Obscene Language in Novels

Personally, I do not really mind if there are bad words in novels, it just depends if it is appropriate or not. Obscene words could help make a scene in the novel ore lifelike or it could help prove a point. However, there is definitely a line between what is appropriate and what is not. For instance, when the "N word" is used out of context, I find that very insulting and demeaning. The author might choose obscene words for a specific reason, such as to portray a realistic event.

Independent Reading

I have very much enjoyed the first few chapters of Tuesdays With Morrie. It is very heartfelt and inspirational story. Just reading the first few pages has already moved me. What I like about this book is that it is a true story about a man named Morrie Schwartz who is a professor of sociology at Brandeis University who has to face the fear of death when he finds out he has Lou Gehrig's disease, an incurable illness which attacks the neurological system and causes loss of muscle control. Mitch Albom, the author, described it as "a lit candle: it melts your nerves and leaves your body a pile of wax." pg. 9 However, he keeps on teaching even though he does not know when his fate will come.
I have already enjoyed the first few chapters of this book, so I am probably going to enjoy the rest of it. It is a book that is every hard to put down.

Kite Fighting

Kite fighting in Afghanistan is a very popular sport. It is a great past time for people of all ages. However, during Taliban rule it was completely prohibited. I think that Khaled Hosseini included this subject as the main focus of the novel because it is huge in the Afghan culture and it means a lot to them. It is something that has always stuck with them in their culture throughout the years and focus on when times were bad. Also Hosseini wanted to show how kite fighting was a sense of freedom for the Afghan people.
In the United States we have customs and traditions such as baseball games and such. There has been books written about baseball and different inspiration baseball stories. However, I do not believe it is as celebrated as Kite Fighting in Afghanistan. In a sense that is all they have there. I feel as though they take more pride in their past-times then we do.

Free Write-Haiku

The Great Escape

I ran away from danger
I ran from screaming and gunshots
I ran from my life

Walk the Line

I believe that authors include powerful shocking, and even disturbing events in their texts to draw in their reader. As unsettling as this may sound, people enjoy reading about disturbing and events no matter how gory or perturbing it may be. Also, authors may include such events to prove a point or reiterate something that is happening in society. I believe it is necessary because it is their opinion on society and they have a right to do so.

To Atone or Not To Atone...

I believe that for people, atonement for past sins are possible as long as the other person forgives you. I feel as though that everyone deserves a chance to make amends for their wrong-doings.
Surprisingly, there was one time in my life that I made a mistake that I greatly regretted. (Complete sarcasm). Years ago, at my cousin's communion, my older brother was messing around with their tread mill. So, I decided to turn up the speed on the treadmill so my brother would have to run faster. I gained complete satisfaction watching my brother start sprinting and not knowing why. My older brother jumped off the treadmill because it was too fast. As soon as he jumped off, my little brother jumped on and was slammed in between the tracks of the tread mill and the wall. He was very badly injured and was taken to the hospital. He ended up getting a bald spot on the back of his head that is permanent and several bad burns.
I instantly felt terrible because I was the one who caused that situation to happen. I should have been the bigger person and not have been immature and made the treadmill go faster. I do not believe I found complete atonement with him. At the moment I apologized and apologized until his ears bled however, there was no way I could go back and change what happened to prevent for this incident to happen.

Decisions

I consider myself a spontaneous individual. So, at the most part, I just go with my gut and make my decisions without thinking about it. However, when it comes to more serious decisions, such as choosing what college I want to go to, my major, and what I want to pursue in life, several factors influence my decisions. I first think about how will this decision affect me in the long run? Or how will it affect the people around me? For me, along with everyone else, deciding on what college to attend includes those factors which greatly influences your decision.

Independent Reading Project

http://ndraham-fearandloathinginlasvegas.blogspot.com/

Dipity Post

http://www.dipity.com/ndraham/friends

TMD Wrap-Up

Essential Question: After reading Motorcycle Diaries and watching the Che documentary, along with your outside research, do you believe that Guevara's journey around Latin America ended up having a positive or negative affect to his future?

Columbia and Venezuala

1. "It was - I don't know how to explain it - as if everything soldi melted away into the ether, eliminating all individuality and absorbing us, rigid, into the immense darkness" pg. 163

2.
"But despite his words, I now knew...I knew that when the great guiding spirit cleaves humanity into two antagonistic halves, I would be with the people" pg. 164
I believe that this picture goes great with this quote because in the picture it has a quote said by Che, "Hasta la victoria siempre" meaning in english, "Forever, Until Victory" or in other words, "Keep fighting until victory." It was there where he realized that he was going to fght for the people of Latin America and somehow once be equal.

3.

"...I see myself, immolated in the genuine revolution, the great equalizer of individual will, proclaiming the ultimate mea culpa. " pg. 165
I believe that this picture suited the quote the best because it represented "the ultimate mea culpa." Mea culpa is a Latin phrase that translates into English as "my fault", or "my own fault."

Thesis

I think that the 3rd website is the most helpful website out of all of them. I believe that this website was most useful because it not only told you what a thesis was, but I broke it down and told you exactly how to write one. The other websites just showed examples and not really how to develop a thesis.

