THE LAST BLOG!

This is the FINAL blog of my AP English blogging career. I'm not a big fan of blogging in the first place, and when I heard at the beginning of this class that we would have to blog every week I was not enthused. It is hard for me to find things I feel passionate enough about to post. The days that Mr. Mullins posted suggestions really helped me. I almost always used one of the suggestions, and usually went back and blogged about one of the previous suggestions for the next week's blog. Even though I still don't really like blogging, I see the value of looking at prompts, current events, books, etc. with a literary mindset. Blogging about it allows you to get those literary ideas out for the world to see.

As for AP English Literature as a whole, I had a pretty good year. I will be the first to admit that English is not my strong suit. Never has been, and most likely never will be. That said, I still feel that I made some big improvements on my essay writing skills. I also had some things I found fun, which is rare for me in English classes. Watching "The Importance of Being Earnest" was one of my favorite things. Another thing I enjoyed was all the Make-It-Memorable components of our Poetry Presentations. I thought that it was really interesting how most groups did unique things!

With graduation just around the corner, I am going to miss all my friends that I made in this class. Most of my friends are going to different colleges far away. I hope that we can all stay in touch when we get into college!

Thoughts on Victorian Poetry

The topic I chose, along with my group, for the English Project was the Victorian poets between the 1860s-1890s. Many major changes were occurring during this time period, and this greatly influenced the poets. 

My group and I have found some inconsistent things about Victorian poetry. Some sources say it is very whimsical and is funnier than romantic poetry. Other sources say it is made of nonsense and has a somber or even gruesome tone. I attribute these two largely different views of Victorian poetry to the diversity of the poets. Poets of this time period ranged from adamant atheists to dedicated Christians. The contrast in religious and philosophical views could account for the mixed reviews of the Victorian poems.

Poetry in this time period also varied because it was a transition period between the Romantics and the Modernists. Towards the beginning of the Victorian era, the line is blurred between Romantics and Victorians. The end of the time period also has a blurred line between the Victorians and Modernists.

One main Victorian poet is Lord Alfred Tennyson; he is in the picture on the right. We have studied some of his poems in class such as Crossing the Bar. Before starting this project, I had a difficult time understanding Tennyson's poems. After completing the project I feel I can somewhat understand what his poems.

San Fran Here I Come!! :)

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, at 5:00 I say goodbye to Lexington, KY and travel to San Francisco! I absolutely cannot wait to get there. Once I heard that the senior trip was to San Francisco, I knew that I had to go. The farthest west I have ever been is Las Vegas. My dad took me when he had a business trip, but I was only five so I don't remember much about it.

We have so many exciting things planned! The thing I am most excited for is touring Alcatraz at night. Some other activities that will be awesome are visiting the Redwood forest, going to a San Francisco Giants baseball game, and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge (of course). We also get to go to many museums and walk around the wharf. I am also interested in eating in some of the specialty restaurants located in San Fran. I am actually a very picky eater, but since I probably won't go back to California anytime soon I think I will, at the least, try everything. 

My mom toured around Europe for a month during college and had an amazing time. She said told me that she felt more worldy and mature after her trip. Obviously this trip isn't anything like that, but I think I will learn lots of new and interesting things while in San Fran. This will be the third time I have ridden in a plane, and the first time where I will be able to remember what happened (the other two times I was 4 and 5, so I don't remember much).

Hopefully this trip will be fun, and educational!

Beowulf: The Hero of The Geats

Over Spring Break I finished my third outside reading book, Beowulf. This book was very interesting because it is not actually a book but an epic poem. The poem follows the journey of Beowulf beginning with him killing the monster Grendel. His next heroic feat was when he attacked Grendel's mother in her cave and killed her. Beowulf's final battle was fought against the dragon fifty years after defeating Grendel and his mother. Beowulf lost his life in this battle.

Beowulf has many heroic qualities explicitly and implicitly stated in the poem. His brute strength and stamina is blatantly mentioned multiple times. One specific example is when Beowulf partook in a swimming competition against Breca. Beowulf stayed in the ocean for five days fighting off sea monsters, while Breca swam away. His ability to rule the kingdom after the king dies prematurely is more implied. The poem focuses more on the battles Beowulf went into, rather than the fact that he ruled the Geats for fifty years.

