The Last of the Beginning

Blogging has become very influential in my life. It allowed me to have a voice and express it with words. My ability to choose my topics to write about made it so that writing was actually enjoyable. In addition, the open ended writing format added onto the stress-free feeling of what writing should be. Over these 10 months, I have learned from my peers and took in some of their ideas that they have shared with me through blogging. It is amazing to see how I have changed because of my blog.

Having a blog gives me a voice. I go about my life constantly thinking. Sometimes my thoughts jump from one to another. For example, I can first start thinking about what to order for lunch. As my mind decides, I start to think maybe I want a bag of chips. Then my thoughts jump to, I wonder how chips were first made. And then somehow I come to a reasonable topic that I soon come to a conclusion and think, “Wow! This can be a really good blog post idea!” Of course, I never actually wrote a blog post on the production of chips! It is weird to see this because aside from my random thought process, I now instantaneously incorporate my blog into it. I first noticed this change when we started to do free-write blog posts. My post titled, “What Would I Do Without Electricity?” came straight from my random thought process. This idea came to my mind first, because I knew I had a blogpost due that day and still had no clue what to write about. This is the first step of my thought process. Then, I incorporate some of my thoughts or current events from my life and form them into a blog post. In this particular post, I not only desperately needed a topic, I was inspired by it right when I stepped inside the un-powered house. As I sat bored at the kitchen table with my friend, I had nothing else to do but think since no electricity was working. So as the cranks powered in my mind, I finally had an idea. That idea was that, back in the olden days, people survived perfectly fine without electricity, now the question that I posed was, why can’t we? This was the final step in creating a topic for my post. 

Here, I come to a conclusion from one of my thought processes, "After this experience, I realized how important electricity is to people these days. I found it a bit unhealthy to know that instead of finding something else that didn't require power to do, we decided to listen to music."

I still question why I always refer my everyday thoughts into post topics but I just can’t help it. Also, it is very interesting to see how blogging has impacted my life. I no longer see things one sided, I look at things in different perspectives. For example, when I come across a situation I analyze every bit of it. I notice that I constantly put myself in the other person’s shoes to see how they would grasp the matter. Some may conclude that my findings are merely just an assumption of how another person feels however, I believe that what I see in another person and how they react to problems can show who they really are. I don’t know if this is just a gift that I have, or if it is just something everybody does in their own mind however, I realized that when I look at situations now, I see all of the possibilities that could have put this person in this situation. It is mind bobbling to see how this comes to play and to see how sometimes I can feel how others feel in certain events. Now I don’t just look at how one person reacts to a problem, I look at other people who are involved and the root of the situation then becomes obvious. I guess this is the reason for why I always think up many different blog topics. Since I am constantly thinking to myself, I come up with questions that make me confused which leads to the creation of new blog ideas. I have to admit, blogging has changed my life.

The open ended writing that I do on my blog is different from the structured writing that I am used to because it allows me to look at topics at different angles. In structured writing, I notice that I am usually more stressed because there are many factors that I have to worry about. First, there is always a rubric. No matter what, the rubric is the key to a good grade, which leads me into the second factor. Format. There is always a specific way a teacher wants me to format my papers, whether it is my heading in the left hand corner followed by my teacher, then my course and period, and lastly the date. Formatting can normally cause problems for people because it is hard to do all of these things on the computer. Another factor is choosing a topic. In structured writing, the topic is chosen for me, however, in open ended writing, I am allowed to choose the topic that I want to write about. I think this is better for me because it allows me to write long amounts of words without being frightened by following the exact rules of a paper. Being able to write open endedly is enjoyable because it puts less pressure on me to perfect or make my writing not what I sound like but how my teacher wants me to sound like. Throughout the year, although I was given some prompts, I was able to choose from a wide variety instead of one or two. For example in my Basic Book Review posts, it made it easier for me to explore my book because I was able to look at it in different perspectives. It didn’t limit me to just one question or one idea of the book. 

Being able to choose which question I would like to answer helped improve the quality of my review, "As I read the book, "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks, I grow more and more attached to the feelings of the protagonist of the book Ronnie. I can feel the way she feels and understand how the story changes from viewpoints."

I liked being able to write open endedly because it allowed me to explore my writing in different ways and further help myself learn what type of writer that I am.

Writing response posts to my classmate’s blogs helped me become a better writer because it allowed me to look at their view of a specific topic and see how it differed to mine, then express my viewpoint. Also, it helped me become a better thinker because it exposed me to the different opinions that people have. Many of my classmates composed blogs based on their ideas, of course. However, through this process, I noticed that we all have very different takes on specific subjects, especially social subjects. Sometimes our opposing viewpoints would cause mayhem within the “blog world” but nonetheless, allowed others to see how not everybody has the same opinion. In addition, as a result to the chaos occurring within our blogs, some people lost track of the idea that everybody is entitled to their own opinion. Of course, sometimes peoples’ opinions can be misleading or ignorant which also leads to many new viewpoints. My classmates helped me realize many things. I remember a certain blog from Bianca Hsueh referring to the abuse of substitute teachers caught my eye. As I skimmed through he blog, I noticed that much of her words were correct. She talked about how people constantly abuse substitute teachers and how it is unacceptable. This opened my eyes because I knew that a lot of people constantly “horsed around” when substitute teachers were present (sadly to say I participated in this childish act) and it was obvious that many others did too. However, what I didn’t realize was that it was affecting the work of other students who were serious about learning and didn’t appreciate what occurred when the teacher was absent. 