My thesis:
After a long influential journey across Latin America, Ernesto “Che” Guevara developed a stalwart belief in Socialism. His hope for change in the deprived Latin America along with his strong views influenced the desire to be an icon for the people of his nation, which consequently had a strong yet controversial impact on the world around him and thus, leading to his death.

Peru Diction Quiz

There are three places in the book that stood out to me that may have been important in Che’s travels through Peru.
The first place was the Lake Titicaca. For some reason, they were very ALLURED by this lake. There were very interested in seeing and exploring Lake Titicaca. So they waited and walked around it until they found someone to take them on a boat and sail. On page 99, they described the lake being very PLACID and all the boat they could “admire the lake in all its magnitude.” Pg. 99 The man who took them sailing on Lake Titicaca told them the importance of this lake to the natives of this town; it was the SUSTENANCE to their survival. Many fisherman worked on this lake and live according to the old ways. To me, they gained a lot of knowledge here about the country and its people.
The second place I thought that had importance was Cuzco. I thought that this was an important place because he seemed to really connect with the people there. He also ended up returning there. In Cuzco, the Incas were defended greatly by the mountains that surrounded them and the IMPERVIOUS Fortress called Sacsahuoman. Che had also described Cuzco as being EVOCATIVE. That is why I believe he returned to Cuzco for a second time. He spent a lot of time there and was influenced by the natives. Also he gives much DEFERNCE to the Civil Guards for giving them food and shelter those days he was there.
Lastly, his trip to Pulcallpa was very important to his trip. Just like every other trip to a different city, Alberto and Che consistently have very few TANGENTS items to their liking. However, but by the end of this sailing trip to San Pablo, that definitely changes! The chance to win 90 pesos BEFALLS before them. On the boat, Alberto actually won playing the card game “21” and won those 90 pesos. That goes a long way for them. They can use that money to buy food and more food and goods. Even though Alberto does not like money, I believe that they should treat it like a RELIC because they won’t have to mooch off people for once! However, it is inevitable that their journey will still be long and TEDIOUS.

Essential Question #2

I believe that Ernesto wanted to become an icon to his beloved country. After going on his vast journey across Latin America, he discovered the many flaws it possessed which caused him to take a stand. He wanted to become an activist and ensure people listened to him and his ideals. As an icon he was feared and admired. He wanted his people to love and trust him so that they know every thing he does is for their best interest. Ernesto wanted his thoughts and reasoning’s to not only benefit himself but also his country. He wanted to share his love and patriotism to his country to spread throughout the country. After seeing the cruelty that went on in countries such as Cuba, he knew he had to take a stand. Once he exploited his ideas to the country, he hoped that the people would act on it and correct those flaws in the country.

February 10- El Che Reaction #1

This documentary has lead me to believe that Che could have been a genuine man. There are many issues in Latin America that he had good intentions to fix. Hearing things from my grandfather and reading articles about Che gave me a more negative approach to Che as a person. This documentary gave a totally new perspective of his way of life. It showed his desire for change and how much he truly loved his country.

One of Che's experiences in Chile that may have influenced his later life is when he was trying to treat the old women with asthma.

"In circumstances like this, individuals in poor families who can't pay their way become surrounded by and atmosphere of barely disguised acrimony; they stop being father, mother, sister, or brother and become purely negative factor in the struggle for life and, consequently a source of bitterness for the healthy members of the community who resent their illness as if it were a personal insult to those who have to support them."

He was very angry how the people treated this women. What made him so angry was that the fact that she was not privileged, with money, and had to work very hard to survive, they would not treat her. Also that people looked down on her because of her illness. However, she was a person just like everyone else. This may have caused him to become socialist because he believes in equality and everyone should be the same, therefore, be treated the same way.

Six Word Memoir

"Change Can Happen." Let's hope so.

GOOD

Apples to Apples

U.S. Unit Secretly in Pakistan Lends Ally Support

The situation in Pakistan is very similar to what Che did in Bolivia in the late 50s early 60s. American troops were sent to these different countries to go search for Che in South America. However, they also trained the different troops in each town different tactics and moves so they could fight back. That is exactly what is going on today in Pakistan. American troops were sent there to train the people to prevent Al Qaeda and Taibans from taking over.
We cannot really say that it was wrong because Che was doing the same thing that were doing today.

Argentina

"Most important mission before leaving was to take exams in as many subjects as possible; Alberto's to prepare the bike for the long journey, and to study and plan our route. The enormity of our endeavor escaped us in those moments; all we could see was the dust on the road ahead and ourselves on the bike, devouring kilometers in our flight northward." pg. 33

This quote really was when Ernesto and Alberto were about to set forward for the journey around Latin America. This stood out to me because you could sense a feeling of excitement and curiosity as to what their journey would bring. This excerpt includes detail and imagery. This allows the reader to picture of the length of the trip and what it was like to be riding on the bike. I believe it was a very descriptive and gave us incite on their journey ahead.


