Close Reading Bingo

Chillin In The Nyle-  Rule number 6- the word uses (use)
http://letsgetawesome5.blogspot.com/

Back of the Napkin blog- Rule number 6- shows
http://almostfacebook.blogspot.com/2011/10/practice-diction-analysis.html

That one guy's blog- Rule number 9- this
http://mrbsbooks.blogspot.com/2011/10/activity-2.html

As Told by Ginger- Rule number 6- uses
http://mbutchko.blogspot.com/2011/10/practice-diction-analysis.html

Diction Observation

In Nicholson Bakers novel The Mezzanie the setting is on an escalator on the way to his office. The setting displays the hustle and bustle of the busy work place.  Also, the description of the lobbys prestige suggests that this work place is somewhat of importance. The words and phrases for example, "long glassy highlights" and "black rubber handrails" describe the element of a prestigous setting.

Style Mapping

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy features middle diction language. There are precise elements but also picuturesque elements. This excerpt features many different words and styles of languague used. Another example of Style Mapping is an excerpt from "The Mud Below" by Annie Proulx has denotative low language. she used harsher words such as, thrashed, hurry, taught and slack. Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins would be classified as middle. The popular fiction novel features suspenseful and relaxed language.

Quarter Currently

This year I've noticed that I have changed my genre of books. Before this class I was reading standard cookie cutter books. However, I've changed to be quite addicted to books about drug addicts and books about tragedies. I just finished Leaving Dirty Jersey and I must say that I still think Tweak is my favorite book for drug abuse. I find myself reading at night when I'm not buried under a mound of homework and I always read on the family room couch. I have this spot in the corner where I sit, put my feet up and cover up with a blanket. I can read for hours on end like this. I'd really like to read 8,000 pages by the end of the semester so I need to pick up the pace a little!


Pages this week: 460
Pages this semester: 2879

A Thousand Splendid Suns

A Thousand Splendid Suns is a novel written by the author of the Kite Runner. The book follows two women living in Afghanistan during the many revolutions, wars and corruption. Mariam, a harashmi, meaning she was born out of wedlock deals with this insulting name for the rest of her life. Her parents mistakes will haunt her for the rest of her life. Lalia, another young girl has to deal with her mothers grief of her two brothers who go to fight in the wars against Russia. Lalia, never has the ideal home that her father works hard to give to her. She finds comfort from her best friend Tariq. Even as the duo get older and rumors start to fly, they remain eachothers support system. Over time Tariq and Lalia began to develop feelings for eachother and then, Tariq's family decides they are moving to Pakistan where it is safer. Tariq promises to come back and find Lalia when he can marry her. A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting book that describes how hard life is for women and childeren in Afghanistan. Dealing with high expectations from husbands and society, verbal and physical abuse and internal struggles it makes living in the United States seem like a walk in the park.

Friday Currently

Favorite Sentences from the week:

This first one is from The Kite Runner by Kahled Hosseini

"That was a long time ago, but it's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out."

The next one comes from D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger

"No matter where you go or what you distract yourself, reality catches up with you eventually.

My next favorite sentence comes from the poem "On a Church Lawn" by William Stafford

"God is not big: He is right."

Pages read this week: 648
Pages this Semester: 2419

The Kite Runner

This week I read The Kite Runner by Kahled Hosseini. This book was absolutely riveting. It entails on the internal struggles of a young Afghan boy, Amir, as he fights for his father’s attention, right and wrong, and how to deal with a changing world. Amir’s mother dies during child birth and he thinks that this is one of the reasons his father doesn’t approve of him. His servants, Ali and Hassan, a father and son duo whom which the father has been with Amir’s father since childhood and Hassan who is one year younger than Amir play a crucial role in the development of Amir. Also, Rahim Khan, Amir’s father’s best friend and business partner seems to be more of the father figure and the one who understands Amir the most. This book gives a vivid description and insight into what Afghanistan used to be before the Taliban and also what the Taliban has done to the entire culture. The things that are profiled in this book are just astonishing and it makes you realize how lucky we are to be living in a society where you can look someone in the eyes without fear they will shoot you or your family. Afghan people have to endure many struggles throughout the day just to survive. The Kite Runner describes more than just Amir’s stories and struggles to be at peace with himself and with the people who were there for a good portion of his life. It is a haunting peak into everything that isn’t the United States.

