TKAM Found Poetry

 

"The Journaled Poems of Atticus Finch: Summer 1935" 

There's a lot of ugly things in this world.

White men cheat black men all the time,

he [Bob Ewell] is out of his mind,
The jury couldn't be expected to take Tom Robinson's words over the Ewell's

But they're still our friends and this is still our home.

I’m no idealist,
But in our courts, all men are created equal.
A defendant’s entitled to the shadow of a doubt.
You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view.

I just hope that Jem and Scout come to me for their answers.
When a child asks you something, answer them.
"Don't say nigger, Scout. That's common."
I hope they trust me enough.
They're all I’ve got.

But despite this, I have nothing but pity in my heart.

Mayella is the victim of cruel poverty and ignorance.
Stand in Bob Ewell's shoes for a minute.

Ignorance.

I commented on: Aine's Blog
I commented on: Kezia's Blog
I commented on: Eamonn's Blog

Maycomb Representation Photo Analysis

I believe this photo captures what Maycomb, the fictional city of the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, could have looked like if it was existent due to the strong correlation between the characteristics described in both the novel and the image, but how can I know this? In this blog, I will explain the photograph I have chosen and how it connects to Maycomb.

One of the first pieces of evidence I was able to pull from the photo is the lack of people in the area. You do not need to perform extensive analysis to observe how little people there are in the photo. The only townspeople we are able to see are a few gathered around one of the businesses, as well as a man walking across the street. But because of this, I was able to make one of the strongest correlations between the book and this image. On page 5, there contains a quote that best supports this, that being "He liked Maycomb, he was Maycomb County born and bred; he knew his people, they knew him, and because of Simon Finch's industry, Atticus was related by blood or marriage to nearly every family in the town." This quote shows that Maycomb was a relatively small community, meaning little population, which pertains to the photos limited amount of people lurking the streets.

Another observation I had made in the photo was the social status of a majority of the people as well as the city. With analysis, it is apparent that there are hardly any major characteristics of upper class life. The properties of the town are nice, but they do not exude wealth and aristocratic values. The clothing of the few people in the photo is most likely not what those whom belong to the high-class would wear. Because of these factors, it brought me back to Maycomb. With quotes such as "Little Chuck Little was another member of the population who didn’t know where his next meal was coming from." It is apparent that Maycomb was not an extraordinarily rich town.

 

View Image Here

TKAM Character Relationships

Dill And Francis Relationship

In the novel "To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, we have been given the opportunity to observe an array of chemistry, tension, and relationship development between the present characters, but one of the most notable ones that will be the center of this blog is the tension between Dill and Francis as well as their similarities and connections to our narrator/protagonist, Scout Finch.

While these two definitely have way less things in common than a lot of the other pairings in this novel, there were a few that I could draw and document. The first is their age. While these two vary drastically in personality, the can find common ground when it comes to age, seeing as that they both are quite young and around Scout's age. The second similarity I was able to draw was their energy. I found both Dill and Francis to be quite energetic for a few reasons. Once Francis had upset Scout, he had no hesitation to run away from her as swiftly as possible, showing that he has no worry to be energetic, which Dill possesses in a similar way, for he is willing to run around with Jem and Scout for hours.

Finding differences was much more simple than finding similarities, for these two are quite an odd pairing. The first thing that these two do not have in common is their class. From the book, we can tell that Francis is from a rather stable, mature family, due to his mature diction and the respect others give him, but I cannot say the same about Dill. Dill does not possess a stable family, and while he is intelligent, he does not quite get the respect his counterpart does. The second difference is their level of kindness and courtesy. It is obvious that Francis isn't afraid to voice his rather hateful opinions of Scout and those related to her, but Dill is quite a bit more kind-hearted, and he is one of the more positive children in the novel.

While both characters are close to Scout, with Francis being her cousin and Dill being her Friend, she definitely exhibits different amounts of respect towards each of them. Almost all those who have read the book can notice that Scout is not particularly fond of Francis, for he has insulted her, Atticus, and Dill multiple times. She also finds him to be quite boring and forgettable. Her views on Dill are rather different. She believes Dill to be a kind, interesting boy whom she can play with for hours on end. She is even so smittened with him that even the both of them have agreed to marry each other in the future, which really shows the difference in our narrator's feelings towards both characters.

