a new government without factions. But Tris doesn't trust Evelyn, because she abandoned Tobias and left him with an abusive father. Anyways, later that night, Tris and Christina discover a simulation that kills at least one of the Dauntless every two days until a Divergent has been delivered to the Erudite compounds. Tris and Christina see 3 people who are standing at the edge of a roof top: a young girl, Lynn's brother Hector, and their own friend Marlene. They save the girl and Hector, but Marlene falls and dies, because she was under the simulation. They both feel guilty because they weren't able to save Marlene, and after seeing what Tris has been going through, Christina forgives Tris for killing Will. Tris later finds Tobias, and wants to turn herself in to Erudite. Tobias makes Tris promise not to turn herself in. She promises but soon breaks it by going to Erudite. Tris goes to Erudite, fearful because she knows that death awaits her there. But she accepts and agrees to Jeanine's testing as long as the results are explained to her. She goes under an MRI, and several simulations. She finds out that Caleb, her brother, is working for Jeanine and is surprised at his betrayal. One evening, Tris passes Tobias in the hallway, and figures out that he tried to save her. They are both taken to a room, where Jeanine keeps trying new simulations on Tris in order to find one that will control the Divergent. Jeanine also is trying to figure out the location of the factionless safe houses. Jeanine gets frustrated because nothing works on Tris. Tris jumps on Jeanine, scratching and punching her, screaming how she can't be controlled. Soon after, Tris finds out that she will be executed and Jeanine will just continue testing on Tobias. The next day, Tris was supposed to be executed. But Peter, who was supposed to be her executioner, and who was also a Dauntless traitor, helped Tris and Tobias to escape. The three of them flee to Abnegation.

Dover Beach

             The two women left Montag's house in a hurry. Mrs. Phelps, tears drying on her face, struggled to keep up with Mrs. Bowles, her shoes furiously stomping on the ground. "I am going to turn that fool in! What a load of nonsense! Oh, where ignorant armies clash by night-- what does that even mean? And will you hurry up?" She looked back at Mrs. Phelps, who to her surprise was sitting on the sidewalk, her hands covering her face. She was crying, but she didn't know why. "Clara,"said Mrs. Bowles, "Clara, why are you crying? It's a stupid poem that has no meaning." "How do you know that?" Mrs. Phelps snapped, " It's just words to us, but we both will never know what it truly means. And that's why I am crying." "Oh, Clara, cheer up! Come to my home and we'll have a Parlor marathon!" "No!" Mrs. Phelps shouted. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry," she whispered, " But maybe I'll just walk here alone for a little bit. For a little fresh air." "Ok," said Mrs. Bowles reluctantly," You be careful now. I''ll see you in the morning" And Mrs. Bowles left.

           Mrs. Phelps walked slowly, hands in her pockets. She wasn't crying now but it was pain that she felt. She thought of the poem that Montag had read, called Dover Beach. "Begin and cease, and then begin again, With tremendous cadence slow, and bring the eternal sadness in," she spoke again and again to herself. What does that mean? She was furious. The words don't make sense. Why do these simple words seem so complicated? Eternal Sadness. Eternal. Sadness. She looked at her own life and saw eternal sadness. No job,  no kids, a husband who wasn't even with her. The Parlor on every day, every minute of her life. She slumped back onto the sidewalk and started bawling. She wept and wept until she didn't have any more tears to cry out. She got up and found herself walking to Montag and Mildred's house. She rang the doorbell fast, three, four, five times. Montag answered the door, looking shocked, "Hello Clara, what are you doing here?" "Could I take a book?" she asked. He looked stunned. He hesitated but went back into the house and returned with the small book of poetry that he had read Dover Beach out of. "Thank you," she said as she smiled and walked in the direction of her house, slipping the book into her purse. When she walked into her house, The Family was going on. She took a long look at the characters and turned the walls off. She had never seen it off, the spaces completely black. She sat down on the couch and got the poetry book out. She flipped to Dover Beach and began reading.