Over the past year, there have been vast improvements within my literary analysis and understanding the purpose of many works of literature. Instead of reading and watching out of leisure and entertainment, it becomes much easier to see overarching themes within literature and its purpose as a whole, such as the idea that "people need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world". This has significantly changed my view of movies, novels, etc. The ability to interpret literature and understand its full meaning will be an amazing asset going into college. This strength is best shown within dialectical journals as well as analysis papers written throughout the year. However, the only weakness that remains is the insight required to dive even deeper within the analysis. It is a simple task to interpret the author’s meaning behind their words and actions, but I remain blind to the author’s history and what significant event(s) led to the idea of the overall story: What caused the author to begin writing? What sparked their interest in the subject that which they write about? I must become more aware of the past that influences literature in order to interpret its message for the future. The research paper was a way to open my eyes to the present and past events that occur in the world that may affect a writer, such as the face that "efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality".
College Essay:
Cry of the Fallen Leaves
The radio fizzes on and my blurred eyes come to focus on the numbers 6:45. Coming out of hibernation, I open the door to the sound of a sizzling stove and a bustling family of four. In the corner of the filled room, the calendar clearly depicts October 12, 2009. Through the clear glass, blazing red leaves fell to the floor and gathered in piles. It seemed to be a typical beautiful fall morning for a 12 year old boy. My parents have breakfast on the table by the time I get out of the bathroom and my grandpa comes gliding into the driveway on his bicycle; the vehicle that has brought me to nearly every latitude in the world. I gather all my belongings and pull up the huge green wooden garage door to free my blue phoenix bicycle. Just before my grandpa and I head off to my school, he tells me to wait and heads into the garden.
Amongst the tall grasses and flourishing plants and vegetables lies a steel trap. My mom would always complain about how birds and squirrels would invade her garden, but I’ve never seen her take action against them, except for this one steel trap. My grandpa reached for this iron prison and lifted it high into the air. Within the prison lied one prisoner. It had eyes as black as tar and a coat of gray fur. Simply put, an innocent, starving American gray squirrel. I marveled at its existance and its presence. It seemed to be trying to say something… L..t m.. ..ut? I stood there speechless and my wandering gaze was broken when my grandpa took out a large, white plastic barrel filled to the brim with clear water. Within a blink of an eye, my grandpa submerged the prison underwater and the prisoner let out a terrifying cry.
Never in my life had I ever seen something die before my eyes, and definitely not in this tortuous manner. Bubbles of air rose to the top and the white barrel turned black. Within a few minutes, my grandpa lifted the prison once again into the air as to inspect his prisoner. Giving the cage a violent shake, the prisoner once again let out cries in fear of its life. Resubmerged into the water, that was the last gasp of air that squirrel ever had.
I must become the protector of the weak. College will be the gateway towards power and responsibility that I must fully take advantage of in order to protect the less fortunate. The thought of not being able to save a life that you are capable of saving is dreadful. The feeling of fulfillment comes from helping others in need and I long for that sensation. By going to college, I want to develop a future where I can save meaningful lives.
Research Paper (Sample):
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Imagine a world where the rich governed the poor. A world where nobody had ever stood up for their rights. History without Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, or Mahatma Ghandi. If nobody stands up against inequality, it will spread.
Notebook Entry:
Jason Fong 1-87 1984 by George Orwell 2/12/15
Quote: “...for weeks past he had been making ready for this moment, and it had never crossed his mind that anything would be needed except courage. The actual writing would be easy. All he had to do was transfer to paper the interminable restless monologue that had been running inside his head, literally for years. At this moment, however,even the monologue had dried up…. Suddenly he began writing in sheer panic, only imperfectly aware of what he was setting down. His small but childish handwriting straggled up and down the page, shedding first its capital letters and finally even its full stops” (10-11).
Context: Winston begins to write in his newly acquired diary containing his thoughts about past events and wrongdoings. His inner feelings and thoughts pour into his writing.
Author’s Style The portrayal of Winston’s thoughts and personification of his ideas show that he is a worried person with a sense of urgency and despair. :the restless [running] monologue” that is in his head represents his need to express himself. Because “the monologue had dried up”, Winston had begun to lose his ability to express himself. His most inner thoughts, his free thinking, would be unable to surface and no longer exist. The author is concerned with people’s ability to think freely and uses Winston to characterize how free thought is struggling to survive. Furthermore, by describing Winston’s handwriting as “small” and “childish” expresses the author’s concern for literacy/the literacy rate. Even with courage, it is difficult to act against a controlling power. The author critiques society for being unable to face its fears and how people would rather stay inactive against evils rather than fighting it. This may be reflective of how nations such as the U.S. did not get involved in World War 2 until it may have been too late. Unless the benefit is exponentially higher than the risk, people would rather have their opposition dry up and fade.
