Expectations for Highschool

I expect out of these four years is this: An education. An idea of where I want to go after Highschool. And more knowledge on the subjects that interest me. I want to experience photography classes and Drill competitions. I want to learn how to develope pictures. I want to gain vocabulary as well aswisdom.

My expectations for the next for years of myself, would be to get good grades. Nothing below a B on a report card. To do running start and graduate with an AA degree as well as a deploma. I have high standards for myself, and my expectation is that Olympia Highschool can help me reach my goals. I expect nothing less.

Poetry Out Loud!

For Poetry Out Loud! I chose the poem Famous. I initially looked at this poem because of the title, it just sounded interesting. When I read it, it had a deeper meaning. My poem talks about how the speaker wants to be famous, for different reasons than being a celebrity. She wants to be famous to men walking down the street, or sticky children in the grocery store. She wants to be be famous for smiling at them, and being kind. For being--useful.

I'm really excited for the Poetry Out Loud classroom competition. I am looking foreward to hearing everyone recite their poems, and to hear the way they interpet them. I am nervous that I'll forget apart of my poem, or not interpet it correctly. To prepare for the competition, I plan on reciting my poem every night, and practice how I'm going to say it. I've marked up my poem on how I want to phrase everything, now it is just a matter of memorization, as well as memorizing how I'm going to recite it. This should be a lot of fun and I am very excited!

The Road Not Taken

The meaning behind The Road not Taken, by Robert Frost, was that there are choices, and decisions to make. Decisions that you won't ever get to make again. They could be the one that many other people have taken, or one completely different. Whether that different road is good or bad, you don't know until you are there. And you don't get to start over. Once you're on that road, that's the road your on.

It's kind of like choosing which college to go to. Or picking what sports you are going to do in highschool. You can't go back to your freshman year and decide to do volleyball when you have already done soccer. You can't be graduating from WSU and try to switch to Harvard. It just doesn't work. Once you have picked your path to be on, it's almost impossible to get off of it. And hopefully, you don't have regrets. Or reasons to want to go back in time and fix everything. Hopefully you have gone on the path that lesser people have been on, the pristine nice one. Hopefully.

The Movie

In the court house, when Mayella gave her statements, were the most vivid to me. She was wearing a nice looking dress, and her hair was brushed with her bangs in front. However her poka-dotted dress, that might have been ironed, did not compliment her unwashed, greasy hair and unbrushed teeth. She was talking to Atticus, the last thing she was saying.

It was exactly how I pictured it. Her screaming at Atticus, and the court. "Now you can go ahead with your ma'am'in and your Miss-Mayellerin' but it don't come to one dang thing!" That is what I remember. With her crying, and screaming. Then when she burst into the court, and tried to run, but had to sit down. It was the only scene, that distinctly remember picturing. I really enjoyed this movie. :)

How the book impacted me

Honestly, this book has impacted my life by making me think a little bit more. I think about other people, and their lives, and what they must be going through. What their reasoning might be. How to sit in their shoes and just try to imagine the situation from their persepctive. Which is really what most of Atticus' lessons entailed.

As completing one sixth of my freshman year, I believe highschool in general has impacted me. But from English this year, and in reading To Kill a Mockingbird, I've really tried not to judge. I watch myself to not say "Ew, brown with black? Gross." I have learned, for the most part, not to judge. Which I feel is one of the most important lessons, a person can be taught.

Themes

There are many mockingbirds in this story. One would definitely be Dill. All he does is nice things for Jem and Scout, and his family. In return, he is neglected and forced to runaway to Maycomb. It is a sin to be mean to him, when all he does is nice things for people and make people happy.

Another mockingbird is, without a doubt, Tom Robinson. He does nothing but is a hardworking gentleman who would never even think to hurt a fly. He has never layed an unwanted hand on a female, and yet is convicted for rape. He was killed, which is a sin to Mayella, Bob, and all of the racist people of Maycomb. "Mockingbirds don't do oen thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat up people's gardens, don't nest in corncribs, they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That'swhy it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Pg. 90) Says Cal to Jem and Scout when they ask why it's such a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Life Lessons

For Jem and Scout, racism from there peers, neighbors, and friends are something that they have to learn to deal with. Like after Tom Robinson's trial when Atticus says to Jem, "I don't know but they did it. They've done it before and they did it tonight and they'll do it again and when they do it--it seems that only children weep. Goodnight." (Pg. 213) Jem is deeply troubled by the court ruling, he was so sure that they would aquitt him that he couldn't believe the sentencing. He simply doesn't understand why they would convict this man when he was so clearly innocent.

