The Cessation

Oh boy. Five days of school left at the time I am writing this. It always seems like the most homework is packed on at the final weeks of the year, but thats probably just because thats when everyone's the most lazy. The final blog, a reflection of all the posts I have done throughout the whole year, it seems like a lot, and it is, 15 posts! (and guiltily I did not do most of the ones assigned). Out of the ones I did however, there wasn't anything I intentionally did to connect all of them together. Although, throughout my blog, the posts seem to be, for the most part, light-hearted and to the point. As my blogs developed, so did my writing style.

At the beginning of the year I was writing my blogs as if they were a formal paper, and not really having any fun with them, because if you try they can be a lot of fun. As my blogs progressed, I think I started to take them a little less seriously, and started to have fun while still getting the assignment done. A thing I wish I would have done more throughout the year is use more visual additions to enhance the blog posts like others did. I look at other peoples blogs who spend lots of time of them and I just say "wow". They are very colorful, picture-full, and some are even video-full. If I could do one thing different earlier in the year that would be it, just spend an extra ten minutes to add a picture, or find something really cool to enhance the blog even more and make is look super cool. My feelings towards this during the year was, I think, comparable to Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening". "And miles to go before I sleep,/ And miles to go before I sleep." The feeling of trudging along, something you have to do, even though you might not want to, and I have learned that some things are worth doing even though you might not want to.

This year in Mrs. Gilman's class has been great and memorable. My 6th grade teacher had a blog that we did in class also, but Mrs. Gilman's execution, assignments, and general everything about the blogs made it a much more enjoyable experience. Even though I am going to be VERY glad for school to be over, I am so glad I have had such a great freshman year to remember for the rest of my life, but of the words of the great Robert Frost, "Nothing Gold Can Stay."

Picture Related to G.E.

I chose this picture to represent the first two stages of Great Expectations because it is the foggy marshes that are so important in this story. This reoccurring motif has made a big impact in the novel because whenever it is mentioned, it foreshadows something big that is going to happen. The marshes play such a large role, this was the only one I could choose for this blog post.

Making Connections

It took me awhile to find a story that I could relate to Great Expectations. The only one I could think of is the story we read at the very beginning of the year, To Kill A Mockingbird. The obvious connection are ones like Pip to Scout, Joe to Atticus, and Herbert to Jem.

The other connections I could make were deeper down that had to do with the themes of the two novels. For example, the theme is G.E. is the thirst for a better life. This can relate to T.K.A.M. by the blacks lusting for a better life in the community. The other motif I can relate is the motif of ominous settings and things that happen. The oppression of blacks, Bob Ewell, and even the scene when Atticus shoots the dog, these can all relate to the depressing things that happen to Pip. Mrs. Joe being attacked and dying, the ominous house of Miss Havisham, and even the foggy marshes of Pip's home town can all be related.

Pip and scout are related in many ways. Pip is young at the beginning, but the story is being narrated by a older, wiser Pip. Scout is young and naive at the beginning of the novel, but by the end she has matured in many ways and sees the world in a different light. Joe and Atticus are similar not only in the way of the main character's father figures, but they both teach the kids major life lessons.

Great Expectations, Second Stage

The thing I am going to blog about this week is the contrast Wemmick makes to himself as his life at home, and at work. The way Jagger's clerk acts at work, a cynical, wry man who seems like he does not enjoy what he is doing. Although, at home Wemmick is a jovial, cheerful man with an "Aged Parent". This interesting character confuses Pip, but also intervenes the motifs of comparing and contrasting throughout the story.

There are many themes and motifs inside the character of Wemmick. The main motif is the contrast of his personality at work to his personality at home. This contrast not only stresses the inner good will of Wemmick, but also shows his interior, outside of his cruel and intensive exterior. The other motif Wemmick represents is the mistreatment of Pip. When Pip first met Wemmick, he was very rude to him and didn't help him out very much at all. The interesting thing however is how the good natured Wemmick contrasts the rude Wemmick and frightens Pip.

Responding to the quote: Great Expectations

This is one of my favorite quotes in the book so far. Pip is referring to his plain life as it is now, and the life of luxury and intelligence he aspires to have. The day Pip has had in chapter nine has changed him in a way as to rethink about his life with the blacksmith. At the end of the chapter he is even ashamed to think how "common" Estelle would find Joe and his life. The Pip in the first nine chapters is a young boy, who strives to be an apprentice to a wonderful, kind blacksmith he looks up to. The Pip in the later chapters however, is a much different young man. This Pip is now ashamed of the life he once wanted to live. He now wants to live a much more intelligent, and luxurious life. I would think these changed are for the better, because in our day and age we always say dream big, but back in the Victorian Era, time were much different. I think these changes are probably for the worse in that thought because Pip will probably get his hopes up because it was near impossible for a young blacksmith's apprentice with almost no family to raise his social standing in the community.

The time in my life that stands out as starting my chain would have to be back when I was in about first grade. I was always bored in school, ahead of my classmates. My parents worked with my earlier teachers to get a individual program for me so I wouldn't be bored in class anymore. My dad taught me so much as a kid, probably more than half of the first through third grade curriculum. This experience for me started a craving for learning for me, which started my chain of "smarts" up until now. The person I am today can be traced back to the long car rides with my dad and him quizzing me on everything from something on the latest book I've read, or the starting of long multiplication and division.

Essay Blog

I did not change any of the CD or commentary in my body paragraph from Friday. The only thing I need to know if Alex has used any I have, I know Angela hasn't. I guess we will find out Monday. So for #2, Alex, what CD did you use to make sure I don't have any of yours. We will figure stuff out more on Monday.

1. Sean Jones
Comic
His comic didn't really show any literary elements. All it did was show the st0ry in a comic. Did look good though.

2. Will Godfrey
Comic
Didn't show any of the literary elements. A lot of plot repetitions. Didn't look like he worked very hard on it either.

3. Jake Blakeslee
Picture
Jake showed most all of the literary elements. It looks very nice and high quality. I like the picture of snoball fading away, that shows a very good parallel to snoball in the story.

4. Paden Reed
Picture
Paden's project looked very nice. The parallel he showed from Napoleon to Joseph Stalin was spot on. He portrayed the literary elements very nice in his project.

5. Davis Cavanagh
Parallels
The project looks sloppy. The parallels didn't line up on the page. He did show correct parallels from characters in the story, to the Russian Revolution however.

6. Andrea
Videos
The video, I thought, was very inventive. You can tell she put a lot of work into them. The video of boxer crying was very good in showing a very big part of the story.

7. Hailey Reese
Poem
Hailey's poem was very good. It rhymed and was very clever. At the same time it also portrayed literary elements from the novel.

8. Matt Brost
Picture
Matt's picture was interesting. It looked very similar to Jake's picture. It still showed the elements well so good job Matt.

9. Leanna Saurlender
Picture Leanna's picture was pretty straightforward. The parallel was very good and accurate. The comparison between the story and the Russian Revolution was very clear so good job.

10. Levi
Video
Levi's video was very enjoyable. I found funny and enjoyed it a lot. Even though it was funny it still showed the feelings of the Animal Farm neighbors which is an interesting point of view.

Animal farm Creative Project