LASTTTT BLOGGG =]

For my last blog I will be saying what I will be doing for my final presentation, which is tomorrow. Megan is presenting before me, and then it is my turn. I will be informing the class what I have been working on this marking period, starting with the threee novels I read to what I wrote my research paper on. All students will be looking at my blog and evaluating it. Then, I will have them participate in a mini lesson on memoirs. They will click on the links I have provided that describe how to write one. Students will be required to pretend they had to write a memoir and will be writing a paragraph out of their "book." When everyone is finished, I will be collecting them and reading them over to choose to best ones. The few that are selected will be shown on my blog, as if they were from the students that I created the blog for.

FINAL PROJECT!

Last week, we finished our research papers, so I have been concentrating on my final project. I have changed my idea; instead of writing an actual love story, I am creating a blog that has a unit plan in it. This unit plan will span over a month and is about Nicholas Sparks. All "students" will be required to read 2 out of 3 of the books that I am reading for my final project and follow the unit plan that I am creating. Unlike most unit plans, this one will be created on blogger.com , so no paper is wasted and it can be easily accessed.

In my blog, I will be including pictures, RSS Feeds, links, polls, etc. I just started working on it, and the link to the website is right here . Each post will be a new lesson, but each lesson can span multiple days. I will be presenting my final project on the first day, Thursday, May 29th. Although I may not be finished, I will still have material to present and acitivities to engage the class with. I look forward to finishing my final project and getting the presentation out of the way.

THE LAST WEEK!

Last week, I worked very hard on my paper so I could finish a rought draft and have a somewhat finished project to edit this week. Although it was difficult at times to portray my ideas in writing, I managed to express my points in a way that I feel is sufficient. I made sure to use my published sources to back up my personal opinions, just to ensure that the research paper is strong and all my ideas are supported.

This week, since the paper is due on Friday, I am obviously going to finish editing it and putting on the final touches. I am currently working on my sources cited page, and I am constantly reading over my paper to ensure that it is the best of my ability and it reads the way I want it to. While doing this, I am also reading The Choice, which is my third Nicholas Sparks novel.

Seven Weeks To Go

With seven weeks left of our senior year, we really are almost done. At this point, I have been working on my research paper and will have the introduction and the first two body paragraphs done for Wednesday. Since Wesnesday is our "peer editing" day, I want to have at least those three paragraphs done, since I feel as if that is a signficant amount of the paper to start to get my point through. I always like to have another pair of eyes look at my paper, especially before I have written the rest.

Last week I was having trouble choosing a topic to write my research paper on. I could not find enough published sources to back up my thesis, so I had to completely change my subject. I decided to write my paper on how Nicholas Spark's life experiences affected his writing, whether in the plot of his stories, or even his writing style. I feel as if I can have a strong thesis with this topic and still find published research to back up my ideas.

A blog on the book I'm currently reading (The Choice)

FAQ

Back on Track...?

So, this past week has been our spring break, but I am happy to say that I finished two out of my three novels by Nicholas Sparks. I finished the second one, Nights in Rodanthe, in basically one plane ride. Although I enjoyed Message in a Bottle more than the other novel, I can safely say that both were really great. They were what I expected, and more.

As I read through my novels, I began to wonder what aspects I am going to focus on in my research paper, as well as in my final project. Reading them is certainly helping me understand what makes a true love story. Sparks is a phenominal author who in my opinion, writes the best love novels I have ever read. They never lack any details and always surprise me with their twists.

This week, since I have been concentrating on actually reading the novels, I am going to start writing my research paper. Like Mr. Saxon said, I would love to get it out of the way and be one less thing to worry about. I will be brainstorming what I want to focus on in my research paper. I'm thinking I might want to write it on what makes a love story a quality story, or maybe some aspect about Spark's life that influenced him, particularly his writing style.

Here are some valuable websites that I consider using in my research paper:
this one includes actual interviews with Sparks throughout his writing career
the latest about his novels
information on Spark's life

4th Marking Period - We're Almost There...

