English Book Talk

Classic Response 2

Why is this book a classic?

     Ray Bradbury started a wildfire of controversy with his classic novel Fahrenheit 451. The premise of Fahrenheit 451 is that all books and reading and free thinking are banned. In this novel fire fighters start fires to burn books instead of put them out. This book is a classic because it started a conversation in America about banning books and if it was right to stop the spread of ideas. Americans were forced to take a step back and think about if what they were doing was right. Fahrenheit  451 points to the irony of talking about the controversial banning of books in a controversial banned book.

What is in this book that is new?

     Fahrenheit 451 is a dystopian novel from the 1950's. It is similar to other dystopian novels before it such as 1984 in that they criticize the government. 1984 points at the government taking  too much control and what the possible outcome could be. The new concept in Fahrenheit 451 was that, although the government pushed the people in the wrong direction, it was they who ruined society themselves.  In Fahrenheit 451, the people no longer want to read. The people are scared of new ideas. They would rather drive fast cars, watch too much television, and listen to static noise than think about what was really happening in the world. Ray Bradbury shifts the blame from "Big Brother" to the people themselves.

How did the world/America respond?

     As with most dystopian classics, Americans were shocked as this magnifying glass was placed down over their culture. They were forced to look at the flaws that they and their government had created. Of course, this also made them fear for the future. Fahrenheit 451 had no problem being a big seller, even in its time. However, it is even more revered now. American's now understand how bad censorship and banning books and ideas can be.

How does the novel capture the time period?

     In the 1950's books were being banned left and right and cultural laziness was on the rise. Americans no longer wanted to think about hard times.  There was an effort to censor classics, comic books, and college criteria. An conflicting ideas to the general mindset of America were not good ideas. Fahrenheit 451 couldn't capture this time period more perfectly. It shows what could happen if Americans no longer wanted to think about the world. It shows what could happen if they no longer wanted to read.

What is the author implicitly trying to say?

     Ray Bradbury was simply trying to shine a spotlight on the ever growing concern of censorship. He pointed out how the government started censorship, but Americas were quick to censor themselves. Fahrenheit 451 shows how lack of care and empathy is almost as horrible as vicious crimes. The way Bradbury's characters have no moral sense of right and wrong is down right disturbing.  

Classics Response

Why is the book a classic?
     For my classic novel, I picked a a famous author who's books are known by all. J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings series and The Hobbit. I read The Hobbit. This book is a classic because it has lasted the test of time with many new and ground breaking ideas when it comes to writing. The book, first published in 1937, is still celebrated and read today. A movie series depicting the novel just released its final movie in December of 2014, showing how people are still interested in this story.

What is in the book that is new?
     Tolkien did many new things when it came to this book that hadn't really been done before, and if they had been done, Tolkien took the art to a new level and perfected it. Some major things Tolkien is known for doing different is putting a map at the beginning of his book to help readers really visualize his fantasy world. Also, he show cased many drawings he created. Before this, many authors didn't include drawings throughout their novels as it raised the price of the book. Most notably, however, Tolkien drew runes and created his very own functioning language to be included in the book. This had never been done before.

How did the world respond?
     The book was initially met with very positive and rave reviews in both the UK and the US. In 1938, the book was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. It also won a prize for best juvenile fiction of the year. In recent years, many have recognized the important impact this novel had on many other novels in the 20th century. Also, as previously mentioned, in recent years the novel has been adapted into a movie series, continuing the book's legacy to this day.
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How does the classic capture the time period?
     In the wake of World War I and on the cusp of World War II, a big part of this book is overcoming perils. Tolkien somewhat reflects the perils of war in this novel. Many see The Hobbit as Tolkien own journey during World War I, with an unlikely hero being plucked from his roots and thrown off into war in a far away land.

What is the author trying implicitly say?
     There are several very clear things that Tolkien is trying to say by writing this book.  A main point he makes is that life is about taking risks and trying to find yourself. He thinks that people should enjoy the journey of the world around them. Another huge moral of the story is trying to overcome greed and selfishness. The dwarfs, especially Thorin, can be seen as great symbols of greed. Throughout the whole novel, they are on a quest to find their ancestors lost gold. It is a wealth beyond measure, but they refuse to give any of it up. Also, of course, it can be surmised that The Hobbit warns against war and the tragedies there of it.

Transcendentalism Meme Project

     My talent is music and my love of it. I play guitar and have been doing so for almost six years. I absolutely love it. Music became my outlet to express how I feel. While I don't expect to be a famous guitar player or something when I grow up, I expect to play guitar throughout my life.
     I began playing when my dad decided he wanted to start playing too. We learned to play guitar at the same time. To help excel my talent, I have taken lessons and been in several bands. Starting off, I was in a rock band with four other people. However, like all bands do, we broke up. Now, I am in a two person acoustic act with a talented singer.
     I didn't really "find out" about this talent. I wanted to learn to play guitar, so I did. I didn't just pick up a guitar and rock, I have to work at it for a long time.
     The first time I knew I loved guitar and wanted to play forever was the first time I got to sit down and play a song with my dad. We learned at the same time, and we were both so terrible. Playing guitar with him though, and just laughing and having a good time learning, I knew that I wanted to get good. I knew that I wanted to really commit to playing guitar.

