Welcome to four ninth grade Pine Point students blog! We will be posting essays, poems and all sorts of English related things on this blog.
Enjoy!
Ceilie, Timmy, Lydia, Sarah
Showing posts with label Sarah's Essays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah's Essays. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sarahs LAST ESSAY =]
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
26 May 2009
Reminiscing on the Past:
An Essay on Two Poems and Pine Point School
“Five years […], five summers, […] five long winters.” What would you do if you returned to your old school, and it was abandoned? What would you do if you didn’t remember anything about your old school, and when you did, you didn’t care in the least? If I was to visit Pine Point in five years I would probably have the same reaction as William Wordsworth when he visited his beloved, enchanted place- Tintern Abbey.
TS In the poem “Tintern Abbey,” by William Wordsworth, one strong theme is painted into his writing- reminiscing. SD “The day [had] come when [he]” decided to revisit his serene and secluded church. CM Five years had blinded him from his enchanted place, five years grew unwanted grass on the floors, five years abandoned this once famous church. CM “Through a long absence,” his once get-away-escape had transformed from a beautiful, blessed church, to a bare, roofless estate. SD Wordsworth had never truly forgotten about Tintern Abbey, but thinking about those five years that had already passed in which he didn’t visit the church, made him think. CM He would visit the church to get away from everything- to escape from his busy, bustling life [Alliteration]. ÇM He remembers the “feelings […] of unremembered pleasure” that the church and the luscious [FAST] nature around it would vent off, and wishes he would have kept to his tradition of visiting this majestic [FAST] place. CS Sure Wordsworth cannot rewind the last five years and keep to his promise towards the Tintern Abbey, but at least he was able to remember and feel the same tranquil feeling as he did five years ago.
TS Five years from now I hope to come to Pine Point to not only find all of my old teachers, but I want to be able to sit on Doc’s creaky couch, play basketball on the squeaky gym floor, play bongos in Ms. Lozis’s room, and I want to be able to dance across the ever so famous stage. SD All of these places have so much meaning and many memories [Alliteration] built into them. CM “The day [will] come when I [make my voyage back to Pine Point] again [and] repose here.” CM If I was to return and see no stage, no Mr. T, no gym, and no couch or bongos, I would be devastated beyond my capacity. SD Reminiscing on the past would be the only thing that will keep this school alive in my memory, and like Wordsworth, I will have to treasure what’s left of the beauteous landmark even “[t]hough changed, no doubt, from what [it] was.” CM I have been at Pine Point for twelve years and, truthfully, this school just isn’t the same- the Big Toy isn’t lying in the pebbles and the Black Top isn’t being played on anymore [Loose Sentence]. CM After going through these hard changes I’ve learned that changes can be for the better, but you must always prize [FAST] those fond memories you’ve had. CS All of the changes that will happen at Pine Point will be for the better, and we must learn not to carry “the heavy and […] weary weight” of being stuck in the past.
TS In the poem “The Writer” by Richard Wilbur, it has many of the same themes and virtues [FAST] as Wordsworth does in “Tintern Abbey.” SD “[Wilbur] remember[s] the dazed starling[,] which was trapped in that very room” and was “humped and bloody.” CM This small remembrance stayed fastened in his memories- the “iridescent creature” flies through his thoughts. SD One day he “hear[s] […] a commotion of type-writer keys” from his daughter’s bedroom and it brings him back to the very day “the dazed starling” entered his heart. CM Every pause his daughter made brought him back to when he doubted the bird’s health and boldness [FAST]. CM Every swipe of the type-writer brings him back to that vivid scene in his mind, almost as though he is portraying his daughter as the “iridescent creature.” CS This “starling” has taught Wilbur to never give up on himself, no matter how tough the situation. CS2 Even if a vivid scenery in his mind has changed overtime into his daughters life, he must learn to trust her bravery and freedom and let her “lift[] off from [his memories] […and] beat a smooth course for the right window.”
Small, pointless objects found anywhere can trigger my memory of Pine Point School. I hope to never lose any of the lessons I’ve learned here or any of the memories I’ve made here. I know that Pine Point will change immensely [FAST] over the next few years, but I hope to be like Wordsworth- come back to this wondrous place and take in all of the fond memories I’d had there. “Nor wilt thou then forget, that after many wanderings, many years of absence, [this school] were to me more dear, both for themselves and for thy sake!”
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Self Assessment
1.) In this essay I was working on sticking to the point, and using the tools efficiently. I normally stick in tools out of place, or stick them in incorrectly. In this essay, I just wrote it through and picked out tools I thought worked.
2.) I liked my extra credit body paragraph. I think I used brief quotes accordingly and styed on focus. I also liked my opening paragraph- using two questions will keep the reader thinking.
3.) My weakness in this essay would have to be my concluding paragraph. I had a hard time summarizing everything, since there was so much material.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Sarah Essay 20
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
19 May 2009
Forgetting, Regretting:
An Essay on a Passage, a Garden Stone and My Life
Everything and everyone goes through transformation at some given moment. May it be a physical transformation or a mental transformation, it’s constantly happening- a girl transforming into a woman, minerals transforming into a garden stone, words transforming into a passage. Everyday we are trasnforming our character and personality, turning transformation into a daily task [Participle Phrase]. Rainer Maria Rilke, a famous German poet, has undergone transformation every step of the way, and so have I.
TS Every day we undergo some sort of change- no matter what we are doing, we are transforming our lives. SD In Rainer Maria Rilke’s first passage, he says that “all that is good is transformation and all that is bad as well.” CM Transformation does not discriminate against anyone or anything, it just does its job and moves on [Personification]. CM In our everyday lives, our moral decisions can either transform us into a better person, or transform us into something different. CM Your life’s future “depends so much on your [decisions,]” even when you don’t know “[what is] about to happen next.” SD He also states that “ as long as it happened within him, in his center, […] then he [] has nothing else to fear […]” CM Meaning, if he makes an immoral decision and it transforms him to be something different then what he expected, it is neither good or bad, as long as he chose from the heart. CM As long as his heart led him through the tedious [FAST] process of elimination, he has transformed to better himself. CS “When things sense our avid interest,” we tend to pull back from them. CS2 Next time, just go with the flow- let your heart lead you, and transform you into who you are.
TS The similarities between the lifeless, dull stone and the vivid, intelligent writing from Rilke, are not so obvious when looking at it for the first time [Antithesis]. SD The garden stone lies on the English table with no worries, no doubts, no troubles, no emotions, [Tetracolon Climax] but inside lies so much more than that. CM Inside, a complex world of unknown is to be found- a world that was “transformed” over the years into a magnificent garden stone. CM A buildup of minerals and a buildup of love transform this stone into a beauteous mark in a garden. SD When people see stones they don’t admire its beauty or admire its long journey it has went through, but judge on its outer layer. CM The stone then has no time to “reveal [its’] essence,” and people continue walking by. CM People don’t have that “avid interest” to stop for a moment and enjoy the true essence of the stone. CS Stones “are all that they can be” and can transform a dull garden into a masterpiece, but the world hasn’t seen this yet.
TS My mother once said, “don’t stay stuck on [one] situation, forget about it for now, and remember it for the future,” meaning to never forget what one has said and done to you. SD This quote, “it does not matter whether he then forgets or remembers,” contradicts with my mother’s quote. CM Rilke thinks that if one was “fully present” during a situation, then it does not matter if they forget or remember what had happened. CM I strongly disagree with this [Wanted Fragment]. CM Even if someone is “fully present” during a situation, that isn’t enough. SD You mustn’t hold a grudge to anyone or anything, but by never forgetting something shows that you’ve learned a significant matter from the circumstance. CM By never forgetting you can hold it closely to you when a matter comes at hand, and it could teach you right from wrong. CM By never forgetting, it shows that you truly were “fully present” and that you care about it immensely [Fast, Purposeful Repetition]. CS So when you get caught in between two matters don’t just let one go, dig down into your past and reminisce on what’s right and wrong.
