Finally

?: Where and when did you find yourself sitting down to read? Do you tend to read with music on, or in silence? By the computer? Did you find yourself checking your phone a lot, or do you ever lose yourself in the reading? Do you ever talk about the books you read with your family or friends or teachers?

Before this class I never read. I read a book only if I had to and it wasn't a book that I picked or looked forward to spend time getting lost in it. This class pushed me in the way that I needed. As the semester went on I looked forward more and more to crawling under the covers in complete silence and get lost in my book. My grandpa always used to tell me that if you have a good book you will always have a friend. I never understood what he meant until this class. He's the kind of guy you don't see out in public without a book and can read a 500 page book in a day. This class made me relate to him more and helped me realize that reading can be so exciting and amazing if you let it. I found myself getting in bed earlier in complete silence just to read my book. I got to pick books that I was interested in and got to a point where I couldn't put them down. I now pick up my book before I pick up the remote. This class has changed my view of entertainment and getting absorbed in the life of a book is definately better than killing my brain cells watching TV. Now I look forward to piece and quiet after a long day with my new best friends. My books.

Currently 11-4-11 (Week 3)

Books I Read This Week:
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pages This Week: 54
Pages This Semester: 1217

Sentences of the Week:

1. "And our names on that ring,

they’re only the most ordinary names." - From the poem "Identification" by Wisława Szymborska.

 

2. Henry contemplated the great red face, with its unfortunate contrast to the slicked, black hair, and wondered if he would ever make the old man happy. - From The Luxe by Anna Godberson

 

3. "You might not know it was unless you knew." From the poem "The Crossroads" by Joshua Mehigan.

 

In sentence number one the women is in denial that it is her husband that she is identifying as the man

who had died in the plane crash. Your heart immediately starts to ache for her as she hopes and prays

that it is not him, but in all reality everyone knows that it is. Sentence number two caught my attention

because I think most kids try their hardest to make their parents proud, as much as they do not want to

admit it. We strive for their approval, and in sentence two the son feel as if he never will get that from his

father. I related to sentence number three more so than any of the other sentences. This was a poem

a spot of a car accident where a loved one had died and cars drive past it every day and have no idea that

someone so important was killed in that very spot. Therefore, you might not know unless you knew. It just

sort of makes you think.

                      

Today is a difficult day. It marks the one year anniversary of my father's death. This past year has been filled with so much sorrow and grief that sometimes it was hard to stand. I know many people say that their dad was the best father in the world, but I strongly believe that mine truly was. This past week has been especially hard, as I go through the entire week of his accident all over inside my head. Seeing him laying there, hopless and comotose was something that is imprinted in my memory forever. It was a week of  true tragedy and shock that still to this day I can not comprehend. Getting the call from the hospital, telling me they had air lifted my father and to come to the ICU immediately without any other information sent a surge of terror and uncertainty through my body. We had no idea what to expect until we walked into his room, a sight I almost regret seeing..but I know to make it a reality to me, I had to see him. I was scared, more so than I probably ever will be. When I actually realized how bad the accident had actually been I physically could not stop the tears from streaming down my face. It got to a point where I was completely numb from the pain and I could not understand why the tears would not stop. My head was trying to catch up to my heart with this mass of shock and the only reaction my body had was to cry. Cry, sob, and cry. Between the dates October 28, 2010 and November 2, 2010 my world was changed forever. I have come to realize that most people take their day to day life for granted. Before his accident I would get up and the hardest thing I would have to think and worry about was wether or not I should straighten or curl my hair. Now I say let's go natural, and worry about making sure the ones around you know that you love them. Because you never know when your last moment with someone will be. Don't take any relationship for granted, ever. I have learned to live with an amputation. Life without my father. My best friend. I am healing, but I will never be the same.  I seldom stop to thank God, with a pure and sincere heart, for all I do have. All joy and happiness comes from love. And that is what my father taught me. Having such a terrific father for fifteen years of my life, raising me with pure love and teaching me right from wrong, is more than some kids get in an lifetime.