It was evident to me while reading the book that Christian beliefs played a major role in the Anglo Saxon culture. Any deadly mythical creature or monster mentioned was said to be descendant of Cain. Before Beowulf began any fight he made a formal boast, praised God for his abilities, and asked for God to bless him. Beowulf also put all of his faith in God throughout his battles.

Another thing that I noticed was how the men lived by a code of honor. They would much rather die in a fierce battle than of old age. Beowulf and his companions often bragged about the heroic feats they had accomplished. The soldiers and captains who had fought in fierce battles were just as respected and loved as the royalty. The Anglo Saxon culture is quite different from our culture today!

"When A Book Changes Your Life": Life As We Knew It

It has been many years since I felt that a book has changed my life. The book was called Life As We Knew It, and I think I read it about five or six times before I decided that I might need to find another book. Life As We Knew It is a science fiction novel by Susan Pfeffer that won the American Library Association's Best Book for Young Adults when it was published.

There are many reasons why I could not stop reading this book. First, I think that the way it's written grabbed my attention. The diary entry format made want to keep reading chapter after chapter. The events being in chronological order was also very appealing to me because I am a straight forward person. I like the simplicity of stories that are in chronological order. Another thing I liked about this book was its informal language. The conversations between the characters were similar to conversations I would have had with my friends and family. The way the characters reacted to their world's being turned upside down was another thing that made me want to read the book again and again. Every character had a different way of coping with the changes they experienced which showed the diversity of the characters.

Overall, this book changed my view on the relationships I have with my friends and family. 

My Favorite Poem: "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

"The Road Not Taken" is a very unique and eye-catching poem. I first came in contact with it in my Drama II class. We were having a poetry reading and I chose this poem because I liked how it flowed. Before that, I had never even heard of Robert Frost. For the reading we had to memorize the poem and recite it in front of the classroom. It has been three years since I had to remember that poem, but I will never forget the last couple verses of this poem.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference".

This poem really speaks to me, more than any other poem I have ever read. One reason is the main conflict of the poem: which road should the speaker take? When first reading through this poem, it seems like a silly concept to be writing a poem about. Why would Robert Frost write about choosing a road to travel? After reading the poem a couple more times, I realized that this poem can be applied to life in general. There will always be hard choices to make, and weighing the pros and cons of each decision will allow for the best outcome. 

Another reason I love this poem is that the narrator chose the road less traveled. The poem sends the message that taking the more challenging route has a profound and life-changing effect on a person. Whether that is a positive or negative effect is not stated, but by the tone of the poem I believe that the journey on the road not traveled had a positive effect.

I hope we read some poems by Robert Frost in this poetry unit!

The Definition of Poetry

In elementary and middle school I was always taught the definition of poetry is anything that is in a poem. The Trinity High website (#32) created a similar definition to the one I learned; "Poetry is basically anything that calls itself a poem". Well then, what is the definition of a poem?

Dylan Thomas believes "A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone's knowledge of himself and the world around him". In this definition, Thomas gives an abstract overview of what a poem is and mainly how it affects the reader. I don't mind this definition, but I am a concrete thinker and would like a more straight forward answer.

Another definition is given by Robert Penn Warren who says that "the poem is a little myth of man's capacity of making life meaningful. And in the end, the poem is not a thing we see -- it is, rather, a light by which we may see -- and what we see is life". This is, again, a very airy and abstract concept. I feel that Warren's definition cannot be applied to all poetry though. Sometimes, I strongly dislike specific poems and they are not "a light by which [I] may see".

The Chambers Student Dictionary defines a poem as "a composition in metre; a composition of high beauty of thought or language and artistic form, in verse or prose; a creation, achievement, etc., marked by beauty or artistry". This is a more textbook definition than the two I mentioned above, which my concrete mind likes, but I still think that something is missing from this definition. The use of the words beauty, language, and artistry make is too general of a definition.

Even though there are multiple adequate definitions of poetry, there may never be a perfect definition that encompasses the full spectrum of poetry without being too broad or too narrow.

College Is Right Around The Corner!

College is slowly, but surely creeping along. I cannot wait to be out of high school and at UK. Tomorrow and Saturday I have Merit Weekend at UK. I get to schedule my classes for fall semester ahead of most people. I also get to go to informational sessions for Activities, Residence live, Dining Plan, Honors, etc. Just thinking about all the things I will learn about college life is really exciting.