Playing guitar has helped me express myself. I learned that negative emotions were only slowing me down. Whenever I got upset, I just went and played guitar and felt better.

The first time I had to preform on a stage in front of a crowd (because apparently that's what you do in a band), I was so terrified. However, I did it, I played more and more shows and actually grew to love preforming.

This is just a silly band picture me and my friend took. We are always trying to get creative and use our imaginations in band, like we were when we decided to sit on a table and stare at a wall for a photo. It took a lot of inspiration and imagination to write our own music. Writing our own music was a huge challenge at first, but we brainstorm and draw and just write whatever we feel when we feel it. For us, writing music is all about feelings and imagination.

This is a picture of one of the first shows I ever played. I was probably awful, but I had a great time. I was a complete amateur, and I still am compared to a lot of guitarists. However, I am going to stick with it and learn as much as I can.

The band that I used to be in got an opportunity to play at a music convention called NAMM in California. I took this picture while we were flying. Going to California was the first time I ever flew in a plane. It was scary but beautiful and exciting. It was the furthest I've ever been from home. It made me realize that there is a whole world out there that I desperately want to see.

This is a photo I took on a beach in California. It was beautiful sights like this that made me want to travel and also led to inspiration for writing music.

Just being in a band, I developed very close friendships with all of the members. This quote is so true. Words mean nothing without true meaning behind them. Friends are so important. 

Getting to go to California made me realize that accomplishing your goals gives you a chance to step back and appreciate everything that you've done to get to that point. How hard you've worked, how much time you put in. I feel like accomplishing your goals really can change you as a person, 

This is a concert I went to. I love listening to live music, but obviously concert tickets can get expensive. However, like this quote says, they true price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it, the amount of time you spend. When I go to a concert and have a great time and really feel something, the monetary value is meaningless. The true value of the concert was the experience. 

I want to blaze my own trail. I want to travel and explore and live life brilliantly. I want to sing and play guitar on the road and be happy. 

Salem Witch Trials Blog Response #2

     The website "You're Accused!" said I could probably swing fleeing, as long as I had connections. So hopefully in Salem I had connections or could find them after leaving. Fleeing isn't a terrible option. Confessing would have been best it seems, but your reputation in town is soiled forever. So you might as well leave anyway. My earlier opinion still stands. I think that I could make fleeing.

Salem Witch Trials Blog Response #1

     If I was accused of being a witch in Salem, I would flee. I'm sure this is not the right answer, but I'd give it a go. Of course, I have a modern view on this issue and cannot see why you couldn't just pack up and leave. Is it for your namesake? Are there not other towns nearby? Is it dangerous outside of town? I'm not sure, but I would flee Salem. Here are my reasons. First, it would be very unlikely that anyone would come after me. They wouldn't want to leave town. Next, I probably wouldn't be rich in Salem or have much of a family, so I wouldn't have anything to leave behind. Last, I like the wilderness and could probably survive until I made it to the next town over. I think that fleeing would be my option.

Homework Journal #5: The Glass Castle, pp. 214-288

     Jeannette's job at the jewelry store and her interest in journalism allow her independence. For once in her life, she is a part of something at her school. She has never been allowed to try sports or clubs because they cost money. Journalism also allows her a look into the outside world. She has always been fed lies by her parents. "I'd never known what was going on in the world, except for the skewed version of events we got from Mom ans Dad-one in which every politician was a crook, every cop was a thug, and every criminal had been framed. I began to feel like I was getting the whole story for the first time, that I was being handed the missing pieces to the puzzle, and the world was making a little more sense (pp. 205)."
   
     Moving to New York symbolized a turning point in Jeannette's life. She is finally free of her parents and the neglectful childhood she lived through. The move is very justifiable. It is not just another skedaddle for her. Once she moved to New York, she got a job doing what she loved writing newspaper articles, moved into an apartment, and finally started living a life that she wanted to live.

     Jeannette's parents continued living on the street even after their children offered them help because that is how they've always lived. They couldn't live another way at that point. Her parents often refused charity and refused social security, placing distrust in the government. When Jeannette tells her mom, "You can't just live like this," referring to being homeless and on the streets, her mom replies, "Why not? Being homeless is an adventure (pp. 255)."

     Once Maureen feels neglected and begins going down a rough patch, she begins being homeless herself. She becomes a squatter like her parents and eventually moves in with them. After that had been going on a while, Rose Mary decided it was time for Maureen to try and find her own place and be "self-sufficient." Jeannette wrote, "Maureen couldn't bear the idea that her own mom would kick her out onto the street, and she snapped (pp. 275)." All the pent up anger and resent that Maureen had bottled up toward her parents while she lived with others in Welch came pouring out and she truly did snap. Jeannette feels like she let Maureen down and broke her promise that she would always keep Maureen safe when she was born. Jeannette expresses this while writing about Maureen leaving New York for California. "I'd always had mixed feelings about bringing her to New York, but I'd agreed to let her come. Once she arrived, I'd been too busy taking care of myself to look after her. 'I'm sorry, Maureen,' I said when the time came, 'sorry for everything.' (pp. 276)."