Mariah T's blog

The best part of my synthesis essay is when an opposing opinion is brought up and is then torn apart. It makes my argument even stronger when it is noted that other arguments are taken into consideration. It also encourages the reader think about why it is not a good idea to completely take out classic literature from English classrooms. On the other hand, if I could go back and improve on my essay, I would include more quotes and resources. I feel that this would push the reader to believe in my argument even more.

Working as a group on this project started off as a mess. We all had such different writing styles and opinions that we couldn’t seem to agree on anything. Very quickly we learned that we had to divide up the work so that we could all have a part and we could also include each of our own opinions. From the group experience I learned that everyone has their own writing style. I’ve learned to accept that and appreciate how

My essay was written to persuade readers to think about classic literature in a different way. I wanted people to see that it wasn’t the books hurting their own reputation, it was the way in which they were taught. I feel that I was successful in persuading them because I used many different resources to prove and strengthen my argument.

The essays in class really got me thinking about education in a new light. It opened my eyes to how powerful and important education is. I gained a new appreciation for my school, my education, and my teachers. It helped me write because my ideas about education were fresh in my mind. The essays also helped me create a foundation for my argument.

I learned through this unit that education isn’t always taken as seriously as it should be in my school environment. A lot of students don’t take responsibility for their education and barely ever do the work that is supposed to be done. I’ve also learned that a lot of people are unaware of how powerful education is. I’ve learned that when you put people together that care about their education, like in my AP English class, education becomes almost like an adventure. We came to this class looking for a higher English education and through the journey, we made it to the destination of our exam together as a class. The interviews that we conducted with some of our SFHS teachers was very interesting. We learned how differently teachers teach and how they feel about all of the new technology being brought into classrooms.

As a writer, I learned that I have the power to make readers feel however I want them to feel. It’s a really good feeling when others read my writing and they understand and agree what I was saying. The message that I have to say can be portrayed however I want it to be and no one can tell me if i’m right or wrong. I can write about anything I want and use my persuasive techniques to my own advantage.

I remember my grandmother’s house, the place that I call home.

I remember the smell of fresh baked apple pie sitting in the yellow painted kitchen on the center wooden table, the way it was calling my name from the minute I walked through the door; the taste, nothing like anything ever tasted before.

I remember the feeling of pure excitement and joy, the heart racing moment of beating my cousins in a game of cards taught to us carefully by our grandma; a sparkle in her eye as she witnessed us all getting along.

I remember the family, the crazy family I will always love, the family that came from all over the country to meet there for special get-togethers; the family who made me who I am, the person I was always meant to be.

I remember laughing till the point of tears listening to grandma tell her jokes, the way she would rock in her old blue fabric rocking chair; the sound of it rocking back and forth and back and forth, pushing me into a deeper sleep on the couch beside her.

I remember the naps that I had taken, or pretended to take, in her big comfy waterbed, the one that always smelled like her; the way she would always tuck me in feet first ending with a soft kiss on my forehead as she would say “sleep tight.”

I remember my grandmother’s house, the place that I call home; the one and only place where I truly feel safe, the place where I’ll always belong.

The documentary An Inconvenient Truth starring Al Gore presents the urgent message of how humans are causing devastating problems for the Earth. This is seen through Gore’s many uses of graphs and personal stories that justify his wide range of information about what the Earth has and is currently going through. They also put an emphasis on how these problems are getting worse and worse. In one short, heartfelt clip within Gore’s documentary, he shows a polar bear swimming towards a small chunk of floating ice in the middle of the ocean. Once the bear gets to the ice and starts to climb on top of it, the ice breaks apart and the bear is stuck swimming for more than 60 miles trying to find a piece of ice or land to rest on according to Gore.

The documentary includes a pretty strong bias because it promotes partisan political views. It could be said that Gore used this film to indulge the audience in fear for his own political gain.