Friday Currently

Favorite sentances of the month include:

Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine
Meanwhile the world goes on."

This comes from the poem "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver. This is one of my favorites because to me it's just flat out honest. Also, the fact that she may be writing to someone who she trusts and loves opens up a whole new perspective on it too.

"Someone spoke to me last night,
told me the truth."

This sentance comes from the poem "Dust" by Dorianne Laux. I like it so much because I feel like it is hard to come by the pure truth.

"There is a shabby nobilitiy in failing all by yourself."
This one comes from Bright Lights, Big City. For some odd reason that cannot be explained this sentance is growing on me. Initally I hated it, but now the idea of not dragging others down with you is sort of noble.


This week:
Pages Read: 236
Books Read: 1 and 1/4
Total Pages this semester: 1771

Palo Alto

This week I read Palo Alto by James Franco. This book is a collection of short stories written from the point of view of troubled teens who are growing up in Palo Alto, California. The stories of the kids start off at all different ages and some of them are absolutely horrifying. To me it’s sad that there is a possibility that is how some kids choose to live their lives, and how parents choose to overlook things. One young girl starts a physical relationship with her teacher at the age of 14! All I know is that at the age 14 of no one should be involved in a physical relationship. Another story goes into the life of a young girl who goes to a party for the first time and sees an unspeakable act of violence. Also, the amount of drug activity and drinking that goes on with these kids is insane! This book was fascinating, disturbing, rough, and yet some how it was addicting. It was like I couldn’t get to the next story fast enough. Another story looked into the life of a boy who partied non stop and one night cheated on his girlfriend then drove away drunk and fast, he hit someone and never once looked back. He later goes on to say that he’d forgotten that the accident even happened sometimes when he drove down that corner of the street. I cranked this book out in about 3 hours today, and it fascinated me. I loved the style and set up of the book. However, one little thing that bothered me was the fact that the author never brought all of the characters together for one final event and tied everything up. Each story ended with a haunting remark that sticks with you. I would recommend this book to others due to the unique set up and style.

Claims Currently

1. In Versace's purple ruffled gown, his fading colors, smooth lines, and rough and fragile textures along with a flowing and clean shape create a complimentary and whimsical sense of beauty in fashion-art. -Swimstrong

I really like how this person looks at fashion from an artistic point of view.

2. The majestic, distinctive color with the deep, wild detail add to the heavy contrast and proud focus of this lion, a dignified and appreciative beast who hunted his prey out of resigned necessity, and for a disgruntled, hungry family.- I need a nap?

The powerful words of this claim really help make it to be more descriptive.

3. In this beautiful beach painting, the sparkling water to the clear gleaming sky, the vast openness of the ocean, and the author’s use of graceful, yet precise lines and textures illustrates the dreamy peacefulness the author attempts to portray.- Emily:)

I like this one because it brings about a sense of serenity.

4. The strange, abundant markings wandering all over the tough skin, creating a colossal of ink transforming the appearance for all of eternity. Once young and fresh, now old and rusty. -E-dubs

The last trailing thought of this claim really stood out to me.

5. In Fighting Gravity’s final Performance on America’s Got Talent, the voiceless and light dancers use graceful, upbeat, and a unique technique that expresses a new and an explosive futuristic type of dance.

Close Read

I chose to do this picture which was previously posted by Mr. Hill on our class blog site.
Here is what I inferred:

Nostaligia: Friends gathered together
Pose: Open
Time of Day: Late
Location: Meaningful

Infer:
Lighthearted
Dreamy
Dignified
Adventurous
Graceful
Unconcerned
Whimsical
Candid
Ceremonial
Nostalgic
Reminiscent
Relaxed

In this photo it seems that a group friends are marking the end of an era or the start of something new, the arms outstretched are either reaching for something that's gone or welcoming something that is coming.