My Thoughts on the Election of 2016

My Thoughts on the Election of 2016

It is no bold statement to say that this year's election has caused quite the controversy over the past few months. There have been allegations made against the candidates, countless social media stirs, radical protests rivaling either the Republican Candidate Donald Trump, or the Democratic Candidate Hillary Clinton. In this blog, I will be reflecting on the election and plenty topic pertaining to it. Mind you, this will be entirely subjective! I do not speak of facts, just personal opinions, preferences, and events. Enjoy!

Over the course of a few months, my views on the election have undergone multiple changes. When the election first started, I sided with Democratic Male Candidate Bernie Sanders. I believed that his plans on education, economics, etc. were morally superior to a majority of the of candidate's. I firmly stood by Sanders, that is until he lost the primaries to his Female Democratic counterpart Hillary Clinton. The election then was between Clinton and Republican Candidate Donald Trump, whom I think the least highly of, due to the clash in our beliefs. Because of this, naturally, I stood by Clinton for the remainder of the campaign.

On the night of Election Day, it was announced that Hillary Clinton had lost the Election to Donald Trump, whom won by quite a close call. I was not particularly happy about this. I believed that the win was injustice, immoral, and destructive. Donald Trump had views that I believed would lead this country to failure. But after a while of thought, I have since realized something very crucial. Donald Trump is our set in stone president. Complaining about the issue was time wasted. I have since been able to fizzle down, and I no longer feel as upset and hurt as I did days ago.

One thing I have also realized since the election is that I would like to become more involved with Politics. This is because if I would like to insure a spot for a New Democratic candidate in 2020, I must do my research. I must study the values and adoption of not only the Democratic and Republican parties, but many others. Sadly, I may not be able to vote until 2024, or in 8 years, which is quite disappointing, seeing as that a vote can directly impact an election. But despite these barriers, I can still make my voice heard. I can use credible evidence and statistics to win those over whom are incredulous to the idea of the Democratic Party. This will really make a difference in the way others view my political morals.

One set of events that have really intrigued me as far as the election goes is the overwhelming riots organized by extremist Republicans/Democrats. Lately, due to the Election's results, many have been absolutely outraged, which has lead to monumental amounts of riots and radical protests. I find these intriguing because the events are normally caused by a dislike for the negativity being perpetuated by the candidates, but the actions committed by these protesters are quite contradictory to these claims, seeing as these riots come from a place of immense hatred and anger.

"But Charles Was Smiling" by Melanie Albanese (Veteran's Day Poem)

"But Charles Was Smiling"

As I sit silent along the wall,

stationed by fellow classmates awaiting the principal's speech

I see a trail of veterans walk through the door.

Some are fathers, some are mothers,

some are parents, some are grandparents

Some are young, some are old,

But one is spotted in the corner of my eye.

It is my friend's grandfather, Charles and his smiling face entering the gym.

He is clad in the uniform representing his military service.

He also was sporting combat boots.

But how is it that he stood out to me?

I tried to wave to him, but I don't think he could've seen me.

I was to his right, where his eyepatch was placed.

I tried to call him as softly, yet noticeably.

I don't know if heard me over the noise of his crutches.

Many would mourn day after day for the return of their eyesight.

Many would pray for the ability to walk again.

But Charles was smiling. 

Charles was joyous and ecstatic for the assembly and I needed to know why.

I asked my teacher if I can approach him and she agreed.

Once I had reached him, I asked him the question on my mind.

He chuckled a bit and responded.

"A young one like you would find it hard to comprehend, I know I did.

I never thought I would get into the army until I reached 18.

I knew I wanted to serve others, and the military seemed quite fitting,

so I applied, and it was worth it. Of course I have undergone some.....mishaps,

but I always remember how rewarding it was to serve. To know that I had the potential to save a life.

That's why I wear this smile."

I walked away in deep thought that day.

Now, each Veterans Day, I remember Charles words.

They ring clearer than spring water each year,

and as I am in the process of finishing my enlistment,

I shall never forget.

1st Quarter Reflections

First Quarter Reflections

Over the past few months, I, much like 18 others in Mrs. Larson's Accelerated ELA Class, have completed a large variety of different assignments, activities, and tests that have reaffirmed what we already know, tested what we know, and added to our knowledge. Now that I look back at a plethora of these assignments over the past months, I realize that we have, yet again, come a long way in our work. A vast majority of our works needed a significant amount of revision, but they have now undergone drastic change, and because of this, are works are much more organized, sophisticated, and entertaining. In this blog, I will go over different questions that pertain to this. Enjoy!