Forgetting and Regretting, our minds constantly resort to these things [Participle]. If something bad was to happen to you, would you void [FAST] it and forget it, or would you absorb its’ tasteful knowledge and learn from it [Personification]? My mother would tell you“[not to] ever forget or regret, remember it for the future-“these words of wisdom have transformed me into the young woman I am today. As for Rilke, he should learn that forgetting isn’t always key, and as for the garden stone, it shall stay transforming until it becomes the best it can be.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:27 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Monday, May 4, 2009
Sarah Essay 19
English 09
Sarah Shourds
Hamilton Salsich
4 May 2009
"One Sweet Day:"
An Essay on Two Poems and My Life
Death can be a hard topic for anyone to understand. Not only is it painful to lose someone, but it’s difficult to comprehend where they may be going, if anywhere. Emily Dickinson doesn’t understand the topic very well, but Naomi Shihab Nye can guide her with some wisdom in her poem “Adios”. In the song “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey and Boys to Men speak of the importance of a goodbye, and what It means to have lost someone without saying it. All of these relate to parting in many ways.
TS Parting is not an easy topic to conceive [FAST], and in the poem “My Life Closed Twice,” Ms. Dickinson doesn’t quite seem to understand it’s concept either. SD She speaks of “[her] life [that has] closed twice,” and how death is “so hopeless to conceive.” CM Maybe Dickinson has faced a near death experience, or a family death, and didn’t know how to handle it. CM Maybe Dickinson couldn’t figure out a way to open the door back into her life, and just couldn’t accept the hidden truth- death has seeped into her life. SD “Parting is all we know of heaven and all we need of hell.” CM This is a very strong statement, with a very unclear meaning. CM It's simply saying that there is somewhere for everyone to go. CM May it be the nirvana everyone imagines, or the deep roots of evil, there is somewhere for everyone [Loose Sentence]. SD Even though she has been through death, she doesn’t quite know how to handle it. CM The word “parting” itself is “so huge [and] so hopeless [for her] to conceive”. CM “It yet remains [for her] to see,“ that death isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a test to see if you fully understand how to let go. CS Because of her background, devotion to life, and lack of knowledge to the word “death,” Dickinson doesn’t understand the full meaning of a goodbye [Periodic Sentence].
TS In the poem “Adios” by Naomi Shihab Nye, she speaks of multiple ways to deal with goodbyes. SD Ms. Nye first says “[to] use it.” CM Hearing goodbye from someone can be quite difficult, but if you let that goodbye seep into your pores, and use it’s power to its full extent, you can change it’s power for your benefit. CM You can make a goodbye turn into a hello; if a friend says goodbye to you and never comes back, it opens a door to a new friendship with a new person [Periodic Sentence]. CM “Some[one] that said adios to you before knew what it meant” and “[knows] how long it was for,” so don’t let it get you down. SD Ms. Nye also says “[to] strap it to your back like wings”. CM A goodbye may bring you down and make you feel heavy, but Ms. Nye thinks you should make it like a “kite”- let it soar through the sky. CM Don’t let it weigh you down, but “rise out of sight” and bring the good out of your goodbye. CS Ms. Nye see’s the good in all situations, and thinks you should too. CS2 If someone says goodbye to you, don’t let that door close to your friendship- always know another door will open.
TS In the song “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boys to Men, the pair sing about dying, and how “one sweet day” they “[will] be together.” SD Mariah say’s “sorry I never told you all I wanted to say[,] and now its too late to hold you, ‘cause you’ve flown away.” CM Unlike Ms. Nye, the pair have not learned how to say goodbye. CM They “never imagined living without [each other because] it keeps [them] alive.” SD Saying goodbye was the hardest part for them, but “[losing] so many friends along the way” helped ease her pain. CM It helped Mariah realize that he‘s “shining down on [her] from heaven” and helped her “look to a brighter day”. CM “Although the sun will never shine the same again,“ she has learned to say “goodbye” to him, because they will “eventually be together.“ CS If Ms. Nye was to give Mariah any words of wisdom, she would say this- “lessons follow[] lessons [and] silence follow[s] sound,” meaning the lessons she learned in life, like “[losing] so many friends along the way,” will help her get through his death, and later on, she will be able to say hello to him again.
As I think of the grief, and unfortunate events in my life, many things floated through my head- I must remember that my family members are in a better place and that a final “goodbye” could lead to a “hello” later on [loose sentence]. We must all learn to say “goodbye,” learn that death has an unclear, mysterious definition, and that no matter where you are, someone is watching you from heaven, guiding you with a light through your life. Goodbye’s will come when you least expect it, and you must know what to do when they do show up at your front door step. Learning to say “adios” will help you move on, forget the past, and start all over.
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Self Assessment
What are the strong points in this essay?
Despite what Ceilie said in my comments, I liked the quotes in the third paragraph. I think they fit in where they needed to be and helped the paragraph flow. I did take some out so it wasn't so "choppy," but otherwise I think they worked nice.
What was the hardest part of this assignment?
I think relating the word "parting" to Emily Dickinsons poem was very difficult. The poem itself was very confusing, and it was challenging to comprehend.
My Grade- B
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 7:33 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sarah Essay 18
Sarah Shourds
Hamilton Salsich
English 09
27 April 2009
Simple and Complex Kindness:
An Essay on One Poem, One Story, and My Personal Life
Do you know where your kindness came from? Do you think everything can obtain kindness, even in the simplest forms? Kindness is everywhere from telling the truth, to making a mistake. In the poem “Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye, the short story “Winter Dreams” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and in my own life, kindness is found in simple and complex forms.
TS In the poem “Kindness” by Naomi Shihab Nye, she conveys her own thoughts of the definition of kindness. SD “Before you know what kindness really is[,] you must lose things [.]” CM In this quote, Ms. Nye says that you must undergo sorrow to fully grasp the meaning of kindness. CM “Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.” CM You must know that in order to obtain kindness, you have to have basic background information on its opposite- sorrow. SD If Ms. Nye could give any advice to Dexter, she would tell him to let his sorrows go, because once he is free from that burden, he can get a hold of his kindness and happiness. CM She would tell him that the pain he’s suffered is good, and that it’s a good basis layer for his heart, because kindness won’t always be there to “tie[] your shoes,” or hold your head up high when you need it most. CM Kindness will find its way to you once you really know the true meaning. CS Perhaps Nye would applaud Dexter, for knowing “how desolate the regions of kindness” can be, and tell him that he will now have a better chance at finding “[someone he has] been looking for.”
TS In the poem “Kindness,” Ms. Nye speaks of “what kindness really is [and how] you must lose things” to get its full meaning. SD In “Winter Dreams,” Dexter is no stranger to losing things. CM He’s lost the love of his life, his courage and his self confidence. CM The sum of losing all of these things has not led him to happiness or kindness, but makes him think about what made him happy and kind. SD In the end of the story, Dexter was miserable [FAST] and didn’t know what to do with himself, but there was some candle that burned inside of him. CM One flickering light that still had some fluid in it- Judy. CM He remembers “her confidence,” her sweet voice, her eyes gazing into his and her smile [Tetracolon Climax]. CM It was Judy’s happiness and kindness that led Dexter to love her, and it was her happiness and kindness that led Dexter to his state of unhappiness now. CS Dexter’s life hasn’t ended just yet- he’s on a rollercoaster full of emotions that “will never stop,” “learn[ing] the tender gravity of kindness.”
