Much Ado About Nothing-Lying

In my opinion, lying is never the right thing to do. But, this isn't a perfect world and lies are always told. If you tell a lie to help someone or to benefit them in someway, I believe it is acceptable. But, if you lie just to make someone angry or because you think it is a fun joke, then it is unethical. In Much Ado About Nothing many lies are told. Some are told to help certain people. One example of this is when Don Pedro plans to lie to Hero so he can make her fall in love with Claudio. He tells Claudio, "I will assume thy part in some disguise/ And tell fair Hero I am Claudio,/ And in her bosom I'll umclasp my heart/ And take her hearing prisoner with force/ And strong encounter of my amorous tale"(I.1.259-263). Don Pedro is going to lie to Hero just so he can gain her love for Claudio but, he will eventually tell her the truth. But, there are lies that are told in this play that are unethical. One example of this is when Claudio, Leonato and Don Pedro are walking in the garden outside and see Benedick hiding behind some bushes. They decide to poke fun at him and pretend Beatrice (Benedick's enemy) is in love with him as Don Pedro states, "What was it you told me of today,/ that your niece Beatrice was in love with Signor Benedick?" (II.2.85-86). They are telling this lie for their own pleasure. It doesn't benefit anyone in a positive way.

Lies should be told only if they are told to benefit someone in a positive way and the truth is told later, just as Don Pedro did with Hero. I know, from past experience, that is you tell a lie and never come clean about, the truth will always be revealed. My friend and I decided to hang out but, didn't invite my other friend. We thought she would never find out but, unfortunately, she did. After seeing how much this hurt our friend, we regretted it immensely and learned from our mistakes. You should never tell lies to hide the truth, it is immoral and things may happen you would never expect.

Poem Analysis: "The Road Not Taken"

The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Analysis:

I've always loved this poem, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. It portrays such a stong message that all of us can relate to. The poet, Robert Frost, compares a journey alone through the woods to the journey through life. We all come to places in our life where we must make a tough decision and as stated in the poem, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,/ And sorry I could not take both" (Frost 1-2). The man/woman in the poem has come to a part in the road where it splits in two. That represents the decision that must be made. Making decisions is one of the hardest parts of life. We want to make others and ourselves happy, which don't always agree. But if we know what is right, and don't worry about what others think, it will more than likely turn out the way we hoped. This is illustated when, the end the poem says, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-/ I took the one less traveled by,/ And that has made all the difference" (Frost 18-20).

This poem portrays a very positive message about decision making and doing what you know is right. In the poem, there are two different roads and as described in the poem. One road looks safer and more appealing than the other. He is indecisive about which road to take but decides to take the "Road less traveled" and states, "And that has made all the difference" (Frost 20). Frost is showing us that it is okay to go against the status quo of society because in the end, it will benefit us. I feel this poem goes along with our topic of first quarter, ethics. If you do what you know is right, you will feel no regret and be proud of yourself for being courageous.

Quarter 1 Debrief

So far, I believe English has gone exceptionally well. At first is was difficult to get used to all the new changes that occur in high school but as the year progressed, I began to feel more comfortable. The main thing I've learned this quarter is that everything doesn't always have to be one hundred percent correct. Developing great writing skills takes time and you won't learn anything unless you make mistakes and learn from them. One thing I've definitely improved on this quarter is my analytical skills and although they aren't perfect, they are getting better. But one thing I need to work on is being more precise in my writing and become better at editing my own papers. Also, I feel like I need to participate in class more and share my thoughts in disscussions.

In the beginning of the year, many of us didn't know each other and we were very hesitant to share our ideas. Now that we have spent three months together, we feel a lot more comfortable. We're able to edit each others papers and give meaningful feedback. We are also able to have intelligent disscussions as a class and really dig deep into the meaning of literature we are studying. For second quarter and the remainder of the year, we all just need to remember that everything can't always be perfect but, if we try our hardest and help each other improve, we will have a very successful year.