How have your blogs been progressing since August?
Ever since August of 2016, I have reflected on my previous blogs in comparison to my more recent ones and have noticed very notable differences , and those are organization and conveyed emotion, (or lack there of). In my earlier blogs, you could see how scattered they really were. But now that they have undergone the improvement mentioned earlier, they have become more formatted and straight forward, making visualization for the reader much easier to conjure. In addition, I have since improved the amount of emotion I put into my writing. Around August, it was apparent that my pieces were rather bland and emotionless, but now that I was able to fix these flaws, I now am able to connect and empathize with the topics, adding more emotion to the blogs.

What strategies have benefited you? 

There are multiple strategies that I have learned this year of note, but the one that I incorporate into my writing the most often is TIQA, or Topic Sentence, Introduction, Question, and Analyze. This format has taught me an amazing way to execute my content for my writing, causing my writing to appear more organized and easier to process.

What are your goals for ELA for the next three quarters?

I have no doubt come a long way in Accelerated English Language Arts, but I still aspire to accomplish so much more in the upcoming months that I cannot list all of them here, but my largest goal is to earn multiple more pieces with a grade of entirely 4. If I were to accomplish this, it would show me that I have really utilized the knowledge I had been given this year.

What have you learned about the world? 

The main lesson I have learned that can not only be utilized in school, but all facets of life is that it is okay to have a weak point. It does not make you idiotic. It does not make you a terrible person. It just makes you human. But even though it is 100% natural to have flaws in your work, you must improve them till they become one of your strong points. You must identify what makes this problem prevalent for you, how is it enabled, and how to make it vanish. If this is not done, it will always continue to be one of your weak points.

"As I Wither Away" (Fortunato's Final Letter Assignment)

My Dearest Consort,

Oh how I long for your eternal, sincere hospitality at this moment, for I am afraid that manipulation has gotten the best of me this time, and Montresor is the orchestrator of it. Montresor, always seemed like a pleasant young man, but underneath the constant trail of aid, concern, and compliments is a rotten heart of deceit, treachery, and a surplus amount of self-pride. If you might be as so discombobulated as to why I proceed with such repugnance towards him, I shall ellaborate.

Montresor seemed quite welcoming when I had approached him in my motley attire during Carnival. After a measly ounce of small talk, he takes hold of a flambeux and escorts me down to the catacombs. I do not want to proceed with excessive detail of the travel, but after I had spoken of Luchresi, I had found myself chained to a peculiar granite build! After I had overlooked my astonishment, I had realized I have been securely locked to the surface. 

I assumed this was merely mockery, but I couldn't be entirely knowledgeable of it. "Amontillado!" I belted out. Montresor returned my words, but I was centered on another attraction. There, a pile of bones lay beside him. I then noticed him take hold of stone and Mortar. Oh how at this point I could've persisted! Montresor began to pile his materials upon the entrance, as this progressed, I proceeded to conure noise from the recess. Moans, cries, shouts. Anything to catch the attention of the holder, but he continued all through 11 agonizing teirs.

I assumed then on it was a joke, due to how unconceivable of an act Montresor was able to execute. "Ha! ha! ha! --he! he! he! --a very good joke, indeed --an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo --he! he! he! --over our wine --he! he! he!" I cried, pleading in my head that this was one enormous charade, but as dialogue passed, I realized that my will to persist is slowly fading. I now know the bitter truth. I shall not return.

I hope you continue with your being as merry as you are at this moment, for I would rather pass two thousand times more than to see you spend your days grieving in sorrow of my loss. You are the only one in the world whom is pushing me at this moment to believe that love is still prevalent in such dark times, so as I wither away, I must have your word that you will remain the strong amazon you have given me the impression of. Take a monumental amount of care for our offspring, for without the proper nourishment, they might grow up to possess a despicable, ill soul such as Montresor's, and lastly, front your vast mind over any other trait. I do not want you to resort to writing a letter synonymous to the present one. Bye, Darling. Te amo.

"Words Can..." (Life Lines Poem)

"Words Can..."

We begged. We pleaded. We reasoned. What if they knock our teeth out? What if they make us bleed? What if they break our bones?

“If you get expelled, who will drive you to your new school? If you get expelled, who will give you a scholarship? Do you think that they give scholarships to students who get expelled from school?”

We feared our father more than anything in the world, so as difficult as it was to stop fighting, we stopped fighting. Most of our classmates treated us nicely, others ignored us, and the rest, and the rest- well, we could only wish that they would ignore us. We may not have understood their words, but we always understood the meaning behind their laughter.