TS My life relates to both “Kindness” and “Winter Dreams,” but in two different ways. SD In “Winter Dreams,” Dexter say’s this nurse that made me think of my life- "Oh, that's all right. I'll fix it up.” CM In many instances, people take risks and don’t think of the negative outcome. CM They think Oh, well my daddy’s rich and can fix any of my mistakes, but boy are they wrong. CM I admit that I’ve made mistakes, but I never pushed the consequences out of the picture- I knew I was going to get into trouble and I owned up to it. SD I have also gone through a lot of pain and found the better side of it, like Ms. Nye says in her poem “Kindness” [Loose Sentence]. CM Two years ago on May fourth, I received the most dreaded phone call of my life- a phone call from my grandmother telling me that my grandfather had passed away. CM At the moment, my mother and I were in line for my pageant, paying and getting registered- the news shook us up so much [Loose Sentence]. SD My mother had gone home to mourn with her brothers and sisters, but wanted me to stay in Cape Cod with my Aunt, and told me “to win the pageant for [my grandfather]!” CM I stayed for the rest of the weekend, and brought home over ten trophies, all in honor of my grandfather. CS It was hard for me to get up on stage pretending to be all happy when truly I was heartbroken, but going home and showing my mother my awards and seeing her swollen eyes fill with joy, it was worth it. CS “You must know sorrow as the other deepest thing,” in life, and learn how to deal with it- may it be a family death, or simply making a mistake.
Kindness is found in the smallest of things that you may not immediately see, but eventually you will. Ms. Nye says it’s “the deepest thing inside [a humans heart,]” Mr. Fitzgerald thinks it’s hidden among each and every one of us, and in my life, it is too found hidden in the smallest of things. It can be found in death, or found in the simplicity of telling the truth. Wherever kindness may be, hope that one day you will realize kindness is found everywhere.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:16 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sarah Essay 17
Sarah Shourds
Hamilton Salsich
English 09
21 April 2009
Finding Sentiment:
An Essay on a Short Story, a Poem, and Sentiment
Most people think of onions as overpowering, bitter vegetables tand don't admire its past, but not Naomi Shihab Nye. Most people think a dead, poor, grimy [FAST] old man should be left in his dirty little town, but not Laura. Most people think that being a “nobody” is terrible and unsocial, but not Emily Dickinson [Purposeful Repetition]. Naomi Shihab Nye, Katherine Mansfield, and Emily Dickinson all inscribe the word “sentiment” into each of their writings in different ways, yet none of them have the same opinions.
TS In “The Garden Party,” Laura, the protagonist, is a very sentimental girl, and has different opinions than the rest of her family [Appositive]. SD Just down the street from Laura’s bustling [FAST] party-house, a man past away. CM No one else in Laura’s family cared because they were so preoccupied with the party, but Laura knew she needed to do something about it. CM Laura’s mother claimed to be ever so “sorry about it as [she was],” but still went on planning her huge party. SD In the mix of her mother’s words and the garden party, Laura still had the dead man on her mind. CM She knew the best thing to do was to visit the family and pay her respects, despite what her mother told her. CM The dead man’s wife guided Laura to the body, where she saw him “sleeping so soundly” and peacefully, that “[she” had to cry”. CM Seeing the blissful man “being [taken by] his dream” made her realize that she had done the right thing. CS Laura, normally and uptight, shy woman, left that house feeling even more content then she ever was, and having a better understanding of her life that “she couldn’t explain [Appositive]. CS In the end, Laura’s sentiment was a natural essence [FAST] that affected her and her brother.
TS In “The Traveling Onion,” Ms. Nye writes with a vast [FAST] amount of sentiment that you must look between the lines for. SD Ms. Nye begins her poem with a quote from a recipe book, giving the reader background information about the onion. CM She then tells about how “far the onion has traveled just to enter [her] stew”. CM Ms. Nye feels so sentimental for this poor onion that is filled with “small forgotten miracles,” and feels that “[she should] kneel and praise” the onion for its wonders it has brought the world. SD Most people look past the onions astonishing past, but Ms. Nye see’s the onion in a different perspective. CM Like Laura in “The Garden Party,” Ms. Nye doesn’t realize the onions magnificent past until “[her] knife enters [the] onion and [it] falls apart on the chopping block,” and when she does realize it’s beauty, she cannot hold back her tears. CM Ms. Nye thinks “it is right that tears fall for something small and forgotten”. CS The sentimental value of the onion was as pungent as the odor itself, and Ms. Nye feels compassion [SAT Word] for the lonely, diligent [SAT Word] onion.
TS Unlike Naomi Shihab Nye, Emily Dickinson is a little more upfront with her rendition [FAST] of sentiment. SD In the poem “I’m Nobody,” Dickinson speaks of how she is a “nobody,” but that she is happy of her loneliness. CM Many people think of being a “nobody” in a negative way, but Dickinson speaks of “how dreary [it would] be [to be a] somebody!” CM She says that living “public like a frog” would ruin the simplicity of her live, to which she holds great sentimental value to [Participle Phrase]. SD Maybe, like the definition of sentiment, Dickinson has an “excess of [emotions]”. CM Dickinson is so preoccupied with staying away from the public, that she catches herself always being with another “nobody” because they are “a pair”. CM As much as Dickinson wants to hide from the public, no matter where she is, the public is haunting her. CS Dickinson’s “excess of [emotions] is dragging her to her feet, and maybe one day she will be “public like a frog” and realize that she is a “somebody”.
Everyone holds something close to their heart with sentimental value. May it be an onion, seeing a dead, blissful man, or driving to be a “nobody”, it’s in all of us. In the short story “The Garden Party,” and in both poems “The Traveling Onion,” and “I’m Nobody,” each piece of sentimental value dearest to them is hidden in between the lines of their context, waiting to be found. Waiting to be found, sentimental value is important in everyone’s life [Participle Phrase].
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:30 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sarah Essay 16
English Class
Sarah Shourds
Hamilton Salsich
April 14 2009
Colorful Relationships:
An Essay on a Short Story and a Poem
Every relationship has its own color- may it be vibrant and full of love, or dark and full of hate; they all vary [Appositive]. The relationship between a brother and a sister isn’t always the most pleasant thing, and we all know how they work- you argue, you play, you cry, you laugh [Asyndeton]. Everyone knows what will happen if you take a sibling for granted, but we never seem to care until it happens to us. Sadly, this happened in both “The Little Brother Poem” by Naomi Shihab Nye and in the short story “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin on two very different scales.
In this poem Ms. Nye uses a lot of figurative language to represent the connection between her and her brother. The first use of figurative language I noticed was when Ms. Nye was portraying [FAST] the differences between her and her brother, comparing him to “Wall Street,” and her to a “local fruit market”. This metaphor helps distinguish [FAST] their personalities and shows that Ms. Nye likes that they aren’t completely the same. She likes knowing that her brother can fill in the missing spots in her puzzle of a life. In the final stanza, Ms. Nye refers to their childhood, and what great memories she has to this day [Participle Phrase as a Closer]. She talks about how “[her brother] is on the edge of [his life] today,” and reminisces about their history together. In that sentence, Ms. Nye isn’t quite sure whether or not she and her brother would ever be reunited with their past, but she wishes she could go back to those days and be the sister she never was. Prior to this stanza, Ms. Nye talks about the night her brother had left her. How he had left with “some strange bruise,” and she was never quite sure when that bruise would heal. I think Ms. Nye regrets all of the harsh things she’s ever done to her brother, and if she could take it all back, she would. Ms. Nye uses figurative language to such an extent that it makes your mind think fairly hard, and when she does use it, she compares and contrasts herself against her brother.