This film contains a very emotional topic to most people. Gore really uses that to get his message out to the public. With all of the graphs, pictures, and especially his personal stories, he really gets people thinking about what could happen if nothing is done to help the Earth get out of the mess the human race has put it in. The personal anecdotes significantly helped his argument become stronger because it was clear to the viewers that he had a sense of intense interest in global warming. Although he used many visuals in his documentary, Gore sometimes took a lot of time connecting them with his subjects, which made it somewhat difficult to follow.

This documentary was created to move people in the direction of helping the planet. It was clear to see that the filmmakers wanted the audience to feel the need to take action and do whatever they can to stop what is being done to the Earth. The film appeals to the viewers emotion by showing the changes to the Earth over past years. The before and after pictures of mountains and disappearing glaciers around the world were heartbreaking. Viewers were able to see the real effects of global warming and it encourages them to help and get involved. The entire video contains a logical argument that global warming needs to end, which appeals to viewer’s reason.

Personally, An Inconvenient Truth makes me feel a little overwhelmed. Gore overloads me with data, making it hard to keep up with the constantly changing concepts of global warming. I have never studied global warming before so it was definitely a lot to take in at one time. It also felt like Gore was forcing the concept onto me, like I had no choice but to make efforts to stop global warming. I felt very pressured.

Throughout the video, Gore gives us all the information of what went wrong on the planet and how big of a priority it is to make efforts to stop it. He also, at the very end of the film, gives ideas for viewers to help. The only thing missing is how did all of this even happen to the Earth? If we do everything we can, will it be enough or will we fall back into the same place?

Her head says turn away

but her heart says wait and stay.

They come from different places

but their mind never erases

the way they feel about each other.

The obstacles in between

only the ages of sixteen,

leads to crying every night

and friends saying “It’ll be alright”.

They can make it through whatever.

Her love for him is strong

and she knows that they belong.

When people disagree

she wishes they could see

how much they care for one another.

Day after day

their love grows along the way.

The way she feels inside

will one day go worldwide.

No one else will ever matter.

The Laid Table is a structure made by Beth Lipman in 2007 that is located in the Milwaukee Art Museum. Lipman used approximately 500 pieces of blown glass to interpret the moment right before destruction, or decay, or death. The tone is very calm because Lipman was trying to portray the beauty before the chaos. Glass vases are still standing tall even though a variety of things around them are on the verge sliding off of the table.

At first glance, all that is seen is a table covered in beautiful, clear, shiny glass. As you get closer you start to see the destruction within. There are plates sliding off the table, broken glass everywhere, and decaying food. Then, as you look even closer, you start to notice small snails scattered over the entire wooden table that represent the decay and death.

The structure portrays the realization of how there is pure beauty within chaotic, destructive times. The fact that Lipman used glass to create this piece really puts the picture in your head of what the mess would look like once this setting was put into action; piles and piles of shattered, broken glass surrounding the table. It gives off the message that as things in life are falling apart, there are things to be learned and appreciated which, in the end, makes the outlook of brokenness extremely beautiful. If everything in your life seems to be crashing down on top of you, this sculpture pushes you to take a moment and appreciate the good things in your life. It gives you a sense of hope that everything will soon be okay.

When things are going wrong, we always think we have the power to stop or change the problem. The objects on this table prove that we have no control over what is happening or about to happen. Things happen whether we want them to or not, and once we understand that we can look past it and take in the beauty of life and every amazing, little thing it comes with.

Wrestling Down Stereotypes, By Stephen Ceasar, Los Angeles Times

I chose this article because I don’t believe in the stereotypical placements of girls versus boys. Stephen Ceasar writes about fourteen teenage girls breaking the barriers of sexism. Instead of engaging in “ladylike” extracurricular activities, they have chosen to participate in the “manly” sport of wrestling. In a video that was placed within the news article, the girls’ coach, Abby Herrara, says “What does it take to be a girl wrestler? The same thing it takes a male wrestler and there is no difference.” She states that girls are just as strong as boys and maybe even stronger.