Here she states, "Not only would that be nice for the substitute, but also nice for classmates. Think about it: if everyone is talking while the substitute is giving out instructions, then nobody can hear the substitute and get to work. And if it so happens that the substitute is a teacher who only give out instructions once, then the whole class is screwed because none of us know what to do."

Bianca helped me realize that my actions can’t just affect one group or person, if can affect many groups or people.

Throughout the year, blogging has really impacted my life. I’ve got to see how people view different topics and ideas in the world and also got to reflect off of them. Not only did blogging affect me academically, it also impacted me socially. No matter where I was I continuously thought to myself and looked at things in different perspectives. In addition, the loose rules of prompts and topics enabled me to further my thinking process. Another quality that came out from blogging was learning from my peers. Blogging enabled me to view how others saw the world and sometimes my peers’ views shaped my views. I feel that blogging has become a routine in my life and as my life goes on, I look forward to seeing the one or two new posts from my prior peers and reminisce on my high school experience because of it.

Thanks for a great year Mr. Sutherland

Final Basic Book Review

The Last Song” by Nicholas Sparks was an inspiring, love story. In this novel, Sparks recalls the unforgetable summer that a young teenage girl encountered. Like many other books of Sparks, the characters relate to his audience. The main character, Ronnie, started off as a sassy girl who despised her father. As the story progressed however, she became an independent woman and learned to cope with what life had to offer her. Throughout the novel, Sparks tells the story of Ronnie’s visit to her father and along the way adds drama and romance. Ronnie’s character is very dynamic with every flip of a page.

While reading the book, the audience finds themselves growing more and more attached to Ronnie.  I can feel the way she feels and understand how the story changes from viewpoints. Sparks does a good job emphasizing how Ronnie copes with the troubles she faces as she spends the summer at her father's house.

Ronnie's character interested me because she is very strong. She is able to go about every day doing things that average teenage girls would not think of doing. For example, when she arrived at her dad's house they went to the carnival/ fair and instead of staying with her dad and brother she ventured off by herself. Even though this city was new to her she wasn't afraid of getting lost and almost seemed like she knew where she was going and what she was going to do.

As the novel goes on, Ronnie encounters a new group of people who she begins to associate with. Along the way she makes close ties with a gothic girl named Blaze. Blaze is currently dating a rebel, Marcus. Marcus is then attracted to Ronnie and tries to flirt with her many times. Ronnie's character seems like a strong and brave character at some points but sometimes she can feel very vulnerable. There are times when she is rebellious towards her father and other times when she is a caring daughter.

Ronnie was previously a great pianist that had much talent. Following in the footsteps of her father until he left her which caused much hate for her father. In the book, Ronnie's father is constantly playing the piano. She suspects this action as a hint that he wishes for her to return to playing the piano as well. In the end her concious is wrong and her dad is the one left heart broken.

"She put her hands on her hips waiting for him to stop. He didn't. [...] 'You can't keep me locked up all summer,' she said. 'It's not going to happen.' Her dad glanced up, though he continued to play." (73)


Here, Ronnie finds her dad playing the piano, (once again) and suspects that he is trying to persuade her to play as well. She feels no shame in giving her father attitude because her excuse is him leaving the family.


Ronnie's character is complex. Sometimes the audience can feel empathy for her but other times her actions cause her to have a bad reputation. As the story goes on, Ronnie's character changes dramatically. In the beginning, Sparks creates her character as a metal/punk rock type of girl that hated the idea of spending time with her dad. She gets in a lot of trouble with the authorities and another crime could put her in greater trouble. As a reault, she does get herself into a situation in which she was the victim/suspect. Being framed for shoplifting, Ronnie came to a point in her life in which she was not able to do everything by herself. She needed help.

Along the way her father supported her no matter how hard it was to allow her to go out every day and not come back home till the very last hours of the day. When this incident of shoplifting occured, Ronnie's father was forced to believe that her argument that she didn't do it was true. He did. This turned things around in the book dramatically. Why has Steve, Ronnie's dad, created such a big trust for her? Isn't it bad parenting to allow your child to roam freely everyday. I mean that is how she first got in to the shoplifting incident. Steve allows Ronnie to do these things because he wasn't there in her life and to show his sorryness (I'm having a brain fart and can't think of another word but I know there is one) he lets her do basically whatever she wants. Also in the book Sparks emphasizes many times Steve's love for Ronnie.
"He fell asleep almost immediately but woke an hour later.Tiptoeing outside again, he went to check on the daughter he loved more than life itself."(122)
When Ronnie encountered the support from her father telling her that he believed she had not committed the crime, it gave her more trust for her dad. Later on in the book their friendship began to grow and it changed the way Ronnie acted. She was no longer a rebellious girl. She changed and became more soft. This helped later on when meeting Will, the boy she loves..


By the end of the book, Ronnie changed immensely. She was no longer the stereotypical teenage girl that many parents were afraid of. She became an independent and aware woman. Her strength and willingness was reflected throughout the book and Sparks greatly relates Ronnie to other teenage girls in the world. The Last Song has become one of my most favorite books.

Peer Review Thingy.

Alex-
I like how you added background info of your character. It helped me understand more about what was occurring. However, it is hard for me to see what question you were doing. Based off of reading this, I would guess that it was the one to do with a character in your book. What I would recommend for you to do is to just weave the quote into your review more smoothly and make sure that the readers understand the content of the book. It can get a bit confusing when we read the review and don't really know what you are referring to. Overall awesome job.

