People find Jack Bauer so intriguing because he is a man who is in complete control, and we are a world who has and will never see that. 24 appeals to both liberal and conservative viewers, it is a show that contains extreme conflicts that sadly our nation has faced. 24 first aired the same year as 9/11, about 2 months after the attacks. I think that as a country at war we want to see success even if it is fictionalized on FOX. What I find so fascinating about Jack is that when he is in a situation where he has to make a decision, but both choices are bad, he finds a way to choose the one with the softest aftermath, and he takes complete responsibility for his actions. I love this, because I am a person who makes up excuses a lot, and it amazes me what selfless acts he does to help others.
Bugs Bunny is one of the most recognizable characters in pop culture. I think what appeals most people to him is how he defies authority, but the way he does it, along with his personality makes it impossible for you not to love him. Sure, things might be different if he wasn't a cartoon, and Daffy Duck actually did get his beak shot off, but you have to put that aside. His character never brings people fear or hate.
If I were going to choose a character that I have particular interest in, I would choose Jack Bauer, because he is my star. Since I have already written about Jack I will choose Cinderella. Cinderella is important to our culture because it is one of the most popular stories ever written. I like Cinderella because she is kind to everyone, even though her life sucks. Although I am aware this is almost never the case in reality, her story shows people that the sun comes out after the storm. It gives those who have had a difficult past that there is hope, and it is possible for them to see the light, and that in time everyone will get what they deserve.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Stories
Part 1: Stories are important in childhood because they teach kids important, but simple values to live by. For example, sharing, kindness, listening, respect, etc. Kids respond well to stories because they're usually accompanied by bright, colorful pictures that catch their eye.
Part 2: People read stories later in life simply because many people find it entertaining. Some stories contain a plot line that may be similar to something going on in their life at that time, and it can be comforting to think of other people who have experienced the same thing that you have if you are struggling with it.
Part 3: I'm not exactly sure why stories are so important in our nation, but maybe when stories create controversy people are more interested them, like Catcher in the Rye or Huck Finn.
Part 4: The stories from my childhood that stand out are the Carl books. Though they don't actually have words, it was a fun way for my mom and I to create our own stories together, and they could be different each time.
Part 5:
1. a developing plot line that makes sense, flows well
2. good chemistry between characters, seems natural
3. pictures that connect to the story, represent who the character is (picture books)
4. message that is open and teaches the reader something
5. connects to the reader personally
6. interesting way of writing that is different and unique (but not too over the top)
7. clever ideas, not basic, outside of the box thinking, makes the reader think outside the box as well
Part 2: People read stories later in life simply because many people find it entertaining. Some stories contain a plot line that may be similar to something going on in their life at that time, and it can be comforting to think of other people who have experienced the same thing that you have if you are struggling with it.
Part 3: I'm not exactly sure why stories are so important in our nation, but maybe when stories create controversy people are more interested them, like Catcher in the Rye or Huck Finn.
Part 4: The stories from my childhood that stand out are the Carl books. Though they don't actually have words, it was a fun way for my mom and I to create our own stories together, and they could be different each time.
Part 5:
1. a developing plot line that makes sense, flows well
2. good chemistry between characters, seems natural
3. pictures that connect to the story, represent who the character is (picture books)
4. message that is open and teaches the reader something
5. connects to the reader personally
6. interesting way of writing that is different and unique (but not too over the top)
7. clever ideas, not basic, outside of the box thinking, makes the reader think outside the box as well
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Absent and a Little Late
The Hand
Mary Ruefle
The teacher asks a question.
You know the answer,
you suspect you are the only one in the classroom who knows the answer,
because the person in question is yourself,
and on that you are the greatest living authority,
but you don’t raise your hand.
You raise the top of your desk and take out an apple.
You look out the window.
You don’t raise your hand and there is some essential beauty in your fingers,
which aren’t even drumming,
but lie flat and peaceful.
The teacher repeats the question.
Outside the window,
on an over hanging branch,
a robin is ruffling its feathers and spring is in the air.
I chose this poem, because I thought it was interesting how the author describes the student, debating on whether or not to raise their hand. Sometimes I think the same way.
The title of "The Hand" is fitting, because it is the subject of the poem, yet it is not a living person, it is a controlled appendage.
One of my favorite lines of this poem is:
"You don’t raise your hand and there is some essential beauty in your fingers,
which aren’t even drumming,
but lie flat and peaceful."
It gives the hand a sort of personification, but not completely, which is why I find it intriguing. At the end of the poem the author identifies the robin on the branch, focusing your attention on that one small detail. It's description is so vivid, you can picture it clearly.
The tone of this piece seems calm, and laid back. It is slow and easy, it has a legato feel to the rhythm of the words and phrases.
Mary Ruefle
The teacher asks a question.
