Next Steps

        I decided that for my next step I would learn about my favorite thing in the world, Disney. Disney was named after Walter "Walt" Disney, a man that believed in dreams. Everyone knows Disney so the only way I would know how to describe is by saying "Imagination". Ever since I was young I would watch and sing along to Disney classics and I have been interested ever since. Disney has inspired me to go after my dreams because; "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them." -Walt Disney. I feel that once I learn more about this topic I will love it more than I do now. Disney is what truly makes me happy and I don't ever want that to change. With this topic I will have to learn history, charting, computer skills, art, and animation. This will be challenging but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make my dream a reality. I have already started to learn about Disney. I've learned more every year since I was a child. I have started watching Disney movies constantly and I will be going to Disneyland as often as I can to learn more about it. I have started drawing Disney characters and I will be posting pictures of them to my new blog. I plan on going online to learn more about this subject and I am planning on trying to get to talk to workers for Disney. So far I have one person that I have gotten information from on this subject. When I go to Disneyland I plan on being as involved as possible to see how people like there jobs there and what it is they do. I am planning on making a new blog for contributing to my love and interest for Disney There will be a link on my course blog soon.

"If you can dream it, you can do it." ~ Walt Disney

Final review

Key elements~

Tone: how the author wants us to make us feel; authors attitude
Mood: how we feel when we read a text; how the author feels
Diction: words the author uses
Syntax: how words are used; the way the author puts the words together 
Allusion: (close to foreshadowing but a hint a author gives you) a reference to something that the author thinks we should know
Theme: the message the author is trying to give; the main concept of the story; central message
Universal Theme: when a theme is relatable by a wide range of readers
Symbols: symbol that stands for something to the world , also a symbol refers to a referent
Symbolism: the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities
Foreshadowing: author gives us a hint for what's going to happen later in the story

Para-verbal: the quality of voice but not the content

Nonverbal: not involving or using words or speech

Diction: style of speaking or writing as dependent upon choice of words

Mono-myth: a basic pattern that its proponents argue is found in many narratives from around the world



Parts of a Plot~
Exposition: the introduction of the setting, characters and problem
Inciting Incident: the event or decision that begins a story's problem
Rising Action: the part of the story that builds suspense as the problem gets worse
Climax: the high point of the suspense or turning point in the story
Falling Action: events after the climax that lead to an ending
Resolution/Denouement:  the final outcome of the story

Characters~
Indirect: the process by which the personality of a fictitious character is revealed through the character's speech, actions, appearance, etc.
Direct: the process by which the personality of a fictitious character is revealed by the use of descriptive adjectives, phrases, or epithets
Dynamic: a literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude
Static: a literary or dramatic character who undergoes little or no inner change; a character who does not grow or develop
Flat: an easily recognized character type in fiction who may not be fully delineated but is useful in carrying out some narrative purpose of the author.
Round: a character in fiction whose personality, background, motives, and other features are fully delineated by the author

"Immigrants in Our Own Land" Response

      My relationship with my school isn't what you'd call your typical "match made in heaven". Now don't get me wrong, I have no problems with this school, but I don't have any connections with it either. I usually just come to school, do my work, then leave. I socialize with a few of my friends but other than that my days at school are pretty basic and boring. Every now and then I will have a bit more of an exciting day which, compared to my normal days, isn't much of an improvement. Now, when there were fights and lock downs, that was a very unordinary experience. I was surprised with the students, and I honestly was a bit scared and most people were. Once everything got back to the usual, we all went back to our routines. I wouldn't say that I hate my school, it's truly not bad at all. But every once in a while something will happen that makes you question your idea of things.

      I am a proud native. I'll tell anyone, I love my background. I mean yes, sometimes we do something stupid, but that only means we are human. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone has their golden moments. No one should be ashamed of their roots. You are you, embrace it.

Lit. Analysis #2

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury


      Fahrenheit was a class assignment. Before I read the story many people told me that they did not like this story, so I didn't expect much. After I read it I was most definitely surprised to find that I enjoyed this story very much. When I first started reading I was a little confused about what was happening. Even though the author made it very clear, I wasn't sure why everything was happening. This made me think about it, then i just realized that, that is what every book is like. I enjoyed that the inciting incident happened towards the beginning of the story, which meant that I knew it would get interesting right away. My reading habits for this story were different than usual for me. When I started reading I didn't get lost in the book, but yet I still enjoyed every word. I read this story piece by piece; this kept the story interesting with a lot of cliff-hangers for me to go back to.

      The plot of this story was a bit all over the place. It starts with the main character, Guy Montag, just living his life as normal, and a young girl changes everything for him. He goes on an adventurous journey to seek what the meaning of books are. There are many obstacles for him, but in the end he comes out on top. The theme of this novel was hope and self determination. The authors tone in my opinion would be slightly poetic and dramatic with a hint of bitterness. "There must have been a billion leaves on the land; he waded in them, a dry river smelling of hot cloves and warm dust. And other smells! There was a smell like a cut potato from all the land, raw and cold and white from having the moon on it most of the night. There was a smell like pickles from a bottle and a smell like parsley on the table at home. There was a faint yellow odor like mustard from a jar. There was a smell like carnations from the yard next door. he put down his hand and felt a weed rise up like a child brushing him. His fingers smelled of licorice.", Bradbury writes. He uses great diction to not only make you feel as if you are there but to make you relate. In the excerpt I used you can see similes, imagery, synesthesia, diction, tone, and syntax.