Blog Post #8

As we approach the end of the novel, we finally learn about Kate and her true personality. Throughout most of the novel we assume Kate is very dependent on others. She is sick and isn’t able to do much without the assistance of others. We assume she is patiently waiting for the day she can finally be healed of this horrid disease. But, at the end of the novel, Anna reveals something that is not anticipated. Anna is in court being question by Campbell when she is asked who convinced her to file for emancipation. She seems unsure and doesn’t know if she should tell the truth or not but finally she chokes out the word, Kate. People are appalled and can’t believe Kate wants to die. Kate now appears as a very independent person who knows exactly what she wants. One may think she wants to die for selfish reasons but, this isn’t true. She is really doing it for the good of her sister. She wants Anna to be able to live her life without having to protect her. Kate is sharing with Anna the benefits her death will bring and she states, “You could go to you hockey camps. You could choose a college in a whole different country. You could do anything you want and not worry about me” (390). She is tired of being a burden to her parents and wants Anna to finally be free.

At the end of the novel, an unexpected event occurs. As Campbell and Anna are returning from the court house, they get in a deadly car accident which kills Anna instantly. At the hospital, Anna’s parents are asked whether they wish donate her organs and, undoubtedly, they say yes. Throughout the novel, we wonder if Brian and Sara love Anna as much as they love Kate. They always seem preoccupied with Kate and have no time for Anna. But when she is killed, we are able to see that they love Anna just as much although, they regret the time not spent with Anna. This is illustrated when Brian states, “You may see a blue star, for example, and realize only later that it has a while dwarf as a companion-that first only shines so bright, by the time you notice the second one, it’s really too late” (416).

This book relates to our summer reading novel, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Both novels show us how the death of a loved one affects a person. When Oskar’s dad dies, he feels so much regret that it affects his ability to go on living a normal life. Similarly, the death of Anna made her parents realize the amount of attention they hadn’t been giving to Anna. Now that she is gone they regret it immensely.

Outside Reading Post #7

In the beginning of the novel, Campbell’s occupation as a lawyer suggests that he may have a very strong and assertive personality. But as we continue reading, this is not what we discover. We learn that Campbell has epilepsy caused by a car accident when he was a young adult. But, he doesn’t tell anyone, not even his own family. We aren’t sure why, but the novel suggest two possible reasons. One reason may be that he cares more for others than he does for himself. For example, Campbell, as a teenager, is hesitant about having a real relationship with Julia because he doesn’t want her to feel responsible for his well being. When Julia finally learns about his disability Campbell states, “Thirty CT scans later, the doctors still couldn’t really tell me why, but they made it pretty clear I’d have to live with it forever. I take a deep breath. Which is what made me realize that no one else should have to” (384). This indicates Campbell didn’t reveal to Julia he had a disability simply because he didn’t a burden to her. Another possible explanation for Campbell’s secrecy about his disability may be that he was too insecure or self-conscious to share it with others. For instance, when questioned about using a service dog, he jokingly gives them an answer but never reveals the truth. During trial, a woman and her son ask him why he uses a service dog and he responds with a grin, “I’m a lawyer…He chases ambulances for me’” (408). This makes him seem embarrassed by his disability and is not comfortable discussing it with others.

The main conflict that occurs in this section of the book is the indecisiveness of those involved in the trial. At first, coming into the trial, people are either completely for or against Anna. But as the trial unfolds, people begin to question who they should support. This seems to occur when they begin to realize how difficult it would be to see Kate die and they question whether Anna truly understands the long-term affects the death may cause. They wonder if she’s mature enough to make her own decisions responsibly. As these ideas are speculated, people begin contradicting their initial beliefs.

My Sister’s Keeper is similar to Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close because both are narrated by multiple characters. This technique enables us to get a clear sense of each character’s individual personality. For example, In Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close we don’t know much about Oskar’s grandfather until he begins to narrate parts of the novel. We learn that the reason why he left his wife and never met his son was because he was afraid to love someone again after the death of his first love. Through his writing we are able to see his true personal struggles, similar to when Campbell narrates parts of My Sister’s Keeper.