Even though sexism has decreased throughout the years, it is still a problem in today’s society. Ceasar explains through the sport of wrestling that girls are told or persuaded not to join a boys sport. It’s very unfair considering boys are able to do basically anything they want to, while girls have to stick to “girl” things or they get looked down upon. The article also brings up a point about the girls’ moms and how most of them disagree with allowing their daughters to participate in such an aggressive sport. The mothers are from an older generation where it was unacceptable for a girl to be anything but ladylike. They don’t understand that their daughters are only trying to widen their horizon by trying new things and changing the way people think about them, the stereotypical girl.

I enjoyed reading this article because it is very inspirational. Just because you are a girl doesn’t mean you can’t try things that are most practiced by boys. The constantly changing world needs people to be brave and have the courage to do things and stand by things that they believe in, like the fourteen girls in this story. The pictures really compliment the article in a way that shows the true emotion inside the girls. It’s a shame that girls aren’t always allowed to participate in certain activities just because they are girls. The expressions on their faces prove how enthusiastic they are about engaging themselves in the changing of society’s norms.

North Dakota Governor Signs Law Banning Most Abortions, By Chelsea Carter and Carma Hassan, CNN

Ever since I can remember, there has been talk about the legality of abortion, and  more so arguments about whether procedures to intentionally miscarry a child are ethical or not. This article is mildly anti-abortion and concerns the passage of a new law that restrains most people from getting abortions. The law that Governor Dalrymple of North Dakota signed  states that no person will be allowed to abort a child after its first heartbeat is detectable which is roughly 6 weeks after conception. Failure to obey this new law would result in punishments including large fines and jail time. I personally agree with the passage of this law because although it does not completely outlaw abortion, it is a huge step in the right direction towards preventing any abortions after initial conception.

Because I am very interested in the topic of abortion, there is not any information presented that was truly new to me. I did learn, however, that steps are being taken in certain states, specifically North Dakota, to achieve a total ban against abortion. This law doesn’t directly outlaw all abortions, but it does so more than any one that has previously been passed. Obviously, this article is extremely relevant to today’s society because the argument about whether abortion should be legal or not is still a very hot topic. It is also important to consider that some pregnancies are due to rapes where the woman involuntarily gets pregnant through no choice of her own. This reason alone is the basis for a huge argument about how these laws should be formed, or if there should be laws involving abortion at all.

I never imagined there could be so many laws for one, single operation. These laws only cause more issues in the end. The two opposing sides will never agree or compromise on laws like these because they have such opposite opinions. They are either for abortion or against it and there is really no grey area in between.

I feel that this news article does a really good job of portraying the different aspects of abortion. The different scenarios that are possible for abortions to take place, like rape, are really important to the legality of abortion itself. The article doesn’t pick a specific side of the controversy and, to me, that creates trust in what the article is saying.

How Technology Makes Us Vulnerable, By Marc Goodman, CNN

Marc Goodman, a global security advisor and police officer, establishes a very interesting point when it comes to technology. In such a modernized society, technology has a very large impact on every single one of us in almost every aspect of our lives, but not all of us use it the way it’s intended to be used. Goodman uses the example of cyber bullying. A lot of people use the internet the way it’s supposed to be used; for research, homework, connecting on social networking sites, or even playing video games, but Goodman is talking about the people who misuse the internet. These people are hackers and criminals and even terrorists.

Technology is everywhere and anyone who knows how to use it, can. Does this mean that technology can make us vulnerable? Goodman suggests that although technology is useful, when it falls into the hands of a criminal, people can be easily taken advantage of. Criminals, including terrorists, use many different types of technology to commit many different types of crimes. They are able to find their victims on social networking websites and even communicate by building their own “encrypted radios”. With all of this technology it’s difficult for police officers to have a secure hold on public safety.

