"Tuesdays With Morrie" Book Blog

Tuesdays with Morrie Initial Reactions

I recently began reading the memoir Tuesdays with Morrie alongside many other students in my Accelerated Language Arts class, and I have paid my upmost attention to it's contents. From the moods/tones the author creates with their language, to the imagery that could be appreciated by even the toughest critic, I have put my full dedication into assuring myself that I understand the reading, and I, not for one word, have been sorry. Tuesdays with Morrie is the book I had been hoping we would eventually read for the longest time. A lighthearted, simple memoir with a good message of enjoying the life you are given. In this blog, I will be sharing my first impressions of the novel and how it has inspired me to cherish my life and the future ahead of me.

One thing that really stood out to me when reading was how simple and nonchalant the author's writing style is. My standards for simplicity may have been lowered, as our class just completed reading the memoir Night, which details a boy's dreadful experience in Auschwitz. I highly doubt this however, as many others who are also reading the novel seem to feel the same. Mitch Albom, the author of Tuesdays with Morrie, speaks to the audience as if they are an acquaintance, rather than an unknown reader. The second reaction I was able to notice was how entertained I was by Morrie's humor. Before reading the memoir, I had low expectations for humor in the novel, in fact, I imagined the Morrie to be an overall somber person, but I was completely wrong. His sense of humor had me laughing throughout and I always found myself wanting to read more.

Tuesdays with Morrie has not only entertained me for hours, but it has also inspired me to create something. Something that I hope to carve in my mind for life. And that is a Bucket list. A bucket list that not only covers goals I plan to achieve within the next 5-10 years or so, but for my entire life. The following is my complete Bucket List as of age 13:

• Receive a Leading Role in a High School Musical
• Have at least One Honor Roll Report Card under my Belt
• Be Accepted to UNLV
• Study Religion, Philosophy, and Psychology at UNLV
• Graduate College
• Become a Flight Attendant (When Younger)
• Successfully Raise Children as a Single Mother (Through Adoption or Sperm Donor)
• Become a Middle or High School Guidance Counselor
• Go on a Trip to Italy

40BC: Characters Blog

An Abundance of Katherines Characters
In my Accelerated English Language Arts, I am currently reading the novel An Abundance of Katherines, written by John Green, and so far, I am very pleased with the contents of the book. Not only are they plots and subplots relatable to it's demographic and rather realistic, but it also delivers to us a very memorable set of leading characters. These characters include former child prodigy and lover of all girls named "Katherine", Colin Singleton, his brash, tongue and cheek acquaintance Hassan Harbish, and the newly-met tour guide turned friend of theirs, Lindsey Lee Wells. These characters have shaped the novel a great deal, making the overall tone a mixture of comedy, joy, and at times, mystery. In this blog. I will be presenting my observations about the characters mentioned earlier and how they have shaped my overall view of them.

After witnessing the various actions and events involving the characters listed above, I have been able to put thought into a character I would like to have a personal conversation with. This character would be Colin Singleton. I would find a conversation with him particularly interesting due to his past as a child prodigy. Very little people in the world are born with an ability to comprehend complicated mathematics, languages, etc. at an early age, but Colin is a rare exception. In light of this, his upbringing was rather unique. Questions I would ask Colin would include the following:

- When did your family realize your early intelligence and how did they approach it?
- When did you realize your own intelligence?
- How did perform when placed in an environment with kids who possessed average intelligence?
-  How did perform when placed in an environment with kids who possessed your level of intelligence?
- How did your peers react to your early intelligence?


While An Abundance of Katherines may have a pretty innocent set of characters communicating with each other throughout, they still tend to act in certain ways as to where the reader forms a strong like or dislike for them. I am no different. As I flipped through the book page by page, I began to observe how the characters acted, inciting one of two reactions:
- "That was immensely admirable!"
- "Why would they do/say such a thing?"
One character that seemed to constantly invoke the former was Lindsey Lee Wells. Despite her occasional remarks of displeasure towards her mom, such as her sighs of annoyance when asked to close up her shop, that had me rolling my eyes, I overall found Lindsey to be a character who I was in agreement with her words. From approaching Colin and Hassan in a mature, pleasant manner, even when Hassan made rather questionable remarks, to scrapping her former "boring" tour script to a more lighthearted, nonchalant talk, the reader notices her humbleness and likability.

