Last Post!

     This past year has been a difficult one for me, because everything started to pile on top of each other, and many teachers did not accommodate with our busy schedule. You were one of the only teachers that actually cared enough to postpone many tests and help us with all you can with. I can honestly say right now, you are one of my favorite English teachers. Your AP class this year was great, and I can say I learned so much, probably more than I ever need. You explained everything in such a clear and easy way, and you made it such a fun class. The use of the Smartboard was a great idea! We learned so much from your notes and all the fun games we played. I really can not say anything bad about the class, because I really do not have anything bad to say. The one thing I can say is that some of the novels and short stories we read were boring and hard to understand. Other than that, I loved this class.
     I like to read when it comes to certain topics. I love mysteries and drama, so my favorite of all the novels we read this year was The Scarlet Letter. I really enjoyed that book, because it was easy to understand and I just loved the topic about it. The one piece of literature I did not like reading was The Fall of the House of Usher, because it was really creepy and just bore me. Also, some of the details were hard to learn and memorize for the test. Overall, I loved the class and i can not wait to get in it again next year. See you next year, Mrs. Kirkman.

"Man Finally Put In Charge of Struggling Feminist Movement"

     This article was found on TheOnion. It was issued on December 3, 2007, and the author was anonymous. A man named Peter McGowan took over as the leader of the women's rights initiative. His first priority was to extinguish sexual harassment towards women. He was basically making a change for the women. The women felt confident in Peter, and they saw him as a self assured man. Peter also took initiative in bringing more attention to women's sports and that gave women great pride.
     It seems funny how a man is in charge of a feminist movement, and trying to advance the women's rights initiative. The problem is, that the Feminist movement was to show how women can be independent on their own and do not need men to help them out. The sarcasm can be seen when Peter talks in a sexist way, and that the women still are dependent on the men to lead them and give them power. It is as if they NEED men to guide their way. It is funny that women are okay with a man being in charge of a feminist movement. In reality, women can do anything that men can do, and sometimes, even better. The article, in a way, was trying to tell people that women can not be great leaders, and that they are not good enough.

Coyote vs. Acme

     Ian Frazier is the author of this essay. It talks about the lawsuit of Wile Coyote. The defendent in the essay is the ACME company, and the plaintiff is Mr. Coyote. The essay described all of Coyotes incidents and accidents in great detail. Coyote had said that the accidents were because of ACME's products, and how they are labeled wrong. The real reason was that he did not read the instructions carefully and never intended to pay attention to the warning labels. The purpose of the essay was to show people that there are people in the world you go to court for the stupidest reasons, and how they act in court.
     The tone of this essay is humorous and descriptive. Ian had a sarcastic tone throughout the essay, and that is what makes the audience interested. The audience is the jury and the people in the courtroom. Frazier basically made fun of Coyote's remarks and actions about how his incidents happened.

News Article

     I recently read an article on La Times website, called "Suspect tells police he killed his father with a sledgehammer". It was published on March 18, 2012. Los Angeles police got a call from the Chatsworth home on Sunday, saying that they had found a dead man. The LAPD officer said the blow might have been from his son, who might have struck his own father. The police went onto Candice place to talk to the suspect, and the son said that he did kill his father with some sort of a hammer. He was taken into custody and the father had died on the scene. There is no data about the name and ages of the suspect and the victim yet.
    In my opinion, there must have been some reason that made the son kill his own father. Kids only wish death upon their relatives if they are being abused or tortured. No one would kill their own father if there was not a reason to do so. I do not know any information about the murder, but it saddens me.

The Great Gatsby

     The speaker of the Great Gatsby is Nick Carraway. He had graduated from New Haven and joined the army after. He had gotten bored of his hometown and decided to go to New York for a bond business and also to see new things and go on an adventure. He moved to New York City in the spring but settled in his house during the summer. His moderate sized house is located in the West Egg, and is right next to Jay Gatby's mansion. Nick kept mentioning that he was not judgmental because his father had raised him right and taught him how to live life correctly. He was one of the people who is dependent on themselves and does not count on other people to survive off of. He also is not a big fan of money and inheritance. He is also second cousins with Daisy and has a love interest for a girl named Jordan Baker.

     The novel takes place in the summer of 1922 in New York and Long Island. He lives in the West Egg with Gatsby. The West Egg is not as fancy shmancy as the East Egg, but most of the people are still pretty wealthy. The only difference is that people in the West Egg work for their money, while the people of East Egg just inherit the money. It also takes place during the Jazz Age. The subject so far is mainly about love, lavish parties, wealth, and mystery. Nick talks about money and inheritance and how people use it differently. He talks about the parties that Gatsby throws and never attends them. Nick mentions love quite alot. He talks about the different couples and how he is falling for a dishonest girl named Jordan. The tone is unpredictable and mysterious.

