Week 2 Comments

I commented on Sarah's blog.
https://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-elite_24.html?showComment=1477401011283#c8034348734498546670

I commented on Kolin's blog.
https://kolin-english1.blogspot.com/2016/10/human-nature_23.html?showComment=1477401175289#c7382931773739371584

Q2 Week 2 Reading Response

This week I read chapters 1-3 of Lord of the Flies by William Golding, and I noticed a common trend in the setting. The setting of this book is very beautiful and is filled with fruit and flowers. The setting of the island is described numerous times throughout these chapters as pink or containing pink things. I think that the pink island is described so much to show just how perfect the island really is. Also, there aren't any girls on this island, so a pink island filled with boys could also be an ironic joke about this book.

While reading the first few chapters of this book, I have really started to fully understand the main characters. I also think that I have found my favorite character so far, Piggy. As I was reading through these chapters, I continuously felt bad for Piggy because he wasn't being listened to by the other boys. Piggy has mostly all of the good ideas so far. He should have been the leader or at least had a voice on how to lead these newly stranded boys. Even though Piggy is annoying sometimes, I think it is caused by his underappreciation from the other boys.

Human Nature

Human nature in the present day is mainly focused on people being bad and doing bad things. However, I think this is false and that human nature isn't bad, but mostly good. Most people are good people, even if they make mistakes. This leads to human nature also being flawed. Humans aren't perfect and we make mistakes frequently. This doesn't mean that human nature is overall bad, even if we make bad decisions.

Human nature is presented as bad in present day mostly because of the news. If the news didn't show all of the bad things happening so frequently, humans would be portrayed as better people. I think the news does this to show the big problems in the world and then they get more publicity. Also, my family has taught me a lot about human nature. For example, my parents taught me to always be nice to people no matter what and I see this every day at my school. Also, my grandparents have taught me that someone isn't a bad person because of what they did, they are a good person for owning up to what they did wrong.

Q2 Week 1 comments

I commented on Sarah's blog.
https://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/10/fall-break.html?showComment=1476989017492#c4166994842021482173

I commented on Jack's blog.
https://jackcenglish1blog.blogspot.com/2016/10/fall-break.html?showComment=1476989308451#c5379016539580610881

Q2 Week 1 Reading Response

This week I read The Pregnancy Project by Gaby Rodriguez. In this novel, the author is trying to show that stereotypes don't define who you are. The author shows this by having the main character, Gaby, construct a project about herself faking a pregnancy. This results in Gaby finding out how hurtful stereotypes can be, even if they aren't really true. I am very fascinated by this unique idea of a fake pregnancy project because I am also realizing how stereotypes affect teens while reading this book.

I really like how the author shows throughout the book how the main character starts to realize what others characters truly think about her. She even finds out that her friends image of her isn't what she thought it was. She realizes that her friends are sticking with her stereotype of being a teen mom and treating her like it was going to happen anyways. I know that people have stereotypes of me based on my friends and family, even if it isn't as big as teen pregnancy. I am also curious to see what my friends would do if I stuck to my stereotypes.

Q2 Week 1 Fall Break Free Post

Fall break this year seemed way too short for me. I went to Los Angeles, California to visit friends, shop, and go to Disney land. I was excited for this trip for a solid three weeks before the Wednesday of Fall break. I had everything planned out in my mind of each day we were there. This was all of could think about, except I didn't think it would feel this short. Especially for two days off of school.

Usually, Fall break seems like a very long weekend for me. This year it only felt like a weekend.The trip was incredibly fun, except it should've lasted longer. I was overly upset when I realized I would only have one more day in California with my friends and family. I tried to make the most of my last day in Los Angeles by spending as much time with everyone and completing my long list of things to do there. Overall, I had a great weekend with my friends and family, even though it should've lasted longer.

Comments for Week 7

I commented on Sarah C's Blog.
https://sarahcenglish1.blogspot.com/2016/10/procrastination-is-your-future-self.html?showComment=1476137102526#c9167776647901637605

I commented on Kolin's Blog.
https://kolin-english1.blogspot.com/2016/10/my-weekend.html?showComment=1476137296540#c9085642610401192139

Q1- Week 7

In Should We Abandon Louisiana? In Some Ways, We Already Have. by Zack Kopplin, Kopplin discusses how Louisiana's recent flood didn't make the national news. Kopplin says that people already think Louisiana will flood, so why should they bother trying to rebuild it? Kopplin gives examples of people who really did think that Louisiana shouldn't be rebuilt, but destroyed, like Dennis Hastert. Although Louisiana is disappearing tremendously, like Kopplin says when he compares a football field size of Louisiana is lost every hour, Louisiana shouldn't be destroyed. There are two major reasons for this, the price and families.

Kopplin says the price of relocating all of the Louisianians would be out of control. There wouldn't be a way to get all of this money for the new homes in different states. Also, relocating Louisianians would destroy many families. For example, some families include very old members who might not be physically able to move to a different state. Some families in Louisiana can barely afford to live here. Imagine if those families had to find money to actually move to a new home. It wouldn't be possible. They couldn't sell their home, so they would have to abandon it.

Comments for Week 6

I commented on Ella's blog.
https://blogellac.blogspot.com/2016/10/free-post-103.html?showComment=1475780332182#c8815666161295846556

I commented on Jack C's blog.
https://jackcenglish1blog.blogspot.com/2016/09/short-story.html?showComment=1475780441233#c1826604838584862038

Free Response Week 6

It's gameday in Tiger Stadium and I can feel the heat of the crowd. Everyone is beyond excited to be here and to witness LSU playing against the enemy. Everyone is crowded around large tents, sharing food and conversations. Families are scrambling to find their rambuncious kids at the large tailgates. I walk around the perimeter of the stadium with friends talking and catching up on lost time. My family calls to tell me the game is about to start.

Saturdays in the Fall are my favorite days of the year because of game day. I don't necessarily understand football, but that doesn't make it any less fun to be in Death Valley. Campus is extremely fun to walk around with your friends because you run into lots of people you know and probably forgot about. My friends and I like to walk around the Basketball stadium and eat food from one of our dad's tailgates. Overall, gamedays for me are more about hanging out with friends and family than actually watching the game.

Week 6 Reading Response

While reading the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, I realized that the main purpose of the book was changing. In the beginning of the book, I thought it was a mystery to find out who killed the dog. About half way through, the theme changes to show the real meaning of a family with a special needs child. The theme is changing to show the mystery of what truly is happening in the family instead of the murder of the dog. I like how the topic changed because as I was reading, I was getting bored of reading about this dead dog for so long.

I also like how the main character shares his thoughts about how he will write his book as he is in a book. While reading this book, I can see the similarities and differences of how Christopher says he will write his book and how it is actually written. Also, the main character is starting to bother me. His behavior is horrible and I feel bad for him because he doesn't know how else to act. His behavior does influence the book tremendously because it creates "rules" for how others have to act around him.