Rokhsor-
Aww man Mr. Sutherland! I posted the comment on Rokhsor's blog and I forgot to copy it before I posted it, so it can only be visible if she allows it to be. So now I don't really know the exact words but I'll do my best to get the main points :/.
I liked how you gave a clear understanding of the main events in the book within a few paragraphs in your review. This helped readers interpret your writing better. What I would recommend is for you to add a quote that refers to either the character or how it engaged you or how it bored you. Then relate this quote to one of your paragraphs. This will help readers take in what you claim about the book since you have more evidence. Also try to refrain from using second person. I am not entirely sure if it is that much of a problem, but I know in previous blogs I was told not to so yeah, just something to keep in mind. All in all this review was very informing.

Jesse-
I liked how you added great detail about how the author writes the book in a way that gives readers hope of a happy ending but later turns them down. As I read your review it made me want to read the book however I don't think I could take so much stress and depression. You made your review very persuasive. I actually thought you had somewhat of and introduction, however you should separate it from the rest of the first paragraph so it is more clear. Also try to sum up what you are trying to point out with a concluding paragraph. Good work Jesse.

Basic Book Review Rough Draft

The Last Song” by Nicholas Sparks was an inspiring story. Like many other books of Sparks, the characters relate to his audience. The main character, Ronnie, started off as a sassy girl who despised her father. As the story progressed however, she became an independent woman and learned to cope with what life had to offer her. Throughout the novel, Sparks tells the story of Ronnie’s visit to her father and along the way adds drama and romance. Ronnie’s character is very dynamic with every flip of a page.

While reading the book, the audience finds themselves growing more and more attached to Ronnie.  I can feel the way she feels and understand how the story changes from viewpoints. Sparks does a good job emphasizing how Ronnie copes with the troubles she faces as she spends the summer at her father's house.

Ronnie's character interested me because she is very strong. She is able to go about every day doing things that average teenage girls would not think of doing. For example, when she arrived at her dad's house they went to the carnival/ fair and instead of staying with her dad and brother she ventured off by herself. Even though this city was new to her she wasn't afraid of getting lost and almost seemed like she knew where she was going and what she was going to do.

As the novel goes on, Ronnie encounters a new group of people who she begins to associate with. Along the way she makes close ties with a gothic girl named Blaze. Blaze is currently dating a rebel, Marcus. Marcus is then attracted to Ronnie and tries to flirt with her many times. Ronnie's character seems like a strong and brave character at some points but sometimes she can feel very vulnerable. There are times when she is rebellious towards her father and other times when she is a caring daughter.

Ronnie was previously a great pianist that had much talent. Following in the footsteps of her father until he left her which caused much hate for her father. In the book, Ronnie's father is constantly playing the piano. She suspects this action as a hint that he wishes for her to return to playing the piano as well. In the end her concious is wrong and her dad is the one left heart broken.

"She put her hands on her hips waiting for him to stop. He didn't. [...] 'You can't keep me locked up all summer,' she said. 'It's not going to happen.' Her dad glanced up, though he continued to play." (73)


Here, Ronnie finds her dad playing the piano, (once again) and suspects that he is trying to persuade her to play as well. She feels no shame in giving her father attitude because her excuse is him leaving the family.


Ronnie's character is complex. Sometimes the audience can feel empathy for her but other times her actions cause her to have a bad reputation. As the story goes on, Ronnie's character changes dramatically. In the beginning, Sparks creates her character as a metal/punk rock type of girl that hated the idea of spending time with her dad. She gets in a lot of trouble with the authorities and another crime could put her in greater trouble. As a reault, she does get herself into a situation in which she was the victim/suspect. Being framed for shoplifting, Ronnie came to a point in her life in which she was not able to do everything by herself. She needed help.

Along the way her father supported her no matter how hard it was to allow her to go out every day and not come back home till the very last hours of the day. When this incident of shoplifting occured, Ronnie's father was forced to believe that her argument that she didn't do it was true. He did. This turned things around in the book dramatically. Why has Steve, Ronnie's dad, created such a big trust for her? Isn't it bad parenting to allow your child to roam freely everyday. I mean that is how she first got in to the shoplifting incident. Steve allows Ronnie to do these things because he wasn't there in her life and to show his sorryness (I'm having a brain fart and can't think of another word but I know there is one) he lets her do basically whatever she wants. Also in the book Sparks emphasizes many times Steve's love for Ronnie.
"He fell asleep almost immediately but woke an hour later.Tiptoeing outside again, he went to check on the daughter he loved more than life itself."(122)
When Ronnie encountered the support from her father telling her that he believed she had not committed the crime, it gave her more trust for her dad. Later on in the book their friendship began to grow and it changed the way Ronnie acted. She was no longer a rebellious girl. She changed and became more soft. This helped later on when meeting Will, the boy she loves..

Book Review - The Last Song #2

Analyze a Character.

As the story goes on, Ronnie's character changes dramatically. In the beginning, Sparks creates her character as a metal/punk rock type of girl that hated the idea of spending time with her dad. She gets in a lot of trouble with the authorities and another crime could put her in greater trouble. As a reault, she does get herself into a situation in which she was the victim/suspect. Being framed for shoplifting, Ronnie came to a point in her life in which she was not able to do everything by herself. She needed help.

Along the way her father supported her no matter how hard it was to allow her to go out every day and not come back home till the very last hours of the day. When this incident of shoplifting occured, Ronnie's father was forced to believe that her argument that she didn't do it was true. He did. This turned things around in the book dramatically. Why has Steve, Ronnie's dad, created such a big trust for her? Isn't it bad parenting to allow your child to roam freely everyday. I mean that is how she first got in to the shoplifting incident. Steve allows Ronnie to do these things because he wasn't there in her life and to show his sorryness (I'm having a brain fart and can't think of another word but I know there is one) he lets her do basically whatever she wants. Also in the book Sparks emphasizes many times Steve's love for Ronnie.