“The Little Brother Poem” and “Sonny’s Blues” are very different and very similar and relate to the importance of family. In the short story “Sonny’s Blues,” the main character’s brother, Sonny, had gotten into all sorts of trouble. There was only one light at the end of the tunnel, and for Sonny, he could not see that light in the slightest bit. Sonny's brother had never really considered helping him and wrote him letters every so often. However, an unfortunate event interrupted him, and saw Sonny in a new perspective. Seeing his own “beautiful little girl” die gave him a “mortal wound” that will never heal and made him realize that he had been taking Sonny for granted. He realized that a wound that can’t heal can only get bigger, and that if he didn’t help Sonny, his wound would get worse. This “scene” is very similar to Ms. Nye’s poem. Ms. Nye refers to her apology several times throughout the poem, and how it is probably a “big order” for her brother, but that he hopefully can take it. She’s “dumping out a whole drawer at once,” and finally realizing that her brother needs her. In both stories, the relationship between the siblings is not perfect. In the short story, Sonny takes advantage of his brothers willingness to help and fulfills his lifelong dream as a musician. The simplest “nod[]” made his brother realize that he really has helped his brother come along. This wasn’t so obvious for Ms. Nye. She never says whether or not she and her brother were reunited, or if her apology was enough. Maybe the long silence will help clear things up for them. We all know that sibling relationships aren’t perfect, but for Sonny and Ms. Nye, things will hopefully clear up and they can continue living without reminiscing on their past.
Every relationship, no matter who it’s with or how long it’s lasted, takes its wrong turns [Periodic Sentence]. Some relationships may never be able to drive through these turns and make the best out of it, but the ability to do so is what saves us day in and day out. Some may think they don’t need a sibling, but you and your sibling are tied by blood, and working out your issues is the only way you’ll ever be able to function. Both Sonny’s brother and Ms. Nye learned this the hard way, and now are looking at their siblings in a whole new perspective- with love and admiration.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 3:27 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sarah'a Essay 15
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
8 April 2009
Roller Coaster of Courage:
An Essay on Courage
The definition of courage from dictionary.com is, “the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery”. In my life, I have had to face many of my fears, such as riding on my first rollercoaster. This may not seem like such a courageous thing to concur, but as Anne Sexton says in her poem, “Courage”, courage is as “simple as shaving soap.” This poem has taught me many things about courage, and keeps me wandering about when I’ll need to unleash my courage next.
In the poem, “Courage” by Anne Sexton, many themes are intertwined within it. A key theme in this poem is simplicity. Courage is not something someone should have to live by, but something “as simple as shaving soap,” as simple as “wringing out a sock,” as simple as looking at the calendar and realizing it’s your time to go [polysyndeton]. I know not all of these things are quite simple, but looking at certain measures [FAST] in a simple manner, can give you courage and make it even easier for you to overcome that. It is important to realize that courage doesn’t come easily. “Courage [is] a small coal that [keeps] you swallowing,” and keeps you doing the things you love best. Not everything comes easy, and when courage is needed, it will show up at your front step and great you with pleasure and enthusiasm. It must be remembered that courage should always remain free. You shouldn’t hold it behind closed bars and release it whenever it’s needed- you should treasure it. By keeping this courage “covered with a blanket” and by “giving it a back rub” every once in a while, it will turn into something beautiful, and it will help you out when you need it most. This poem has taught me the simplicity and the complexity of such an influential [FAST] thing, and has also taught me to live in the moment- to not hold my courage inside of me at all times, but to let it roam free.
Riding a roller coaster may look like fun, but staring up at the towering tracks for the first time is horrifying. Last year Caroline asked me if I liked roller coasters – I, of course, lied and said yes. The next thing I knew I was standing with her and Parker at Six Flags, looking at the amazing coasters whip people into the air. I had made a promise to her that I'd ride every roller coaster with her, but to tell you the truth, I knew I wasn't going to keep that promise. I knew that Parker too was afraid of roller coasters, and that it wouldn't be so bad watching Caroline twirl from unimaginable heights if Parker was there laughing too. I could have been standing there alone, watching the dreadful drops, giving myself butterflies alone, but I’m glad Parker was there watching the rollercoaster loop [FAST] delicately. [antithesis]. Caroline does take promises very seriously though, and dragged me onto Batman- a very large roller coaster. I was terrified out of my mind, but I kept telling myself I can do this. Within ten minutes, Caroline, Parker and I were swirling in the hot, sticky air and I was having the time of my life. My braveness led to a wonderful outcome in this instance, and I'm glad that Caroline made me keep to my promise. Courage isn’t just about standing up for someone, or doing some sort of astonishing act of bravery- it’s an act of love, and willingness to stand up to your fears. It’s the willingness to dodge “bombs and bullets” for a friend, the willingness to stand up to that bully “who called you cry baby”, the willingness to love your friend.
Courage isn’t as hard as it’s made out to be- it can be as simple as riding a rollercoaster. I knew that I had made a promise to Caroline, and that I had to concur my fear in order to maintain a steady friendship. I believe that courage is more than just an act, but a way of living life, but most importantly, it can make life more interesting (loose sentence).
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 7:46 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sarah's Essay Number 12
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
February 17 2009
An Indescribable Passion:
An Essay on Music
Living without music would be like living without a family- you would have no way to unleash your dreams and no way of letting out your emotions. Although many people see music to be loud noises that teenagers like to listen to very loudly, music is a sensation that is indescribable. Caliban, a monstrous creature that lurks on the island with no destiny and is always being watched, sees music as "sweet airs" and thinks of it as a place to hide from all of it. Music can help mask your feelings and help you escape, and Caliban and I use music throughout our daily lives.
TS Being enclosed on an island surrounded by a vast sea makes Caliban crazy, and there is only one thing that can take his mind off of everything- "the sounds and sweet airs" that also surround him on the island. SD In this small yet deep passage, we learn that this creature, who was once labeled as a selfish, inconsiderate monster, actually has emotions. CM We learn that when he listens to music, he feels as if " a thousand twangling instruments [...] hum about [his] ears". CM We learn that this so-called "monster" truly has a passion for music, and that music lets him dream his harsh nights away. SD You would assume that Caliban has no dreams or passion of any sort, but if you look deeper, he most certainly does. CM His passion is let out through the soft tunes of music [Short Sentence]. CM With the simple tap of a drum, or simple tune flowing out of ones lips, Caliban can erase the harsh words thrust upon him, and dream he's living in success and has all of the riches. SD Caliban is still confined, but in this sense, it's not bad. CM Whether the music is natural or not, it imprisons him in a dream, and when he wakes, he "crie[s] to dream again" [Compound Complex]. CM Caliban has lived in a life full of hate and dishonesty, and is constantly worrying about his reputation his parents had thrown onto him. CS Music is an unknown sensation to Caliban, and when he hears any sort of rhythm, he's taken into a whole other world.
TS As a free spirited and diligent girl, I would not like put myself in Caliban's shoes- I would like to be as free as a song [Appositive]. SD As much as I would hate to be secluded on an abandoned island and be so bottled up with emotions like Caliban, we both share some qualities. CM First of all, both Caliban and I listen to music to let our soul wander free, and let our mind dream to its full potential. CM When I listen to music, may it be natural or may it be some pop star rambling on the radio, it releases my emotions and makes me feel as if I'm on a cloud. SD I also use music as an escape from the real world. CM Listening to one loud song can help peel away my sorrows and help me feel better, whereas listening to an up-beat song can make me dance, and can turn any of my moods up-side-down. CM When I listen to any song that has a catchy tune or jumpy melody, I feel as free as a song. CM Almost like I could do anything [Short Sentence]. SD If there was no music in the world, no one would be able to survive. CM Music is played all around the world, and can bring many different cultures together; there are many types and many styles that are played throughout the entire world [Compound Complex]. CS Music sets us free, brings us joy and lets us dream a new tomorrow, and no one could live without it [Parallel Preposition].
