Blogger

During these seven weeks, I've felt like I've been in a college class. The idea of blogger has definitely made me eager to do homework. Since most of our assignments are being posted to the internet it's easy to get it done and look back at past assignments. I am definitely a fan of blogger. I like the fact that we can do participation by responding to each others work by posting a comment. This has helped me a lot considering I don't like to verbally comment on people's work. I used to watch my cousin do her college classes on University of Phoenix's Axia and thought, "how cool would it be to do school online?" With blogger I've been able to have that experience. Also with blogger its 99% excuse free. No one can say they didn't know what the assignment was because they didn't write it down, forgot, or didn't hear what it was. Most of the English classes I've had consisted of bookwork, definitions, and tons of reading. With this class, we've been allowed to have a voice and with that voice we put our opinions out there. We get to just talk about what we do in class. Until this year, 11-1 had no idea what we talked about in our class. With blogger they have front row seats to our discussions. I like blogger, it's like myspace for school.

The Great Gatsby

I really loved reading the Great Gatsby. As odd and twisted as some of it was, there was a touching love story that definitely stood out for me. Gatsby's determination to get Daisy back completely melted my heart.


Gatsby molded the person he became according to the person he thought Daisy wanted him to be. He tried every way possible to get Daisy back into his life. Finally it came down to one, Nick. Gatsby threw huge parties all the time just hoping to catch a glimpse of Daisy wandering around, but he never did. He skimmed the paper everyday hoping to wander across her name, but never did. Finally, Daisy's cousin Nick pops into the picture. At last, a glimmer of hope.
At Gatsby's request, Nick invites both Gatsby and Daisy over for tea. Not knowing that Gatsby is attending Daisy comes into the house and out of the rain. What she is presented with is completely unexpected.


This is my favorite part of the book. Probably because I'm a hopeless romantic. I live for a dramatic reunion. After this I was hooked, when I think about the emotions and thoughts going through their heads I cringe.

Chapter 3 Journal

In Chapter 3, Nick describes the life of his partying neighbor, Gatsby. The house is equipped with bars, buffets, maids, butlers, and more. Gatsby orders musicians that play throughout the night at his wild parties. Nick is invited to Gatsby’s party one night and actually decides to attend. I found this a little odd considering Nick doesn’t seem like the “partying” type. Nick wouldn’t be one of the people you’d expect to run into there. At the party, Nick spots his cousin Daisy’s good friend Jordan Baker and stays with her for the rest of the night. It seems as though Gatsby is an urban legend, everyone knows of him but hasn’t seen him. I’m Interested in why he’s so low key. What is he hiding? A couple hours into the party Nick finally meets the famous Gatsby. It just so happens that they were in the Third Division in the war together. As usual, Gatsby disappears and Nick finally decides to leave the party. Days later Nick starts to think about his feelings for Jordan. He might love her.

American Poetry Supermarket

To a Poor Old Woman
William Carlos Williams

http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15813

William Carlos Williams was born in Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1883. He began writing poetry while a student at Horace Mann High School, it was there that he decided to become a writer and doctor. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he met Ezra Pound. Pound became a huge influence in Williams' writing. Like Pound, he was a leader in the Imagist movement but over time disagreed more and more with that ideas that came across in Pound's writing. He thought that the poetry was too attached to the european culture. He came up with a way of writing that talked about everyday life and situations, "American Writing". His work took off at a slow but steady pace, but he started recieving attention in the 1950's. Some of his major works include Kora in Hell (1920), Spring and All (1923), Pictures from Brueghel and Other Poems (1962), the five-volume epic Paterson (1963, 1992), and Imaginations (1970). Williams' continued writing until his death in 1963.

In To a Poor Old Woman, I can see how Williams liked to elaborate on everyday situations. The woman in the poem is simply in the street eating plums. When you look further into it you notice the way he plays with the way it's written.

For example,

They taste good to her

They taste good

to her. They taste

good to her.

With each repetition, you are forced to speak it in a different way. Each way has a different effect on how you veiw this woman. It's almost like all of her happiness revolves around eating this plum. You feel as though you are outside watching this event take place.

This Is Just To Say by William Carlos Williams

http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/william_carlos_williams/poems/16997

In reading this poem, you can see how Williams takes a typical american situation and transforms it into a poem. This is Just to Say is a poetic apology for eating something out of the icebox that wasn't his. It's simple ideas such as this that comes across in many of Williams' poems, it's his trademark.

Cather Writing Piece

Recently, I read Cather’s “Consequences.” Her writing comes across as non-fiction; it’s almost as though you are reading about a real person life and daily activities. You began to get into the person’s routine as if you’re a friend or observer. When writing comes off that way, it’s doing its job. Writing allows you to show others how you view certain subjects and give your opinion. The topic of suicide is a very touchy subject to elaborate on. It affects so many people adults, children, and seniors. It’s very emotional and really makes you feel for that person. You can almost feel all the pain they are experiencing and it begins to hurt you personally.
Cather doesn’t elaborate much on suicide, The man in the story pretty much just kills himself. You don’t know why. It just happens. In a way this goes back to how realistic the story is. In most suicide cases, you don’t see it coming. The person seems stable and okay. You don’t see the pain that the person is experiencing and in a flash they’re gone.
In closing, Cather’s writing is excellent. It captures you in this story and just ends it. It keeps you wanting more.