My name is Ashley. I am a freshman at Seton Hill University. I'm majoring in Creative Writing. I graudated from George Westinghouse High School in Pittsburgh, PA. It's located in a neighborhood called Homewood. Homewood is where I experienced my childhood and the beginning of young adulthood.
I'm the youngest of four children. I have one sister and two brothers. My older siblings are in their 20's as far as age is concerned. I am 17 years old, but I'm about to turn 18 on October 2. I have a dog named Shelby. Shelby is 3 years old. She is an all black mut. She is a Chow- Chow/ German Shepard mix. Also, I have a cat named December. She is fat black and white. Her stomach almost draggs on the floor. She's worst than Garfield, but I love her. I have two nieces. The oldest is six years old, but she will be seven the day after Christmas. The youngest is three is three years old.
I like writing poetry in my free time. That somewhat had an influence on my major choice.Also, I like to cook, shop for clothes, shoes,etc., taking care of children, and hanging out with my friends and family.
Valerie Wilson Wesley is my favorite author. I love her mystery novels. I read about all of them. Anyway, in high school we had to choose an author and read in depth (read four books by the same author). This assignment was to write about the author's personal connections, thematic connections, writer's craft, and the connections between the four I read.
Personal Connection:
The four books I read by Valerie Wilson Wesley, the setting was in Newark, Jersey or Newark is mention in her books. Her personal connection to these is her husband, who grew up around the Newark area. He always describes everything he seen to her.
Thematic Connections:
In the four books, the main character, Tamara Hayle, made a lot of decisions and put herself in her own perdicament. She always ended up paying some kind of price for her actions. For example, in the book, "Where Evil Sleeps", Tamara chose to go to a club with complete strangers and a couple of people were killed. One of the strangers ended up dead. The other two left Tamara. After that happened, everything else went down hill from there.
Writer's Craft:
I like Valerie Wilson Wesley's writing because she makes you feel like your in the book. She uses a lot of details, so you can picture different scences easily. Occasionally, she might throw a little slang in here or there. Profanity is not over used. A couple of adult scences might be included in her books. Overall, I like how she throws everything together to make a story.
Connections Between the Books:
The book I read are her first four books in her "Tamara Hayle Mystery Series". The settings are always in Newark, Jersey or that setting has something to do with her books. Her titles of her books always has something to do with death or evil.
In high school, our english class read the play "Caesar" by the one and only William Shakespear. As an assignment we were so suppose to come up with an updated version of Mark Anthony's speech. So with farther of du, here is my version of the speech.
Please fellow Romans, listen to me. I hae come to bury Caesar. Let Caesar's good deeds die with him, but let him be remembered by his faults. By the hands of Brutus and others Caesar is gone. Caesar did a lot for the Roman people. Who you think filled the Roman government's treasury? He cried when the poor cried. But still Brutus thought Caesar was going to run Rome into the ground. Don't get me wrong Brutus is an honorable man. But Caesar, he refuse the crown three times. Still Brutus says he was doing Rome wrong. Sure is still an honorable man.I'm not here to speak about if Brutus was right or wrong. I can speak about what I know. You love him before with a reason. If you had no love for him the why do you mourn? Judgement will come to the men who killed Caesar and to the men who lost their love for Caesar. Bear with me, Caesar's death is a great lost to me. I will be still and silent until I pull myself together.
Only yesterday Caesar might be here ruling Rome. Instead he is laying here dead. Your hearts and minds should be full of rage from this mutiny you see before you. I have rage. I have rage against the honorable men, Brutus and Cassius, I choose not to rage upon them. I rather rage upon dead, myself, or even the people of Rome. I wouldn't rage against such honorable men. Here in my hand I hold a document with Caesar's seal. I found it in his closet. It is his will. Only the Roman people should hear this testament. I choose not to read. You would be so grateful. You would want to kiss his bloody wounds. You would want your handkerchiefs stained with Caesar's blood. You would want one hair for memory and you would want to pass it to other generations of your family as a legacy.
If you are already sad be prepared to cry. We all seen Caesar's toga. I remember the first time he wore it. It was a summer's evening. The same day Caesar defeated Nervii. Look at the hole Casca made, and looked at the hole where beloved Brutus stabbed Caesar. Caesar's blood flooded the floors like water. Brutus was Caesar's best friend. The gods knew how much Caesar loved Brutus. The most horrible cut of the flesh was from Brutus. The most noble man in Rome. Then came Caesar's great fall of death. In away our heart's fell with Caesar. You weep while looking at bloody clothing. Look at the body itself.
My Roman people let me not stir you up and read you into rage. They said they killed Caesar with a honorable. I don't know the reason. I didn't come here to persude you from your own opinion. I am not such a great speaker as Brutus. You know who I am. I am just a plain man who loved Caesar. I was given permission to speak to you, the public. I have no power of wit, worth, nor speech to change people's mind. I only speak on what I think is right. Rome will rise aand have revenge. Settle down and be silent. You forgot about Caesar's will.
On September 11, 2001, I rememeber the exact place where I was at. I was getting settled down into my fourth period class in my tenth grade of high school. My english teacher, Ms. Humphrey, came into the class with a serious face. She always looked serious, but there was a look of concern and worry in her face. She stated to my class that two planes had crashed into the Twin Towers in New York. A sound of silence filled the room. She walked us down to another classroom where a television had the news on.
We found desks quickly and set down quietly. I remember watching the television with tears in my eyes and almost balling in class infront of everyone. I wasn't going to cry because I was scared. If I was to cry it would have been for the victims and victims' families. Then when I heard that there was a plane heading towards Pennsylvania, I was worried.
My parents worked in or near landmarks that I thought a terroist would hit. My father works in the Pittsburgh International Airport and my mother worked in Downtown Pittsburgh near the USX Tower. So worry and fear filled my heart, mind, and soul. After watching that my high school was filled with the element of fear and worry. I was glad to get out of school so I can watch the news. When I got home I had a feeling of relief because my mother and father were both home and safe. I found out that Downtown Pittsburgh was evacuated and my father shift was over. After that I remember watching the news for the rest of the year and there was a story everyday about 911.