I already know what my major will be which helps scheduling my classes much easier. I was accepted into the Human Health Science Program in the College of Health Science. This major will greatly increase my chances to get accepted in the Physical Therapy Doctorate Program at UK when I am a junior. In the Human Health Science Program I will learn about the administrative and legal sides of healthcare. I also got into the Honors Program which adds some really interesting classes to my schedule. One class I can take is called HON 151: Mirrors of the Universe. It sounds intriguing!

Getting my classes schedule ahead of most freshman is extremely important because I will get good class times; classes that are not too late and not too early.

Update on The Odyssey

I am reading The Odyssey for my Independent Reading. I am close to half-way through it and am finding some interesting connections between The Odyssey and The Hobbit. 

When I wrote my essay over The Hobbit, I mentioned some traits that defined Bilbo as a hero such as having intelligence, a mentor, and an important item. In The Odyssey, I am finding that Odysseus also has a couple of these characteristics.

Bilbo had the help of Gandalf the Grey during the beginning parts of his journey. Odysseus has the help of the Greek gods and goddesses, but especially Athena. There is one significant difference between the role of Athena and Gandalf. Athena is more involved in Odysseus journey home than Gandalf is in Bilbo's quest. Athena helps him through many trails such as his confrontation with the Phaeacians. Athena also does not teach Odysseus anything, she is more of a friend rather than a mentor. 


Bilbo was also very intelligent and quick-witted. Odysseus shows his intelligence in his escape from the Cyclops's Cave. Odysseus seems to be more of a natural-born leader than Bilbo, but I think that originates from Odysseus's time in the Trojan War. 

I am interested to see if Odysseus has any other traits similar to Bilbo.  

Creative Spelling?

Not to brag, but I feel that I am very good at memorizing things. Formulas, Theories, and concrete things come very easy to me. Most of English does not come easy to me because of its creativity. However, spelling is an area I excel in because it is stable, concrete; the way words are spelled does not change. This "creative spelling" idea seems preposterous to me. The fact that kids in eighth grade are not getting corrected for their misspellings astounds me. 

I learned a long time ago that spelling is extremely important. My Grandmother was a Speech Pathologist, and she was very adamant about spelling words correctly. During elementary school I would go play over at her house. Between playing games we would stop and work on spelling. She gave me valuable tips that I still employ today. 

I understand that some people have a hard time with spelling because they are bad at memorizing. Just because you are bad at spelling doesn't mean you should give up and accept the fact that you are a "bad speller". Some things that I do to help learn and memorize the spelling words are writing the words and definitions, saying them out loud to my parents, and then rewriting them again. Following this process is extremely beneficial to me. It might not be for others, but if you have trouble with spelling you should give it a try.

The Never-ending Guilt Trip Cycle

Feeling guilty about something, is a normal, acceptable emotion to feel. The problem is when you have so much guilt it consumes your life. I am not to this point, but I sometimes feel as though the guilt of a decision could demolish me. I think there is a vicious guilt cycle, where you feel guilty about something, attempt to get rid of the guilt, and then another opportunity to feel guilty arises again, and so on.

I am one to frequently fret over what I say to others. Questions like "Did what I said make sense?", "Was that acceptable to say?", and "Could it have offended them?" cross my mind multiple times throughout the day. I want to look good in everyone's eyes which occasionally forces extra guilt and worry onto myself.

One thing that helps me get over my guilt for incorrect communication is going back and saying something to the person I wronged. I feel that this eliminates most of the guilt that I have until I mess up another time which yet again adds more guilt.I do not think a person can remove all guilt, but I do think it is possible to decrease its effect in daily life.

First Impressions of Beloved

Within the first sixty pages of Beloved, I knew that this book was going to be a challenge for me to read. I am a very straight forward person and like things in chronological order. I could hardly follow what was going on because there were so many flashbacks. There were also some flashbacks within flashbacks, or what I like to call "flashbackception".
I also find it hard to relate to the characters. I understand that in literary books the reader does not always connect with the characters, but I feel that the reader should be able to relate to the characters on some level. I felt like some of the meaning of the book was lost on me because I did not feel empathy towards the characters. I hope this changes as I keep reading.
One thing I somewhat liked was the suspense. I like how whatever happened at Sweet Home is only hinted at. It seems that almost all memories of Sweet Home are untouchable. One of my journals yesterday was about Denver and Sethe's conversation about Sweet Home. So far Sethe has only mentioned the good or decent parts of Sweet Home, but the bad memories are not spoken of. I look forward to uncovering the mystery of what occurred at Sweet Home.