As I got older, I knew that I had to take increasing responsibility for my family. I also knew that academic success would help me to help them. Even when I was older, I had always approached my schoolwork with the highest dedication. I read thousands of pages a week and cleared out whole sections of the Wheaton Public Library.

By then though, some of my classmates had discovered the best way to hurt me- not with their fists, but with their words. My middle school classmates massacred my self-esteem. My grades dropped. I got my first D in eighth grade and started to wonder if I could make it academically.

But the good thing about words is that they can also breathe life into our spirits.

My brother and family encouraged me

“Don't give up. You're smart enough. All you have to do is work hard and believe.”

The hard work paid off. I often got the highest grade in the class, and I carried an A through the entitle first semester.

I remember visiting my counselor, Mrs. Martin, to get some tips. She was my track coach’s wife, and she also had been my coach for scholastic bowl.

She told me that I could probably go to school anywhere I wanted. Duke, Yale. Maybe even Harvard.

I thought she was crazy.

I graduated from Harvard one year ago and have since thought much about my parent’s dream. By earning my scholarship and graduating, I have fulfilled it.

You are ready to face the snakes and drive them away.

You are ready to change the world.

Parallels Between "Of Beetles And Angels" and AoW

While reading both "Of Beetles and Angels" and my AoW, (Article of the Week), "Syrian Refugees Cook their Way through Trauma in Cairo", I have noticed multiple similarities and parallels pertaining to the characters, locations, ideas, etc. In this blog, I will present a variety of different parallels and explanations to validate them.

The very first parallel I encountered while reading my AoW is that the subjects are, in fact, refugees who have a story almost synonymous with Mawi's. In the article, the mother of the family in question has stated that "We left Syria because our house was destroyed and there was no school for my children". I found that this statement was quite similar to one Mawi had stated in "Of Beetles and Angels". That quote being "I remember playing soccer with rocks, and a strange man telling me that we had to go on a trip, and Tewolde refusing to go. The man took out a piece of gum, and Tewolde happily traded his homeland." on page 1. Both of these quotes are similar because they talk about the loss of a home, making the stories parallel.

The second parallel that is quite prevalent in both pieces is the keeping of their culture, despite inhabiting another country. In the article, this is a common theme that is made clear throughout, with quotes such as "It's just a group of women having fun together like we would during any big festive celebration back home in Syria". But this theme can also be spotted in the memoir, for the quote "Out of nowhere, two angels at our door. It was two of our people. Habesha women. And they came bearing gifts: injera bread and sebhi stew." demonstrate it as well. These quotes both show how by creating different cultural dishes, these families are managing to resume their culture, despite being apart from the country they originated from.

No matter how big a war is, it definitely has the capacity to impact the life of many individuals and societies that are correlated with it in any way. This can also be proven by both the book "Of Beetles and Angels" as well as my AoW. In the article, it mentions how Lina Kassah, one of the main focuses of the article, was constantly urged to start up and be the proprietor of a restaurant, but it then states that her and her family were "forced to make a tough decision" after war broke out in Syria. This

proves that war can interfere with career opportunities for many. There are a plethora of examples in the book of this actuality that it is hard to nitpick just one or two. But there is one quote in particular, and it is the following; "And then I saw a sight that I would never forget-the soles of her naked feet melting away, and then disappearing into the desert, leaving only her bloody, red flesh, mixed with brownish sand and dirt"This quote also demonstrates the affect war has on others.

Introduction

Hello! My name is Melanie and I would like to casually introduce you to my Blog! I appreciate you for taking time out of your day to look over this introduction, as it gives you more insight as to who I am, what my interests are, and why I utilize blogger, not only during school hours, but also for entertainment! I hope you enjoy!

My name is Melanie. I am a 13 year old female whom enjoys musical theater arts, studying the paranormal/mysterious, and watching online content in general. I also plan to study psychology in college when I reach the proper age, and hopefully, become either a flight attendant or a school guidance counselor.

I started using Blogger in my ELA, (English Language Arts), class around 9 months ago and I absolutely enjoyed creating both academic and emotion-based blogs. In the upcoming months, I will be creating a diverse variety of blogs based on assignments from my educator, as well as ones based on books, poems, etc. that I have read or viewed. But I might also have some self-written poems and narratives added into this blog every now and then.

I'm excited for you to join me in my ELA experience by viewing, supporting, and helping me improve my blogs. Thank you for reading! 