Response If people are not willing to fight for their rights, nobody will bother giving them rights. Nobody will stand up to their government and will be under the complete control of a dictator. If nobody fought against Hitler, he would have definitely succeeded in killing off the Jewish people and implemented his Aryan race and all his ideals. It is therefore important to become involved in international affairs. If countries do not intervene in each others’ affairs, the isolated country will rule its people any way they want. Those holding political power will always tend to abuse their power in order to tower over those they rule. When faced with such an overwhelming opponent, it becomes too difficult to overcome unless opposition of that power increases ten fold.
Universal Idea: People need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world.
Creative Project:
S.S.C.B “Responsibility and Ethics are the core of life”
Welcome to S.S.C.B! It is a world much like yours, but just a little more “perfect” Governed by the S.S.C.B Republic, the world is ordered and peaceful. They ensure that laws are followed. Since the reform of 2031, the world has evolved into a harmonious state. Ever since this reform, children are taught responsibility for themselves and for others. They do not compete with each other, but can only be successful and recognized if everyone is successful and recognized. This change in global culture has truly made the world perfect. Present generations act humanely and care for each others’ success. There are no longer religions, but they have been recorded by historical documents kept by the state. There are no figureheads that are worshiped because that will cause indifference and conflict. The only praise goes to the people, for it is they who forge the future.
People work their respective jobs and are rewarded with the living standards they deserve. There is no monetary system. New generations do not inherit wealth, and their futures are determined only by what they do within society. Everyone receives the same education. They are taught the skills necessary for any job and are taught that they must support each other in order for the world to turn round.
Free time is spent collaborating with others. Groups of friends welcome anybody into their groups; there is no discrimination. People are happy enough to be with others, so there are no real forms of entertainment.
You will enter this world and be given the education and taught the ideals necessary to exist within our society. From there you will be friends with all types of people, and you will enjoy everyone's company. You will work the job you want and live the life that is given. Your life will be fulfilling and plentiful and the choice is all yours. Revision of Sample:
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are be growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality. (Stiglitz 2012) It is clear that “schools with high concentrations of poor students tend to have older buildings that are more in need of maintenance, less qualified teachers, less challenging and advanced curricula, fewer books, fewer computers, and fewer Internet connections. Many classes with high enrollments of poor students are taught by out-of-field teachers who lack training in the subject.” (Page 2006)
----The reflection and presentation of the ideal world should be saved for the conclusion, after the reader has been presented with all the necessary information and ideas that will go into that world. Also, the ideal world must be presented in a way that actually coincides with the information that is given and does not draw from other sources and ideas. It is important that all the ideas are connected and flow together. One major flaw in my writing is that ideas do not always flow. Sources come from different ideas and backgrounds that do not always flow together, but indirectly support each other. Direct support is a much stronger and simpler way of backing up the main idea and delivering the overall message of the writing.
Over the past year, there have been vast improvements within my literary analysis and understanding the purpose of many works of literature. Instead of reading and watching out of leisure and entertainment, it becomes much easier to see overarching themes within literature and its purpose as a whole, such as the idea that "people need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world". This has significantly changed my view of movies, novels, etc. The ability to interpret literature and understand its full meaning will be an amazing asset going into college. This strength is best shown within dialectical journals as well as analysis papers written throughout the year. However, the only weakness that remains is the insight required to dive even deeper within the analysis. It is a simple task to interpret the author’s meaning behind their words and actions, but I remain blind to the author’s history and what significant event(s) led to the idea of the overall story: What caused the author to begin writing? What sparked their interest in the subject that which they write about? I must become more aware of the past that influences literature in order to interpret its message for the future. The research paper was a way to open my eyes to the present and past events that occur in the world that may affect a writer, such as the face that "efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality".
College Essay:
Cry of the Fallen Leaves
The radio fizzes on and my blurred eyes come to focus on the numbers 6:45. Coming out of hibernation, I open the door to the sound of a sizzling stove and a bustling family of four. In the corner of the filled room, the calendar clearly depicts October 12, 2009. Through the clear glass, blazing red leaves fell to the floor and gathered in piles. It seemed to be a typical beautiful fall morning for a 12 year old boy. My parents have breakfast on the table by the time I get out of the bathroom and my grandpa comes gliding into the driveway on his bicycle; the vehicle that has brought me to nearly every latitude in the world. I gather all my belongings and pull up the huge green wooden garage door to free my blue phoenix bicycle. Just before my grandpa and I head off to my school, he tells me to wait and heads into the garden.
Amongst the tall grasses and flourishing plants and vegetables lies a steel trap. My mom would always complain about how birds and squirrels would invade her garden, but I’ve never seen her take action against them, except for this one steel trap. My grandpa reached for this iron prison and lifted it high into the air. Within the prison lied one prisoner. It had eyes as black as tar and a coat of gray fur. Simply put, an innocent, starving American gray squirrel. I marveled at its existance and its presence. It seemed to be trying to say something… L..t m.. ..ut? I stood there speechless and my wandering gaze was broken when my grandpa took out a large, white plastic barrel filled to the brim with clear water. Within a blink of an eye, my grandpa submerged the prison underwater and the prisoner let out a terrifying cry.