Another lesson Jem and Scout learn, or Atticus tries to teach them, is that they are from a higher class. That the Finches are among higher social standards. They are all well educated, you can recall far back in their family tree, and they don't have cross-breeding. "...son, you know you're a Finch don't you?" (Pg. 133) As Atticus says to Jem trying to tell him that the Finches are.. different then the regular people of Maycomb.

Atticus as a father

Atticus is an older parent, so he is wise, knows his limitations, and does the best with setting examples for his children as he can. He tells them the answers to the uneasy questions they ask such as what rape was, "He sighed, and said rape was carnal knowledge of a female by force and without concent." (pg. 135). He tries to teach his children to be good to all people, no matter their family, race, or religion. He is trying to instill in his children that all people are equals. Everyone is a person with feelings.

Atticus is like my mom where she doesn't always give me the answer. She let's me figure things out for myself. But unlike Atticus she is more affectionate towards me than he is to his children. Honestly I would love to have a father like Atticus because he fights for what is right, and is a compassionate person. I admire him and think he would be an amazing role model.

Seccond Impressions on Boo Radley

What really changed my perception on Boo Radley's character was when he sewed up Jem's pants. That really just changed my perspective, and showed me that he wasn't some monster. He is nice and is trying to actually reach out to the kids. Another way my perception was changed was when, he put the carving he made in the tree. That shows that it was an actual person, if not Boo, who was in fact watching them. That in my opinion was a token of friendship towards the kids.The pants being fixed, the trinkets left in the tree, and when the shutters flicked when Scout was outside the house, proved that he is there. This proves that he is there, and not out to hurt them.

Scout's discussion of Mr. Aurther that Miss Maudie had with Scout and the reactions of Atticus to the children's play made me, as well as Scout, and Jem, realize that he is different then the children think he is. He is caring, and he may be crazy, but that really isn't his fault. Plus Scout learned that he is a foot-washing Baptist. Which means that Mr. Nathan Radley, as well as his father, mother, and brother, don't believe in pleasure. And by giving the kids the presents in the tree, that brought pleasure to Boo, and that was Nathan's reason for plugging the hole. So the discussion with Miss Maudie affected Scout by making her understand his background a little bit more.

First Impressions of Boo Radley

My first impressions of Boo Radley would be that he is misunderstood, and from the story I would say that he is abused. Like when he is locked in his house for fifteen years after getting in trouble for locking Mr. Conners in the outhouse. I also think that he has gone crazy from the lack of socialization (i.e. stabbing his father with scissors). I also believe that he is scared of the outside world, or else I think he would have ran away by now. His family must know that he has something wrong with him, or else they wouldn't have constant supervision. Although the rumors about him stabbing his father may not be true, I believe that that the town makes up such rumors because the Radley's are so secluded in their house and away from society.

"Jem gave a reasonable description of Boo: Boo was about six-and-a-half feet tall, judging from his tracks; he dined on raw squirrels and any cats he could catch, that's why his hands were bloodstained- if you hate an animal raw, you could never wash the blood off. There was a long jagged scar that ran across his face; what teeth he had were yellow and rotten; his eyes popped; and he drooled most of the time." (pg. 13)

Honestly I think I relate most to Jem. I would be scared to go up to the Radley place most likely on a dare, if someone tried my bravery. Unlike Scout, I would face my fears and get it over with. But unlike Dill, I would not volunteer to just got up to the creepy, decrepit old house.

Something I've enjoyed

In English this year, we have read "A Christmas Story," written a paper about ourselves, and made a poster. Out of these three things I would have to say my favorite was writing my paper. It was interesting too look back on my summer, and what I did in the duration. It was exciting to get back into the rhythm of school with writing papers, and doing math homework, and actually having to go to sleep at a decent hour. I am looking forward to reading "To Kill a Mockingbird," especially now that we are so technical with our homework.

I also think that this class should have an ongoing "Susie" story. We could comment one blog post from Mrs. Gilman or someone else, and just have the whole class comment on it to create more to Susie's tale.