In lieu of this, there was a particular character who never failed to make me wish for their disappearance at times. This character would be, surprisingly, Colin Singleton. While I have stated in the past that I found his upbringing intruiging, I still cannot fathom the annoyance he provokes in me. This is primarily due to his perpetual infatuation with his previous girlfriends. From relating nearly any event to one involving a "Katherine" he had dated, to comparing the looks of those to them, I become mournful of a time where he hadn't spoken of a "Katherine", which became nearly nonexistent.


Despite my subjective views that I have just expressed, I often am able to forget about these feelings and ponder one characteristic in the characters. Importance, and after deep analysis of their actions, I have concluded which character I believe is most important to the plot. This character would have to be Hassan Harbish. While the novel may not revolve around him and his outlook, I still firmly believe that he could shape the events for the better/worse. From his tongue and cheek approach to various situations to his occasional brashness, I have found myself bemused as to his innocence. It is often hard to tell whether Hassan is the potential protagonist or antagonist, and this uncertainty incites the reader to keep a bird's eye on almost all of his dialogue/actions.

Life is Beautiful Reflective Blog

Life is Beautiful

Very recently, I had been granted the  opportunity to view the 1997 film Life is Beautiful, directed and produced by Roberto Benigni, and I was thoroughly amazed by the various attributes of it. From the charismatic nature of our characters, to the atmospheric effects used, I found it difficult to take my eyes off of the screen. But, in spite of my infatuation with the movie, I also put the contents of Life is Beautiful into further analysis, and what I found was intriguing. Not only did the movie exhibit a variety of different examples of humor, Struggle, and most importantly, life's beauty, but it also bared striking similarities to the book Night, written by Holocaust Survivor Elie Wiesel. I managed to gather a surplus amount of demonstrations of these qualities, and I will objectively discuss them in this blog. Not only will I present my findings, but also how they pertain to the theme of Life's Beauty.

One of the very first comparisons I was able to make between Life is Beautiful and Night was the Father-Son bonds established in both pieces of media. In Life is Beautiful, Guido, A Jewish shop-owner, his wife, Dora, and son, Giosue, are sent to a concentration camp by Nazi officers. Despite automatically being separated from Dora, Guido and Giosue manage to stick together all the way to liberation. During this time, the two, despite their already strong relationship, become closer and closer each day. From convincing his son that the Holocaust was simply a game to spare him from fear, to the son following each and every one of his father's instructions to survival, the two seemed to develop a bond that could compare to no other.

Let's look at Night now. In this memoir, 15 year old Elie Wiesel is sent to Auschwitz Concentration Camp, and much like in Life is Beautiful, he is separated from his mother, but proceeds to join his father in an attempt to survive the horrors of the camp up until liberation. In this excessive period of time, the two become heavily connected to each other, devoting a majority of their heart to helping each other remain sane. From Elie defending his father when he is perceived to be dead, to his dad comforting his son abundantly, it is apparent that the two would not possess the same level of hope if they were separated from the start. The relationship between them also remained during the passing of Elie's father, stating that he could never feel the same now that he was gone.

Judging by the descriptions, these two bonds are heavily correlated with each other. This is because of the strong attachment that the father felt to the son and vice Versace that was prevelant in both pieces of media. The second similarity between the two bonds was the apprehension of death. From Guido to Giosue, from Elie to Elie's father, it is immensely difficult to look past their fear of each other passing. This only increases as time goes by, causing each family to become protective over each other.

The second similarity to take into into account was the hope of unreality of the Camp and/or the Holocaust as a construct. In Life is Beautiful, Guido carries his son through the Concentration Camp, (going through certain procedures in an effort to not be caught of course). While doing this, Giosue expressed his concern about their safety which is quickly followed by Guido responding, stating its all "just a dream". After audiences caught a listen of this line, it was apparent that he was trying his upmost hardest to protect his son from inheriting a negative outlook on the situation. But this was not the only time a similar line was stated in a piece of media pertaining to the Holocaust.

