Blog Reflection!!!

I am so glad that throughout this year we were able to use blogs to show our feelings about what we read and what others had written.

One of the ways that I really benefited from this experience is how we were asked to comment on other people’s posts. Looking at others’ work helped give me more ideas as to what to do with my reading. For example, book recommendations, ways to look at a nonfiction article, etc.

I think it is really neat that we could use blogs instead of the classic “looseleaf and notebook” approach. Oftentimes, teenagers seem to abuse technological privileges. They say things they would never say aloud while texting and commenting.

Using blog form instead of looseleaf gave us a lot of responsibility-perhaps not as much as belonging to Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media, but still requires a mature outlook on technology/media. Using blogs gave us a significant “technological footprint,” and we had to be careful not to abuse it.

This is a good and bad thing. It means we can learn how not to abuse the power we were given, but there are always the people who purposefully choose to do the wrong thing. I think that (for the most part) throughout this process, we all learned how not to abuse the freedom we were given when it came to the media.

There are many occasions where online, people tend to show forms of themselves that they wish they were. They only post the pictures where they feel they look the “best” while doing the “coolest” thing. It’s almost like showing off. In general, I tried to show how I truly felt about what I was reading on this blog, and I hope my readers could see that.

Wow-this feels much more eventful than I thought it would. I’m having flashbacks to creating our blogs in the computer lab, when I used to use the font that nobody could read, and sitting down at the computer every Saturday or Sunday to write these posts. The combination of thinking about this year (and my time at this school) ending while listening to somewhat sad piano music is getting me quite wistful. I’ve had a fantastic time in this ELA class, and I’m sure that I’m going to use all of the experiences and techniques that I’ve soaked up from class 804 ELA to help me in English and more once I’ve gotten to High School and beyond. Au revoir, Ms. Rear, 804, and MS 51… :(

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis on "Maus" by Art Spiegelman!!!

Authors always find many ways to get their points across-be it flyers, articles, or in this case: graphic novel form. There are many positives to graphic novel form. In “Maus,” Art Spiegelman uses this form very, very well.

First of all, graphic novel form is great because it makes it much more fun for readers to read. No matter how much we deny it, a part of us sighs very quietly when we are forced to sit down and read some sort of educational non-fiction article-I know I’ve done it, and I’m sure that you have too. A book with tons and tons of loud, gory, powerful pictures that really show you a glimpse of what life was like back then is much more entertaining. This is definitely one of the reasons why this book has become such a success. Everyone loves graphic novels!

Second of all, this is a spectacular form because it gives readers a more clear visual. When we read (or at least when I do…), we envision what is going on in the book almost as if there is a little television in our minds that is playing the story through our heads. Sometimes, the way we picture the characters, what they’re wearing, etc., we picture them the way we want to see them. In this form, we can ONLY see things the way Mr. Spiegelman wants us too. We are then awarded with a much clearer visual.

Lastly, this form is very important because the images that we see Pand feelings that we feel stick with us for much longer. I can’t recall pivoting points from the last non-fiction article I read, but I can clearly picture what went on in “Maus” yesterday. The images Spiegelman chooses to show us are incredible. They’re eye-popping, heart-wrenching, and incredibly compelling. Images leave a much stronger, and more lasting impression.

Overall, it is clear to see that graphic novel form is almost one hundred percent positive. The only negative I can think of is that not everyone can draw! Anyway, it is more than clear to see why “Maus” is an incredibly important book, and I think part of that credit deserves to go to the form it was written in.

An action packed beginning in "The Virgin Suicides" by Jeffrey Eugenides!!!!!

I usually find myself at a loss when it comes to starting to write something-even this took me a while to figure out how I wanted to begin! Many authors have different ways that they like to begin, and from what I can tell from “The Virgin Suicides,” Jeffrey Eugenides likes to start off with a big bang! We’re instantly brought into a scene of a young girl sitting in a blood-filled bathtub with slashed wrists, holding on to a picture of the Virgin Mary with all of the small amount of strength left in her. This is not a very warm welcome…

One of the reasons why I think Eugenides uses this technique to begin his book is because he wants to show us fear and build suspense. I like to think of suspense as an escalator-you start at the bottom, and you keep going up, but you can’t back down! We all know that if you try to walk in the opposite direction that the escalator wants to bring you in, you’re just going to look pretty silly. Eugenides wants us to ride his death-marked escalator to the top, until we get there, where the entire story will be presented right in front of us.