So, we have finally made it to fourth marking period, and this time things are going to be a little different. As we are allowed to choose a topic of interest to research and create a final project on, I have decided that I want to do something with Nicholas Sparks's novels. Sparks has always been one of my favorite authors because his books have always seemed to surprise and intrigue me. My favorite novel, A Bend in the Road, was the best mystery/love story I have ever had my hands on. I cannot describe how amazing this novel was, but I finished it in a day, which is definitely saying something. Here is a link that details the plot of A Bend in the Road.

Over the previous week, I have been searching for classics that Nicholas Sparks has written and seeing how people liked them. I have decided upon reading three novels, including A Message in a Bottle (one of his earliest and definitely a classic), Nights in Rodanthe (my mom said it was to die for), and one of the newer books, The Choice. These three novels seemed to have interesting plots that I hope, yet know that I will enjoy.

At first I was wondering what I could actually do with these novels. What can I create after reading them? But I have finally decided upon writing my own short love story/novel. In my opinion, Sparks is the ultimate romantic, and from reading some of his works, I hope to gain some insight into writing my own. I know I will have to do more than just read the books; in order to create my final project, I will have to research how to write short stories, as well as love stories.

My plan for the week is to continue reading A Message in the Bottle and to research and learn more about Sparks's style and way of writing. I will also be working on my PIP, which stands for personal improvement plan, since it is the basic guideline of our project. I believe I have good plan or at least a basis of how to start and carry over my ideas for the fourth marking period.

Here are some valuable websites that I believe will help me in the future:
novels written by Nicholas Sparks
how to write a short story

A Moment to Remember

It feels absolutely AMAZING to have finished all three of my novels, as well as three projects. You know what this means? Only one more project to go! And only one blog post, too! It really is exciting news that this marking period is coming to a close and we can happily enjoy our senioritis of the fourth marking period...hopefully.

Anyway, I decided to write my last post about the symbolism of sunflowers in the novel. Yes, the book is called The Sunflower, but there is more meaning behind the title than one can simply hear. Sunflowers represent a rememberance for all the dead Germans. These flowers act as markers on the graves and display to the world the massive amounts of deaths that occured from the Holocaust.

Simon Wiesenthal seems to be intrigued by the idea of marking their graves with sunflowers. He himself envies the dead soldiers who have the ability to be remembered, even after their death. The only reason he is jealous of the Germans is because he fears that his grave will go unnoticed and bare. It is his worst fear, besides of course living in the Nazi concentration camps, that he will be forgotten. He does not want his grave to bare no flower. I find this idea to be rather interesting. I get that Wiesenthal longs to be remembered, even long after his death, but if he has a flower on his grave, will that make him any more of a memorable person? I understand it is more the idea than the actual flower, yet Simon should think logically. The sunflowers will not cause people to remember the soldiers any more than their grave will.


This idea of sunflowers got me thinking, so I looked up the actual meaning behind a sunflower. This website says that, "No flower can lift spirits like sunflowers can." Another wesbite states, "The sunflower flower promises power, warmth, nourishment..." Was this the reasoning behind marking the graves with sunflowers? Were the flowers supposed to lift anyones feelings or contribute power to anyone? Honestly, I think their appearance had more to do with it. But, yes, the idea that each dead soldier gets a sunflower upon his or her grave is a nice thought. But will it change anything in the long run? I highly doubt it.

Change of Story ---> The Sunflower

So, I have decided to change my novel from Herland to The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal. Although I have read numerous (rather, too many to count) novels about the Holocaust, I had a feeling this one would be a little different. I am about 55 pages into the story, but I still have yet to connect with it. Yes, the novel is different because it presents an unusual scenario, yet for me, the plot is nothing special. The story has not caught my complete and undivided attention so far.