No matter what music may sound like, it sets off a little sense of freedom in everybody. Like Caliban, I have a passion for music and when I hear the "twangling instruments" or " [a] hum about [my] ears," I can't help but dance and feel overjoyed. A person, such as Caliban, may come off as a heartless and selfish person that has no dreams or passions under his/her belt, but little may you know, that person may have a passion for music. A passion for freedom, a passion for uniqueness and a passion for themselves.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:58 PM 2 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Sarah's Essay Number 12
TS Being enclosed on an island surrounded by a vast sea makes Caliban crazy, and there is only one thing that can take his mind off of everything- "the sounds and sweet airs" that also surround him on the island. SD In this small yet deep passage, we learn that this creature, who was once labeled as a selfish, inconsiterat monster, actually has emotions. CM We learn that when he listens to music, he feels as if " a thousand twangling instruments [...] hum about [his] ears". CM We learn that this so-called "monster" truly has a passion for music, and that music lets him dream his harsh nights away. SD You would assume that Caliban has no dreams or passion of any sort, but if you look deeper, he most certainly does. CM His passion is let out through the soft tunes of music [Short Sentence]. CM With the simple tap of a drum, or simple tune flowing out of ones lips, Caliban can erase the harsh words thrust upon him, and dream he's living in success and has all of the riches. SD Caliban is still confined, but in this sense, it's not bad. CM Whether the music is natural or not, it imprisons him in a dream, and when he wakes, he "crie[s] to dream again" [Compound Complex]. CM Caliban has lived in a life full of hate and dishonesty, and is constantly worrying about his reputation his parents had thrown onto him. CS Music is an unknown sensation to Caliban, and when he hears any sort of rhythym, he's taken into a whole other world.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:58 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Sarah's Essay Number 12
TS Being enclosed on an island surrounded by a vast sea makes Caliban crazy, and there is only one thing that can take his mind off of everything- "the sounds and sweet airs" that also surround him on the island. SD In this small yet deep passage, we learn that this creature, who was once labeled as a selfish, inconsiterat monster, actually has emotions. CM We learn that when he listens to music, he feels as if " a thousand twangling instruments [...] hum about [his] ears". CM We learn that this so-called "monster" truly has a passion for music, and that music lets him dream his harsh nights away. SD You would assume that Caliban has no dreams or passion of any sort, but if you look deeper, he most certainly does. CM His passion is let out through the soft tunes of music [Short Sentence]. CM With the simple tap of a drum, or simple tune flowing out of ones lips, Caliban can erase the harsh words thrust upon him, and dream he's living in success and has all of the riches. SD Caliban is still confined, but in this sense, it's not bad. CM Whether the music is natural or not, it imprisons him in a dream, and when he wakes, he "crie[s] to dream again" [Compound Complex]. CM Caliban has lived in a life full of hate and dishonesty, and is constantly worrying about his reputation his parents had thrown onto him. CS Music is an unknown sensation to Caliban, and when he hears any sort of rhythym, he's taken into a whole other world.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 8:58 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sarahs 11 Essay
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
January 27 2009
Siamese Twins:
An Essay on Confinement and Servitude in "The Tempest"
Siamese twins don't have the same fingerprint. The may look the same, but in reality they have completely different minds. In the story The Tempest, there are two very similar characters- Caliban, a "hag-born" thing, and Ariel, a spirit that works for Prospero. Both characters deal with their own twist on confinement and servitude, and Shakespeare portrays it very nicely.
TS In The Tempest, Ariel, a spirit that acts as a servant for Prospero, [SV Split] and is confined in many different ways. SD Living on such an enclosed island, Ariel has been embedded with thoughts of leaving, and also has served for numerous people. CM He has lived on the island for many years, acting as a slave to both Prospero and Sycorax, and obeying every command. CM The one time Ariel disobeyed Sycorax, he was sentenced to "painfully remain [in the pine tree for] [a] dozen years." SD Ariel is confined when it comes to his free will. CM Ariel must take part in every command Prospero demands; otherwise he will be thrown in an oak tree and will die painful death. CM Ariel has been working, and paying his due to his master, and either way, he doesn't get a break. CM If Ariel doesn't achieve his tasks, then he has greater consequences, and if he does, he's stuck in the middle of hard labor. CS Ariel has lived an atrocious [FAST] life, and has fought through the tough times with bravery, and will face more and more servitude and confinement throughout his pitiful [FAST] path in life.
The Tempest has another character in the play that relates a lot to Ariel- Caliban. Throughout his life he has experienced boundless (FAST) confinement and servitude. Being bred by Sycorax, Caliban is some sort of unknown creature, or as many call him the "freckled whelp". It's hard for Caliban to unleash his inner self, because he is always cooped up in some sort of serving towards Prospero. Prospero has confined Caliban, and it’s unfair. Living on the island first, Caliban got aggravated that Prospero was treating him with such a bad attitude [Participle Opener Phrase]. He had served for Prospero for many years in spite of his mother, and he doesn't think it's truly fair. Looking at things now, it looks like Caliban's servitude won't get him anywhere near his own freedom.
Both Caliban and Ariel have similar issues but are solved in different ways, like Siamese twins and their fingerprints. Both have the same problem, but different results. Ariel was confined in a pine tree for a dozen years, and has served as a spirit for both Prospero and Sycorax, and if he doesn't do what he is told, he will be confined in an oak tree for another twelve years. Whereas Caliban is confined now with Prospero, and has served for Prospero ever since his mother has died, and if he doesn't abide by Prospero's orders, he will be killed. It will be interesting how these two characters react to each other in the upcoming events.
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Graphic Organizer:Ariel and Caliban’s confinement and servitude
SD: Ariel is mentally and physically confined on island
-He is trapped on this island with no way out
-Must obey to orders from mastersSD: Pays servitude to Prospero and Sycorax
-Consequences very large from Prospero
-"Painfully remain [in the pine tree for] [a] dozen years."
SD: Caliban is trapped on island, like Ariel
-Both physically and mentally
-Both slaves, and have been for an unwillingly long time
SD: Caught up in reputation
-Lives with peoples hurtful words everyday
-Made fun upon by looks, and by his uproots, "devil father" and "dam"
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 7:48 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Essay 10
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
January 8 2009
Letting Go:
A Paragraph On the Theme Of A Passage in The Tempest
There are many themes that can be discovered in just one passage of The Tempest, and
one obvious theme in this passage was that Prospero is holding a grudge against his brother. A
few sentences in the passage show the resentment Prospero feels towards his brother such as
calling him "perfidious". His brother did neglect him throughout a long period of time, and he did
kick him out of his own throne, but whether he likes it or not, he is Prospero's brother. I don't
necessarily think he needs to like his brother, but he is related to him and he needs to respect
him. Showing his daughter his true hate toward his brother is immature and she should remind
him to think of the good times they had together because holding a grudge, in a sense, is like
carrying a heavy chain around with you where ever you go. She should remind him that they are
brothers, and even if he hates him, he should learn to respect his brother’s
make him think deeply about what he did, and make him feel ashamed for the magical storm he
created because revenge isn't always the answer.One last horrid thing about holding a grudge, is
that it will always stay with you. Deep inside Prospero he was constantly thinking of his abandoned
home, and I think he waited for the right time to tell his daughter of these wretched thoughts.
Prospero, ["being so reputed in dignity,"] was being eaten alive everyday by these thoughts.