Also, I think Eugenides does this because this kind of introduction hits the reader abruptly in the face and says “WAKE UP!!!” For example, if I had started this Blog Post with “There was blood splattered on the floor…” I would have a much more attentive audience than if I had began with “It was 3500 B.C. and the wheel had just been…”. People subconsciously want thrill and action, and that’s exactly what Eugenides gives his readers. it’s hard to look away!

Overall, Eugenides most likely begins his book this way, because it builds suspense and startles readers into attention. Almost as if I said “BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”-But prolonged, so as to build suspense…

Varying Points of View in "The Blood of Olympus"!!!

I’ve found that in the past, I’ve read books in the completely wrong order. For instance, just last year I started the Harry Potter series. Therefore, it doesn’t seem unordinary to me that I’m currently reading “The Blood of Olympus” by Rick Riordan. Actually, I’m glad that I am reading these books now, because I feel that I have a more mature outlook on the texts. For example, in “The Blood of Olympus,” I now notice all the advantages of Varying Points of View.

Varying Points of View can be very helpful for many reasons, but I think Riordan uses this technique mostly so that there can be many different storylines that the reader has the ability to see. For instance, currently, Reyna, Hedge, and Nico are in Pompeii, whereas Percy, Hazel, Leo, and Frank are in Olympia. If Riordan hadn’t used multiple Points of View, we would have no idea what was going on in other countries!

Next, Varying Points of View create a sort of mystical quality. This technique makes it seem like we can sort of zoom in on the book and see whatever scenes we’d like to see. This makes us seem like we’re in charge, which is sort of like an illusion, because clearly, Riordan is in charge. He will show us what scenes/scenarios he would like to show us-no exceptions. Varying Points of View create a sort of magical illusion, making readers feel like they are in charge.

Lastly, Varying Points of View just let the reader experience more of the story. The entire “Heroes of Olympus” series seems like it takes place in about two weeks, but Riordan has stretched the story out into five different books, each with dozens of chapters each told from the Point of View of a different character-Brilliant!

Overall, an author might use Varying Points of View to allow different storylines, to create a mystical quality, and to let the reader experience more of the story. Seeing things through many different lenses can help you view much more!

The Effect of Images in Foreign Books!!!

Having written my last synthesis page (the basis to this blog post) on Flight 45 from Charles de Gaulle to JFK, my writing was heavily influenced by my trip. During my time in Paris, I picked up quite a few foreign books. I speak some French, but different tenses and extensive vocabulary can be very confusing. Images really help!

“Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry is widely considered an incredible French book for children-except it’s actually quite sophisticated. Not only is it incredibly difficult for ME to read word-wise (I can only read it for about ten minutes at a time because it drains so much of my energy), from what little I’ve gotten through, I could really tell that it dwells into some more grown-up themes. For now, my thirteen-year-old (fourteen tomorrow…) self with three years of French under my belt is incredibly thankful for the surplus of images found on virtually every page. In “Le Petit Prince” images help the reader understand major plot points.

“Les Mythes Grecs Illustrés” was a book I thankfully came across searching for Greek Mythology in French. This book was clearly geared for a younger audience (Thank God), so I could read it much better. It also helps that I have a minor obsession with Greek Mythology, so I already knew the stories in the book by heart. One thing that interested me, however, is that the French changed all the names to French-sounding names. Ex: Perseus becomes Persée. Because I already knew the stories, images helped me figure out the minor details.

“Autrefois l’Olympe [Mythes en haïku]” is a book of twenty or so myths, each represented by a single haiku. If you thought reading poetic English was difficult, try poetic FRENCH!!! Reading this, I began to question if I actually spoke any French at all! If it weren’t for the images in this book, I would have had no clue as to what I was reading! In this book, images help readers know what the heck is going on (don’t let that make you not want to read this book it’s really incredible).

Overall, when reading foreign books, images play a vital role in comprehension. I want to go back to Paris now!!!

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis!!! (The Effect of who is Quoted!)

When reading non-fiction, the average reader expects the author to be a completely unbiased blank slate. However, there are many small windows into the author's mind that most readers overlook. One of these windows is who the author chooses to quote. Thomas Sumner chooses to quote the creator of the experiment the article is focused on, and someone whose studies were greatly affected by the experiment. The experiment’s results claim that the decrease in size of the ancient Tethys ocean caused the formation of the Atlantic ocean. Sumner’s choice of sources for his article clearly show his standpoint on the Tethys theory.

