Welcome to English III. This is our blog spot. Here we will share our feelings and ideas about the works we are studying. I encourage you to be honest, but I EXPECT you to be mature and respectful.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
EXPLORING LITERATURE
Roland Barthes once commented, "Literature is the question minus the answer." Which of the short stories in this unit has led you to question someone, something, or yourself? Tell how.
The short story "Hop-Frog", written by Edgar Allan Poe, has really made me question society and how society acts toward "different" people. Sometimes we can make fun of someone for a laugh but why do we make fun of that person in the first place? Hop-Frog was taken against his will to be a "fool" for a king who constantly wanted a laugh, even if it was a someone else's expense. That made me wonder why is it so funny to laugh at another person and how much is too much? I'm aware that making jokes about someone is wrong but when do you know if you've gone too far or when you've struck a nerve? Many times people will intentionally hurt an innocent person for their own humorous pleasure merely because they are "different", but are they really that different? Do they not have feelings and flaws like everyone else? The short story "Hop-Frog" has opened my eyes to both sides of a story and allowed me to grasp the phrase "what goes around, comes around".
The story "Hop Frog" really made me question myself on friendship. It made wonder about the friends i have around me and how i act as a friend to others. I'm not always the best person to have as a friend. Sometimes i am very mean to everyone but majority of the time I am a nice person. I questioned my friends because Hop Frog got mad when his friend got wine thrown in her face, see he was a true friend. I dont know if my friends would act as Hop Frog did. After reading this story i did learn one thing, what comes around goes around.
The story "Hop Frog" made me question myself. Sometimes I am not a good person. I can be really mean and I realize now that it can hurt peoples feelings. I dont want to end up like the king in the story and have revenge put on me because I made fun of someone. I dont get why some people want to be mean. I am mean in a joking way, mostly to my friends. When people are just down right cruel, picking on someone who may look or act different is a different story. That kind of means that they dont have a heart, or it means they dont have any feeling for any other person. The story "Hop Frog" puts everyones feelings in perspective.
The short story "April 2005: Usher II" made me appreciative of the literature we still have and can read and learn from. I am relieved that censorship has not gone that far to ban all books, art, and movies that are not "morally correct". It makes me question that if censorship had gone that far, what would teachers be teaching in the classroom? What would we be learning? There would be no learning experiences from going on a journey that a fictional book would take you. There would be no more creative writing. There would be nothing but factual information, and we get that enough from living in it. We all need a break from reality and escape to something surreal or abstract. The story "April 2005: Usher II" made me thankful that censorship has not taken over the world and ripped away the books I love from me.
Today I chose to blog about the short story "The Devil and Tom Walker." It made me question myself and my decisions to say things without thinking about it. Towards the end of the story Tom says "if I made a penny may the devil take me now." Soon after the devil takes Tom. This makes me want to think about what I say before i say it. Some times I speak out in class and dont think about the consequences. This just means that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
"The Masque of the Red Death" made me question my perception of death. It has made me really aware of how inevitable and undiscriminatory death is. Death doesn't care whether someone is old or young, poor or rich, obscure or famous, peasantry or royalty. Death cannot be stopped, for it is just another uncontrollable stage of life. After reading this story, I realized that death will come no matter what we try or where we hide. Therefore, we should not live in fear of death (why, where, how) but instead in celebration of life. I questioned my perception of death to learn that life is a precious gift that should be valued by its owner and respected by his neighbors, no matter the circumstances.
The short story "A Pair of Silk Stockings" affected me the most because it made me wonder what I would do in Mrs. Sommers position. She was so devoted to her family that I wondered if I could I be as selfless as she was. Could I put everyone else before myself? Would I even pause to think about what the money could buy for my family and not just myself? This story made me question how selfless I could be, even for my own family.
The short-story "A Pair of Silk Stockings" made me question the line between indulgence and greed. At what point does a day of harmless pampering turn into a selfish trainwreck? Is it after the first purchase or the tenth? I still cannot decide whether Mrs. Sommers was enjoying a well-deserved day of extravagance or throwing away money that her family could have used. The next time I am at the mall, I will definitely think of Mrs. Sommers.
The short story "April 2005: Usher 2" made me question society. In this society, how is one supposed to pick what is appropriate for others? How is one person being offended by something enough for the rest of civilization to go without it? "April 2005" helps me appreciate the works of art that I get to enjoy, because I could not have it at all. LR-4
The short story "Hop Frog" made me question myself. It made me question the way I treat people and made me think about a few things. First, it made me think about how people may seem like they are not bothered by the mean comments but in reality they are really hurt. It also made me think about how what I think is funny may be hurtful to someone else.
