FINALLY!! Blog Post

In response to question #1:
    
       At the start of this class, I was a rare reader and, actually, I think since the start of high school, I haven't read a single book independently.  The reason for my lack of independent reading wasn't that I didn't like to read, but because I didn't have the time to read.  One thing this class has taught me is that, like brushing your teeth, you have to make time for reading. And, like brushing your teeth, the time you make for reading will benefit you in the long run.  Prior to high school, I would read a lot of pop fiction books that any other teenager would read such as the Harry Potter and Twilight series. Books like those were adventurous to me and I always maintained interest throughout the book.  I would read because I wanted to know for myself what everyone was talking about in their little Harry Potter- twilight discussions.  If it weren't for public interest, I probably wouldn't have read either book.  Now, I read out of my own curiosty, and I find the books I read independently. It makes me feel successful to know that because I read a book and shared it with a friend, that I can pass on that books meaning and have it be appreciated by another reader.

Currently Post for November 4th

Memorable quotes of the week:

1. "Hello? This is Jack Torrance. My son here can't stop crying. Please send THE MEN INWHITE COATS to take him to the SANNY-TARIUM. He's LOST HIS MARBLES."

2. "I don't intend to bring any alcohol up here, and I don't think there will be any opportunity to get any before the snow flies."

3. "Danny's answering shriek, then Wendy's shocked gasp as she came around them and saw the peculiar angle of Danny's forearm; no arm was meant to hang quite that way in the world of normal families."

***  My favorite quote this week was quote #1. This dialogue occured when Jack was drunk and threatened his son for crying because he has seen dead people. Jack's lack of compassion and ridiculous response to his son's fear presented in this quote augments his lack of sanity and how his alcholism has impacted his character. 

This week I dug into the nitty- gritty of The Shinging. The more I read, the more I remembered from the movie.  One scene I remember in particular is when Jack was in the ballroom one night and was stressed out over his writing block.  He said something to the effect of, "I would trade my soul for a drink right now." Suddenly, the previous and now deceased bar tender appears and offers Jack a drink. I remember when I first saw this movie scene the ominous feeling that it gave me.  Jack talks to the old bartender who seems to have empathy for all of Jack's problems. Then, a crowd appearsin the background and there is a lavish ball. A man approaches him with a drink and it is the old house keeper who killed his family and is dead.  Menicingly, he wiggles his way through Jack's thought and somehow convinces him to murder his family in the same manner he had.  At this point, Jack's whole character has stepped into the dark side.  He spends his time away from his wife and Danny and simply writes, sentence after sentence.  One day, his wife stummbles over a stack of paper he has typed, the papers read "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." At this, his wife freaks out and the climax of the story is reached.

Common Weaknesses

http://theycallmefreshmoney.blogspot.com/
*Notice how this blogger uses a quotation as the subject of a sentence

http://amethysteviston.blogspot.com/
*This person made a claim instead of a paragraph... oops!

http://t-rex-howdini.blogspot.com/
*This person used a full quotation as a sentence.

http://allison789.blogspot.com/
*This person included no quotations

Observation Guide: Diction

     In Nicholson Baker's Mezzanine, his breezy harmonious depictions of sun light glaring down on an escalator demonstrate his connotative and physical uses of language.  His words are pleasant as they describe the sun "adding long glossy highlights to each of the black rubber handrails which wavered slightly as the handrails slid on their tracks." By describing the signs he passes on the escalators as "swooping upward between the two floors," Baker emits a sense of laziness and vacancy.As the sun glares down on both him and the escalator, Baker describes it as a "needly area of shine." With the use of his stylish direct voice, Baker is able to create a concrete image and dramatic flow in his writing.

Currently Post

     This week I finished up what was left of Night Of The Gun by David Carr.  The remainder of the book focused more on his new healthy relationship with his family and where he stands today.  He has two beautiful young twin girls whom he loves more than anyone.  The fact that he is so appreciative to those who helped him overcome his addiction is truly remarkable.  Now that I have read the book, it almost seems unreal to me that a person with that many problems could straighten himself out and be more successful than many Americans. Although he is drug free, he still has an edge to him- he has that New York spunk still.  Its sad to me that so many people these days have bailoads of talent and almost mask it with the use of drugs.  I'm not saying that the drugs destroy their talent, because I know a lot of people who use drugs and can still function while their high, but its simply that people consume their time using drugs rather than pursuing their talent(s).  That to me is what makes a drug addict useless- the fact that they don't take the time to do anything useful.  fortunatly in David's case, he was able to regain control of his life and pursue his talent of writing. 
    The next book i'd like to discuss is The Shining by Stephen King.  Before I read it, I had already seen the movie. I think I saw the movie when I was around 6 and it scared the crap out of me. So far, I am getting near the same effect from the book.  The fright effect is also slightly enhanced from reading the book because now I have those mental images from the movie to play along with the book.  Great.  So theres Jack, Wendy, and Danny.  They're a family.  Jack is interviewed to get a caretaker job for the winter at an old run down hotel.  The current caretaker Ullman explains to him though that once the snow fall begins, they will be isolated in the hotel for the winter.  Jack os ok with it though because he is writing a play and says the rest of the family will surely stay occupied.  Jack gets the job. His wife Wendy is worried that Jack's temper will explode and she wants to keep his alcholic tendencies under control. There is both fear and excitement of the new opportunity.

"Style Mapping"

      In Neil Gaiman's Stardust, the rocky terrain and harmonious forest create a high sense of tranquility as one observes the town of Wall.  Gaiman describes the lustrous old town as being, "Built of rough, square lumps of hewn granite, and it comes back from the woods and goes back to it once more."  The melodic feeling one infers from the town of Wall is merely a reaction to its physical beauty and awing presence.  In contrast to Stardust, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian suggest a low energy, and expressively depicts an open prairie during the night.  The language used is dark, harsh, focused, and descriptive.  McCarthy describes the starry night sky as, "Scarcely space of black at all," and "They fall all night in bitter arcs."  His ominous description depicts feelings of loneliness and isolation.  Similarly, in Sarah Dessen’s Dreamland, the story is told with a rather low energy, and the inferred emotions are depression, grief, and loneliness.  One line in particular depicts a confused mother as she discovers a note from her run away daughter, “She can’t just leave. She can’t.” Dessen’s raw low- key language precisely augments the conflicting feelings and tragic events of her story.

My 3 Favorite Sentences of the First Quarter

1. "Detoxes are really human aquariums, a place where large, Librium- infused human bob here and there, watched by the staff through thick plate glass in case one of them freaks out or starts flopping around." -Night Of The Gun


2. "Stay serene and loving and remember that we are all sacred links in the eternal circle of life." -Can You Keep a Secret?


3. "I don't care about money until I run out of it." - The Night Of The Gun


*** Why are these my favorite Quotes?:


Quote number one provides a perspective to alcoholism that the onlooker normally doesn't consider: that of the alcoholic.  When I read it, I realized how humiliating it must be for an alcoholic to redirect his life to being the center of attention in a negative aspect.  It almost made me feel a sense of sadness toward alcoholics.  


Quote number to was a positive reminder to me that whether or not I like someone, I should still respect them because he or she are still an important role in life.


Quote Number 3 describes my spending habits.  I can definitely relate!  Every time I get paid, its no biggie spending a little here and there, but then when i'm broke, its a problem. Doesn't that seem to be how the workl works?