End of the Year Reflection

7th Grade Reflections

Throughout the year, a plethora of different events had occurred in my 7th Grade Accelerated Language Arts Class. To reading and analyzing iconic novellas to connecting current world events to our personal experiences, we have come an incredibly long way in our ability to understand literature and proper utilization of different tools in the English language. But have we always been as knowledgable as we are today of these topics as we were five months ago? Absolutely not. This is because of our vast improvement since that time. In this blog, I am going to answer different questions and inquiries that many others might have about the Accelerated Language Arts Class. These answers will be based off of recent reflections I have made pertaining to these inquiries.

What are the three most important things you learned this year?

Much like the majority of students currently attending this class, I have learned a monumental amount of knowledge pertaining to different writing formats, annotation methods, and punctuation  and spelling strategies that it would be difficult to nitpick merely three lessons. But there are most definitely at least three crucial lessons that I know will forever benefit my reading/writing ethic. The first I must list is proper punctuation while writing. Ask almost anyone who spends a majority of their time writing and creating different professional papers, essays, and documents will tell you that proper punctuation is without a doubt essential in writing a successful document, and this class seems to strongly reinforce this idea. After learning this lesson in ELA, I am much more aware of my punctuation and how to correct it if it happens to be incorrect.

The second lesson that was discussed in this class was how to make connections to literature and personal experiences. Before actually thinking about this topic, I had been reading books and subconsciously refusing to think past the book's text and the book's meanings. Due to this, I found it difficult to truly understand a majority of the book. But after guiding myself to make personal connections to different scenarios occurring in the book in this class, I can now relate more easily to the character's thoughts and emotions.

The last lesson I would like to address in this blog that I believe was very crucial in successfully creating a presentation/essay is annotating right after reading. Before utilizing this skill, I often forgot about the different key details that indicate character traits and personalities. But after learning about annotating further, I can now easily access early thoughts and opinions on the book's content and messages.

What is something we did this year that you think you will remember for the rest of your life?

Even though there have been many ELA occurrences that will be hard to forget in the future, there is one that I know is going to be undeniably remembered. That is our Socratic Seminars that we have had. These events may seem forgettable to others, but I believe that the Seminars will be recurring in different other classes and the first ones I had in this class will influence the thinking and participation for future Socratic Seminars.

What was the nicest thing someone in our class did for you this year?

I believe that advisory and criticism from others on your works is crucial to succeeding in different classes, and I believe that the criticism from students in Accelerated English Language Arts was absolutely practical, helpful, and clear. This advisory and guidance from other more experienced students really helped me exceed in this class.

What is something you taught your teacher or classmates this year?

Even though I have been in this current ELA class for a short period of time, I have still been able to educate or make clear to others on different terms and definitions. One of these occurrences was when others were confused on different character traits of characters in the novel "First They Killed My Father". Because of the clarification I had given to others in my literature circle on these topics and topics pertaining to them, we were able to work more efficiently as a group.

In what area do you feel you made your biggest improvements?What is something you accomplished this year that you are proud of?

There have been many areas in which I have improved my work and effort, but one that was quite notable was in my annotating. When I was first starting to annotate, I had made very bland and bare observations towards the passages and words. But after gaining more experience in this area, I now am able to create a much more original and clear observation towards the text.

What was the most challenging part of this year for you?

Even though I have had to overcome a few more minor obstacles during the coarse of this year, but one that was guide major and life-altering challenge I had to face was arriving to this class. Unlike many of the other students currently attending this class, I relocated to this classroom midyear. Because of the lack of knowledge I had on the way of work in this class, I felt bemused and worried and apprehensive of how efficient I will be in future classes. But despite my worries, I had pushed through and overcame a large majorities of my downfalls caused by my new arrival.

What was the best piece of writing that you did this year? Why do you think it is your best?

Although I have encountered many flawed pieces of work I have produced, I can recall one that I am thoroughly pleased with. This one is the Article of the Week Poem I had created detailing the causes and effects of the Uber Shooting. I am particularly proud of this poem because I believe I had done a good job at incorporating both actual facts about the event, while simultaneously incorporating both personal and popular emotions and opinions on the entire situation.

Of the books you read this year, which was your favorite? Why?

One of the books I had read over the course of this entire class that I had really enjoyed was the book "First They Killed My Father". I had found this book intriguing because it isn't very often in which you can hear the thoughts of a young child during such serious issues, such as war, murder, and rape, and this book was told in entirely that perspective. The book had also touched on the feelings, both emotional and physical, that many people had faced during times of war and poverty, which is particularly fascinating issue in my opinion.