"A Pair of Silk Stockings" effected me the most. It made me question if I am selfish or not. When I get money, I do not think of my family. I hope when I get older and I have my own family, I will not be as selfish. I know the next time I shop I will definately think of what I could be buying. SW-4
The story “The Haunted Boy” made me question what I should do about how my actions affect others. Like Hugh’s mother in the story, I sometimes act on my own feelings without thinking of how my friends and family will feel. (I do not act as drastically as attempting suicide, but the principle is the same.) Should I do something to make myself feel better, trusting that those close to me will understand? Or is it better for me to continue as if nothing is the matter so that my loved ones will not be hurt? It made me question whether the more important thing is taking care of myself and my own needs or looking out for others. The answer I came up with is this: If the person in question is me, I should consider others’ feelings. If I was giving advice to a friend, I would tell her to look after herself before others. Even my answers gave me more questions! Am I too concerned with pleasing others, sacrificing my own happiness for the sake of others? Or should I continue to look after the feelings of my loved ones and trust that their happiness will in turn rub off on me?
Ray Bradbury's short story "April 2005: Usher 2" made me question the future of literature in our society. Even though today we have much more freedom to write and publish whatever we like, some people have gone over board on making sure no one's feelings are hurt. I am not one to intentionally hurt someone's feelings, but I believe that sometimes it is ok to write things that are offensive in some ways. As long as the words are not brutally hurting someone I do not see the problem with them. People have become overly sensitive, and I completely agree with Bradbury on censorship. Sometimes stories need to be written to prove a point, whether someone get hurts over it or not.
"The Haunted Boy" is a story I could really relate to. My father once attempted suicide and, like Hugh, I was angry that he was only thinking of himself. Hugh believed his mother only thought of herself and was angry with her. I reacted in a similar way. Although, I don't believe me or my father have been able to move on from the incident, like Hugh and his mother did. It's unfortunate but our situations are different. This led me to question 'Why can't I move on? Why can't he move on?', but I don't think it can be solved as simpley as Hugh and his mother. Much like Hugh, however, I have remained mature in the situation, although I can not say the same for my father and his decisions.
The short story "An Occurence on Owl Creek Bridge" made me question how people perceive reality. Can someone's mind really come up with such a thing. When we really want to believe something can our brains make it true in our own thoughts? Can we seperate what we see and what we thought we saw? This story has made me question the way people think about the brain and its capablities.
The short story "The Lotter" had a theme that affected me more than any other short story I have read. The story shows how everyone is willing to participate in cruel horrible things. It made me realize that I have done some somewhat mean things; they were fun, and funny when I was doing them, but when the tables turned and the situation affected me or someone I am friends with or care about, it was not fun, or funny. This story has made me question why humanity is so cruel...
16 comments:
The short story "Hop-Frog", written by Edgar Allan Poe, has really made me question society and how society acts toward "different" people. Sometimes we can make fun of someone for a laugh but why do we make fun of that person in the first place? Hop-Frog was taken against his will to be a "fool" for a king who constantly wanted a laugh, even if it was a someone else's expense. That made me wonder why is it so funny to laugh at another person and how much is too much? I'm aware that making jokes about someone is wrong but when do you know if you've gone too far or when you've struck a nerve? Many times people will intentionally hurt an innocent person for their own humorous pleasure merely because they are "different", but are they really that different? Do they not have feelings and flaws like everyone else? The short story "Hop-Frog" has opened my eyes to both sides of a story and allowed me to grasp the phrase "what goes around, comes around".
AM-3
The story "Hop Frog" really made me question myself on friendship. It made wonder about the friends i have around me and how i act as a friend to others. I'm not always the best person to have as a friend. Sometimes i am very mean to everyone but majority of the time I am a nice person. I questioned my friends because Hop Frog got mad when his friend got wine thrown in her face, see he was a true friend. I dont know if my friends would act as Hop Frog did. After reading this story i did learn one thing, what comes around goes around.
The story "Hop Frog" made me question myself. Sometimes I am not a good person. I can be really mean and I realize now that it can hurt peoples feelings. I dont want to end up like the king in the story and have revenge put on me because I made fun of someone. I dont get why some people want to be mean. I am mean in a joking way, mostly to my friends. When people are just down right cruel, picking on someone who may look or act different is a different story. That kind of means that they dont have a heart, or it means they dont have any feeling for any other person. The story "Hop Frog" puts everyones feelings in perspective.
The short story "April 2005: Usher II" made me appreciative of the literature we still have and can read and learn from. I am relieved that censorship has not gone that far to ban all books, art, and movies that are not "morally correct". It makes me question that if censorship had gone that far, what would teachers be teaching in the classroom? What would we be learning? There would be no learning experiences from going on a journey that a fictional book would take you. There would be no more creative writing. There would be nothing but factual information, and we get that enough from living in it. We all need a break from reality and escape to something surreal or abstract. The story "April 2005: Usher II" made me thankful that censorship has not taken over the world and ripped away the books I love from me.