Knowing that his brother is safe at home sitting in his throne must have torn him apart, so when
he heard that a boat was passing by with his evil brother on it, he had to take the chance to ruin
his life. Holding a grudge against someone is painful, and is nonsense. It isn't fair to you or the
other person to be constantly reminded of the horrible things they did to you. Just let it go next
time.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 11:44 AM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Sarahs Essay #9
Hamilton Salsich
English 09
Sarah Shourds
15 December 2008
No Regrets For Me:
An essay on my life regrets, and what I'd like to change in the future
Everything happens for a reason, whether its good or not. No one should live with any regrets, weighing down their "chain", because everything happens for a reason. In, "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. Scrooge, a cold hearted man, is conveniently taken back to his past, and sees many things he wishes he could change [SV SPLIT]. If I had the equipment to pause my life,look at the past, I would not do so because I simply have no regrets.
TS Having a regret is like having a chain pulling at your ankle's everyday, and everyone has at least one. SD If I could get a hold of a life remote, and rewind to two years ago when my grandfather passed away, I would. CM I would've liked to get to know him better, get to have quality time with him and I would've liked to know the side of him that my mother knew. CM If I had accomplished these simple tasks before death ever so rudely took him, I think I would have had a better understanding of him and I would have appreciated life more. SD When my grandfather died, my family had a very hard time coping with his death. CM I regret not having the courage to withstand my aunts and uncles at the time. CM I think if I could have concurred my fears and helped my aunts and uncles through the rough time, I could have made it less harder on them. CM I would've talked with them about the good times they had with my Grampey Bell, and i would've been there so that they could vent off their steam. CS Regrets are a harsh thing to have, and can make a person do crazy things. CS2 All you need to learn to do is let go of them, and learn to move on, like I had to do when my grandfather died.
TS Gaining trust from your peers is a strength that most people toil [FAST] with. SD I try and try everyday to gain respect and trust from my friends, but being a truthful friend doesn't always have the same sensation as having a friend to laugh with. CM Learning the hard way, the truth can hurt. CM Not all people know and respect the truth, but in the long run, people will thank you. SD In my future, I hope to gain trust from every single person I know, and every person I know hopes to trust me at one point in their life [CHIASMUS]. CM I have had a history of not keeping secrets, and basically having a big mouth, but I want that all to change. CM I want people to come to me for advice, or come to me when they have dyer gossip they need to spill, or come to me first when they're feeling blue. CS I am trying to be a more truthful and trusting person, because in the end, it will all pay off.
Having a chain constantly tugging at your ankles, and knowing that a lot of people can't trust you, are two big mishaps in my life. I am trying to be more honest and trustworthy, and I am also trying to not regret anything in my life, but these are two huge steps that I must take one at a time. I believe that being truthful is a key aspect in any persons life, and although it may hurt others, it will help in the long run, starting with earning trust from your fellow peers.
Graphic Organizer
Main Idea: Regrets in My Life
- don't have any regrets
- if I could change anything, probably would be getting to know my grandfather more before he died
-we didn't get much time to bond
- wish I could have known more about him
Main Idea- change (or a few) you hope to make in the future
- "trust"
- I am working on keeping secrets better
- Try and not tell one person because then a chain reaction occurs, which is not good
-Trust is a key ingredient in a persons life
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SELF ASSESSMENT
What Do I Like Best About My Essay? I think that this essay in particular had a nice flow to it. I think I stayed on topic and under the "umbrella" for the most part, and I am very proud of it.
What Was The Hardest Part About The Assignment For Me? The hardest part of the assignment for me was tryingt o fit in chiasmus. I have some difficulties, not neccessarily writing the chiasmus, but placing it in its rightful place.
My Grade: B
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 7:53 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Friday, December 5, 2008
In-class essay
Sarah Shourds
5 December 2008
Hamilton Salsich
English 09
Don’t Let Your Chain Get Too Heavy:
An Essay on a Quote in, “A Christmas Carol”
Everyone in the whole world wears a chain around their waste, with a variety of different things linked onto it. In, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, Marley’s ghost wore a chain made up of keys, ledgers, and other matters of that sort. The meaning of the chain can be viewed in many different ways, and why Marley’s ghost wears the chain with such things on it, can also be seen in many different ways.
SD When Marley was a human, he carried many burdens on his chain, such as not being able to pay such and such, or that he just worked too much. CM Consequences did occur when he died. CM Marley was forced to “walk abroad” and carry those heavy links with him. SD Being that many people carry anonymous burdens around with them, people like Marley should learn to let them go so that their “chain” does not get too heavy. CM When someone’s chain gets overwhelmed with such things as keys and ledgers, they start to get stressed out and become more and more like Scrooge; an unhappy, gloomy person. CM I have taken more off my chain then my chain has taken off of me. [CHIASMUS] CS The next time you are faced with a dilemma, don’t bottle it up because it will come to face you in the near future.
If you don’t consider your burdens a hefty thing, and just let them sink into you, then soon your chain will start getting heavier and heavier, and it will start to weigh you down. Soon you will turn into a Scrooge, and never see the warmth in a good Christmas Carol. [Purposeful Repetition] Marley carried burdens with him, and because he didn’t solve his dilemmas in his life, then he was forced “on his own will” to wear the chain. The chain represents his life, and his life represents the chain. [CHIASMUS]
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 3:01 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sarahs Essay 7
Sarah Shourds
Hamilton Salsich
English 09
20 November 2008
Think Before You Talk:
An Essay On A Talk By Stump Olsen
What exactly is wrong with homosexuals? Thinking at this very moment, I realized why people may not like "gay" people [PARTICIPLE]. Is it the simple fact that they found love before you? Is that why you don't like them? Today Stump Olsen joined our ninth grade class and shared with us her past, and harsh words that can be exchanged between a group of people.
TS Today there are many terms that can be offensive and hurtful to the gay community. SD The general definition we think of when we hear the word "gay" is someone who likes the same sex, when truly it's when two people are in love, just like "straight" people. CM Heterosexuality is discrimination against people who aren't "normal", and things like this make the world and its people so different and apart. SD The way American's jugde one-another is unbalanced, and unfair. CM Even in school communities, people on a day-to-day basis are being threatened, and verbally abused for being gay. CM The youth of this country view these harmful comments and think its "alright" to say these things, when it truly is not. CM These harmful phrases are often used in negative ways, and used upon objects, and in ways that literally make no sense. CS Being in love shouldn't hurt you, and no one should be able to take your love away from you. CS2 Next time your about to say something is "gay", think about who your going to hurt when you say it.
TS Her head aching, her heart racing, Mrs. Olsen came in to tell us about her harsh past and about heterosexuality. [ABSOLUTE] SD When she walked into the board room, she knew that the only information we knew about her was her sexuality, and she was perfectly fine with that. CM Although her sexuality was not the only thing about her. CM Ms. Olsen had more interesting attributes that we did not even consider, and we learned that she really didn't care what people thought about her. SD As Ms. Olsen began to speak, she spoke with dignity and her words flew out of her mouth as if she were speaking to life-long friends. CM She spoke with a smile as she told us of her hard years in high school, as if they were washed out memories that faded away as time went on. CM She said, "I didn't use my brain in high school for education, I used my brain to stay alive" with a slight smile, that cringed at the sides of her face. SD Ms. Olsen had a kind of reliance in herself, only true people have. CM How could she speak of such harsh memories with a smile painted on her face? CM Only someone who knows those things happen for a reason could bare to re-live them, and talk about them. CM Only someone who believed in themselves could bare to talk about their unfortunate childhood. CS How could we people judge someone on their sexuality? CS2 Love is love, let it be. CS3 Ms. Olsen taught us a very important lesson- to not judge others by their outer appearance, to not talk in a way that could offend others unintentionally, and to respect one another.