"He fell asleep almost immediately but woke an hour later.Tiptoeing outside again, he went to check on the daughter he loved more than life itself."(122)

When Ronnie encountered the support from her father telling her that he believed she had not committed the crime, it gave her more trust for her dad. Later on in the book their friendship began to grow and it changed the way Ronnie acted. She was no longer a rebellious girl. She changed and became more soft. This helped later on when meeting Will, the boy she loves..

The Last Song- Basic Book Review

1. pick a character that interested you and write about them in depth. You can also analyze a relationship between two different characters.
• Hint: If you just retell the events that happen to your character, that's not "in depth." You will need to zoom in on certain critical moments that truly show your character's nature, and explain how they do

As I read the book, "The Last Song" by Nicholas Sparks, I grow more and more attached to the feelings of the protagonist of the book Ronnie. I can feel the way she feels and understand how the story changes from viewpoints. Sparks does a good job emphasizing how Ronnie copes with the troubles she faces as she spends the summer at her father's house. 

Ronnie's character interested me because she is very strong. She is able to go about every day doing things that average teenage girls would not think of doing. For example, when she arrived at her dad's house they went to the carnival/ fair and instead of staying with her dad and brother she ventured off by herself. Even though this city was new to her she wasn't afraid of getting lost and almost seemed like she knew where she was going and what she was going to do. 

As the novel goes on, Ronnie encounters a new group of people who she begins to associate with. Along the way she makes close ties with a gothic girl named Blaze. Blaze is currently dating a rebel, Marcus. Marcus is then attracted to Ronnie and tries to flirt with her many times. Ronnie's character seems like a strong and brave character at some points but sometimes she can feel very vulnerable. There are times when she is rebellious towards her father and other times when she is a caring daughter. 

Ronnie was previously a great pianist that had much talent. Following in the footsteps of her father until he left her which caused much hate for her father. In the book, Ronnie's father is constantly playing the piano. She suspects this action as a hint that he wishes for her to return to playing the piano as well. In the end her concious is wrong and her dad is the one left heart broken. 

"She put her hands on her hips waiting for him to stop. He didn't. [...] 'You can't keep me locked up all summer,' she said. 'It's not going to happen.' Her dad glanced up, though he continued to play." (73)

Here, Ronnie finds her dad playing the piano, (once again) and suspects that he is trying to persuade her to play as well. She feels no shame in giving her father attitude because her excuse is him leaving the family. 


Ronnie's character is complex. Sometimes the audience can feel empathy for her but other times her actions cause her to have a bad reputation. 

Doo Da Doo It's All Goooood.

Many of my peers feel the same way I do on many occasions, after writing vignettes based on important or daily events on our lives, I realized we are more connected as a group of teenagers than some of us realize. It was really cool to read through my classmate's blogs and seeing how they cope with the many struggles in life. Three vignettes that stood out to me were, Elton's, Cristian's and Ashli's. 

On Elton's blog, he wrote three vignettes that were important topics in his life. One that struck me was, Procrastination. I like the way he worded his vignette on procrastination because it gives it a tone in which the reader can find more interesting than just a straight forward tone of voice. Also procrastination is a daily for me, I find myself always taking 5 minutes breaks after 5 minutes of work. These breaks turn out to be very distracting since I end up going over my supposed time to return to homework. Elton has the same ideas when stating, 

"I came home from school and I was sleepy because last night I didn’t get enough sleep so I took off my shoes, put my back pack on the couch, and laid my body down, the couch and took a nap because I when I get around to my homework."

When Elton says this, I can tell that he has already started procrastinating. I too feel exhausted thoroughout and after the school day since I normally sleep late, (mainly because I stay up procrastinating on homework) For example, tomorrow is the biggest tournament of the season for my Division I soccer team. We are heading halfway down to Los Angeles to play three games. Tomorrow I have to wake up at 6:00 a.m to make it in time for my game. I guess I should be sleeping right now, but obviously I'm procrastinating. It would also be a good idea to start packing now too. Anyways, Elton does a good job of showing how he acts when procrastinating, and I can relate to how he feels because I usually go through the same process.

On Cristian's blog, he talks about his experience on one of his first day's of school. I like how he frames his emotions with different questions. I think many people struggle with ideas of how the first day of school will turn out. Some scared, others excited. There are mixed feelings about this idea but Cristian does a good job in outlining his worry on his first day of school.

"Firsts. First steps. First words. First day of school. I felt afraid and alone in the world, walking up those wide and steep steps that seemed to travel along forever."

These first sentences in Cristian's vignette already embraces his fear of being in school. I usually always feel this way when attending my first day of school, and I think many can relate to this feeling. Who knows what will happen? A new year, new friends, new teacher, even new ways of acting. Each year people can change, I do it all of the time. I guess change can be good unless it is negative change. Negative change, something that changes in ones life for the wrong reasons. I think Cristian had many ideas about what negative change was to come on his first day of school.

Another vignette that interested me was Ashli's. She talks about her dilemma in facing the scattered items that fill her room. I can definitely relate to Ashli's vignette because my room follows the same routine.

"Also, when ever my parents walk into my room,or  even walk pass it, they would look around, from  the left to the right and down at the ground. [...] But, I would think, what is the point of cleaning it up when it gets messy within a week or so."

