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.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)