"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.