Outside Reading Blog Post #6

As the trial develops, many unexpected things happen. Characters develop in ways that the reader does not anticipate. Firstly, Brian reveals a change in heart about whether Anna should be a donor for Kate. Before the trial, he was consistently in support of Anna and in disagreement with his wife. But when asked at trial if he agrees with his wife's views on the matter, he surprisingly says, "Yes, I do.” When pressed further by Anna’s lawyer about the “right” answer, Brian turns the question back to Anna’s lawyer. In a “raw” voice filled with emotion, Brian asks, “Can you tell me what the right answer is here? . . . Because I don't know where to look for it. I know what's right. I know what's fair. But neither of those applies here. I can sit, and I can think about it, and I can tell you what should be and what ought to be. I can even tell you there's got to be a better solution. But it's been thirteen years, Mr. Alexander, and I still haven't found it" (346). It is never said why Brian changes his mind. But after hearing his wife testify about the bounty of love she has for both Anna and Kate, he seems to realize that keeping her alive is ultimately more important than respecting Anna’s wishes.

Another character who goes through a significant transformation is Julia. She comes across as being very strong willed and brave. But her vulnerability starts to show as the trial begins to develop and she is questioned by Campbell. She is asked to share what she believes is best for Anna and her family. As readers, we await an answer, but once she is on the witness stand, she realizes she doesn’t know what to say. She tells the judge, "This is the first time I've ever served as a guardian ad litem and been unable to reach a recommendation, and I know it's not acceptable....Your Honor. But you're not asking me to split a baby in half. You're asking me to split a family" (373). Her professional, business like personality is dissolving, and we begin to see her softer side.

The trial continues to be the main conflict as the novel continues. Campbell begins to realize that the probability of his winning the case is severely decreasing. He begins thinking less about Anna and more about his personal pride. He is returning to the way he acted in the beginning of the book; very self-centered. The trial is heading in a direction readers did not likely anticipate. Anna, Campbell, Julia, and Brian seemed like "powerhouses" compared to Sara. But now, they are beginning to understand, as Sara does, the true emotional scars the death of Kate may cause.

This novel is similar to our summer reading book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. In that book, Oskar loses his father in 9-11. Throughout the novel, we see the true mental and emotional effects death can cause. During the trial, in My Sister's Keeper, a physiologist explains how the death of Kate will affect Anna and the rest of her family. She says the family will feel depressed and Anna will feel a sense of regret. This is similar to Oskar’s feelings after his father’s death. This illustrates how ideas expressed in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close relate to those shown in My Sister’s Keeper.

Outside Reading Blog Post #5

In the next couple chapters I've read, the characters that are developed the most are Kate and Jesse. In one of Sara's chapters, she shares a story about a time when Kate is at the hospital for treatment and meets a boy named Taylor. Taylor also has a form of leukemia and is at the hospital for chemotherapy. Taylor and Kate's relationship develops and they spend more and more time together, just as normal teenages would do. Kate's leukemia returns, and she goes in for chemotherapy treatment. Taylor comes to help her through the excrutiating process. While they are there, Taylor asks Kate to the hospital sponsored dance. Through the next part of the chapter, Sara tells about the preparations for the dance. For once in her life, Kate gets to be treated as a "normal" child. Sara is glad to see her daughter be able to do regular teenage things for once. Brian is also overjoyed, and Sara states, "It was only when he turned around that I realized he'd come in here to cry" (319). Also in the section I recently read, we are able to see a different side of Jesse. In the beginning of the book, Jesse came across as a "bad boy" and very rebellious and angry. But in the last couple chapters we are able to see Jesse's softer side. While Kate is in the hospital, we see Jesse sitting at her bedside. He kisses her on the forehead and makes friendly conversation. This shows how much he cares for his sister and how much he truly loves her. He wants Kate to live and for her to not have to suffer anymore.