What advice would you give students who will be in this class next year?

Don't focus on how others are doing in the class and compare yourself to them. You are an individual. You should be focused on your own works and how you can improve them. You should also make sure that you are listening to the criticism other give you. You do not always have to apply the criticism, especially if it is given solely out of spite or hatred, but you should always listen and consider.

OMAM Movie Blog Continuation 5/19

Of Mice and Men Movie Thoughts and Analysis:

Section IV Continuation

After viewing "Of Mice and Men", both the book and the movie, I have developed many personal thoughts and opinions about it. This blog is dedicated to sharing my opinion about "Of Mice and Men" as a whole and who I feel would enjoy reading this.

Before officially viewing "Of Mice and Men", I had neither high or low expectations. On one hand, many have recommended me this story, but on the other, many had felt as if I would not enjoy it. These mixed reactions towards it made me excited to view this story, and after seeing both the book and the movie, I feel as if it is one of the most heartwarming and relatable plots I have ever seen. 

"Of Mice and Men" had made me rethink how easily an inspirational message can be hidden in many types of literature. This plot is a perfect example. It get the message of sacrifice and

friendship across to the audience, but it was never directly presented. Instead, it used different objects, places, animals, etc. to demonstrate this plot.

I would recommend "Of Mice and Men" to almost anyone who is mature enough to understand and accept the themes of the book/movie. Many pieces of literature tend to be quite limiting, but I believe that this book can be universally understood by almost everyone. It also is a book that features a variety of different themes that can appeal to different people.

In conclusion, "Of Mice and Men" is an iconic piece of literature that provides an entertaining story of friendship, love, and sacrifice while simultaneously getting different messages across to the audience. 

OMAM Movie Blog 5/19

   Of Mice and Men Movie Thoughts and Analysis


In the movie, there were multiple scenes where dialogue was exchanged between George and Curley's Wife. These are two examples:

1)  In one scene, George was working inside the barn with the horses, when almost out of nowhere, Curley's Wife walks into the barn and she starts to talk to George. Her questions were quite unusual for a married woman to be asking to another person, asking him questions such as "Do you have a sweetheart back at home?". The persistent George is constantly responding to these questions with "No" with an upset facial expression. This conversation is eventually broken up when the suspicious Curley comes in a directs his wife outside.

2) The second scene takes place outside in the fields after the incident with Curley's hand. George and Lennie are working in the fields, and much like the previously mentioned scene, Curley's Wife appears to them out of nowhere. She tries to create conversation, but George and Lennie refuse to respond. She them becomes frustrated and starts to inquire about Curley's hand. George lies about the incident. Curley's Wife then becomes skeptical of George's claim and asks the same question to Lennie, but he also lies about the incident. After trying to generate even more unrelated conversation and being ignored or given negative attitude from the two, she runs back to the house, threatening to abandon everyone on the ranch and leave.

I believe these scenes were added into the movie to give the audience an idea of her loneliness. I believe this is because of her constant uninvited appearances to characters such as George and Lennie, that it details that she is lonely and in need of someone to talk to. But if these scenes were not added into the plot, we, the audience, would not know much about her feelings and desires.

Of Mice and Men Conflicts                      Continued

1. One of the conflicts in the book that has progressed in this book was the racial discrimination against Crooks in "Of Mice and Men". This is shown by quotes such as "They won't let me play because I'm black." as well as the use of racial slurs directed towards him. Because of this conflict, Crooks tends to feel unimportant and he will tend to be extremely submissive to threats, slurs, etc.

2.Another recurring conflict in "Of Mice and Men" is that Curley does not give his wife very much attention. Because of this, Curley's wife tends to seek attention from other men on the ranch, as exhibited by quotes such as "I can't blame you for lookin'" said by Curley's Wife.

OMAM 5/10 Conflict Blog

Of Mice and Men Conflicts

"It Keeps Me Going" by Melanie Albanese

"It Keeps Me Going" By Melanie Albanese

As I am seated on my bed,

I start to sprint in a race in my head.

Unpleasant thoughts rush over me like ocean waves,

wondering whether not my existence is what others crave.

But suddenly my brain turns to soft, putty-like, mesh,

when i think of my goals of future glory and success.

My heart starts to beat at 1 million miles per hour,

like a sweaty racer that desperately needs a 36 day shower.