       An example of indirect characterization is when Ray Bradbury uses the characters actions, "Montag grinned the fierce grin of all men singed and driven back by flame." to show what the character is like. By Montags action you can see that he is enjoying what he is doing. The author's syntax and diction changes when he focuses on a character. Such as, if a character was getting overwhelmed, the author made the sentences shorter. Montag is a dynamic character because he makes a dramatic change to his character throughout the story. After reading this story I don't think that I felt like I met Montag in person, in my opinion he was just another heroic character in a story.

Favorite quote from book:
http://www.lrsimas24.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-quote-2.html

Book Quote #2

"She laughed at this. 'Good night!' She started up her walk. Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at him with wonder and curiosity. 'Are you happy?' she said." ~Fahrenheit 451

Lit. Analysis #1

 Life of Pi by Yann Martel

1. What drew you to this book?  What did you expect and/or hope to experience through reading it?
-I saw the movie and found out it was based on a story.
2. What kept you reading past the first ten pages?
-It was strange and I thought wouldn't like it, but i continued.
3. Describe your reading habits.
-Once I picked up this book it was hard for me to put it down.

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read, and explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).
-A boy named Pi gets in a shipwreck. He is the only survivor, along with a few zoo animals that were on the ship with him. This author shows how much one thinks while they are stranded. It shows how much hope can save your life.
2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.
-The theme of this story is that imagination can make a horrible and tragic story into a masterpiece.
3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).
-The authors diction makes you feel so many different emotions in this story. Such as the part of the story when there is a storm. The author uses various types of description words to make it feel as if you're almost in the story. Or another time when Pi is trapped on the boat with the tiger and you can hear all of his thoughts showing how scared he is. Lastly, the author when into great detail describing how Pi felt on his long journey.
4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)
-Symbolism: the tiger represented Pi
Imagery: the author uses imagery when Pi arrives to the island
Setting: took place at sea
Conflict: being lost at sea with a tiger
Inciting incident: when the storm came and the ship sank
Flashback: Pi had many flashbacks while he was at sea
Mood: the mood stayed the same throughout the story and only changed once or twice

1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect characterization. Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?
-Pi is identified as small and skinny (direct), others talk about Pi's intelligence (indirect), Pi shows his integrity through his actions(indirect), and the author tells us that he is very religious(direct). The author does this to show off all of Pi's different traits but shows us in different ways to keep us interested. My impression of the character is that he is brave and courageous.
2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character? How? Example(s)?
-I didn't notice if it did or not.
3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic? Flat or round? Explain.
In the beginning of the story I believe that Pi is dynamic and slowly becomes static. He is a round character.
4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character? Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction. 
-I guess I could say that I feel like I met a person.

Favorite quote from the book:
http://lrsimas24.blogspot.com/2014/12/book-quote.html

Book Quote

"That a big, black, tropical cat managed to survive for more than 2 months in a Swiss winter without being seen by anyone, let alone attacking anyone, speaks plainly to the fact that escaped zoo animals are not dangerous absconding criminals but simply wild creatures seeking to fit in." ~Life of Pi

Out Beyond Where the Sidewalk Ends (Poem Remix)

There is a place out beyond ideas of wrong doing and rightdoing

There is a field. I'll meet you there 

And there the grass grows soft and whit 

And there the sun burns crimson bright

And there the moon-bird rests from his flight

To the cool peppermint wind

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black

And a dark street wines and bends.

We shall walk with a walker that is measured and slow, 

And watch where the chalk-white arrows go. 

To the place out beyond ideas.

When the soul lies down in the grass, the world is too full to talk about.

Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn't make any sense. 

Yes will walk with a walk thats is measured and slow,

And will go where the chalk-white arrows go,

For the children, they mark, and the children, they know. 

The place out beyond ideas

The Rose

In my History class, we are writing Acrostics, so I decided that it would be fun to look some Acrostic Poems up and I found one that I really liked so I thought I'd share it.

The Rose
by Pace INK-U-SCRIPT

T~hirty-two steps through the yellow-green grass led me to you. 
H~aving to choose which one; my heart with no doubt chose you.
E~very rose bloomed quite differently, though nothing meretricious like you. 

R~ed is known to be the favorite color to man; color blinded; my soul desired you. 
O~f all the roses, my senses were captivated and comely to you. 
S~ome men may pick more than one rose; but, I only want you. 
E~ven mother nature so pulchritudinous can't compare to you. 

http://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/the_r_o_s_e_390534 

Intro to Poetry

1. What is the significance of the title?

The significance is that it makes you curious about what you're about to read.

2. What is the tone of the poem? 

The tone of the poem is very whimsical while also telling a story.  

3. What is your mood as you read it? 

My mood is a wide variety, from curiosity to amusement and even excitement. 

4. Is there a shift? Where? From what to what? 

There is no shift in this poem. 

5. What is the theme of the poem?

The theme is all about imagination and where it will take you.

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstien

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.