Lit Circle

For my job, i was to find out background information on the author and try and connect her experiences with the book. Barbara Kingsolver was born in Annapolis, Maryland but was raised in Kentucky. This is how she probably got the inspiration for the religious Price family. When she was young, her parents who were medical and public health workers ventured to the Congo. She lived there and took in the experiences that she uses to tell the story of the the American Price family living in Africa. Kingsolver uses her experiences to insert facts that make her story come to life.

Orleanna

Coming to _____________ after my stay at the Congo was such a relief. The weather is nice here unlike the scorching savanah sun. As i walked through the campus i also noticed the trash that cluttered such a beautiful place. Plastic bottles and wrappers were scattered among the greenery stunting its beauty. The students here seem as if they don't care that there's trash everywhere. I guess they've lived a privilaged life. I used to share their view until i stayed at the Congo and found out what work the people there had to endure everyday. But, I'm happy for them, especially the girls. Nathan disapproves of girls going to college saying that "it's like pouring water into shoes", but the girls here are driven and they're pursuing their dreams. I think that's a good thing because knowledge can take you places.

ok just a paragraph...if we have to revise i can because idk i don't think it came out too good...doing orleanna is hard...

Poisonwood #2

As my job as a musician I observed the language used in Genesis. One thing I noticed was that the author used language to bring out the characters. I observed that Ruth May talks in childish snetences and uses simpler speech. Leah on the other hnd, usually tlaks about how she respects her father and wants to be like him. Rachel, as I've seen is a typical tenager and talks about how bad the living in the Congo is. Lastly, Adah speaks with intelligence and silently observes what is happening around her. Commenting about what language flows, the first few pages of genesis are the most descriptive and pleasing to the ear. Kingsolver describes the Congo jungle down to the veil of spider webs that Orleanna and her children needed to cross. This book is filled with brilliant, rich language and captures you from the beginning.

Elections

so, after reading susan's blog on elections i decided to post my own about the same topic. well, not many of you know but i'm running for the position of senator this year. Per grade, there are 3 senators and this year only 4 are running for these positions. One thing ive noticed is that the person who wins usually has a fun personality and makes a good entertaining speech. Basically, student elections are a popularity contest though and it doesnt matter if you say you worked ______ amount of carnival hours or are getting straight As or that you can handle the job. It all comes down to who votes for you. I think that is a bad thing about student elections because its mostly based on how many friends you have. Almost no one carefully looks at the canidates and from their speeches decides who would be the most worthy of the job. I think this needs to change and there must be other qualifications to run...idk thats just what i think...im probably just rambling on about totally irrelevant things....ok....
-alysha

Poisonwood Bible: Musician

Ok so for our literature 8 groups, i am the musician. For my job i am to find phrases that flow well or are pleasing to the ear...I asked Mr. Watson and he told me that i should find phrases as well as describe what kind of voice the author uses for different characters. So far i'm still in the process of finishing up genesis but i have noticed that some characters have different ways of speaking. It might actually be a little hard finding good phrases because the author is such a good writer that mostly everything sounds good...well i will post my second one on this a little later....
♥alysha

Reviewing SAT Essays

Our assignment was to read and evaluate 4 people's SAT essays for about 3 minutes each. The purpose of this was for us to understand how our own essays will be graded. From trying to determine a grade on these papers i realized that as an evaluator there is so little time for you to really think this through. I would definetly get bored if i had to sit in a room for hours and read multiple essays about the same topic. I personally liked it when people added examples that i could relate to because i think it made their point stronger. Also Mr. Watson talked about how adding voice can make your essay stick out and be remembered, so it would be refreshing just to hear some personality in the writing instead of monotone examples after examples.
<3alysha

SAT Practice Essay

I believe that in today's world, the media can determine what is important to people.
When watching a simple television program, commercials advertise idea's and products that the media thinks is important. For instance, there are many hair care and facial items being show. Advertising makeup and other beauty products gives the viewer the idea that appearance is very important to our society. People buy these products to fit in with America's values.
Another example of media controlling the importance of things is in the news or tabloids. While everyone is reading the latest magazine with the scoop on Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, not many are getting educated with what's really important, the ware in Iraq. Nowadays, people find it more important to know what happened to Meredith on the latest Grey's Anatomy episode, than what's happening around the world. The media's advertising can make people think the wrong things are important.
The media controlling everyone's thought's applies to most people but not all. There are different kinds of media that advertise different things. CNN broadcastsnews about political and global issues, while Entertainment tonight tell watchers about news in Hollywood. People have choices on what kind of media to watch or listen to so it can also be up to the public to decide whether they'd rather tune into a boring broadcast of CNN or exciting gossip on Entertainment Tonight.
I think that the media does have a say in what's important but the choice is ultimately yours whether you want to listen to their ideas.