This quote is exactly how I feel! Ashli talks about how her parents walk by her room and stare at the mess in it. This happens to me all of the time, except my dad usually gets really angry. Usually, I clean my room and make it look really pretty. Until I have a day where soccer practice and homework don't cope. This forces me to leave my clothes on the ground and scatter my homework on the floor. It's amazing to see how fast my room can change after a day of cleaning it. What I know for sure is it will never stay clean.

Well.. it is now 11 p.m and surprisingly I finished before 11:59 p.m. Since I procrastinate a lot I don't normally start my blogs till 11 or later so I am actually pretty happy. However, I have a soccer tournament tomorrow and I still need to pack my clothes. Wow.. this is lame.

I am now the world's #1 procrastinator.

Gender Differences

Should parents/guardians raise their teenage girls in the same way that they raise their teenage boys? Why or why not? What rules should be the same for girls and boys? What should be different? Explain.

---

Cisneros obviously believes that parents do raise their teenage boys/girls differently...But according to the following vignettes, does she think they should? How do you think Cisneros would answer the question above?


I believe that parents/ guardians should raise their teenage girls differently from how they raise their teenage boys. I believe this because girls and boy have two different ways of thinking. In general, girls are more sensitive than boys, they are constantly thinking about things emotionally and physically. How does my hair look right now? Why isn't he talking to me? Will I ever look as pretty as her? These questions run through minds of teenage girls. On the contrary, boys don't tend to worry about their appearance as much and are more leniant in the way they feel about themselves. 


Some rules that should be the same for boys and girls are that they should be held to the same expectations. Grades at a good standard for average teenagers. Tidiness is good. Chores are being done. Rules are being followed. These are very common rules that are set for both boys and girls. On the other hand, girls should be allowed to spend more money than boys. This doesn't mean they are allowed to blow up their parent's credit cards, it means that they should be able to spend money at a good extent. At the same time the items that they are spending on should be something they need not something they want just to have it. I guess the rule goes for boys too. But in the end, parents/guardians should just be more thoughtful in expressing their feelings towards girls since they are more emotional.


In the vignette, Marin, Esperanza says 

“Since you always get to look beautiful [...] and take you to live in a big house far away.” (26)

what Cisneros is trying to say is that girls are raised to be married, they should be treated differently from men because women often worry about their looks. This is the result of the pressure to get married in the future.

Another quote that she says is,"Nennys says she won't wait her whole life for a husband to come and get her." (88) This shows that Cisneros feels that marraige is key to life of women. This is why they should be treated differently compared to guys.

Mango Says Goodbye.

The last four vignettes from the House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros holds many details about Esperanza's place on Mango Street. "The Three Sisters" is a mystery to be looked at carefully. While "Alicia & I Talking on Edna's Steps" tells the story of being at home. "A House of My Own" talks about Esperanza being independent in her dream home. "Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes" sums up the story of Esperanza and her adventure through life. The many stories she tells all bound together to bring out the true meaning of the book. Each vignette adds to Esperanza's picture of "home." 


In the future Esperanza will become big. She will be successful and live in the dream home that she sought for in "A House of My Own." 

"Not a flat. Not an apartment in back. Not a man's house. Not a daddy's. A house all my own. [...] Only a house quiet as snow, a space for myself to go, clean as paper before the poem." (108)

Here, Esperanza talks about her dream house. It is obvious that her intentions are to find a nice house all to herself. One that would not be seen on Mango Street. She wants to be independent, and does not like the idea of having to rely on others. This shows that maybe she will be strong enough to "come back for the others" that live on Mango Street. When she says, "clean as paper before the poem" I think this means that while writing a poem, a jumble of words can fill the paper but before the poem has been written the paper is clean. She wants a new beginning in the house of her own. And then maybe later on she will fill the poem with a jumble of her own words. When Esperanza is successful and settled down, she will come back for Mango Street. 


In the vignette, "Mango Says Goodbye Sometimes," Esperanza shows that she is strong enough to leave Mango Street and intends on leaving the place where she doesn't belong. 

"One day I will say goodbye to Mango. I am too strong for her to keep me here forever. One day I will go away." (110)

This quote shows that Esperanza will leave Mango Street. She doesn't belong and needs a way out. Later on in the vignette she writes.

"They will not know I have gone away to come back. For the ones I left behind. For the ones who cannot out."(110)

This shows that Esperanza's intentions are to come back and help the poor people who are unable to leave the nightmares of Mango Street. She wants to make things better and help others. This is why she says goodbye to Mango Street but not forever. This is only the end of the beginning in Esperanza's life.

Fill the Cup.

Fill The Cup
Table of Contents
1. Mickey Mouse Can’t Trick Me
2. I Can Pour Milk?
3. Regret
4. Elaine Sayaphupha Ma
5. Lalala

Mickey Mouse Can't Trick Me.

She tells me all of the time that Mickey Mouse is waiting for me. My dad gets the weekdays and sometimes I see my mom on the weekends. Every time I do, Mickey Mouse always follows me around. The thought of him makes me cringe.   I am forced to decide my fate according to him. My mother looks at me for a long time, “What do you want to do?” I sat watching Cartoon Network, the thoughts of living with her in Disneyland was overwhelming for such a small child as I. Of course I wanted to go to the place where dreams came true but at the same time I didn't want to leave my dad. I figured that she didn't really live in Disneyland, just someplace near it. But she said that if I did live with her, I would see Mickey Mouse everyday. I realize now that Mickey Mouse can't trick me.

  

I Can Pour Milk?