"My tired eyes refused to sleep in them a pair of green spots swirled, representing the world I had left for dead behind me and mocking the so-called liberation I sought. They harnessed their image to my extraordinary flight across the lands and seas of the world." pg. 40

In this excerpt, it represents Diction and Tone. At this point, Che gives you his attitude towards the trip and the different feelings he is encountering. It allows you to be inside his head and read his thinking process. I really enjoyed this quote because it was very illustrative. It allowed us as the readers to paint a picture in our heads of what he is thinking and relate it to our personal experiences.

"For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn"

"For Sale. Baby Shoes. Never Worn"

I think that Hemingway's story could be about a baby that was never born. The mother ended up having an abortion or there was a miscarriage, something along those lines. He bought these shoes and ended up not being used because there was no baby.

Essential Question

Hopefully through my college experience I will develop into a mature individual. I want to be able to be myself and do the things that I love. For instance, travel and see different environments. I believe this will help me to e dependent on my own earnings and be able to do things on my own.

After traveling I will open my own speech therapy practice. I hope to help people that are in need. I love lending a hand to those in need to better their lives. That is how I hope to have my impact on the world around me.

Ideology 2/12

There are not any ideals or values that I would go great lengths to defend. I may have strong beliefs but not strong enough to go to great lengths to defend. I believe that something life changing has to happen to make me defend some sort of ideal or value. If you asked me that in years to come, there possibly could be something that I would defend. I am a very outgoing and no doubt am willing to speak my mind at any cost, however, at this moment in my life I do not have an enduring ideal or value that I would or feel confortable to defend.

TMD Introduction

One day I felt very thought provoking and wanted to go on an adventure to see things I have never seen before. My best friend had just left for California and all my other friends had work or were just plain busy. So hey, why not go for a little adventure of my own?

I walked down the street to the park, I have not been there in a while. There was a nature trail which seemed to be a new addition to the park. I have never been on it so it was a new experience to me.

I walked on the trail through the thick array of trees in my path and came upon a small stream. The sound of the water trickling through the rocks was very soothing which brought me to an intense state of thought. I looked at my reflection of myself in the water, and I was all alone. This had brought me to the conclusion that, there is nothing lonelier than adventure.

Timeline Post

The summary of Das Kapital and Easy Rider have many similarities. Das Kapital criticzes the fact that capitalism abuses its working class. In Easy Rider, the owner of an Inn, denied access of a vacant room to two liberating motorcycle riders because they were a part of the "hippie movement." Also, because they were both unemployed and not putting forth anything to capitalism.
The story of Easy Rider, is very much similar to the Motorcycle diaries bceause they both take a long adventrous journey and discover the struggle between the classes. They will have a realization of how society works and its flaws that they need to fix.

Bio & Intro Post

I have never read a "travel diary" before so the Motorcycle Diaries will be a totally new spectrum of literature for me. I expect many diverse things from this type of book. For an example, I would expect a lot of description and imagery because he will be taking us through Latin America. He will need to allow the reader to picture his journey in their heads so they can get a feel for the story's voice.

This story will greatly differ from the previous 2 books we have studied because this book is based solely on his individual experiences and endeavors. This novel will be more personal than others because it is based on his thoughts as well. Also, because it will be viewed as a first-person perspective which is totally different than the books we've read so far.

What is different from The Motorcycle Diaries preface than the others is that they are written from a different perspective than the writer himself. For an example, in the Invisible Man, the preface was written by the author of the novel whereas in Motorcycle Diaries the preface is written by his daughter and wife. Therefore it is a totally different standpoint on the novel.

Comparison

It was really useful to find background information before reading the novels. This gave you a better understanding of the novel and the time period of the novel. Also it was great knowing why the author wrote this type of book and his background information. This is because you would gain a deeper understanding of the point of the novel and the symbolism within the novel. Also you could have a different perspective of the book which lets you comprehend the novel better.

What is an Epiphany?

e⋅piph⋅a⋅ny

/ɪˈpɪfəni/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [i-pif-uh-nee]

–noun, plural -nies.
a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.
dictionary.com

Above is the definition of epiphany according to dictionary.com. To me, an epiphany is somewhat like a self-realization. An example would be like, finally figuring out what you were put on this earth to do or accomplish.

A moment like this could influence the way a person foresees life therefore, changing their actions or behavior. It could also influence their perspective of life.

Reaction to Glenn Beck

Glenn makes a valid point in his video segment. It is very true how Che praised the evil acts of Castro and was the "chief exectioner" which lead to thousands of deaths. The way Glenn goes about explaining his opinion was very intense and he was mocking the praise of Che Guevara. He is baffled of how many people wear Che Guevara apparel and don't know the true Che.

The way he presented this topic annoyed me in the beginning because he was very sarcastic and cynical. However, it showed me how passionate he was to this topic and how much he wanted to persuade people who do not know who Che really is. Also, the way he presented the topic made you believe what he is saying. It actually make you think how stupid people are for wearing Che apparel and how there are movies being created of his "legacy."

Glenn is basically arguing that Che should not be an idol to children and people. However, he was overly sarcastic which may make viewers annoyed of how obnoxious he was.