This feeling of excitement keeps my brain afloat,

and it shields me from my inner cold like a new winter coat.

My hopes and ambitions are as valid as can be,

and they come very easily, without a fee.

5/3 OMAM Blog

                             
        Of Mice and Men Chapter 1 and 2 Blog

             
      While reading Of Mice and Men's first and seconds chapters, I had noticed multiple things about the characters personalities, setting(s), and dialogue. The following blog will detail what I imagine these traits appear to be in my own mind and why they are as such.

 The very first setting to be introduced inside the second chapter of the novella was the bunkhouse. When first reading about the bunkhouse,  I pictured the image of a summer camp room. This is because statements in the novella such as "Against the wall were eight bunks, five of which were made up of blankets and the other three showing with their burlap ticking."seem to describe similar characteristics to summer camp bedrooms.

Another image I had painted in my head before reading onward was that this bunkhouse was made to accommodate people. I believe the statement to support this best was "And these shelves were loaded with little articles, soap, and talcum powder, razors, and those Western magazines ranch men love to read and scoff at and secretly believe." because it describes how the bunkhouse was loaded with different amenities that are often used to assist people with certain needs.


I believe the reason Curley's wife did not have a name was because of the objectification of women in the 1930's. In this time period, like many people know, women were not considered equal to men, and many of women were simply seen as an item. I believe that Curley's wife does not have a name because John Steinbeck, the author of the book, tried to convey the message that Curley's wife is no more than an object. A pleasure item. Even in the book, the main reason why attention was brought to her was because of her attractiveness, as portrayed in dialogue such as "Hi, good lookin.'" directed towards Curley's wife from other characters.

3rd Quarter Reflections

                      
                        3rd Quarter Reflections


After finishing the 3rd quarter of this year in Accelerated Language Arts , I have learned many things about myself, my work ethic, and what I can create and improve for the future. The following presentation is a reflection on what I have done and what I plan to do in ELA.

What is something you have accomplished this quarter that you are proud of?
One thing I had accomplished this quarter that improved my perception of myself was the recognition of achievement from others. This quarter, I had been moved to my current ELA class because I had been excelling in this subject. This event had made me realize that I am learning and applying this newfound knowledge well enough that I am receiving praise and encouragement from my educators and fellow students.

In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts? 
I think I had made my biggest improvements in the area of format and order of presentation. Before I had entered the 3rd quarter, the format in which I presented my essays and write-ups tended to be quite scattered and unorganized. But towards the middle of the quarter, I had learned formats, such as TIQA, which enabled me to present in an much more orderly fashion.

What has been the most challenging part of 3rd Quarter for you and what did/can you do to help overcome this?
The most challenging part of the 3rd quarter was adjusting to the new environment I had entered at the beginning of this quarter. I felt as if I wouldn't be able to improve or exceed in this class because of these adjustment problems. But towards the end, I felt more organized and confident with my work, leading me to make major improvements throughout the quarter.

What have you learned about the world? 
From this quarter, I had learned many things about the world. But on thing that I had learned that I know will benefit me in the future is that you must be able to adjust to change. You have to work with what you have and save complaining for later. This lesson is something I hadn't known before and I am now glad that I now do.

"All Sorts" by Melanie Albanese

As I look towards the ground,

I see all sorts of brands.

Jimmy Choo, Nike, and more.

But I also see my bare, dirty feet.

As I look up,

I see all sorts of styles.

Ponytails, dreadlocks, and more.

But I also remember my choppy, dirty hair.

As I look to my right,

I see all sorts of bags.

Coach, Adidas, and more.

But I also can feel my worn out, dirty sheet sack

I don't know what to think,

when I see these people.

But I do know one thing.

I'm tired of this mournful, dirty lifestyle.

Literature Circle Blog

          
            First They Killed My Father Blog
       
           For our book, "Fist They Killed My Father", our essential question was "What obstacles does Loung have to overcome before and after the war?". We now know the answers. We know this answer due to multiple quotes and exhibited emotions. One of many quotes that helped answer the essential question was "The Khmer Rouge lied. They have won the war, and we cannot go back. You have to forget about Phnom Penh.". I believe that this quote is a great demonstration of overcoming obstacles because it is a quote that is about sacrificing your home, which is a hard thing to do. It also is a quote that stacks on a lot of other actions and emotions for the main character that might relate to sacrifice .
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     Although this book was narrated from a first person perspective, different people can inform people on topics, the Cambodian War in this case, in different ways. But can all these ways be successful in doing so? Yes, they can! In the following writing, I will demonstrate why.