First of all, the author quotes Fraser Keppie. Keppie created the experiment. Obviously, Keppie is for the idea that the decrease in size of the Tethys ocean caused the formation of the Atlantic. Keppie’s quotes make up a large portion of the text, which leads the analytical reader to one conclusion. Sumner probably agrees with the Tethys theory as well.

Second of all, the author also quotes Stephen Johnston. Johnston is a geologist at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. He works with the idea of Pangea a lot, so he was clearly affected by the results of Keppie’s experiment. He says “‘Everything we think we know about Pangea is up in the air now.’” Showing how others were affected by this scientific break-through strengthens the idea that Sumner agrees with the Tethys theory.

Overall, it is possible to find some bias when we analyze who the author quotes. Maybe if we analyze more in our lives, we can find what we are looking for!

Character Relationships in "Looking For Alaska"!!!

Everyone knows the feeling of loneliness, and that is exactly what Miles is feeling when he first enters Culver Creek Boarding School. Miles is starting to worry that his social status will be similar to that of his previous school-until he meets Chip (The Colonel). Through The Colonel, Miles (now nicknamed “Pudge”-ironic because Miles is notably skinny) meets Alaska and Takumi. Throughout the book, Miles creates very specific and unique relationships with each of his new friends.

First of all, Miles meets his new roommate: The Colonel. It is more than clear to see that Miles is eternally thankful for The Colonel. The Colonel was Miles’ first friend at Culver Creek, and more-or-less served as Miles’ ticket onto the rollercoaster that is Friendship. Without The Colonel, Miles probably would never have been introduced to Alaska or Takumi, and could very easily be friendless at the Creek! The Colonel serves as a key part of Miles’ life at Boarding School.

Later on, Miles meets Takumi through The Colonel when they are eating dinner together (Bufriedos-yum). Miles spends a pretty normal amount of time with Takumi-at the Smoking Hole, lighting the Firecrackers, etc. However, after the Tragedy, the two start to slip away from each other. This may be because Miles met Takumi last, or because of their omnipresent grief. Miles becomes very estranged from Takumi.

Then comes Alaska. Alaska was introduced to Miles by the Colonel as well, and takes Miles by surprise. Alaska is constantly pessimistic, and always optimistic. Overall, she’s incredibly mystifying. Miles is attracted to her loving side, but with Alaska, you can’t have just one. Alaska confuses everyone, but that’s one of the reasons we just want to read more and more.

Overall, Miles’ interactions with The Colonel, Takumi, and Alaska define him as a character throughout the novel. This comes to show how we as people are shaped by the people around us.

Revision of "Reading Response on 'Faithful Elephants' by Yukio Tsuchiya!!!"

Underneath the tranquil cherry blossom tree, lies a memorial with a sorrowful and twisted story to tell. In “Faithful Elephants,” by Yukio Tsuchiya, multiple symbols are shown in the form of settings to represent the theme. Tsuchiya takes us to a zoo, amidst a time when Japan is plagued by war. The Government requires all zoo animals to be killed, so that in the event that Tokyo is bombed, they can’t escape and run wild around the city. The zoo employees find it particularly difficult to kill the Elephants (these Elephants were one of the more beloved animals at the Ueno Zoo-frequently performing tricks in front of an adoring audience). The warm, sunny cherry blossom petals depicted in the beginning of the story, the elephants’ cage in the middle, and the dark, cold memorial at the end of the story are three significant settings in this heart-wrenching tale. The brilliant Yukio Tsuchiya uses symbolic settings in this story, to show how even the most basic of things can connect to and/or influence our overall feelings/emotions, and eventually be associated with the main idea or theme of a piece of literature.

First of all, the cherry blossoms shown to us at the very beginning of the story are essential because they symbolize peace-an emotion quite adverse to the overall feeling of a tale mostly focusing around war. The text says, “Their petals are falling in the soft breeze and sparkling in the sun.” Tsuchiya uses words like “soft” and “sparkling” to deliver a pleasant, amiable feeling to his readers. These petals elegantly and delicately descend over a memorial built for the animals that had been killed during this war, and show peace towards the lifeless beings. This emblematic setting connects to the ubiquitous theme of war and strife, because the petals show the eerie peace after a lengthy war. These warm, pulchritudinous cherry blossom petals show union and friendship towards the deceased animals and their memorial.