Stump Olsen's story was inspiring, and made me realize how hurtful words can truly be. I know I have said my fair share of fowl words, but I never thought who could have overheard, and who I may have hurt. Americans need to take Ms. Olsen's advice into consideration, and think before they speak. Maybe one day we can defeat heterosexism and learn to all love one another.
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Self Assessment
1. I am continuing to work on proofreading my essays and catch minor mistakes. Also, I'm working on organization.
2. I think I organized my essay pretty well. I tried to keep everything under one umbrella
.3. I had some trouble with the absolute and participle. I wasn't quite sure how to change them to make them work.
4. I would give this essay an B-
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 7:35 PM 4 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sarahs Essay Number 6
Sarah Shourds
English 09
Hamilton Salsich
12 November 08
A Journey Called Life:
A Look an Essay
1. Who are the Kiowa? 2. The Kiowa are a Native American tribe, which the author of the essay "The Way to Rainy Mountain", Navarre Scott Momaday was apart of. 3. In this essay there is one main theme- his life-long journey. 4. This essay also talks about his grandmother and how she impacted his life-long journey.
TS In the essay, "The Way to Rainy Mountain", by N. Scott Momaday, Momaday talks about one key theme- his journey through life, and how his grandmother helped him through the journey. SD His grandmother played a big role in his tribe, the Kiowa, and in his life-long journey. CM She told the story of the "Seven Sisters", which then led the tribe to believe in the myth, and she taught him his culture. CM He would watch her pray, vaguely knowing what she is saying by her tone of voice. SD She had also taught him to look at the world in a new perspective. CM He would "lay down with [his] grandmother and [...] hear the frogs away by the river and feel the motion of the air" [Momaday 318]. CM She taught him to slow down and look at the phenomenal [FAST] nature that surrounded him. SD These few things his grandmother taught him would influence his long and strenuous journey called life. CM Being able to relate back to your own culture and heritage is a value most people lack now-a-days. CM Momaday, thanks to his grandmother, can relate to his culture and even tell the stories from her, and pass them on to his grandchildren. CM Being able to slow down and look at the marvelous world is another thing we American's tend to lack now-a-days. CS Momaday's grandmother enriched [FAST] him in the basic teachings of life, led him through his journey, and loved him fondly. [Three Action Verb]
1. Whether your Native American, White, Asian or other ethnicities, everyone will have to overcome the wearisome journey most call life. 2. Momaday skimmed through his journey, with the simple teachings from his grandmother. 3. Instead of looking at the moon, he looks at the "perched cricket upon the handrail" [Momaday 318]. 4. This theme is a very big picture most people forget about, and step all over, but Momaday's grandmother had taught him better. 5. "The Earth unfolds and [there is no] limit." [Momaday 315]
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 6:35 PM 1 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sarah's Essay Number 5
1. Do you think re-doing something can help you in any way? 2. Most people think re-reading a book is unnecessary and a waste of time, but for some people, when re-reading a book, they gain new perspectives of the book. 3. I re-read a short story, skimmed for new, and important facts I didn’t notice before, and saw “The Garden Party” in a whole new way [ three action verb]. 4. Re-reading Katherine Mansfield’s, “The Garden Party” made me see the short story in a whole new standpoint.
CM Re-reading “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield has made me look at Laura’s mother in a whole new perspective, and it helped me view the smaller, yet harsh comments the Sheridans make about poor people. SD The most compelling piece evidence about Laura’s mother was on page 10 where Jose and her mother were talking about the death of the man down the street. CM In this discussion Jose asked if it was “completely heartless of [them]” to continue their extravagant party, and her mother ignored the question and gave Jose a new hat. CM Once Jose referred back to the question her mother got irritated and said that just because a man died down the street, they couldn’t “spoil every[one’s] enjoyment”. SD A small comment that stood out to me was when Laura was explaining the “very smoke coming out of [the poor people’s] chimney was [even] poverty-stricken.” CM It is very harsh of her to compare even the slightest of things against the people that aren’t as fortunate as her. CM I also thought it was very ironic because she was just saying how they shouldn’t hold the garden party anymore because of the poor people down the street. SD Another small quote that captured my attention was how she called all of the workmen, “workmen” and the cook, “cook”. CM I think she called them just that because they were of a different class than she. CM For example, when she was eating her bread and butter, not only did she think it was rude to eat in front of them, but also because they probably don’t have such exquisite meals. CS Re-reading has made me look at the short-story in a whole new perspective. CS2 At first I thought re-reading was pointless, but now I see the advantages you can gain from it.
1. Reading a book for the first time is always a marvelous experience, but re-reading can give you the full-on experience you truly wanted. 2. While re-reading “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield, I noticed things about Laura’s mother that I never noticed before. 3. I now know that Laura and her mother both secretly, and harshly speak about the poor people down the street- I had never noticed that before. 4. By reading a story for the second time, you can gain more than you would think, and it could change your entire view on the book, or the characters themselves.
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 6:16 PM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sarahs Essay # 4
Sarah Shourds
Hamilton Salsich
English 9
23 October 2008
Childhood Dreams
An Essay on Appreciation
To appreciate and to love are two different things. In the essay,
"How it Feels To Be Colored Me" by Zora Neale Hurston, there were
many things Hurston appreciated, such as her ancestors and her skin
color. In my own life there are things I appreciate such as my family,
my passion towards things and how I stand out from others
[Purposeful Repetition]. Both of us appreciate our ancestors, and like
who we are as a person and I don't think that will ever change.
TS Zora Neale Hurston appreciates her skin tone, her ancestors
and herself, and doesn't let the thoughts of others bring her down
[Purposeful Repetition of Her]. SD Hurston appreciates many things
in life, but one key element that helps her move on, is her
appreciation of her skin color. CM She appreciates the fact that she
is different from some people, and "[has] no race". CM This helped her
move through life, helped her ignore the rude comments, and helped
her be a better person by letting it go and not judging people by their
outer appearance but what's on the inside [Purposeful Repetition].
SD "But [she] isn't tragically colored," or dissapointed by her outer
appearance, she "does not mind at all". CM She thinks that everyone
should be looked upon as a blank canvas, and as they go on through
life, little by little their canvas will be drawn in with all sorts of things.
CM She thinks that everyone should stop worrying about their outer
appearance and start worrying about drawing on their canvas, or
living life. SD Lastly, Hurston treasures [FAST] herself. She has been
through a lot and learned to truly appreciate herself throughout her
childhood. CM When she moved to Jacksonville, and she "was not
Zora from Orange County anymore, [but] now a little colored girl,"
she learned that loving herself in any way possible was the best way
to get through the big change. CM One way of loving herself was to
simply ignore anyone's comments, and to just think of herself as the
one-and-only Zora. CS Hurston is an incredible woman and
appreciates many key factors that Americans tend to forget in life- to
love, and appreciate yourself.
TS After reading her essay I thought "what do I appreciate
about myself?" and many attributes [FAST] came to mind. SD The
first quality I truly admire about myself is what sets me apart from
others. CM I know I can be loud, I dress weird and I may not have
the best sense of humor, but those qualities alone help me stand out
of a crowd. CM I have a great appreciation for those several
attributes, because I know that no one else can stand up to them,
or do them as easily as I. SD Another aspect of myself that I
appreciate is the passion I put in towards things I love. CM For
example, I love modeling. CM Having such a strong passion for
this career has helped me move towards that childhood dream, which
I am now pursuing. CM If I didn't have such a strong passion for this
career, and I just let it go, I don't think I'd be where I am now. SD
Lastly, the most important thing I appreciate about myself, is pretty
much my family. CM They have gotten me to where I am today by
teaching me right from wrong, and by supporting me. CM They have
abided [FAST] by all of my busy schedules, and I know they will
always be by my side no matter what. CS I appreciate every
moment of my life, and thanks to all of these fine attributes and
family members, I even appreciate myself.