  Let's say I have access to two different ways to understand more about the Cambodian war. The "First they Killed my Father" book and "The Khmer Rouge and Cambodia", an article about the Cambodian war. Upon reading this book, I automatically know that the book is about the war, much like the article. But can it be possible that these two sources are alike in information? It can certainly be possible! I know this because of multiple quotes that have true details on the war. Quotes such as "The organization was headed by a man named Pol Pot." from the article and "I hate the soldiers now as much as I hate their leader, Pol Pot" from the book obviously have a strong correlation that can tell almost any person that you can get information on the same topic in different ways.

      


    

Poetry Reflection

     
 Superman has the power to fly. Spiderman has the power to climb walls. But poetry has the power to take over someone's emotions. One reason poetry can be a vital part of one's life is because it allows you to express your emotions and feelings without being ridiculed and mocked by your peers. Poetry can be about anything. It can be about love, freedom, independence, depression, and much more. It can be expressed through a whimsical, rhyming poem or a deep, spine poem that pulls at your heart strings.  Poetry has also played into my life. I has allowed me to share deep, contained secrets about me without being an object of scorn or mockery. It has allowed me to let my true self be displayed in a way that make others second guess their assumptions and misconceptions about me. It has allowed me to be myself.

       If a poet has experienced real life events that have made a major impact on their life, I believe that it does affect their writing and creativity. The reason I believe this is because of the millions upon billions of different topics addressed in poetry. A lot of poets right about different things with different tones. For example, you see one poem about the poet's unrequited love. This story is most likely very sad. The poem right next to it is about the poem's experience with meeting the love of their life. This story is most likely very cheerful. So, if personal experiences have absolutely no impact on one's writing, then how come a poet's tone depend on the experience.















Above, there are two poems. The first is about being hurt by others. The mood is obviously sad and negative. The poem to the right is a nonsense poem. The mood is obviously comedic and positive. But how come we know which poems mood and intentions are right after reading the first sentence? Well, it is both the format and the poem's content that set it's mood. For the poem on the left, a color that is very present is black. This color is normally associated with depression and loneliness. Another indicator that the poem is intended to sadden are the buzzwords used in the poem. These include pain, push, shield, etc. These words can make people feel negative emotions. For the poem on the left, a color that is present is bright green. A color that can be associated with natural positivity. The buzzwords in this poem also can be associated with comedy as well. These words are nonsense and whimsical.

Poems written by me:
Nonfiction Poem
Bio Poem
Where I'm From Poem
Spine Poem
Found Poem
Nonsense Poem

Where I'm From Poem

As I walk through my neighborhood,

people in the distance stare at me with a curious look on their face,

I know what others think about me.

They think i’m spoiled. Careless. Selfish

I know they’re wrong.

I must overcome adversities like everyone else in this world.

I’ve had to bounce from house to house.

I’ve had to sacrifice my valuable items.

I’ve had to overcome.

Found Poem

 "I hope that I was the one to say a compliment that let you get to the top"

   The message I tried to convey was that you should and aspire to not only let yourself succeed, but help others too. I did this by giving an example of someone that is trying to recall a moment where she asked the reader and self-reflect's her past actions.

Bio Poem

Nonsense Poem

"A Company Changed Forever"

 "A Company Changed Forever" by Melanie Albanese

 Über was once a company of praise 

that provided people transport on good and bad days.

But soon that changed forever.

You might be wondering, what happened one day,

that sent flocks of average travelers away?

Well, it starts with a person, like you and I,

who felt a little too trigger-happy that very same night.

The man started his "pickups" at 5:42,

but what was coming up, the passengers hadn't a clue.

Bang! Shoot! What awful sounds,

that were heard from almost everyone around.

After the seven hour shooting spree,

6 people remained dead, newcomers to the deceased.

After this rampage was heard nationwide,

people had know Uber was involved with this sad homicide.

It got people questioning the safety of others.

Wouldn't it be easy for a driver to kill my brothers?

So like geese in snow, people fled the app.

Leaving the system with no one to clap.

Spine Poem Blog

"It only takes a moment,
The notebook,
The kite runner,
The cottage,
lost and found"

The main message that I tried to capture is that different items, no matter how important, can be lost and/or found in a second. I chose the three spines in the middle to give an example of objects that can be lost or found. I also tried to make sure the objects differentiated from one another to make the main message more visible in the spine poem.