You know the answer,
you suspect you are the only one in the classroom who knows the answer,
because the person in question is yourself,
and on that you are the greatest living authority,
but you don’t raise your hand.
You raise the top of your desk and take out an apple.
You look out the window.
You don’t raise your hand and there is some essential beauty in your fingers,
which aren’t even drumming,
but lie flat and peaceful.
The teacher repeats the question.
Outside the window,
on an over hanging branch,
a robin is ruffling its feathers and spring is in the air.
I chose this poem, because I thought it was interesting how the author describes the student, debating on whether or not to raise their hand. Sometimes I think the same way.
The title of "The Hand" is fitting, because it is the subject of the poem, yet it is not a living person, it is a controlled appendage.
One of my favorite lines of this poem is:
"You don’t raise your hand and there is some essential beauty in your fingers,
which aren’t even drumming,
but lie flat and peaceful."
It gives the hand a sort of personification, but not completely, which is why I find it intriguing. At the end of the poem the author identifies the robin on the branch, focusing your attention on that one small detail. It's description is so vivid, you can picture it clearly.
The tone of this piece seems calm, and laid back. It is slow and easy, it has a legato feel to the rhythm of the words and phrases.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
What IS on my mind?
I am very excited to be done with high school. I have been eagerly awaiting my graduation since my sophomore year, which was the same year my older sister, Emily, first started college. She goes to Winona State, majoring in nursing, and she absolutely loves it there. I will be attending North Dakota State University in the fall, hopefully majoring in architecture, and I really hope that I will have just as good of an experience as she has had. I am very excited but also extremely nervous to leave home. I am very close with my family, and it's going to be really weird not to see them every day. In high school Emily was always on the A honor roll, and now she is on the Dean's List. She is very responsible, and sets the bar very high. I'm afraid that my work ethic is going to hurt me next year, especially if I don't have anyone to remind me to do things, because I forget things very easily.
...I am leaving to go give blood in ten minutes, and it is really all I can think about. I'm super nervous, because I really don't like needles. I'm afraid they're not even going to be able to take mine though, because I'm not sure how high my iron levels are in my blood. Hopefully they are high enough. I'm feeling a little nauseous right now. I have five minutes now, the countdown begins. I should probably wrap this up, and spellcheck and all that good junk, so I bid you ado.
Ado.
...I am leaving to go give blood in ten minutes, and it is really all I can think about. I'm super nervous, because I really don't like needles. I'm afraid they're not even going to be able to take mine though, because I'm not sure how high my iron levels are in my blood. Hopefully they are high enough. I'm feeling a little nauseous right now. I have five minutes now, the countdown begins. I should probably wrap this up, and spellcheck and all that good junk, so I bid you ado.
Ado.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Blog got erased, and I had to rewrite...
One of my questions from my Writing Territories was "When death is inevitable, why do we spend so much time doing things that we don't want to do?" I don't understand why humans believe that just because we have a more developed brain and an extremely large capacity for knowledge that we have to learn, that we have to do everything the right way. It couldn't have always been this way. We didn't always have a democratic government and a competitive carreer track.
What is the purpose of learning? I realize that a simple answer to that would be "learning," but why? I admit that there are things that I find extremely intruiging, and that I love learning about. But there are other things, history for example, that I just don't care about whatsoever. Society cannot force education on individuals if they refuse to learn, and it cannot make people care about things that they don't. Why do schools require students to take classes they don't want to take? They should instead take the time to teach them about things they are interested in, and want to learn about. I would rather have one amazing talent than a bunch of mediocre ones.
I realize now that this most likely doesn't make sense to anyone but me, and I'm not sure if this is even what I am supposed to be writing about. It was just one of my Writing Territories. So...yepp.
What is the purpose of learning? I realize that a simple answer to that would be "learning," but why? I admit that there are things that I find extremely intruiging, and that I love learning about. But there are other things, history for example, that I just don't care about whatsoever. Society cannot force education on individuals if they refuse to learn, and it cannot make people care about things that they don't. Why do schools require students to take classes they don't want to take? They should instead take the time to teach them about things they are interested in, and want to learn about. I would rather have one amazing talent than a bunch of mediocre ones.
I realize now that this most likely doesn't make sense to anyone but me, and I'm not sure if this is even what I am supposed to be writing about. It was just one of my Writing Territories. So...yepp.
Reading & Writing
I like reading novels. My favorite author is Jodi Picoult, I read 5 of her books this summer/fall. She has a very unique style of writing that I love. I love writing songs, and writing about what is going on in my life. If I am frustrated about something or upset it is easiest for me to get it out with writing. If all is well, I usually don't write as much. I like to write about serious topics that I feel strongly about, because I like to write about things that matter, and it makes it easier when you care about it.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Today's Post
1. Limitations in the form that I found frustrating were that even if you wrote expressions with your dialogue, sometimes when other people are reading it they still don’t read it the way that you, the writer, initially intended it to be read. It was very difficult to come up with a topic for this play at the beginning, but once I had decided upon one it became very easy for me to keep writing and unraveling more and more of the plot.