Friday Currently

This week I've decided to take my favorite sentances from poems just to add some variety.
"Someone spoke to me last night,
told me the truth."

This sentance comes from the poem "Dust" by Dorianne Laux. The reason this is a favorite sentance of mine is because the truth is sometimes hard to come upon now a days.

"Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine
Meanwhile the world goes on."

Mary Oliver, wrote this in the poem "Wild Geese", this is a good sentance because for me, I interperet it to be that the character in the poem is offering support for someone or something."

And my  last, but of course not least favorite sentance comes from the poem "First Kiss" by April Lardener.

"He imagines he knows her
after four dates, both of them taking pains
to laugh correctly, to make eyecontact."

This sentance to me is almost ironic. It symbolizes the start of dating and in my opinion it doesn't matter how many first or beginning dates a person goes on, they all start out like this.


Also, this week I have read 214 pages which brings my semester total to 1,535.

Currently

This week I finished Tweak, The Power of Six and started Bright Lights, Big City which if you were to read my post from yesterday you would find that I have a strong dislike for Bright Lights, Big City. I didn't finish this book which makes my grand total of books this semester 2 1/2.

Pages This week 583
Pages this semester 802
Books Read: 2 1/2

The 3 sentences I am choosing to write about this are ones that come from Bright Lights, Big City. Just because I really don't like this book and need to vent about it.

1." You are not the kind of guy who would be at a place like this at this time of the morning."
        The reason why I don't like this sentence is because if this guy, Jay, isn't the person who would be there then why is he there?

2. "There is a shabby nobilitiy in failing all by yourself."
       Jay's coworkers all offered to help him edit this difficult piece, but no, he had to reject their help and fail.

3. "Here you are again. All messed up and no place to go."
       This guy has a great job, family, friends and a nice place to live. I just don't get how someone doesn't accept the help everyone is offering to him.
     

Tweak follow up and other stuff

This weekend I finished Tweak by Nic Sheff. This has to be my favorite biography/ memoir ever written. Nic finally accepted the help he needed and made an honest attempt to start healing and repairing the relationships that he destroyed. I was so intrigued with Nic that I found his online blog site and read through several posts he’s put up. Also, I have ordered the follow up book We All Fall Down mainly because I wanted to see if Nic repaired his relationship with Spencer, his sponsor. Once I am finished reading this book I am going to get Beautiful Boy, the book David Sheff, Nic’s father wrote on his take with Nic’s drug problems.

Also this weekend, I read The Power of Six by Pitticus Lore. This book is the sequel in the I Am Number Four series. The series is about an alien race of people whose planet, Lorien, is taken over by another alien race, Mogadorians (Mogs for short) and the Loriens send 9 kids and 9 guardians to earth to escape the attacks. These 9 kids all have powers that they are supposed to one day use to take back their planet from the Mogs. However, they are not safe on earth because the Mogs know that they are blending in with society so, the Mogs send thousands of people to earth to hunt down these kids and their guardians. The kids all have numbers 1-9 and they are only able to be killed in numerical order, hence I Am Number Four. The beginning for I Am Number Four starts with “3 are dead, and I am number four.” This creates the entire plot for the series about John Smith a.k.a. Number Four and his guardian, Henri, hiding from the Mogs. When John and Henri move to a small town in Ohio they get way more then they were asking for, especially when John meets a new love interest.

The Power of Six is about Number Six and her journey to find her fellow Loriens and stay away from the Mogadorians. I don’t want to give too much away for anyone who may want to read the series. For those of who are romantics, action, sci-fi, and suspense lovers this is the perfect series for you to read!

Today, after the vocabulary quiz (word doesn’t let me abbreviate vocabulary) I started reading Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney. Honestly this has to be one of the worst books I have ever started and will never finish. Yes, in my opinion it is that bad. Jay is living in New York and lives his life by always throwing a pity party. He has a great job at a prestigious magazine and a wife for a model who ended up leaving him and this turned his life upside down. Jay begins to drink, do drugs, slack off at work and ruin his entire career. His so called friend Tad is another contributor to this pity party. Tad won’t leave Jay alone until he is snorting drugs off of toilet seats in clubs. Jay talks about how he is the more stay at home and read a book guy then to go out and party every night. What bothers me most about this book is that Jay will not take his life into his own hands and live the way he wants. I’ve read 61 pages of this book and this is all I will be reading.