Zora Neale Hurston and I have a lot in common- we both
appreciate ourselves. No matter how conceited it may sound,
appreciating yourself can get you far in life if you just take it one
step at a time. Hurston learned to appreciate herself and she sets
a good example. Appreciating myself has got me to fulfill a
childhood dream, where can it lead you?
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 6:59 PM 3 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Sarahs Essay 3
English Essay Shourds 1
By Sarah Shourds
English 9
Hamilton Salsich
9 October 2008
Juggling
An Essay on the "Losses" and "Gains" in the Stories "Winter Dreams"
and "Sonny's Blues"
Losses and gains are two of the most popular games people play
everyday. People juggle losses and gains, toss them on fire and even
learn to dance with them. In the stories "Sonny’s Blues", by James
Baldwin, and "Winter Dreams", by F. Scott Fitzgerald, both main
characters learn to juggle their losses and gains, but only one
succeeds in their game. In one case, the protagonists gains
knowledge, and in the other case, the protagonist loses an emotion
thats hard to live without. Both protagonist learn life long lessons,
and have a hard time learning how to juggle.
In "Sonny's Blues," there is a lot of gains and losses between
both Sonny and the narrator. For example, at one point in the
story, it was almost like the narrator didn't even have a brother.
Sonny was never there, and the narrator was even scared to send
Sonny a letter while he was in jail. Sonny had lost himself, lost his
dignity and he had lost his own flesh and blood [purposeful
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repetition]. Going to jail was a rude awakening for Sonny, and it
made him realize his losses, and it made him think of how he can
control his losses and turn them into "gains". One of Sonny's "gains"
was in fact his dignity. He learned that playing music can help him
channel his anger and losses to make good out of them. He gained the
knowledge about the badness of drugs, and also learned that there
are healthier and more mature ways of unlocking the secrets to his
issues. In both cases the gain or loss was fairly important, and it
changed Sonny in a dramatic way. Sonny's loss led to his gain, which
could help him in the long run. His knowledge against drugs could
help him live longer and healthier and maybe even help him become a
better musician. Sonny has learned some life long lessons, and will
hopefully keep heading the way that he is- off of drugs and healthy.
In "Winter Dreams" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dexter shows
innumerable [FAST] amounts of emotions. He loses the love of Judy
and in which case he loses his sense to love. not only did his love of
his life just walk right out of his life, but she changed when she did so.
She lost the essence of true beauty when she walked out on Dexter,
and that tore him apart every day. On the bright side, Dexter gains
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all of the riches- minus the romance portion. He gained money, he
gained a wife, and he gained his ego back, until Judy stepped back
into his life and crushed it [purposeful repetition]. She made all of his
old feelings rekindle, then burst into flames. In this instance, sadly,
the loss was greater because it took away a key factor in Dexter's life-
his ability to love. He couldn't bare to look at another woman the way
he looked at Judy Jones. There just wasn't the same glow. He may
have a wife, and all of the riches, but love is a passion way above all of
that. It's an emotion deep within your heart, that if you take it away,
your whole life could sink to the bottom of the ocean. Dexter is
officially at the bottom of the ocean, and will never revisit the gates of
"love" ever again. As Clinton Burhans says, "Men like Dexter Green
do not cry," and when they do, it's a very large matter.
Both characters had lost something at one point, then gained
something in exchange. The differences in these stories is that out of
Sonny's loss he gained knowledge, and out of Dexter's loss he gained
wealth. These two stories are example of life and
how it all depends. At one moment, you could have your life totally
under your custody, [FAST] then in a blink of an eye you could lose it
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all. Both characters maintained their game of juggling, just like
everyday people have to do, and learn how to smoothen out the
bumps in their lives whether its drenching yourself in money, or
simply playing music.
Works Cited:
Clinton S. Burhans, Jr.. "Winter Dreams: ‘‘Magnificently Attune to Life’’: The
Value of ‘‘Winter Dreams’’." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Marie Rose
Napierkowski. Vol. 15. Detroit: Gale, 1998. eNotes.com. January 2006. 7 October
2008.
http://www.enotes.com/winter-dreams/magnificently-attune-life-value-winter-dreams
Posted by Sarah Shourds at 10:40 AM 0 comments
Labels: Sarah's Essays
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sarah's Essay Numero 2
Sarah Shourds Shourds 1
Mr. Salsich
9th Grade English
22 September 2008
Never Be Unheard:
An Essay on an Essay, by Suzy B. Goldman
The essay, "James Baldwin’s ‘Sonny’s Blues’: A Message in Music", written by Suzy B. Goldman, was written with "perfect harmony" and "carr[ied] a vital social message for us" about the story Sonny’s Blue’s, written by James Baldwin. (Goldman) She tells about her opinions on the short story, and thinks that if everyone just listened to one another, that the world would be so much easier. The essay later tells about Sonny and his brother, two complete opposites, attract and learn to piece the puzzle of life together. Goldman’s essay was truly moving, and helped my understanding of "Sonny’s Blues".
Suzy Goldman varies her sentence lengths, uses FAST words as much as possible, and helped my understanding of Sonny’s Blue’s. Goldman helped by piecing up every aspect of the short story, and explaining every detail that needed to be explained. For example, she took a lot of passages from the story and explained them into four different movements. Each movement was basically how she thought the story was divided up, and dividing the story up like this helped better my understanding of each flashback, and each present day recap. Also, Goldman used FAST words such as "equating" and "recapitulating". These FAST words helped Goldman’s essay run smoother, and she used them in such context that it was easy to know what each word meant. In this sentence, " The fourth movement begins by recapitulating and developing the first," the meaning of recapitulating clearly means to summarize, and the sentence makes that clear (Goldman). Goldman is a very swift writer and uses great techniques that help her writing flow with dignity.
It’s hard to summarize an essay like so, because Goldman basically pieced apart Sonny’s Blue’s and summarized that short story. The message that Goldman so vividly wrote about was very true- make yourself heard before it’s too late. Sonny, as Goldman said, was "unheard". I think Sonny was unheard for so long because he didn’t put all of his heart into his music, and when he finally did, he was heard by his fellow peers. Goldman then knows that the narrator feels Sonny’s strength’s, and can tell that he was being heard by others. Goldman basically breaks the story into five definite sections - the first "movement" begins with Sonny’s arrest, the second "open’s with Sonny’s first letter", the third is based on the word "safe" and is a flashback of Sonny’s father, the fourth recaps on the first movement, expanding in greater detail about little Gracie’s death, and the final "movement" is the theme. The first, second and third "movement[‘s]" are of Sonny being immature, and revolving around heroine to answer his problems. In the last two "movements" Sonny realizes that letting his problems play through his fingers and into people’s ears, rather than bottling up his problems and using a drug to cover it, helps him feel better and like a better person.
Suzy Goldman’s essay touched on the very essential keys in life- to listen to one another, and let to let no voice go unheard. Sonny knows the feeling of being unheard, but don’t let yourself feel like that. Goldman’s essay was written with strong techniques and was written with great power. "Sonny’s music stirs special memories in the brothers’ lives, but these blues belong to all of us, for they symbolize the darkness which surrounds all those who fail to listen to and remain unheard by their fellow men." (Goldman)
Works Cited:
Suzy Bernstein Goldman. "Sonny’s Blues: James Badlwin’s ‘Sonny’s Blues’: A Message in Music."
Short stories for students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowsky. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 1998.http://www.enotes.com/sonnys-blues/james-baldwins-sonnys-blues-message-music
January 2006. 19 September 2008.