As I was reading, I came across a line in the novel that described the SS as, "...the winner in this game of hide-and-seek with death." I thought this particular line was very effective and describes the Holocaust accurately. One can think of the Holocaust as a game where the "players" hide from the enemy in order to escape death, yet for the most part, none of these players make it out alive. It is extremely sad to think that an event as dreadful and horrifying as the Holocaust has actually occured in the past and left millions alone and devastated. If you want to watch a sad, yet accurate video, check out the link in this paragraph. It features the song "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap.

The narrator in the story brings up an interesting point that God must have "been on leave" in order for such a horrible event to happen. How else could He allow something so destructable to happen to the world? All throughout hebrew school, as well as regular school, I have learned about this horrible event and have seriously questioned how the Holocaust could have occured. Didn't God care enough about the Jews to not let them be treated this way? How could he allow the death of over 11 million people to happen? Obviously, no one knows for sure, but I think the idea that he was on leave is an interesting way to look at such an event. I know my friend used to believe this theory when she was younger. What other possible reason was there for God to allow such a disaster?

As I read on, I came to a part I knew would come in the novel. This part entails the horrible treatment of the Jews. It portrays them as inhumane and shows how they were not even thought of us as real people by the Germans and officials. This quote was said by a leader who had been ruined by the Holocaust. He states, "You and your sensitive feelings! Men, you cannot go on like this. This is war! One must be hard! They are not our people. The Jew is not a human being! The Jews are the cause of all our misfortunes! And when you shoot one of them it is not the same thing as shooting one of us - it doesn't matter whether it is a man, woman, or child, they are different from us. Without question one must get rid of them. If we had been soft we should still be other people's slaves, but the Fuhrer..."

A New Venture into HER LAND

I have yet to start Herland, as I am taking a few days break before I start to read another novel, yet I have heard all about how it is a feminist utopian story, or at least Gilman's vision of this type of world. I remember reading a book in middle school about a utopian society. This book, The Giver by Lois Lowry, was one of my favorites at the time, so I hope I enjoy Herland just as much.

For anyone who has not read the Giver, it is a science fiction novel set in the future about a utopian society. As the story unfolds, the readers see how this society can be seen as dystopic or anti-utopian. The society Jonas lives in is supposed to be one with no pain, emotions, or feelings. He is given the position of "Receiver of Memory" and soon finds out how shallow and ridiculous this type of life is.

I find the idea of a utopian society as a very interesting, yet ridiculous thought. How can one live in a world where everything is perfect and there is nothing to worry about? Dictionary.com defines a utopia as "an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects." How can one live and survive in a perfect world without wars, conflicts, or any hardships? The thought to me is absolutely absurd.

Although the term "utopia" is most commonly associated with a positive connotation, there are many different kinds, some with a negative connotation. Dystopia represents a repressive world, while eutopia is a positive utopia. Along with those, comes heterotopia, meaning the "other place." This type of utopia is a mix of utopian escapism and real-life possibilities. I bet you didn't know there were this many different types of utopias.

In simple terms, a utopia strives for the best life possible for everyone in the society. This philosophy tries to unite all people for "good and noble actions." Do you think this could ever be a realistic idea? How could this world change from a violent and constantly fighting territory to a perfect place where everyone is united? I just don't see how this could be possible.

Anyway, many authors seem to find this idea interesting as well because they seem to be writing numerous novels about it. Visit this link to check out books written about utopian societies.

A Classic Love Story

Like Water for Chocolate was definitely a good pick for my second book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It is not one of those books where the story starts off very boring and is painful to continue. I can honestly say that this novel kept my attention throughout; it never ceased to amaze me what twists would be thrown in. Saying that, I agree with all of the reviewers who call this novel a "wondrous romantic tale." Like Water for Chocolate is a dramatic and affectionate love story that really touches the heart.

One reason I particularly enjoyed this book was because it was not predictable at all. I never knew what to expect or who Tita would end up with. Andy Lau, Hong Kong pop star, commented that he hasn't, "...seen a good love story in years." Well, I think he should check out Like Water for Chocolate at his local Blockbuster because this heart-throbbing story will surely change his mind.