“Come on you can do it” My father encourages me as I tilt the milk carton towards the cup. My sister too watches me in hopes that I succeed. Slowly the milk rushed into the cup and I made sure not to let the carton slip. Grasping tightly to the handle, I filled the cup to the top. I can pour milk.

My dad and sister encourage me in all of my dreams. At age 5 I learned how to read. At age 8 I kicked my first soccer ball. At age 10 I watched my dad and sister cheer me on in the stands as I scored another goal. At age 14 I still see my dad and sister at the dining room table cheering me on as I pour a glass of milk into a different cup, one that is endless, one that never gets full until my family stops supporting me. At age 48 the cup is still not full.

Regret

Rose Mavu, a brave woman that now carries the last name of her second husband. The woman that has been in my life countless of times, but that’s the way I see it. Rose, the woman that missed out on her children’s childhood and has many years to make up. Rose.

An hour was all it took to fly down to Southern California for a soccer tournament. I play on a Class I soccer team that competes nationally. Instead of staying in a hotel with the rest of my team I stay at Rose’s house. She buys me everything I want. Almost everything. Money can’t buy the experience of having a mother can it? She left when I was two, my sister six. I never hated her for it because I had my father make up for all of the missed memories. I can tell she regrets leaving us and I understand why she had to do it. The last time she’s seen me play soccer was when I was nine and playing for a recreational team. It was boring to her. Five years later she realizes what she missed out on.

The whistle blows and she takes sips out of her coffee mug. The cup a bright blue reflects off of the sunlight. A ball rolls towards me and I pick it up, I shout to my teammates to push up and then punt it as far as I could. She is amazed. It was only a kick wasn’t it? I did not even do anything special. She is amazed.

Every little touch I had on the ball was followed by the cheering of Rose. Five years ago she sat on the sideline of my soccer game with no expression whatsoever. Now it’s a different story. Her eyes bulge out whenever I dive for the ball, she tells me to be careful.

At the end of the game she is stunned. In her head I can tell that she regrets missing out on watching me play. She regrets passively watching my other game five years ago because now I play at a different level. Rose regrets not being able to experience the growth I had made since the last time she watched me.

Rose, my mother; regrets not being in my childhood.  She understands that phone calls and visits every now and then weren’t enough. She takes another sip from her cup as tears puddle in her eyes. I love my mother and I understand why she had to leave. I have no hate towards her because in the end I know she is my mother.

Elaine Sayaphupha Ma

 She treats me as if I was her own child, even though I know I'm not. At the age of 9 she was already forced to watch over me since my dad had to work overtime. I can tell she wishes that she was as lucky as I. Hanging out with friends was never easy for her since I was always around to watch. Elaine never complained. Now that she is in college, I can tell she's happier since I'm not there to worry about. Now she can take her own road in life instead of dreading the path of mine. Whatever I wanted I got, whatever she wanted it always had to get questioned. She tells me that it's okay and that she didn't mind watching over me. But I know she did. My sister can't re-do what she missed in the past and for this my cup is still not filled.

Go clean your room, how many times do I have to tell you this she says. I’m sorry god you don’t have to yell at me for everything. You’re so disrespectful and all you care about is yourself. It’s not fair. You get everything that you want. Why can’t I have my own life? Why can’t I hang out with my friends like you do? It’s not fair that I have to watch over you all of the time. I turn back to my room and start picking my clothes off of the ground.

Lalala

Some people in the world have it hard. I see an old women everyday on the bus wearing the most jewelry and fancy clothes that she can wear, but it seems like she is still unhappy. It seems like she regrets what happened during her life and wishes she can change things. At the same time, she is a beautiful old lady and I can see that all she wants is for someone to love her. She’s always stressed out. Her mopped hair highlights the wrinkles on her face. Sometimes I wish there was something I could do to help but I can’t. The lady continues to sit on the bus with her hands clasped and her jewelry clinking with every swift move of the bus.

House On Mango Street Symbolism

On The House On Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros, the small book is made up of many vignettes. Within the vignettes are many symbols that are scattered across the book. Sandra Cisneros does a good job of implanting these symbols in different parts of the story. As the protagonist, Esperanza narrates significant events in her life, she talks about certain objects and colors that symbolize greater things. It is mind bobbling as to how Cisneros was able to create a piece bound by many symbols that were at the same time secretly hidden for only careful readers to find. When I finished reading the book, a symbol that I found significant was the color red.

Red is referred to different times in the book. The color red symbolizes dependence and being tied down to doing something. When Esperanza talks about her difficulties finding a true friend, she explains

"Someday I will have a best friend all my own. One I can tell my secrets to. One who will understand my jokes without my having to explain them. Until then I am a red balloon, a balloon tied to an anchor." (9)

Esperanza describes what she wants in a best friend. She sees many other people with best friends but can't seem to find one of her own. Without a best friend, she is alone. She can have other friends but not one that she has a greater connection with. Because of this, she sticks out like the color red. Esperanza is a balloon that needs to float up, to continue fulfilling it's duties, yet she is tied to an anchor. This means that Esperanza has no best friend and because of this she is forced to stay by herself and wait until she fits in and can be untied and be let free from the anchor.

In another part of the book, Esparanza says

"But the house on Mango Street is not the way they told it at all. It's small and red with tight steps in front and windows so small you'd think they were holding their breath." (4)

What this means is that her house is too small for her. The bad quality of it is described in the color of the house, red. Red is dependent. Her house doesn't fit her needs and this is why it forces her to feel this way.

In the book, there are many symbols that can be perceived in different ways. Red is one symbol that represents dependence and being forced to do something. Cisneros weaves this symbol in many time in The House On Mango Street.