I try now to make you proud, dad. I want to work towards everything you have ever wanted for me. Love and happiness. Everything else is just a bonus on this earth before we get to our true destination, which I know is where you are waiting for me and all your loved ones you left behind. I know if anyone deserved a shortcut to eternal happiness, it was you. I love you forever. <3

Close-reading Bingo

1. This person used a stand alone quote. 
"And love was why Brooks walked backwards everyday, guarding our vulnerable rear as we moved."
http://thinking-anonymous.blogspot.com/

2. This person had weakness number one, they should try to avoid the "he says" or in this case "he writes."
In the excerpt from The Mezzanine  by Nicholson Baker, he writes with an elevated refinement that is both dignified and straight-forward.
http://morgan-happygolucky.blogspot.com/

3. They have weakness number 9, by not placing a noun or a noun phrase after the word this.
This gives the impression of a fancy an intimidating lobby. Also, the matter of fact way Baker describes the lobby makes the reader sense that this is somewhere to not be impressed with, its an everyday occurrence.
http://skullandglossbones3.blogspot.com/ 

4. This person violated weakness number 6 by saying using and utilizes in the same sentence.In the excerpt from Cather in the Rye, J.D. Salinger, utilizes a use of simple, but complex vocabulary.
http://barrellxc2012.blogspot.com/

This one is my favorite:)
The colloquial, coarse, and somewhat unmannerly diction in "Catcher in the Rye" exemplifies the narrator's down-to-earth, pissed off at the world personality. His defiant and thick skinned nature jumps out when he explains that all the background information about his life is just "David Copperfield kind of crap" that bores him. As the passage goes on, the author uses phrases like "He's got a lot of dough" and "they're also touchy as hell" to make it feel as though the narrator is just another regular kid who is telling you a story. The terse and all together informal nature of the narrator echoes through the entire passage in this excerpt from "Catcher in the Rye."
 http://jimmehftw.blogspot.com/

Practice Diction Analysis

      In the excerpt from the novel Catcher in the Rye the author starts out with a harsh and condescending tone. He describes the boy’s feelings towards his parents with a negative, abusive and defiant diction. He makes it clear with his word choice that the feelings of the boy are arrogant and bitter towards his parents. He describes them as being nice but too touchy, so they obviously get on his nerves. Therefore, the author uses tone to show the criticism the boy has towards them to a point of no return.

Currently Week 1 Quarter 2

Books I read this week:
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pages this week: 79 (113-192)

Favorite Style Mapping:

1. FROM BECCA'S BLOG: His description of the town of Wall is straightforward and literal - it isn't until later in the book that a more poetic language is developed.
This is post is one of my favorites because she describes it clearly with words that catch your eye. She used different adjectives that most people used.
2. FROM BOOKLOVER17: "Girls are secretive, they destroy you from the inside," qualifies as being straightfoward and harsh, although a little of the truth.
I like the way she described the books with a lot of adjectives that were very descriptive. The way she described the language made me want to read the books!
3. FROM EDDIE: Meridian uses figurative language to also describe his fear of citizenry and uses vast diction to add a old fashion appearance to the novel. I love the way this person described the books, she used the most interesting to read adjectives. This one is probably my favorite!
4. FROM KIM'S CORNER: In Neil's excerpt he writes in a style that is dull and archaic as he describes that stoney features of the town of Wall. I love the adjectives, especially archaic and stoney. She gives great imagery.
5. FROM A SCRAP OF PARCHMENT: Words like "thunderclap" "gnashing" and "hobbled" create a harsh feel to emphasize the bitterness. I love how in depth this person got with the feelings from the book. I love the way they connected.

"Style Mapping"

     My first observation will be from the author Jenny Downham using the book Before I Die. Her language is blunt and familiar. She gets straight to the point in the first sentence let alone the first page. The first sentence grabs your attention. It simply states, I wish I had a boyfriend. It is more harsh than it is musical I would say. My second expert is from the book The Luxe by Anna Godbersen. This book takes place in the 1800's so naturally the diction and language is more formal and musical. Although it can be harsh the language she uses is high and elegant. It is conclusive that her style of writing is high and connotative. My final exerpt was from the novel The Brambles by Eliza Minot. She is a desriptive and inticate writer. She uses a language right off the bat that is scholary and elevated. Even though she uses a high language it has at the same time a hamonious and sweet sound to it. All of these books are so unique, and there are a whole variety of dictions.