2. If I were to give advice to a 10 year old, I would try to explain to them the idea of never taking anything for granted, because my childhood is one of the biggest things that I think everyone takes for granted during that time. The younger you are the more small things seem like a bigger deal. Children make a big deal out of not being able to get an ice cream cone or a train set, teenagers make a big deal out of what parties they do an don’t get invited to, and adults make a big deal out of what mortgages they can and can’t pay for.
3. Literary works that stand the test of time are works that appeal to all audiences and can be applied to all people at all times. It needs to have a message that is universal, and that people can relate to at all times of their life.
2. If I were to give advice to a 10 year old, I would try to explain to them the idea of never taking anything for granted, because my childhood is one of the biggest things that I think everyone takes for granted during that time. The younger you are the more small things seem like a bigger deal. Children make a big deal out of not being able to get an ice cream cone or a train set, teenagers make a big deal out of what parties they do an don’t get invited to, and adults make a big deal out of what mortgages they can and can’t pay for.
3. Literary works that stand the test of time are works that appeal to all audiences and can be applied to all people at all times. It needs to have a message that is universal, and that people can relate to at all times of their life.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Themes and such...
1. I think that theme is very important in writing. If a piece of literature does not have a compelling theme it does not hold as much interest to the reader. For example, books that are about a certain character’s development, rather than the events that lead up to that development do not interest me at all. Books, such as Catcher in the Rye, that are solely about a character’s thoughts and reactions generally do not hold a very good theme, it is more of an opinion.
2. A theme that I might consider communicating through my play could be something about the division between political views. People, mainly teens, often tend to see things the way that their parents do, and call themselves liberal or conservative just because their parents do. They don’t take the time to watch the news or political debates between candidates. They don’t take the time to sit down and honestly consider how they feel about abortion or war or gay rights. They just adapt to their parents beliefs and views and go from there. I think this is bad thing because we are not standing up for what we really want.
3. A conflict that I could potentially write about in my play could be divorce. Although my parents have been happily married for 27 years, and I have never experienced the devastation of divorce first hand, I know that it is a huge obstacle for children to overcome. It is also becoming more common every day. Our generation will actually have a bigger chance of getting divorced than we will of staying married.
2. A theme that I might consider communicating through my play could be something about the division between political views. People, mainly teens, often tend to see things the way that their parents do, and call themselves liberal or conservative just because their parents do. They don’t take the time to watch the news or political debates between candidates. They don’t take the time to sit down and honestly consider how they feel about abortion or war or gay rights. They just adapt to their parents beliefs and views and go from there. I think this is bad thing because we are not standing up for what we really want.
3. A conflict that I could potentially write about in my play could be divorce. Although my parents have been happily married for 27 years, and I have never experienced the devastation of divorce first hand, I know that it is a huge obstacle for children to overcome. It is also becoming more common every day. Our generation will actually have a bigger chance of getting divorced than we will of staying married.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Answers
1. Reading is important for a writer because every author has a different style of writing. By reading books, short stories, articles, poems, et cetera, et cetera, you are exposed to each author's unique style of writing, and you learn different techniques and eventually develop and create your own unique style of writing. Reading is crucial for a writer to find new ideas for their own writing, and for them to decide which styles they do and do not like.
2. Something in my world that concerns me is the need to improve so quickly. Our world is so obsessed with how to best improve our way of living and how to do it the fastest. We are never satisfied with what we have and we will continue to update until there is nothing left to improve upon.
3. This summer I read the book Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult. It was an incredible story about a boy who was bullied as a child and teen. He was eventually driven to thoughts of homicide and suicide. He ends up coming to his school with a gun one day and shooting those who teased him and even some who didn't. Stories like these are not to be taken lightly. In high school I experience potential cases like this every day. It's terrifying to think that our lock down drills have actually occurred at other schools as more than just a drill.
2. Something in my world that concerns me is the need to improve so quickly. Our world is so obsessed with how to best improve our way of living and how to do it the fastest. We are never satisfied with what we have and we will continue to update until there is nothing left to improve upon.
3. This summer I read the book Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult. It was an incredible story about a boy who was bullied as a child and teen. He was eventually driven to thoughts of homicide and suicide. He ends up coming to his school with a gun one day and shooting those who teased him and even some who didn't. Stories like these are not to be taken lightly. In high school I experience potential cases like this every day. It's terrifying to think that our lock down drills have actually occurred at other schools as more than just a drill.
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