I admire Laura Esquirel as an author because she has created a true love story that has grabbed my attention. USA Today called it, "a mystical Mexican love story that will charm the palate and the heart." As I read numerous reviews of the novel, I wondered what makes a great love story? In my research, I found that there must be a yearning for one another, as well as a hardship that comes between them. It is obvious that there is a yearning between Tita and Pedro. Those two love birds want each other like no one I have seen before. There are numerous hardships Tita has to endure before she can have the love of her life; there is Mama Elena's strict policy of no marriage and the fact that he is already married to her older sister! There has to be the element of the two getting torn apart before things get better. Pedro is literally taken from Tita, after he confesses his love for her. Their relationship gets plenty worse before it becomes better. The story should have a moral, such as good things come to those who wait. Tita, just as well as Pedro, waited long and hard for a time where they could finally be together. I believe this moral pertains to the novel, as well. There must also be sorrow. Page one begins with Tita crying (from onions, shh). No, but seriously, this book is filled with sad events and unfortunate happenings from Tita's hatred of her mother to the sadness she feels when her lover marries her sister. These are many of the aspects necessary for a story to be considered a great love novel.

If you enjoy love stories, then check out this link. It is filled with touching and inspirational stories of lovers. Google provides a list of Sixteen Timeless Tales of Romance if you are interested in some classics.

See, there are some classics, and then there are just stupid videos making fun of true love stories.

There is one part of the novel toward the end that sticks out to me and proves that Like Water for Chocolate is definitely a love story. ---> "Because this love is one of the truest loves I've ever seen. Pedro and you have both made the mistake of trying to keep the truth a secret, but it will come out in time...You have no choice but to stand up for the truth, right now." Gertrudis gives this advice to Tita because she understands and sees the love between them. Tita has been denying it because she does not want to hurt her sister, but Gertrudis knows that the truth is always better and she wants her sister to be happy with Pedro because he deeply cares for her.

Like Water for Chocolate

I am about halfway through the novel Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquirel, and I just started reading it only a few days ago. I would suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a simple and flowing novel, yet one that still has a strong and passionate story within it.

Like Water for Chocolate is truly a love story. It is engaging, and it always leaves me wanting to read more (something I cannot say about too many novels I have read in school). Tita, the protagonist, is a young woman who longs for love in a society where being the oldest daughter does not allow her to marry. Her job for her entire life is to care to her mother's wishes and desires. Unlike her other siblings, she is not allowed to love. When Pedro, a man who Tita is very interested in, asks Mama Elena, Tita's mother, for her daughter's hand in marriage, Mama Elena will not hear anything of it. She simply suggests that he marry her other daughter, Rosaura. Tita's life becomes a living hell when they get married and have a son because Tita is still madly in love with Pedro, just as he longs for her companionship.

While reading this novel, I began to think what I would do if my mother denied me of love and marriage. I guess just like Tita, I would have to pursue something that interested me tremendously in order to stay sane and busy. I love to play tennis and swim, so if I were in the position Tita was in, I would definitely spend most of my time enjoying my hobbies. For Tita, this interest is cooking.Tita obeys her mother's rules and continues to be at her hands and knees whenever she needs assistance. The only thing that can save her from a life of misery from her mother and without Pedro is cooking. Besides her intense passion for Pedro, Tita has a love for cooking elaborate dishes. What keeps running through my head as I continue to read the book is how ridiculous an idea this is to deny someone of having a significant other and loving. It seems so unfair and irrationional to me.

Although I feel as if I have empathy for Tita, I do not believe anyone can feel her heart-throbbing pain unless it is experienced firsthand. Here is a story of a precious lost love. Maybe this story can help you understand what Tita has to endure.

I find this story to be very uniquely written, which is part of the reason I am really enjoying reading it. I like how Esquirel incorprorates recipes into the novel, since cooking is a very important aspect of the story. Here is a link of my favorite recipe.