The two main conflicts in the most recent chapters I've read are the trial and Kate's hospitalization. Firstly, now that Anna's dad has taken her side, Sara is on her own. Cambell questions two doctors and also Sara. He asks Doctor Chance about the many procedures Anna has gone through. He claims that the procedures did not have any major risks, but Cambell pointed out that they did. Then he goes on the question Sara about the many procedures Anna has gone through for her sister. She gets angry at Campbell because he did not understand the other side of the story. In expressing her anger, she states, "But you only represent one of my daughters, Mr. Alexander, and only in this courtroom. I represent both of them equally, everywhere, every place. I love both of them equally, everywhere, everyplace" (298). If Anna wins the trial she is not obligated to give her sister a kidney, but then her sister may die.

This book relates to The 400 Blows because both deal with the rebellion of a child. Antoine doesn't want to be sent to military school, so he rebels and runs away. Similarily, Anna doesn't want to be a donor anymore for her sister, so she brings her parents to trial. Both Anna and Antoine are very courageous to go against their parents' will.

Outside Reading Blog Post #4

Since I last blogged, some of the characters have experienced a change in personality and we learn more about their pasts. In the chapter's Sara narrates, she describes the stuggles they've experienced with Kate's illness in the past. She has always tried to love her other two children but many times they fall through the cracks. There is just so much going on in her life that her other two childrens, many times, come at the bottom of her priority list. Jesse, her oldest child, gets ignored the most. Kate is sick and Anna is helping, Jesse doesn't know where he fits in. Whenever he tries to talk to his parents they always seem to be preoccupied. This is evidenced by a time when Jesse was trying to talk to his father and he notes,"My father looked right at me, but he didn't answer. And his eyes were dazed and staring through me, like I was made of smoke" (245). Because his parents don't pay much attention to him, he turns to drugs and arson to try to make himself feel better. Lastly, Brian has changed significantly since I posted last. He started off quite angry about the lawsuit that his daughter, Anna, started. In the last chapters I have read he begins to take Anna's side. When he finally admits this to his wife she states, "If you testify for Anna, the judge is going to say that at least one of her parents is capable of supporting this petition and he's going to rule in her favor" (259). Brian then replies, "I know that. Why else would I do it?" (259).

Also, in the last couple of chapters I've read, we get a better understanding of the past conflicts the family has dealt with. One thing we learn about is the first time Anna gave bone marrow to her sister. Annna is very frightened and has no idea of what to expect. Once she is out of the surgery she asks for her father. First he says he is too busy but then decides he'll quickly go up to check on her. Anna is relieved to see him but when he is about to leave after only minutes of visiting with her she questions, "Can you stay here?" I shake my head. "Kate's sick. I'm going to heave to go back. Anna pulls away. 'But I'm in the hospital,' she says. 'I'm in the hospital'"(233). Even though Anna courageously gave bone marrow to her sister, Kate is still top priority and Anna and Jesse get the back seat. Secondly, we learn that Kate has a close encounter with death. When Anna was approximetly 10 years old, Kate gets very sick and almost dies. The readers are able to see how worried the family gets. They are always at the hospital and never leave Kate's side. They even say their goodbyes but fortunately Kate holds on to life. This past experience of theirs impacted the way they act now. They are very concerned and are watching Kate's every move. They give Kate even more attention and even less to Anna and Jesse.

This book is very similar to the book Black Boy. Richard experiences neglect from his parents and this causes him to act up. Jesse is similar to Richard. He is in the back of his parents mind because they are too worried about Kate. This causes Jesse to turn to drugs and alcohol to solve his problems instead of telling his parents how he feels. Also, he starts commiting arson, which is most likely the result of his parents neglect as well. When a child is neglected and not paid attention too, they will act out in order to gain the attention they want. All Jesse wants is for someone to love him and talk to him but his parents seem to be a bit preoccupied.