Second of all, the Elephants’ cold, dreary cage is also an important environment. The cage symbolizes gloom, restraint, and hopelessness. In the text, it is mentioned that, “Whenever a keeper walked by [the Elephants’] cage, they would stand up, tottering, as if to beg, ‘Give us something to eat. Please, give us water!’…The once big, strong elephants had become a sad shape.” Words like “tottering”, “beg”, and “sad” form dismal images in readers’ minds. The keepers cannot do anything to help, for it is illegal to allow them to live. This symbolic setting is used to serve as the theme of war, because the cages represent the gloom and lack of hope that dreaded war brings, showing the dark shadow war casts over its violent path of destruction. Also, cages show that there is no escape from strife. The dark cages are yet another important setting used to symbolize war.

Lastly, the somber cherry blossom petals, collapsing on top of the quiet memorial at the very end of “Faithful Elephants”, forms another incredibly important image. It is said in the text, “He was still patting the tombstone tenderly as the cherry blossoms fell on the grave, like snowflakes.” The image of “snowflakes” is a true turning-point to this quotation. Snowflakes are chilling, yet light and zephyrean. This picture is dark and cold, yet in some ways, sweet. When we think of cherry blossoms, we think of warmth, beauty, and peace. However, Yukio Tsuchiya uses this floral-array to represent an unsettling, gloomy, and dark end of his story. The use of cherry blossom petals also relates to the beginning of the piece, although the tone in which the two are presented to the audience is quite contrasting. The emblematic setting of the gloomy cherry blossom petals in the finale of Tsuchiya’s masterpiece is used to represent war and discord by showing that in the end, all must pay the pernicious price that is war.

Overall, Yukio Tsuchiya uses many important, symbolic settings (such as the warm petals, the Elephants’ cold cages, and the dark and dismal petals at the end) as tools to connect to the overall theme/main idea of his work. In our lives, as readers, we can use these symbolic settings to better understand the theme of pieces of literature that we read, so keep an eye out for symbols in the next book you read!

Read the Original Post Here!!!

"The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green and its Title, Cover, and Back Cover!!!

“Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover.” A phrase I’m sure we’ve all heard on countless occasions. However, this omnipresent statement doesn’t stop the majority of readers from setting down a book if it just doesn’t “feel right.” “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green is an excellent example of the kind of book you just want to dive right into (most likely one of the reasons it’s beloved by many). This Bestseller’s Title, Cover, and Back Cover are more than appealing, and really pull in the reader.

First of all, the title is truly the FIRST thing people see when checking out a book. The Fault in Our Stars’ title holds just the perfect balance between catchiness and mysteriousness. Not to mention the easy to remember acronym: TFIOS. A book’s title has truly achieved excellence when it has an acronym. Acronyms are usually put into use once people consistently say the name of a title, and need a quicker way to address the object.

Second of all, even though an entire phrase was created to battle this concept, the cover truly is the “yay or nay” aspect to book searching. Consumers want something memorable. One great aspect of The Fault in Our Stars’ cover is that many positive reviews from well-known critics are printed all over the front. Also, the coloring is a perfect balance of bold and neutral. Covers are very important to checking out a book.

Lastly, a good Back Cover doesn’t seem as essential as its predecessors, but it’s worth its own paragraph. The Back Cover is really the finale to the Consumer’s Reading Experience. Decorating the Back Cover are words in brightly colored artistic fonts. The medium blue background cools the reader, and reminds them of the hardships in this heart-warming novel. The Back Cover needs to reflect back on the pages it protects.

Overall, John Green’s “The Fault in Our Stars” is the perfect example of a catchy Title, interesting Cover, and reflective Back Cover. If these aspects to this novel weren’t enough, the pages in between are beyond incredible. Good Job, John Green!

The use of Footnotes in John Green's "An Abundance of Katherine's"!!!

Footnotes prove to be a very useful tool in John Green’s “An Abundance of Katherine's.” They clarify things, create humor, and sometimes provide vital information. In this book especially, footnotes are an essential part of the author’s craft.
First of all, footnotes can clean up some confusing areas. Frequently, Colin (the protagonist) uses names or words that are unknown to the majority of readers. For example, There’s a reference to someone named John Locke. The author doesn’t explain who John Locke is, but the footnote attached to it says: “A British philosopher and political scientist who could read and write in Latin and Greek before the rest of us can tie our shoes.” Footnotes explain things that would otherwise leave readers confused.
Second of all, Footnotes can create humor. John Green uses this technique frequently. Most footnotes in “An Abundance of Katherine’s” provide an anecdote of a funny story/event etc. For example, the author writes something in French, and following that is the translation: “My name is Pierre. When I go to the metro, I also make fart music.” As you can see, quite humorous! Footnotes in this book frequently provide funny anecdotes.
Lastly, footnotes provide vital information. Colin constantly references historical events, math equations, etc. Footnotes can delve into what he’s talking about. For example, Colin works on a theorem that he hopes will predict the length of a relationship. He tries to describe what he is working on, but it can prove to be very confusing for the average reader. Therefore, he includes footnotes: “To get this variable, Colin took the two people’s average age and subtracted five.” There are many, many footnotes like this one that help the reader visualize/understand what Colin is talking about.
Overall, it is clear to see how in John Green’s “An Abundance of Katherine’s,” footnotes are used to provide clarity, hilarity, and vital information. Footnotes are an enormous part of the author’s craft in this book, and I don’t think that the book would be the same without them. At least for one thing, a lot of people would be very confused!