In Night, the main character states almost a direct reiteration of this line. When first arriving the Birkenau, Elie is in absolute shock. He had never been to such a frightening place. In light of this fright, Elie begins to question the events around him. At one point, Elie asks the reader "Was it all just a dream?'. It is abundantly obvious that this line is nearly synonymous with our previous one, and despite perspectives contrasting, both cannot believe the severity of their situations, causing the characters to lose sense of reality.

In Life is Beautiful, the audience can witness a large variety of contrasting characters and atmospheres throughout, which incite different moods and tones. This has become a widely known fact to millions of viewers. From the carefree, upbeat persona carried by father Guido, to the worrisome Dora, the audience senses the chemistry, (or lack there of), between characters whenever they appear on screen. These characters and/or their chemistry can also incite various moods throughout the movie. Guido's humor and positive outlook on life can cause the movie to appear upbeat and comedic, while the frightening conduct of the Nazi Officers at the camp can cause the mood to become more negative and moody.

Another observation one can make about this movie is how true it stays to it's title, Life is Beautiful. Throughout the film, characters display actions and emotions that can incite the reader to conquer with the film's title. One of which is sacrifice. From Dora potentially risking her own life to reunite with her husband and son, to Guido allowing a Nazi officer to take his life in an effort to protect his son from the officers in question, the characters truly make us believe that those who love you will make such tremendous sacrifices to save you from harm's way. Life is also portrayed as beautiful through the positivity maintained by Guido throughout. Despite being just inches away from potential death at every second, Giosue's father cannot let go of the positivity he holds, which incites the audience to believe that they themselves can also due the same, which can make their lives much less stressful and more joyous.

3rd Quarter Reflections

3rd Quarter Reflections

In what area do you think you made your biggest improvements in English Language Arts? 

Despite what I wish to say, this Quarter has been rather unsuccessful for me. My productivity and many of my grades have dropped severely, not only in Accelerated Language Arts, but in a variety of classes. In light of this, I cannot place my finger on too many areas that I have significantly improved in, except for one area. Being honest to yourself. While this isn't necessarily pertaining to English Language Arts, it has definitely contributed in what I plan to accomplish in the 4th Quarter. Prior to now, I was in denial. I couldn't come to the reality of my grades dropping. I thought I was infallible, but that was anything but the truth. Sooner or later, I knew I had to come to terms with the sharp decrease in stellar grades, and this is still a lesson I pride on carrying all the way through the rest of the year.

What is something you have accomplished this quarter that you are proud of?

In the 3rd Quarter, one thing I accomplished that I was particularly proud of was becoming comfortable with inquiring and asking questions. In previous years, I have been quite timid, and I feared my peers would perceive me as an idiot for simply asking questions. I feared what the teacher would think as well. But now, after encouragement from family, I have become more open about my inquiries. This newfound comfort has also given me a better understanding of the curriculum.

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 aspect of the 3rd Quarter was, like mentioned earlier, coming to terms with the drastic grade drops I experienced. Due to my history with stellar grades, I felt invincible in the past quarter. I believe my streak would persist, and that I could do no wrong. This contributed to me putting significantly less effort into my work, which obviously caused my grades to drop. This became hard for me to accept. A student in Accelerated classes receiving 2s? Impossible. Eventually, as the grades kept piling, I came to terms with this. I plan to improve these grades by being more diligent with work and paying great attention to them.

3/16 Argumentative AoW Reflections

Argumentative AoW Reflections

Today, my peers and I had the oppurtunity to explore each individual student's "Article of the Week". While the articles were abundant in diversity, with articles varying from Education to Health, each one revolved around the same format: argumentative. While some were presented by the same author, and others collaborative efforts, I, as well as many others, were able to extract at least some amount of intriguing information from every argument. This information will be the focus of my blog.

Despite the fascinating nature of each and every argument I visited, I found the "Is College Worth It?" article the most hard-hitting. This article, written by one singular author, presents an argument against paying College Tuition, stating that due to low graduation rates and somewhat low student incomes, College is simply not worth the hefty fines of attending. I found this article to the most crucial due to the urgency of demand there is for it. Every single day, at least one hundred high school Seniors conjure up an idea of what college they would like to attend, or even if they should attend college at all. In light of this, many students have a need for such an article in helping them decide which direction they would like to go in, while other crises, such as GMO utilization and Self-Driving Cars have little to no urgent need.