Characters in My Sister's Keeper

In the novel My Sister's Keeper has multiple narrators as I said in my first post. This gives us a real sense of who each character is and how they feel about the central conflict, Kate's sickness. First we have Anna who is the main character. She is very strong willed and independent she is going against her parents will for her to be a donor and is suing them for the rights to her own body. At first she is determined to get rights to her body but after her parents find out and she sees their reactions, she isn't sure if she should continue with the lawsuit. She realizes that the lawsuit is what she truly wants and states, "I can't give a kidney to my sister. I just can't" (87).

Secondly, there is Sara who is Anna's mom. She has had a very tough life. She has gone through so much starting with the diagnosis of her daughter Kate to the lawsuit filed against her by Anna. I would consider her to be a very stong woman considering all she has been through. She tries to love all her children but she loves Anna in a different way than Kate. Sara loves Kate as she would any child but she loves Anna because she is helping save Kate's life. She is more grateful to have Anna instead of actually loving her. While in the middle of labor giving birth to Anna she states, "The umbilical cord, "I remind him. 'Be careful (104).

Another main character in this book is, of course, Kate. She was the first daughter born to Sara and Brian and was born just because they wanted a child to love and nurture. Kate and Anna seem to have opposite personalities. Kate is very dependent upon her mother and other family memebers partially because of her illness. She's dealt with this illness her whole life and has gotten used to having people do things for her and take care of her. She never looks forward to things or has future goals in life because she's not sure she'll be around long enough to experience things.

Brian and Sara have two daughters as well as an older son named Jesse. Jesse seems to have a very rebellious and depressed personality due to the situation his family has been going through. Because of all the attention Kate required, little attention could be given to Jesse. Jesse's facination with fire grew as he matured and he began to start many large fires in abandoned buildings. This shows his rebellious nature. As I said above, Jesse has low self esteem and seems to be depressed. While driving down the road he thinks, "It would solve a thousand problems if I rolled the jeep over an embankment" (94).

Lastly, the character Cambell is Anna's lawyer. He is helping her sue her parents for rights to her own body but he seems to be doing it for the wrong reasons. He seems to be selfish and wants to help Anna just for the money. As Anna leaves his office after their first meeting Campbell converses with his secretary, "You can't expect a child to fend for herself.' I head back into my office. Judge follows, pausing just inside the threshold. 'It's not my problem,' I say" (25.)

Outside reading post #2

Conflict:

In my outside reading novel, many conflicts occur between many different characters. At first we learn that Anna's conflict about getting the rights to her own body isn't the only one. We also learn the story behind the discovery of Kate's cancer.

This story is told in the mom's perspcetive because the differnt chapters are narrated by different characters. The mom gets Kate out of the bathtub and notices a big bruise on her back. She brought her to the doctor expecting nothing to be wrong but then is sent to the hospital to get more tests done. Through her narration,you can really see how worried she is. She can't get ahold of her husband, because he is a firefighter. This adds to her anxiety as the doctors stick needles and IV's in Kate trying to figure out what's wrong. When they tell Kate's om she has cancer she doesn't know what to do or say. Even though I, fortunatly, haven't been through the same experience, I can just imagine how terrible that word "cancer would be to hear.

A little while later in the novel, while Anna is narrating, the parents find out that Anna has sued them for rights to her body. The police come to the hospital, where they are with Kate getting a normal exam, and give Anna's mom the paper work. From the look on her mom's face, Anna knows just what she i looking out so she runs out the door and calls her brother. We see that Anna is paniky and has no idea what to do. She is afraid of what her parents reaction will be. I can relate to this and I'm sure many others can as well; when you tell your parents something that you know they will be mad about, you are just waiting for their reaction. I hope later in the book we will be able to see the parents perspective or maybe even Kate's. I think that would enhance our understanding of the other characters and their personalities.

