(I hope to figure out how to add pictures to blogs soon, because I have so many, and I would like everyone to see them)
I went to France this past May with Dr. Chossat, and 4 other students. It was absolutely amazing. It was like a dream, I didn't even realize I was there until I came home and "woke up."
I had never been on a plane, a train, or in a taxi, let alone to another county! I had never even seen an ocean! This trip was life changing for me.
The plane ride was amazing, I was so nervous at first, but it was smoother than riding in a car! The food was great, and there were t.v. screens at every seat.
It was an 8 hr flight, so when we got to Paris it was 8 AM! We went to the hotel, dropped our stuff off and walked straight to the Eiffel Tower. It was amazing! I never thought it would be so big. We stayed in Paris for 4 days. We visited the Louvre, Notre Dame, The Arc de Triomphe, Versaille, and so much more. Then we took the train to Nice, which is in the south of France. I loved it there, I want to go back someday. I had never seen any ocean before, so to see the Mediterranian Sea was amazing (I know it is not the OCEAN but it is REALLY close!) We took the train to Monaco and to Canne. The food was good, the atmosphere was amazing, and the scenery is beautiful. Everything is so beautiful there. I had a hard time speaking French at first, I could understand, but speaking was hard. I was too nervous. But towards the end, I was becoming more comfortable, and speaking better. I wish we would have stayed longer because I was just getting over the jet lag and finally speaking French, and it was time to leave.
I cannot even describe how great it is to travel. The plane was like "magic" - you get on the train in D.C. and when you get off you are in France. It is an experience I will never forget. It is worth all my working.
I am now looking into studying abroad in Italy next summer. This program is EIGHT WEEKS LONG! I would live in Cortona, Italy, and take Italian and Art Courses. And I would finally make the dream of visiting the Sistine Chapel a reality!
I think that I have come a long way in the world of blogging this semester. Last year, I didn't even know what a blog was! Now I read other student's blogs, write my own entries, and I even figured out how to change the colors on my blog. (I am still working on that though.) My portfolio is a collection of entries that reflect on what we have read in class thus far.
In "An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge," I discuss how the story may have been different had the soldiers known what the reader now knows.
"The Raven" This is my attempt to figure out who or what the raven represents.
"Bartleby the Scrivener: A Story of Wall Street" My first (horrible) blog!
"The Scarlet Letter" This is just kind of a brainstorming session, I was thinking of ideas for my paper, and was hoping for some help from fellow classmates also struggling.
"Poetry Slam Presentation: The Mask of the Red Death" I read this short story for the Poetry Slam. Included is the excerpt that I read and also my feelings on both my presentation and my classmates' presentations.
"Resistance to Civil Government" In this entry, I talk about about Thoreau's views still apply today.
"My Trip to France" This is an overview of my trip to France this summer, and also my future study abroad plans. I hope to figure out how to add pictures soon!
Some of my comments can also be found on other students blogs: I answered a question on Amanda's Blog, and Amanda's question is on my blog, Katie Lambert, and Trisha.
I can definately relate to Thoreau's opinion on the purpose of the government, "That government is best which governs least." In "Resistance to Civil Government," Thoreau reflects on his experiences with taxes, prison, and the government. I think he feels that the government is too involved with the individual's life, and I feel exactly the same way.
My roomates and I were just talking about this the other day... We have these "random" health inspections now in the SHU dorms. RA's come around and check "the outlets" to see if there are any fire hazards, and check for "general cleanliness." And if I am not in the room when they knock, they can key into my room. I personally think that this is just an excuse to look around students rooms. If they were really only checking for "overloaded outlets," is once a month really neccessary?? And how do they even know where the outlets are? If I am not in my room to show them, are they going to move my furniture, look under my bed, and neb through my room? I just don't feel like they have any right. What does it matter to them if my room is immaculate?
And there are other things that bother me. Like this new seatbelt law. Why should we be fined for not wearing our seatbelts? Yeah, seatbelts might be safer in crash testing, but if I don't want to wear a seatbelt, then it is my decision. I bought the car, I pay taxes on the car, I pay for insurance, and now the government is going to tell me how to act in my car?
Thoreau talks about how "we should be men first and, and subjects aftarward." He talks about soldiers, and how they are basically brain washed by the government, and that the can not think for them selves. That a soldier is "a mere shadow and reminiscence of humanity, a man laid out alive and standing, already...buried under arms with funeral accompaniment." This still applies today, my boyfriend is in the military and he thinks everything the government does is right, he agrees with the war, and he wants to go and fight.
I really liked reading this essay because everything he talked about still applied to America today, even though this was written in the late 1800's.
In reading "The Raven" in high school, and again for American Literature, I have begun to look at the raven as sort of a personification of Death. Personification is when a non-living object is given human characteristics, or as Merriam-Webster Online defines, "representation of a thing or abstration as a person or by the human form.
I see this as death personified because the raven speaks to the character in the poem, a humanistic quality. He speaks of the "lost Lenore," and to every question the character asks, the raven responds "Nevermore." I think the Raven, Death, has come to take the narrator into the afterlife to be with his love, Lenore. I don't look at the raven as "frightning" or as "the end," I look at the raven as the "bridge," if you will, to the afterlife. I think the Raven wants to take the character to a better place, to a place where he can be with his love for eternitiy. Death is inevitable, and I think Poe is trying to relay the feeling of a near-death experience to the reader. Poe seems to want to make the loom of death easier on the reader, something we should not be afraid of. Death is something that never goes away, or as the Raven says "Nevermore."
Hey guys, I need some help! I thought I had a really good idea for my paper, but know I am running into problems! I wanted to analyze The Scarlet Letter, but I am having a hard time narrowing my subject. I wanted to talk about the symbolism or the use of sin in the novel.... At first I thought maybe Hawthorne included all of the seven deadly sins in the novel, but after scanning through what we have already read, I don't think so. I thought that was a really good idea... to list the seven deadly sins and how each one was represented in the book but i can only fill lust, eny, and pride.... so maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all!
I looked online for ideas, but all I found were sights just trying to SELL me essays! I don't want to buy an esaay! I just wanted to get some ideas! If you are also struggling, here are some sites that helped me to gather my thoughts. This site was pretty helpful, actually... to a certain extent, then you have to buy stuff, like always. It has ideas, sample essays, and suggestions on what to write about. This site is similar.
But anyways, symbolism. I wanted to try to give examples of symbolism that foreshadowed the ending, or explained the past, or gave the reader some insight into the relationship between Hester and Dimmesdale. (I still want to know how everything came about between them)
There are so many topics to discuss about this novel, the hardest part is taking a position.... any suggestions? :)