My personality according to a test

Our teacher had us take a test to find out our personality. I scored a supervisor personality, meaning that I am highly social, very responisble and like to take charge. I couldn't agree more. For once a personality test was accurate! However, as many of us know we cannot define ourselves by an internet test. This is simply just a yes or no questionarre that is just basic. In my opinion people are way more complex than yes or no.

Tweak.

Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines, this is the book that I have chosen to read for etymology. This book is polar opposite from what I normally would choose to read. Tweak is about a 22 year old man, Nic Sheff, who has been battling drug and alcohol abuse for years. The book takes you on the journey of Nic’s biggest relapse after a year and a half of being sober. Nic has been to 4 rehabs, tons of halfway houses, had the un-denying love of parents, friends, sponsors and siblings and yet he made the choice to throw it all away for nothing. On Nic’s relapse binge he hooks up with a girl whom he partied with in high school, Lauren. Lauren is an addict like Nic and they both go into an uncontrollable downward spiral. One night after a heroin binge Lauren overdoses and Nic is forced to save her life and get her to the hospital. One may think that this would cause both of them to sober up, but no it doesn’t. Nic ends up meeting a teenager who goes by the name of Gack. Gack lives in the Ghetto of San Francisco and has lead a life that hasn’t provided him the opportunity to see the light. Gack and Nic share a bond that only drug addicts would know, at one point in the book Nic writes “It’s a funny thing how drug addicts can just find each other; it’s like a radar system.” The duo attempts to become the best and biggest drug dealers in San Francisco. After a bad batch of meth, Nic finally decides it is time for him to sober up. He is tired of being ashamed, living on the streets, poor and in fear. Nic then calls his parents who do not welcome him into open arms due to the fact he has broken into their home, friend’s homes, family member’s homes and stole money and other items he could sell to get money for drugs. His parents guide him to call his sponsor, Spencer. Spencer is what you could call Nic’s saving grace each time he has decided to get clean again. One could call Spencer a “successful” recovering drug addict; he turned his life around to the point where he had production companies in the movie business, a wife and daughter. Spencer thoroughly believes in the higher power of God and that is what saved him from his addiction. Throughout the recovery time for Nic, Spencer and his wife Michelle get Nic back up on his feet and give him the push he needs by giving him responsibilities. Nic grows a close bond to their daughter, Lucy, especially when Spencer comes down with Meningitis. Through this all Nic manages to reconnect with his family and start building his relationships back up with the people who love him, but don’t trust him due to all the hurt he has caused. Nic seems to be on the right track in his live until a former flame comes back into the picture and threatens to derail it all- I won’t spoil the ending for anyone who wants to read. This book has things in it that even people who are not struggling with addiction can relate to. Some of it is heavy and some of it is light hearted. My personal favorite relation in this book is when Nic is waiting for his mother to get ready and says “She takes forever coming down the stairs and I listen to Terry Gross on NPR- half getting angry that my mom is always (always) LATE. I mean, ever since I can remember my mom has always been late.” I’m 99.9% sure anyone with a mother can feel this guy’s pain, I know I sure can. Also, Nic’s father has written a book on his view of the difficult time his family has gone through with Nic’s struggles. The book is called Beautiful Boy and I can’t wait to read it. For anyone who avoids these kinds of books, don’t because they can help teach you things about yourself.

The weekend

This weekend and possibly the only free weekend until after February, I took 6 of my friends down to Indy for a  weekend of shopping and fun. It was a much needed mini vacation I guess one would call it. My parents got the 6 of us our own hotel room and we did tons of shopping and a little relaxing. Saturday night we ate at Bucca di Beppos which if I must say so has to be the most delicious Italian restaurant in Indiana. If you go please get the Bruschetta- you will not be disappointed. After dinner we did a carriage ride through the city which was interesting. Be advised that people in cars do not appreciate horse drawn carriages in the middle of the street. That's it for tonight!