"My grandmother had a very interesting theory; she said that each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can't strike them all by ourselves; just as in the experiment, we need oxygen and a candle to help. In this case, the oxygen, for example, would come from the breath of a person you love; the candle could be any kind of food, music, caress, word, or sound that engenders the explosion that lights one of the matches...that fire, in short, is its food." - Like Water for Chocolate

I incorporated this quote because it shows the comparison between love and food, which is one strong connection evident in this novel. It also is said by John, the family doctor, who ran away with Tita in order to save her from a life of hardship and pain. I think this quote is very poetic and describes the relationship between John and Tita, as well as Tita and cooking.

Want a quick preview of the novel? Click this link.

Do blondes really have more fun?

Everyone has heard of the expression "Blondes have more fun," but is it really true? This stereotype came to mind when I was reading The Bluest Eye. I thought of how Pecola would do anything to obtain the desired blue eyes just because she thought they would make her pretty. Just as blue eyes is considered the "norm" in the novel, blondes are known to have more fun in this day and age.

ABC News wrote an article about blondes that displayed their results from certain polls and research . A poll taken in 2007 confirms the stereotypical statement is true. 55% of men agree that they would prefer a blonde over a brunette because they are more fun. Marriage, on the other hand, is a different story. As wives, men seek women with darker hair.

It is truly sad that our society is based upon these stereotypes, just as it is in The Bluest Eye, yet they seem to prove true. The number of women who decide to dye their hair blonde has shot up a tremendous 413%. Are people really that desperate to join the stereotype? Apparently, the answer is yes. At least Pecola has a legitimate, yet unrealistic reason as to why she wants blue eyes. She longs for something to make her look beautiful; she cannot take the abuse from everyone, especially from members of her own race. Pecola is only asking for something to end all of her problems, yet people these days are changing to "have more fun."

This video by Matt Voss makes fun of the stereotype. Want a laugh? Just click the link.

Returning the love

As I am reading "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison, I realize, as I had expected, the abuse and torment that the Blacks take from the whites. Especially since this novel is written from the perspective of an African American, I knew that the theme of racism and hatred would be prevalent. What I did not expect to see was the harsh attitude of some Blacks to others of their own race. I figured as a community, they would want to stay together and do whatever they feel is necessary to feel at home and confortable; yet, various characters throughout the novel are cruel to one another. For example, Cholly, the main character's father, gets caught by white hunters with a woman, yet he has no hatred for the men, only his black companion. He never considered, "directing his hatred toward the hunters...they were big, white, armed men. He was small, black, helpless." As I read in an analysis,some people try to, "reduce the(other)person," by giving them the "look." All in all, they are taking out their anger of the way they are being treated by doing the same to others. How does this help a community get stronger, let alone make them feel better about themselves?

In the "Bluest Eye," most characters accept that they are treated as the "others." They understand their position and where they stand in the white community, yet they still feel the need to do the same right back to others. Pecola is an excellent example of this abuse. Individuals such as Pecola who are intern "invisible" are looked down upon, even at times by their own race. It is sad that her beauty, "cannot be perceived," so she feels useless and ugly, which is why she has the desire to not be perceived by others. She has a hatred towards herself which is ironic considering her last name is Breedlove.


TCNJ view on The Bluest Eye

YouTube The Bluest Eye ending

The Bluest Eye

Today we got to choose our first book for the marking period. I chose "The Bluest Eye" by Toni Morrison because I have been told it is a real "tear jerker," as well as a very well-written book. I started the first chapter, but have yet to get far enough in it to make a judgement of the story to come. I look forward to reading it and see if it lives up to everyone's standards.

beginner!

I think this is a pretty cool way to incorporate technology into a lesson plan. So, using this blog will take place of handing in written assignments. I look forward to using this blog to express my feelings, whether it be on events going on in the world today or how I feel about a certain book I am reading.