LAST SEMESTER OF SENIOR YEAR!!!

A couple of days ago, it hit me that this is my last semester of high school. My epiphany was caused by all of the annoying scheduling announcements said every morning and afternoon. It's strange to think that after this semester I don't have to come back to Dunbar ever again. I don't have to schedule classes for next year because I won't be here next year.

I think (and hope) I am ready for college. Being on your own and making your own decisions can be frightening at times, but there will be good times too. One thing I worry about is being homesick. I never went to any summer camps as a kid because I hated being away from my family for more than a week or so. I'm hoping that going to UK will make it easier on me because I can visit my family whenever I want.

Most teenagers cannot stand their siblings, but I think that I will really miss my little sister when I go off to college. Even though we have nine years in between us we still get along really well. She used to joke about getting my room when I leave for college, but now she doesn't talk about it anymore. She says little things like "You won't be here much longer" and "I will really miss you sissy" that show she doesn't want me to leave. At least I can visit her often!

The Road vs. I Am Legend

I have not come in contact with many post-apocalyptic stories throughout my readings. Actually, I have only come in contact with one other, which is I Am Legend. I was forced into watching the movie with one of my friends, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. Whether it was because Will Smith is one of my favorite actors or because I liked the story as a whole, I will never know.

While reading The Road, I actually thought about I Am Legend quite a bit. I think there are many comparisons that can be made between both of these stories. 

One comparison being that both stories contain situations where little hope is found, but the main characters keep moving forward as if they were genetically programmed to keep surviving. A scene in I Am Legend comes to my mind; Will Smith's character keeps checking the radio every single day in hopes of someone picking up on the other end. In The Road, The man and the boy slowly make their way south in hopes of finding food, shelter, warm weather, and more "good guys".

Another similarity I found is between the main characters of both stories. Both Will Smith's character and the man idolize someone or something. For Will Smith's character it is the dog; He feels it is his duty to protect and love the dog. As for the man, it is the boy. When the mother decided to commit suicide, the man had nothing else to believe in so he put all his faith, hope, and trust into the boy.

Heroism in The Hobbit

The topic of my Inquiry Project is heroism through the ages. My first book choice is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. This book appealed to me because the protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is not a typical epic hero. In the book he is referred to as a "expert burglar", instead of a hero.

I am a little over half way through the book, and I have noticed a significant shift in Bilbo's heroic acts. Towards the beginning of the book, Bilbo had no idea how to protect himself or his friends. He cowered in fear when facing the cave trolls. It was Gandalf the Grey wizard who saved Bilbo and the dwarves in that instant. Something I found strange about this part of the book was that Gandalf did not use magic to save them. Instead he mimicked the trolls voices so that they became confused. I think he did that to show Bilbo a way to help and protect the company. Later in the book Bilbo uses a similar technique, with the help of a invisibility ring, to lead the giant spiders away from his friends. In the instance with the spiders, Bilbo taunts them into following him deep into the forest.

From my reading thus far, I have deducted that the hero sometimes has a mentor of some sort that teaches him/her skills that will help the hero perform the heroic deeds necessary to protect his/her friends, family, and/or the innocent.

My Thoughts on "The Road"

Is it possible for a book to be horrifying and disturbing, but at the same time beautiful and poetic? Before starting The Road, I would have answered that question with a definite "No!" Now, I am unsure of my previous answer.

There are points in the book that make me want to put it down and never pick it up again. For example, the book contains multiple passages that describe, in gruesome detail, the frailty of the boy. The imagery is so vivid, almost too vivid. I can picture a little boy covered in filth and so skinny his bones almost come through his skin; the thought sickens and disturbs me. 

However, there are others points in The Road that contain the most beautiful and raw emotions in human existence. The love that the father has for his child is ceaseless and impenetrable. He would do absolutely anything for the child. Even through their perilous journey, the father finds toys for the son, plays card games with him, and gives him whatever sweets he manages to come upon.

Cormac McCarthy intertwines the grotesque and angelic scenes seamlessly. It is for this reason I find that in the end I cannot put the book down. Both the good and bad parts of the book keep me thoroughly interested. I hope the rest of the book is as intriguing as what I have already read!