Another reason this article was very hard-hitting to me was due to it's role that it plays in my life as well. Despite my young age, I have debated college on multiple occasions. Whether it be the location of the college or the method of application, it will waltz into my brain quite often. This article has provided me with a new viewpoint to see from. I can now debate college more productively, as I can factor in the opinions adopted from this article into my analyses, making for wiser future decisions.

Night by Elie Wiesel

Night

It is no secret that the memoir Night, published in 1960, is abundant in themes that the reader can empathize with and even learn from. From Elie struggling to maintain his faith, to his relationship between himself and his father, it is apparent that we as readers are easily able to take into consideration Elie's issues and compare them to ours and potentially improve our current situations that pertain to this. But there is one other person who becomes a new soul after experiencing these situations. Elie. Throughout the memoir, Wiesel expresses ideas in which could be attributed to lessons he has learned. He following is a list of events that have shaped Eliezer for the better.

One event that Eliezer experiences that has shaped him tremendously throughout Night is him realizing how close knit he should remain to his father. There are a variety of different quotes that support this, but one of which I found to be a rather phenomenal example of this. After the passing of his Father, Elie states the extent of how much it affected him, stating that "nothing could touch me anymore" (107).  This quote demonstrates Elie’s emotional change due to his depiction of how terribly he felt towards his Father’s passing, which he had expressed very rarely prior. It can be inferred that because of this, Elie has faced the realization of how crucial their bond was.

This hadn't been the only instance of Eliezer expressing the importance of building tight-knit relationships. Another quote that illustrates this is one found later in the memoir, yet it rings very meaningful to most. Dealing with feelings of fear and hopelessness, Elie grasps for the one person he loves most. His father stating that "I tightened my grip on my father's hand. The old, familiar fear: not to lose him." (104). This quote illustrates Elie’s development due to his clear dependence on his father. In the past, Elie has been shown to be a very strong boy, but due to his close contact with his Father, we can infer that he has strengthened his bond with him due to their horrifying situation.

The second realization that Elie had come to with development is the value of sharing your experiences with others, despite social norms. One quote that exhibits this was one found in a rather early part of the memoir. After Josef Mengele’s selection, the Bockalteste was confronted by someone who disagreed with his words, infuriating him, which is demonstrated by the quote “The Blockalteste vented his anger. Someone refused to take his word?” (73). This quote demonstrates Elie’s objection to Silence due to his immense sarcasm when depicting the Blockalteste’s anger. Because of his attitude, it is apparent that he finds his anger overly exaggerated, and possibly wrong. We can also infer that he finds the prisoner’s lack of silence to be rather endearing.

Much like our last lesson, lack of Silence is not only supported by one sole quote. Our last quote that supports this statement is one that can be found in Chapter 6 of Night.
In this section of the book, Eliezer states that "We could again hear the cannons very close by. But we no longer had the strength or the courage to think that Germans would run out of time, that the Russians would reach us before we could be evacuated.” (95). This quote demonstrates Elie’s lack of silence not towards his fellow prisoners in this situation, but more so his lack of silence towards the reader. Due to Elie sharing such intimate details of the prisoners thoughts and feelings that he would not of shared otherwise, it is apparent that he has developed into a much more courageous and fearless man since this experience.

Wiesel, Elie. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

"On A Sunny Evening" Butterfly Poem

"On A Sunny Evening"

On a purple, sun-shot evening
Under wide-flowering chestnut trees
Upon the threshold full of dust
Yesterday, today, and the days are all like these.

Trees flower forth their beauty,
Lovely, too, their very wood all gnarled and old
That I am half afraid to peer
Into thier crowns of green and gold.

The sun has made a veil of gold
So lovely that my body aches.
Above, the heavens shriek with blue
Convinced, I've smiled by some mistake.
The world's abloom and seems to smile.
I want to fly, but where, how high?
If in barbed wire things can bloom
Why couldn't  I? I will not die!

Anonymous

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