Throughout the course of his article, Goodman repeatedly encourages our people as a whole to step out against this misuse of technology. Near the end of the reading, he states “The tools to change the world are in everybody’s hands. How we use them is not just up to me, its up to all of us”. This specific quote calls out our society to use proper etiquette when they participate in the huge world of technology we have evolved into in the past few decades. Each individual will feel the power within themselves to make a change, and this is how Goodman incorporates everybody into this epidemic to learn to control how technology impacts our lives, and more importantly how to stop it from turning into something negative.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

By writing In Cold Blood, Truman Capote proved that nonfiction can be just as interesting and suspenseful as fiction. He does this by telling the story of the Clutter’s and Dick and Perry in a way that keeps the reader on their toes. Capote’s use of montage really kept me wanting to read more; learning about the family and the killers and them getting closer and closer really intrigued me. It wasn’t like any other nonfiction book I have ever read before.

Capote presents many arguments throughout the book. One that really stood out to me was his argument about the death penalty. The title, In Cold Blood, doesn’t just apply to the murders of the Clutter family, but also with the “murders” of Dick and Perry. You can see this when he says “four shotgun blasts that, all told, ended six human lives” (5). Capote wanted to explain how murder is murder and once the deed is done, nobody wins whether it’s murdering or capital punishment. I feel that Capote got really attached to the killers, especially Perry, throughout the process of writing this book and he felt that the death penalty should not be for the mentally ill. Dick and Perry both had a traumatic past which, Capote tries to explain, crippled their minds and makes the murder not entirely their fault. I didn’t like how he tried to make the reader feel sorry for Dick and Perry before and after they had committed the murder. I could never feel bad for people who can commit such a horrific crime and not feel a single ounce of guilt afterwards. Right after Dick and Perry murdered the Clutter’s, they went to eat. That proves to me that they do not deserve the feelings that Capote wants the reader to feel about them. It doesn’t matter if they have mental issues; no one should ever get away with murder.

The purpose of this book was for Capote to prove that in every situation there are always two sides. He did this by not letting the reader hate Dick and Perry for killing the Clutters but instead describe the killers as forgivable, “un-hateable” people. The way he described Perry’s childhood really pushed the emotion of sympathy on the reader of how it wasn’t Perry’s fault for turning out the way he did.

In Cold Blood was an interesting book mostly because of how it stood apart from other nonfiction novels. Instead of boring facts it was filled with detailed information with a sense of suspense and mystery. I’d rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because although it was a great story that kept me guessing, I felt that Capote had too much of his own voice shine through. I also felt that the majority of the story was about Perry and how much Capote obsessed over him while creating the book.

View all my reviews

10 States Freed From Some ‘No Child Left Behind’ Requirements By the CNN Wire Staff

President Obama has made certain exceptions in the “No Child Left Behind” law for 10 of our states so that the requirements under it are much more flexible, allowing students to reach their full potential. In return for these flexibilities, the states that have agreed will raise their standards as well as improve teacher effectivity.

The video of President Obama’s speech compliments the article in a way that appeals to a wide variety of people. Not only is he preaching to schools, but he makes an effort to involve the parents, teachers, and most importantly, the students. This allows the message to prove its importance to more than just a single group of people. Doing this makes the law seem much more relevant to our society as a whole. I, currently being a high school student, have seen the effects of this law on the society, more specifically an individual student I grew up with.

Through personal life experiences growing up with a friend who was directly affected by the “No Child Left Behind” law, I have been able to form a strong opinion on the subject. I don’t believe in the idea of passing students who have not succeeded in their studies. I feel that letting these students who are failing move on to the next grade does more harm than good. Ever since middle school, my friend has struggled to get by with passing grades. Allowing her to move through middle school into high school has only given her the mindset that she doesn’t need to try because no matter what, she won’t be “left behind”. I also feel that this law is unfair to students who put time and effort into their school work. Why should students who don’t care about their success in life get the same reward as ones who do?