Praise for Rafaella's Argument Essay!

            Rafaella’s Argument Essay (“Banning YA Books Argument Essay”) was effective and sophisticated. She achieved this “grown-up” tone in many ways.

            First of all, in order to get her point across effectively, Rafaella used a very sophisticated vocabulary. Some “power words” she used are: “…questionable…worrisome…intricate…daunting…gruesome…” and many others. A strong, mature vocabulary makes the reader look at the author on a whole new level. I never hear words like “daunting” come out of Rafaella’s mouth, and it really caught me off guard for a moment! Rafaella’s vocabulary helped create a sophisticated tone.

            Second of all, Rafaella’s use of statistics in her introduction made her seem professional, and brought our attention right to the text. She writes: “There was a daunting total of 307 challenged books reported in 2013, many of these being very popular and considered extremely touching.” We hang on to every word she writes after this, all the way to the conclusion. Statistics are like an attention grabber. Rafaella’s use of statistics makes her seem very professional.

            Lastly, Rafaella’s unique quote choices give her a personal tone. Rafaella consistently uses quotes that relate back to “the average American”-someone’s daily life. For example, “Mother Amy Freeman from Maryland agrees.” We associate ourselves with “Amy Freeman,” and therefore feel as if this essay relates to us, also. By doing this, Rafaella can secretly push her ideas into our brains without us knowing-a very smart technique. Quote choice can be an effective way to deliver your ideas.

            Overall, Rafaella’s essay was truly incredible. Her use of vocabulary, statistics, and quote choice made her seem very “grown-up.” I’ve noticed this sophisticated tone in lots of her writing, and I think it’s really great. I’m going to try to incorporate some of this maturity in my own writing. Personally, I disagree with Rafaella’s opinion (I believe that YA books should be free of all restraint), but the techniques she used to get her point across really swayed my views. I can easily tell why Rafaella’s argument essay was chosen as one of the “All-Star Argument Essays!” Good job!

Click here to see her Essay!!!

Non-Fiction Critical Analysis!!!

Sometimes, we’re shown someone’s opinion without even realizing it. However, other times, it is clear what the author(s) are trying to say. In “Packaging Boyhood” by Lyn Mikel Brown, Sharon Lamb, and Mark Tappan, and “Packaging Girlhood” by Sharon Lamb and Lyn Mikel Brown, the authors get their points across very clearly. The authors use many techniques to get their points across.

First of all, the authors show statistics to clearly get their points across. Some statistics include: “These [inappropriate] tees account for 20 percent of T-Shirt Hell’s sales,” and “90 percent of sex education classes don’t cover [sex terms that kids soak in through the media],” and many others.  Based solely on these statistics, it’s clear to see that the authors are against the media and the stereotypes it produces. Statistics show that something was proven, and therefore their opinion has valid evidence. Statistics help the authors get their points across.

Second of all, persuasive language/loaded words help the authors get their points across. The authors use persuasive language such as: “questionable”, “phony”, and “unfair” to sway the readers’ opinions of the quotes or statistics towards their point of view. Words like “questionable” put us under the illusion that the source isn’t credible or doesn’t have truthful evidence. Words like “phony” and “unfair” just bluntly show us the authors’ opinions, which can still be an effective persuasion technique.

Lastly, the authors effectively use punctuation and text formatting (italicizing etc.) to their benefit. Examples of this include: “the way they choose contestants,” (“they” meaning the media) and “boys and girls are seen as “types” and often cruelly judged.” These techniques clearly show how the authors doubt or dislike the formatted/punctuated terms. They also let the reader in on the authors’ crafts, showing us their opinions. Punctuation and text formatting isolate key topics.

Overall, In “Packaging Boyhood” and “Packaging Girlhood,” the authors use many techniques to help get their points across. If we paid more attention to how we state our arguments, then maybe we’ll win our next disagreements!