 

Windows.

In The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros formats the book into many vignettes. Each of the vignettes can be passively read and misunderstood unless reader read carefully and follow her writing. In her vignettes titiled "My Name", "No Speak English", "Rafaela", and "Sally" there is a symbol used to portray many things. Windows. Windows can be looked at as symbols freedom and a way home. Outside of thin walls is a place better than where each of the characters in the vignettes are at.

In the vignette titled, "No Speak English", Mamacita is a foreign immigrant that only knows how to speak English. This has forced her to stay inside her "home" all day and only watch what goes on around her. She dreads living there and wishes that she could go back home. On page 77 Esperanza narrates, "She sits all day by the window and plays the Spanish radio show and sings all the homesick songs about her country in a voice that sounds like a seagull." What this is trying to persuade readers is that Mamacita only wishes to go home. The land of the free is no match for what she once had before, the window is the frame of what she used to had when she looked out and saw other’s happiness.

In the vignette titled “My Name” Esperanza talks about how she does not like her name because it is named after her great grandmother. She states “She looked out the window her whole life, the way so many women sit their sadness on an elbow.” (11) What this is saying is that Esperanza’s great grandmother was weak, she dreaded the idea of getting married but after being forced to she was always sad. She looked out the window all of the time, like Mamacita had when she was stuck in her home with nowhere to go. Later on in the vignette, Esperanza expresses, “I have inherited her name, but I don’t want to inherit her place by the window.” (11) When Esperanza says this she is trying to say that she doesn’t want to be like how her great grandmother was and lose hope. She would rather be named after a strong woman.

In the vignette titled “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays” Esparanza talks about another woman who has been taken advantatge of. Rafaela is a young woman who also follows in the path of staring out windows. “And then Rafaela, who is still young but getting old from leaning out the window so much, gets locked indoors because her husband is afraid Rafaela will run away since she is too beautiful to look at.” (79) This shows that Rafaela is too weak and can not speak up. It isn’t her fault though. Rafaela wants a normal life and to be able to enjoy it.

In the vignette “Sally” Esperanza talks about her experiences with her friend Sally. After Sally left her for boys Esparanza writes to Sally and tries to talk about how there are other things that could get her mind off of being like the way she is. What I am trying to say is that she tries to tell Sally that she understands that Sally wants to be normal or perfect. She understands that it is hard for her to do so when under pressure from boys. Esperanza writes, “And if you opened the little window latch and gave it a shove, the windows would swing open, all the sky would come in.” (82) This means that if Sally felt vulnerable like the other women, she would be able to see what is better beyond the window and realize that how she acts can be changed.
Windows are a symbol of freedom, a better life and respect. These women look out of the window in search of an answer. They long for equality and to not be treated like just another woman in the world. They want to be able to live the life they see when they look out of a window.

The Color Purple: Religion At Its Peak.

Throughout The Color Purple, by Alice Walker, Celie and Nettie both go through phases of religious beliefs. For the two sisters, God is a very important figure in their lives. As the book comes to a close, their religious beliefs are changed.

In the beginning of the book, Celie experiences harsh times and talks to God as a way of letting her feelings out. Celie explains to her mother about her new born baby when she says,  

“She ast me bout the first one whose it is? I say God’s. I don’t know no other man or what else to say.” (2)  

It is obvious that in her time of need Celie depends on God to help her through her problems. Her child was a baby from God and by saying so it proves that she has enough faith in him to tell her mom that. Also in the beginning of the book, Nettie makes no reference towards God and it doesn’t seem as though she cares much for him. Celie is at first more concerned about staying in touch with Nettie, telling her,

“I say write. She say, What? I say, Write. She never write.” (18)

Since Celie believed in writing letters to God she believed it would be best for Nettie to do the same. Although this quote was trying to portray the idea of Nettie writing to Celie, I still believe that it could be interpreted in a different way. This way is that, it would be best for Nettie to write letters to God to aid her yet she never did. For this reason, Nettie’s faith in God has not yet been outlined in the book. In the beginning, Celie and Nettie have different feelings towards God and how necessary it is to converse with him.

Later on in the story, the girls view on religion has changed. Celie begins to lose faith in God when she starts to address her letters to Nettie instead of God. Here she proves that Nettie is more important to her than God is,

“Dear Nettie, I don’t write to God no more. I write to you.” (192)

I feel that, because Celie is finally seeing the better side of things that she begins to loosen up and not feel like there is nobody to talk to her. God is now a back up support system to Celie and now that she no longer feels as much pain then she has before, she no longer needs a very strong support system. This is why she begins to write to Nettie. Also since Nettie has written her letters she feels like she should write back to Nettie. A letter that Nettie sent from Africa refers to her new profession as a missionary. The letter states,

“Anyways, when I don’t write to you I  feel as bad as I do when I don’t pray, locked up in myself and choking on my own heart.” (130)  

Here, it is obvious that Nettie is making improvement and her religious beliefs are finally becoming highlighted more carefully. As a missionary, Nettie has the responsibility to share her religious beliefs with the people of Africa. This has forced her to become more religious. God is now a very important aspect in her life. By now, the two sisters remain on different sides when thinking about God. Celie’s vision has turned around as she begins to write letters to Nettie. On the other hand, Nettie shares her beliefs with other people to inspire the people of Africa of the fortunes that come from believing in God.