Outside Reading Post #1

My outside reading book for quarter 1 is called My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It is a heartfelt story of a girl named Anna who was conceived just so she could be a donor for her sister Kate who has leukemia. This story shows Anna's stuggles as she attempts to sue her parents for rights to her own body. Her whole life her parents have been deciding when she would give to her sister and Anna has never got a say in the matter. After thirteen long years of putting up with this, she feels that the right to her own body is more important than her sister and she decides to stand up for herself. She seeks the help of a lawyer by the name of Campbell Alexander. At first, Campbell is not sure what to think. There was a strange teenage girl in his officing planning on sueing her parents but he agrees to asist her. We soon learn that Campbell isn't doing it to be kind and genuine, he is doing it for the money. He doesn't really care about what happens to Anna.
Jodi Picoult has a very distinct style of writting and you get a sense of that even in the first couple chapters. First of all, each chapter is narrated by a different character. This gives the reader a real understanding of the different personalities of each character and how they feel about different situations. Secondly, the character narrates in the present tense. At first this was hard to get used to because many of the books I've read haven't been written in present tense besides dialogue. In a way, it is very interesting and makes you feel as though you are really "in the moment".
So far, My Sisters Keeper is a wonderful book and I can't wait to share more with you!

Why do people write memoirs? What power is there in telling our own stories?

Black Boy was a wonderful memoir written by Richard Wright. Through his writing we are able to get a true sense of his inner feelings and can, in some way, relate to his struggles. I think the main reason memoirs are written is so that the author can share their personal stuggles with the readers. It shows the authors true courage because they are revealing important maybe even difficult situations that occured in their past.
Memoirs are powerful pieces of work. Firstly, it is beneficial to the author; it gives them a way to "vent" and commemerate their past. They are able to go back and analyze their actions and rethink the things they did or what they should have done. Not only are memoirs valuable to the author, its useful for the audience who read the novel. Memoirs are very vivid and "real" because they are written by a really accurate source. The readers are able to relate to the actual situations and if they are struggling with the same thing, they can relate to the feelings of the author.

What Does RIchard "hunger" for?

Richard is a young boy who hungers for many things. He never seems to settle down and is always striving for something more or better. I believe two things Richard hungers for are and an understanding companion and success.
In Black Boy, Richards feelings are distinctively shown and you get true sense of his inner feelings. One things I believe he yearns for is a loving and understanding companion. First of all, his parents neglected him and never paid any attention to his wants and needs. Then when his mom became ill (84-86), he had move to his aunt and uncles house (89). Once he moved he found out that a boy had died in the current room he was residing in. This frightened him, but his aunt and uncle didn't understand why it scared him so much. They refused to let him return home but finally gave in (98). Secondly, Richards grandmother is very religious and so was the rest of his family. A neighbor across the street had a discussion with Richard one day about Christianity and questioned his faith (Richards sensed that this was his grandmother's doing). The neighbor simply could not understand Richard's view on faith which made him very defensive (114-115).
Another thing I feel Richard hungers for is success. When put into school he does all of his homework and passes through a whole grade in the time span two weeks. Ecstatic, Richard raced home to tell his family who didn't believe it was possible. But inside, Richard knew that anything was possible and he was inspired to go to medical school or become a writer (125). Richard is also determined to get a job so he can earn money so he won't have to feel hungry anymore. He asks around school about anyone who is in need of a job and was successful in finding one (148). These few examples really show Richard's true determination to succeed and his belief that he can do anything he sets his mind to.
I think when people hunger and strive for things it makes them a stronger and more independent person. They are able to set standards for themselves and feel accomplished once those standards are reached.

In the first couple pages of Black Boy Richard seems like a very mischievous boy. He is setting things on fire (4) and disobeying his mother and father. As I read on I realized that his actions may have to do with how his parents treat him. I don't think Richard should be considered a "bad boy" because he's oblivious to the fact that he is doing things that are considered "bad".
The people that Richard associate with and the environment he lives him is the main cause of his obseen behavior. The men in the bar are making him drink(20), his mother shows him how to fight with the gang (17), his father's remarks encourages him to kill an innocent kitten (11), and his parent's neglect causes him to discover things for himself and sparks his curiosity. Inside Richard is a sweet young boy who needs someone to teach him and listen to what he has to say.

Welcome!

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