Language is Important

      Words are powerful things. They can be used for recreation and also destruction. How a person talks shows greatly about their knowledge and background. Often in society, language is used to express individuality of a person. I believe that how a person talks greatly reflects their identity. For example if a person uses profanity often,they are showing people that they are rude and do not care how they behave in public. On the other hand, if a person speaks in a polite manner and does not interrupt anyone during a conversation, he is showing people that he is brought up in a great family and is taught how to act in public situations. If a person speaks their own language fluently, they are showing that they love their country and are showing pride. Some people do not understand that how they talk depicts who they are. They do not even try to cover up their unorganized thoughts, and they just say what they want to without thinking about it first. Many people speak just for speaking. They do not know half the words that come out of their mouths.     
     I try to control my words as much as possible. I try to speak wisely and try not to offend anyone while I am doing it. I choose my words wisely, because I do not want to come off as an illiterate person. Sometimes, people think that whatever I say is correct because I am smart. But, they are wrong. Most of the time I am wrong. It is common for people to believe what a doctor or a lawyer has to say rather than a homeless on a street corner or a worker at Mcdonalds. People tend to believe that doctors or lawyers are more educated than other people and view them differently. Many people have accents, and they are criticized for it often. Accents are not something that they can fix, and they try to improve it day by day. People need to realize that accents may be harder to understand, but they should not be viewed any differently than a person who does not have an accent. Also, it has been proven that if someone is smart and polite, they will not be hanging out with someone who cusses constantly and is rude to their surroundings. The same idea can go for gangsters, because they only include people who curse and swear into their group and not those that are polite and mannered properly. Language is important to identity and acceptance.

Gatsby Party

     If I was as rich as Jay Gatsby, I would be spending money like crazy. I would throw the best parties, and celebrities had to beg to get into them. My mansion would be in Malibu, of course, and parties would be going on every single weekend. I would have the best caterers, bartenders, and performers. I would start each party off by purchasing all the world's best dishes and drinks. I would have top chefs in the kitchen preparing the foods and serving one of the finests alcoholic drinks. The main theme of the parties would have to be alcohol, so I need to provide the adults with a bunch of different varieties. The kids would also have their entertaiment. I would provide them with baby slides, playgrounds, an indoor kiddy pool, and their own personal game room.
     I would bring the best entertainment possible. That would range from Tyga to Drake and to Adele. For the young men, there would be Victoria Secrets models and a whole bunch of beautiful women. The people invited will receive an amazing invitation, and there will be no gate crashers or they will be arrested. Nobody will be bored at my party, because I would have everything they could ever dream for. The house will have up to fifty guest rooms, and they are all welcome to sleep in and enjoy the next day's festivities. There will be ballroom dancing and also a boat ride to my private island. At the island, there would be servants that would do whatever the guests desire. Everyone would enjoy their weekend, and will fly back to their homes with my private jets. The party would be something they would never forget!

News Article

    The news article called "Fatal school fight after two girls was after a boy, family says" was found on the La Times website. It was published on February twenty-six 2012, by Shelby Grad. An eleven year old was in a fight with another classmate, which was over a boy. She died over the brief fight which took place in Long Island. Her name was Joanna Ramos. After the fight, she had complained that she had a headache and was take to the ER. The fight took place on Friday, after school, at Willard Elementary. The fight did not include any weapons. She was sent to intensive care at the hospital, and she was not breathing. She was dead before nine PM.
     My opinion on this is why would eleven year olds fight over a boy. The fight was planned, and ended up with a death. I do not know how an eleven year old can punch someone hard enough to kill them. It just seems impossible. The probable cause would be bullying. The poor girl lost her innocent life and I hope the other classmate is full of guilt.

Speakeasies

     During the 1920's many establishments were being made, and one of them were the speakeasies. The speakeasies were mainly created to sell illegal alcoholic beverages. They were popular during the Prohibition years. During that time the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol was illegal. Those underground palaces were the only way people could buy alcohol. 

    It was tough to get into the speakeasies, because you had to first locate them and know the password to get in. The owners took a big risk by opening up these speakeasies, but they got rich off of it.This was the time of growth of crimes throughout the US. The Prohibition Act of 1920 included the speakeasies, whose owners made money by bootlegging. Im guessing it was their idea of living life and getting drunk all the time.

News Article

     I read an article from Fox News called "Alleged Cat Eater Had Carcass in Kitchen, deputy says" which was published on February 16,2012 by an unknown source. Jason Wilmert, age of thirty-five, was arraigned on Friday on charges alleging animal cruelty and using a pet for food. Apparently, his neighbors have heard screeching cat noises coming from Jason's house. One of the neighbors had seen through his window that Jason was cutting the feline's head with a knife and getting ready to cook it on the barbecue. The police searched his house and found a carcass in the kitchen sink which was in preparation for being cooked. They also found an animal trap in his driveway.
     In my opinion, this is sick. Animal cruelty is horrible, and this article made me feel so disgusted. Jason was decapitating animals and cooking them for no reason. How can someone murder something so precious? He deserves to go to jail for life because it is exactly like murder. He is taking away an innocent animals's life and he needs to be brutally punished for it.