In the book, the faith in God is very important, yet it can be questioned as to how powerful the belief in him is. Could some of the characters be expressing their feelings to God but not actually feeling complete faith for him? What I am trying to point out is, Celie only writes to God when she needs help. While Nettie although she did not show her faith in God in the beginning still tries to share the religion with others. This proves that Nettie does believe that there is a God and that he is the answer to people’s problems. To prove that Celie’s faith in God is questionable she states,

“It’s worse than that, I think. If I was buried, I wouldn’t have to work. But I just say, Never mine, never mine, long as I can spell G-o-d I got somebody along.” (17)

What this is saying is that Celie would be happy if she was dead, then she wouldn’t have as many problems. On the other hand, her feelings of death is allieved when she thinks about God aiding her. This proves that Celie mainly looks to God as the answer to the multiple problems she faces in her life. Although she feels that she strongly believes in God, she never really expresses it without having to ask him for a favor. Is this really having true faith in God?

Nettie on the other hand, shares the beauty of religion to other members of the Olinka tribe. God has become a major aspect in her life. Nettie expresses her true belief in God when she states.

“These are the thoughts I don’t pursue with the children, only with my beloved companion, Samuel, who advises me not to worry, to trust in God, and to have faith in the sturdiness of my sister’s soul.” (257)

Obviously, Nettie has not lost faith in Celie’s existance and trusts in God that she is okay. Her knowledge about him is very strong and she understands what it means to sacrifice something for what you love. Her view on God has changed drastically since the beginning of the book.

“God is different to us now, after all these years in Africa. More spirit than ever before, more internal. Most people think he has to look like something or someone-- a roofleaf or Christ-- but we don’t. And not being tied to what God looks like frees us.” (257)           

Nettie makes a good point when she says that God is not to be looked at as a figure but as a spirit. If referred to as a roofleaf or a white man, it takes away from the essence and true nature of believing in God. God is a spirit that helps guide many believers. As a missionary, Nettie has become very knowledgeable about religion especially about God.

Nettie and Celie’s views on God have changed many times during the book. In the beginning Celie was a strong believer in God, while Nettie had no reason to have as much faith in him. Later on, Celie’s faith in God decreases as Nettie shares her religion with the Olinka tribe as she did so her appreciation of God rose. In the book, Celie’s belief in God could be questioned as fake, yet Nettie’s is proven to be pure and loyal to God. Religion was a major aspect in The Color Purple.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Rebuttal. Should Teens Be Allowed To Vote - Vinh.

After reading Vinh's opening statement, I feel that was not able to carefully grasp the statement he was trying to make since it was only three sentences long. He points out that the 26th Amendment was changed to make it so that instead of the voting age stay at twenty one, it changed to eighteen. He gives one source which does not look like a fairly well thought out resource because of the many adds and other links connected to it. The way I see it is that this website is a short summary of the changing of the Amendment but does not give detailed information about it. 

Vinh states, Voting age has always been a problem. In 1971, congress pass down the 26th amendment which change the voting age from 21 to 18 (Here). Before that, voting age minimum was 21, but why was the 26th amendment proposed to the constitution and

As you can see, he did not even complete his last sentence. Also his commentary has nothing to do with his argument since he is against having the voting age be lowered. Yet in his statement, he supports the age change for voting 3 years lower, he may not realize that eighteen is also considered a teenager.  


If Vinh had finished his argument I bet that it would be very well thought out and followed up by good supporting details, but since he did not finsh, I feel that his argument is not very strong. I talked to Vinh in class and he said that he would finish his debate and change it yet I have not seen a change in it since this morning. 


I feel that teens should be allowed to vote so that they can help enlighten the minds of other adults that have been influenced by the stress of politics. Since teens have fresh minds and are well educated, we should be able to change the world. Many great political figures express how important it is to let children speak their minds but if they go against their stand and keep us from voting then they are contradicting what they are saying. I believe that there should be at least some way in which teenagers could tell the world how they feel. To do so, we teenagers must stick together and come up with very intelligent and well thought out political input.

Should Teens Be Allowed To Vote? -pro.

After doing research on the topic of teen voting, I agree with the majority of people all around the world. Their answer? Yes, teens should be allowed to vote.


In an article that I read by Mike Hardcastle titled, "Top 5 Reasons YOUth Should Vote" he stated, "You live in a democracy and that means that you get a say in who runs your country, and by way of this privilege you also get a say about how your country is run." This statement by Hardcastle is very true.


If we teenagers live in a country run by democracy which allows many citizens to vote, why are we excluded in this voting process? Teenagers should be allowed to vote because some measures or laws affect us too, when this is the case there is no reason why we shouldn't be allowed to add our input to benefit our city/state/country.


In another article I found by Desiree Bailey titled, "Should 16-Year-Olds Have The Right To Vote?" she stated, "The teens who would be mostly likely to vote if the voting age is lowered do have strong opinions and ideas about public policies. And, say the advocates of a lower voting age, teens would bring a fresh new perspective to politics, their energy and spirit reminding adults of the excitement they once felt when they saw a world before them ready to be changed." At the time that Bailey wrote this she was 1 year away from turning 18 and looking forward to the process of voting. I agree with her thoughts on teen voting because many teens that are admitted the ability to vote will not take the opportunity to do so while teens that are interested will take the opportunity and change the perspective of adults with their input. Maybe by doing so, teenagers can enlighten the minds of adults and make them think about other people other than themselves. What I mean by saying this is, adults that do not have children don't care about school budget cuts and other things like that; but if teens put their input and explain to them your reason for why it is important that they vote a certain way maybe the outcome of the law will change.

To conclude my blog, I believe teens should get the right to vote and change the world with their thoughts on political events.