The First and the Last

                                                     

Achievements, mishaps, excitement, a whirl wind of emotions and events have passed by with this following year.  Honors English is almost over. WOW! I can't believe that it has been a whole year already.  Looking back on the blogs that I have written over the course of the year was a lot of fun.  At the beginning of the year, I remember thinking, a blog, aahhhhhh I don't think I can do that!  Looking at my first blog to my last post there was a huge improvement and develop that I felt I achieved in my “blogging” career.  Rereading my first blog it sounded as if I was focusing more on "sounding good" rather than expressing myself through my writing.  As the year progressed, I felt like I vastly improved in that area.  I focused on showing myself through the writing rather than blank words that sounded good.  In the start of 2011, I included more pictures, color, and a few videos here and there showed more of me.  Even at the beginning I was afraid of what others thought of my ideas.  Was I right? Was there something wrong with what I wrote?  Did I get the totally wrong idea?  Now, I found that the ideas I wrote can be wrong, but noticing them and fixing them is nothing to be ashamed of.  Looking back on some of my many mistakes has helped me continue to grow as a writer.  It’s disappointing to think that next year there will be no more blogging.  I was just getting a hang of the whole thing.  This blog really helped me write whatever came to my head at the time.  It helped me to be more aware of writing freely rather then looking for the correct format or right answers.  

                           

“You must do the very thing you think you cannot do”

                                                             Eleanor Roosevelt      

            Like I said, I was in disbelief that I could ever complete a whole year of blogging and let alone developing as much as I did as a writer this year!  Now I am really encouraged to tackle the “I can’t do” list.  Like I said earlier on the Courtney Thomason blog, “you don’t fully know how much you are capable of achieving until you do.”  I hope next year I can continue to grow as I much as I did this year.

            I would like to thank those who have continued following this blog journey with me.  Thank you, Mrs. Gilman for all your recommendations, comments, and advice that you have given me throughout the year.  I always loved to come to English 1^st period.  Thank you for a great year.  However; like Robert Frost said, “Nothing Gold Can Stay.” Thanks for the great journey. Yours truly,

                        Rachel 

DEFINITYELY PROJECTS

 This year’s projects, blogs, and writing assignments have been full of unexpected turns and twist for me.  For starters, the completion of every assignment had me wishing the same thing, “I wish I had one more day to make it perfect."  However; nothing can reach perfection and if someone has, I would like to know how they did it!  One of my favorite projects, looking back on it was our Outside Reading Assignment last semester.  The task, to create a visual aide to display some of the major points in the novel such as: characters, motifs, etc.  The novel I chose was Pride and Prejudice and there was so many fun opportunities that I really wanted to display.  I was limited, however, because my drawing skills aren't exactly up to par, but I still managed to do with what I had.
      In the end of all the cutting, gluing, moving, leveling, adding, subtracting, placing, etc. I had finally created a piece that I was proud of.  It wasn't a poster, but it was contained in a picture frame with some of the most important aspects from the book.  The countless hours creating it and the work/ stress I put into it finally paid off.  It’s always nice to make something that you are proud of!
      This year, out of all the activities we did I loved doing the projects!  This one, however, I liked the best.  

Poetry

My "poetic" career so far, has been very hard core.  Reading nursery rhymes before bed at the age of five and writing poetry for Mother's Day has set me up as a renowned poet.  One of my best experiences however, was part of Poetry Out Loud.  Before high school, I never really analyzed poetry.  For me, it’s always something that you read in your spare time.  However; reading Up Hill by Christina Rossetti led me through a new gate.  I had to really dig into the poem to understand its meaning. 

Being able to analyze a piece of poetry and finally understanding what the author’s intentions were planted a small seed of hope that I can really love poetry.  As you can see from my prior knowledge of poetry, I haven't had too many experiences.  It’s frustrating when you really don't understand a poem, because everything has a hidden meaning instead of literal interpretations.  Poetry Out Loud opened my eyes to the beauty of poetry.  Now I have a better understanding of how poetry can create connects between the author and her/his audience.  Once you have that experience, you want to keep reading more and more!  