TR - 3
Today I chose to blog about the short story "The Devil and Tom Walker." It made me question myself and my decisions to say things without thinking about it. Towards the end of the story Tom says "if I made a penny may the devil take me now." Soon after the devil takes Tom. This makes me want to think about what I say before i say it. Some times I speak out in class and dont think about the consequences. This just means that every action has an equal and opposite reaction.
"The Masque of the Red Death" made me question my perception of death. It has made me really aware of how inevitable and undiscriminatory death is. Death doesn't care whether someone is old or young, poor or rich, obscure or famous, peasantry or royalty. Death cannot be stopped, for it is just another uncontrollable stage of life. After reading this story, I realized that death will come no matter what we try or where we hide. Therefore, we should not live in fear of death (why, where, how) but instead in celebration of life. I questioned my perception of death to learn that life is a precious gift that should be valued by its owner and respected by his neighbors, no matter the circumstances.
BS-4
The short story "A Pair of Silk Stockings" affected me the most because it made me wonder what I would do in Mrs. Sommers position. She was so devoted to her family that I wondered if I could I be as selfless as she was. Could I put everyone else before myself? Would I even pause to think about what the money could buy for my family and not just myself? This story made me question how selfless I could be, even for my own family.
BR - 4
The short-story "A Pair of Silk Stockings" made me question the line between indulgence and greed. At what point does a day of harmless pampering turn into a selfish trainwreck? Is it after the first purchase or the tenth? I still cannot decide whether Mrs. Sommers was enjoying a well-deserved day of extravagance or throwing away money that her family could have used. The next time I am at the mall, I will definitely think of Mrs. Sommers.
The short story "April 2005: Usher 2" made me question society. In this society, how is one supposed to pick what is appropriate for others? How is one person being offended by something enough for the rest of civilization to go without it? "April 2005" helps me appreciate the works of art that I get to enjoy, because I could not have it at all.
LR-4
The short story "Hop Frog" made me question myself. It made me question the way I treat people and made me think about a few things. First, it made me think about how people may seem like they are not bothered by the mean comments but in reality they are really hurt. It also made me think about how what I think is funny may be hurtful to someone else.
EM-3
"A Pair of Silk Stockings" effected me the most. It made me question if I am selfish or not. When I get money, I do not think of my family. I hope when I get older and I have my own family, I will not be as selfish. I know the next time I shop I will definately think of what I could be buying.
SW-4
The story “The Haunted Boy” made me question what I should do about how my actions affect others. Like Hugh’s mother in the story, I sometimes act on my own feelings without thinking of how my friends and family will feel. (I do not act as drastically as attempting suicide, but the principle is the same.) Should I do something to make myself feel better, trusting that those close to me will understand? Or is it better for me to continue as if nothing is the matter so that my loved ones will not be hurt? It made me question whether the more important thing is taking care of myself and my own needs or looking out for others. The answer I came up with is this: If the person in question is me, I should consider others’ feelings. If I was giving advice to a friend, I would tell her to look after herself before others. Even my answers gave me more questions! Am I too concerned with pleasing others, sacrificing my own happiness for the sake of others? Or should I continue to look after the feelings of my loved ones and trust that their happiness will in turn rub off on me?
JJ-3
Ray Bradbury's short story "April 2005: Usher 2" made me question the future of literature in our society. Even though today we have much more freedom to write and publish whatever we like, some people have gone over board on making sure no one's feelings are hurt. I am not one to intentionally hurt someone's feelings, but I believe that sometimes it is ok to write things that are offensive in some ways. As long as the words are not brutally hurting someone I do not see the problem with them. People have become overly sensitive, and I completely agree with Bradbury on censorship. Sometimes stories need to be written to prove a point, whether someone get hurts over it or not.
AH-3
"The Haunted Boy" is a story I could really relate to. My father once attempted suicide and, like Hugh, I was angry that he was only thinking of himself. Hugh believed his mother only thought of herself and was angry with her. I reacted in a similar way. Although, I don't believe me or my father have been able to move on from the incident, like Hugh and his mother did. It's unfortunate but our situations are different. This led me to question 'Why can't I move on? Why can't he move on?', but I don't think it can be solved as simpley as Hugh and his mother. Much like Hugh, however, I have remained mature in the situation, although I can not say the same for my father and his decisions.
The short story "An Occurence on Owl Creek Bridge" made me question how people perceive reality. Can someone's mind really come up with such a thing. When we really want to believe something can our brains make it true in our own thoughts? Can we seperate what we see and what we thought we saw? This story has made me question the way people think about the brain and its capablities.
RM-4
The short story "The Lotter" had a theme that affected me more than any other short story I have read. The story shows how everyone is willing to participate in cruel horrible things. It made me realize that I have done some somewhat mean things; they were fun, and funny when I was doing them, but when the tables turned and the situation affected me or someone I am friends with or care about, it was not fun, or funny. This story has made me question why humanity is so cruel...
BW-4
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