News Article

     The article called "Death of boy at Crescenta Valley High confirmed" was found on the La Times website on February 10, 2012 and was published by Jason Wells. A male student fell to his death on Friday, the tenth, at Crescenta Valley High. He fell in front of dozens of students, and was a suicide. At first there were misconceptions to weather it was a male or a female student, but later on it was confirmed that it was a fifteen year old boy. The dreaded fall took place near the administrative building on a concrete plaza area, three stories high. The fall shocked many students, who were visibly shaking until their parents came to pick them up. He was later identified as a boy named Drew Ferraro, and took his jump during lunch hour.Some say his suicide was because of bullying.
    In my opinion, no person should take their life away to please other people. Bullying should not be tolerated and it has to become an illegal law, because it is getting way out of hand. Most of teen deaths are related to bullying, and we need to find a way to stop it. This poor, fifteen year old innocent boy, took his life to escape the pain and suffering he was enduring from his "fellow classmates". Bullying is a drug. It slowly leads to the demise of a person. It has to end. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Nature Observations

     As I sit outside at this hour, darkness has began to arrive. It is cold, but the feeling is great. I am laying on my patio chair and watching the stars glisten in the sky. The sounds of neighbors throwing a party can be heard from where I sit. I stare at the moon, and it shines so bright. The smell of my mom's cooking reaches my nose, and I grab it all in. The wind blows on my face, making me shiver.
     I see my mother's garden flourishing. The roses are beginning to bloom, and the smell is already present. I notice the people walking down my street, full of laughter and cheer. A baby's cry is heard, and a dog barks loudly. The quietness begins growing noisier by the second. Finally, a sense of calmness arose again. The nighttime is a beautiful scene to watch. It makes me feel in touch with nature, and isolated from the technological world Im surrounded by everyday. It is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety, because nature itself is beautiful. We just have to embrace it once in a while.

News Article

     I found an article called, " Latest arrested L.A teacher accused of abusing two girls" on the LAtimes website. Martin Bernard Springer, who was forty nine years of age, taught at Miramonte Elementary school. He was arrested Friday morning for allegedly abusing a child. The sheriff department has found out that he had fondled two different girls in different occasions throughout the three years. Also, parents came to the sheriff department to talk about another Miramonte teacher, Mark Berndt, who was apparently feeding his semen to the children. He told the students it was a "tasting game". He was let go from the school on January 2011. The bail for Springer is set to two million dollars.
    In my opinion,what these teachers did is disgusting and horrific. Teachers are supposed to help kids succeed in life, and not make them do disgusting things. It is not only their fault, because the girls that knew about this for three years did not speak out about it, and they should have told the police sooner. These sick molesters are giving teachers a bad name, because what they are doing nowadays is not excusable. I am so happy our school is normal and has great teachers like Mrs. Kirkman.

Death of a Salesman SOAPST

    Death of a Salesman is a play written by Arthur Miller. The novel is mainly about a salesman, Willy Loman. He worked hard all his life striving for success, but is at the edge of falling. His family is in the depths of poverty, and he is trying his hardest to provide for them. Willy kept having hallucinations about his happier years, and that sparked some different answers as well. The speaker of the play is unknown, but you can assume Arthur Miller is the narrator. The story takes  place in New York during the 1940s, where the idea of the "American Dream" was popular amongst people. Many people came to America to make their dreams come true of that perfect family. The Loman family lived in the depths of Brooklyn, surrounded with apartments and no sunshine.
 The audience of the play is whoever reads it or watches the play. He tried to connect to the audience in a whole other way, trying to make the audience step into his shoes and experience life through his perspective. The purpose of this play/novel was to inform the audience about life in the forties, and the American Dream. The subject was the American Dream and betrayal. This was a great book, and I enjoyed reading every detail of it.

Character from Death of a Salesman

     Death of a Salesman was a fascinating and brilliant novel. The character that I identify myself with most would have to be Happy Loman. In the play, he was not always happy, but he always thought of himself as being successful and working harder than Biff. Happy, even if he thought his father was an embarrassment, he took control of his dream, and at the end of the novel built a business to continue it. Unlike Biff, Happy accomplished something. Happy was the one being ignored throughout the whole novel, because his father preferred Biff over him, so he craved some attention.
     I am like Happy in many different ways. One example is that we both strive for perfection and happiness. Happy tried making everyone around him pleased and happy, just like me. He wanted it all to be perfect, and I always try my best to be perfect, but no one is perfect. Happy was always stuck behind his older brother's shadow, and felt unappreciated. I am the older sibling, but at times I do feel left out and less important and crave the attention. I, just like Happy, try my best to show the world who I really am and will be. Myself.