            When I hear poetry I think: beautiful, interesting, unique, emotions, ideas, thoughts, dreams, and difficult.  To me poetry is difficult to understand, but at this point in time if I understand what the author is saying then I love Poetry.  If I don't understand what the author is getting at, then it can be really frustrating.  Right now, if I can get a grip on the whole concept of poetry then I could unlock another door of English!     

CONFLICT...CONFLICt...CONFLIct...CONFLict...CONFlict...CONflict...COnflict...Conflict...conflict

One of the very first conflicts that occurred in the novel set the cornerstone for the whole structure of the characters and the play itself.  In the beginning, we see Romeo's eternal conflict over Rosaline and how his love is not returned.  He thinks that by going to the ball that no other young lady in Verona could replace his love for her; however once he sees Juliet he quickly changes his mind.  This first display of his relationship with Rosaline turns to magnify how fake it was.  The play references to the common theme of "made of wax" or blind love.  This theme shows up as a description of Paris, it describes some of the relationships between the characters, and it describes some of the character's themselves.     

The problem that this creates is very real in our society today.  Everyone emphases and focuses more on what they are wearing, what people think, and how popular they are.  We teenagers go as far as acting one way in one place, and then being different somewhere else. (What Teenager today doesn't want to "fit in"? We all know that sometimes that means not acting ourselves...)   There are always fake facades that people put up and even relationships that are unstable (made of wax.) This idea of wax and blind love goes hand and hand with America today.  It's a hard truth to take in, but it is very real. 

Romeo and Juliet + today

        What I found that most alluded to Romeo and Juliet was "Ever Ever After" by Carrie Underwood.  The song is all about believing in true love and how everyone wants to believe in happy endings. Romeo and Juliet were so much in love that they weren't looking for approval from anyone, they just wanted to be with each other (living happily ever after). They knew what everyone else would think about there marriage, but they only focused on being together.  Each character took the risk for the idea that because fate brought them together then fate would help them stay together.  Even Juliet decides to go after her true love rather than a man that her parents want her to love. They both are looking for their love and there Ever Ever After.... 

Connections?

Romeo and Juliet...two people, two different households, two enemies- come together in love.  We each connect to the novel differently even though it was written a long time ago.  The author died, but the Romeo and Juliet legacy lives on.  For me, my connection isn't with the main characters necessary, but it’s with Benvolio, Romeo's cousin.  I can total relate with the concept of friendship, and I'm sure we all can.  Benvolio is always trying to cheer Romeo up and would do anything to make him happy again.  This is a crucial concept in my mind.  If anyone was upset, I will do almost anything to cheer them up.  I always try to be there to pick up the pieces and put them back together as fast as possible!  I love how Benvolio is constantly reminding Romeo of what else it out there and still staying positive.  On the other hand, I have been in Romeo's position... (Not so depressed over something), but when I am upset my "Benvolios"- aka friends- are always right behind me cheering me on.

I must be completely and totally honest that I am having a hard time deciphering the "Shakespearean" language by myself.  It’s hard to keep on looking to the left side for word meanings, to the reading page, think about all the concepts, and read at the same time.  Reading in class is much more affective for me.  Hearing it in different voices then my own. Going back over it in class I get a more insightful idea on some of the metaphors, pun, etc. that I was oblivious to. It's getting easier as we get into the novel, and I am hoping that by the end I will be fluent in understanding the "Shakespearean" language. 

Theme :)

The recurrence of the main themes throughout Great Expectations creates a different atmosphere where it’s not all about the plot. However; it also mirrors sometimes our own experiences.  The one that I picked out was "it’s not all about materialism" i.e. money, parties, etc. It’s about the people in our lives that ultimately matter the most.  How we live our lives is our choice, but we will always want more than what we have.  You could want the newest ipod touch, or to be the most popular person on Facebook; but what happens after that?  What I think about is countries around the world.  Here in America it’s all about I want...can I get?... and I got to have!.  Each one of us thinks more about our possession and ourselves than sometimes the people around us.  We are all very guilty, sadly to say.  However, in places like the third world countries, there are people who are less fortinute.  They stick together and try to service every day. ( I am not saying it doesn’t happen here to.  It was just an example.)  What they value the most is family.  Beside for their basic need of survival sometimes or in most cases they are happier with less than we are with more because they have each other!  Money can't buy you happiness; materials can't make you happy; but the people around you can!