Never in my life had I ever seen something die before my eyes, and definitely not in this tortuous manner. Bubbles of air rose to the top and the white barrel turned black. Within a few minutes, my grandpa lifted the prison once again into the air as to inspect his prisoner. Giving the cage a violent shake, the prisoner once again let out cries in fear of its life. Resubmerged into the water, that was the last gasp of air that squirrel ever had.
I must become the protector of the weak. College will be the gateway towards power and responsibility that I must fully take advantage of in order to protect the less fortunate. The thought of not being able to save a life that you are capable of saving is dreadful. The feeling of fulfillment comes from helping others in need and I long for that sensation. By going to college, I want to develop a future where I can save meaningful lives.
Research Paper (Sample):
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Imagine a world where the rich governed the poor. A world where nobody had ever stood up for their rights. History without Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, or Mahatma Ghandi. If nobody stands up against inequality, it will spread.
Notebook Entry:
Jason Fong 1-87
1984 by George Orwell 2/12/15
Quote: “...for weeks past he had been making ready for this moment, and it had never crossed his mind that anything would be needed except courage. The actual writing would be easy. All he had to do was transfer to paper the interminable restless monologue that had been running inside his head, literally for years. At this moment, however,even the monologue had dried up…. Suddenly he began writing in sheer panic, only imperfectly aware of what he was setting down. His small but childish handwriting straggled up and down the page, shedding first its capital letters and finally even its full stops” (10-11).
Context: Winston begins to write in his newly acquired diary containing his thoughts about past events and wrongdoings. His inner feelings and thoughts pour into his writing.
The portrayal of Winston’s thoughts and personification of his ideas show that he is a worried person with a sense of urgency and despair. :the restless [running] monologue” that is in his head represents his need to express himself. Because “the monologue had dried up”, Winston had begun to lose his ability to express himself. His most inner thoughts, his free thinking, would be unable to surface and no longer exist. The author is concerned with people’s ability to think freely and uses Winston to characterize how free thought is struggling to survive. Furthermore, by describing Winston’s handwriting as “small” and “childish” expresses the author’s concern for literacy/the literacy rate. Even with courage, it is difficult to act against a controlling power. The author critiques society for being unable to face its fears and how people would rather stay inactive against evils rather than fighting it. This may be reflective of how nations such as the U.S. did not get involved in World War 2 until it may have been too late. Unless the benefit is exponentially higher than the risk, people would rather have their opposition dry up and fade.
If people are not willing to fight for their rights, nobody will bother giving them rights. Nobody will stand up to their government and will be under the complete control of a dictator. If nobody fought against Hitler, he would have definitely succeeded in killing off the Jewish people and implemented his Aryan race and all his ideals. It is therefore important to become involved in international affairs. If countries do not intervene in each others’ affairs, the isolated country will rule its people any way they want. Those holding political power will always tend to abuse their power in order to tower over those they rule. When faced with such an overwhelming opponent, it becomes too difficult to overcome unless opposition of that power increases ten fold.
People need to speak up and fight for their rights. They must be willing to go through many struggles in order to maintain a free and fair world.
Creative Project:
S.S.C.B
“Responsibility and Ethics are the core of life”
Welcome to S.S.C.B! It is a world much like yours, but just a little more “perfect”
Governed by the S.S.C.B Republic, the world is ordered and peaceful. They ensure that laws are followed. Since the reform of 2031, the world has evolved into a harmonious state. Ever since this reform, children are taught responsibility for themselves and for others. They do not compete with each other, but can only be successful and recognized if everyone is successful and recognized. This change in global culture has truly made the world perfect. Present generations act humanely and care for each others’ success. There are no longer religions, but they have been recorded by historical documents kept by the state. There are no figureheads that are worshiped because that will cause indifference and conflict. The only praise goes to the people, for it is they who forge the future.
People work their respective jobs and are rewarded with the living standards they deserve. There is no monetary system. New generations do not inherit wealth, and their futures are determined only by what they do within society. Everyone receives the same education. They are taught the skills necessary for any job and are taught that they must support each other in order for the world to turn round.
Free time is spent collaborating with others. Groups of friends welcome anybody into their groups; there is no discrimination. People are happy enough to be with others, so there are no real forms of entertainment.
You will enter this world and be given the education and taught the ideals necessary to exist within our society. From there you will be friends with all types of people, and you will enjoy everyone's company. You will work the job you want and live the life that is given. Your life will be fulfilling and plentiful and the choice is all yours.
Revision of Sample:
“The American dream [will remain] a myth” unless the income inequality gap is closed. “America has become a country not ‘with justice for all,’ but rather with favoritism for the rich and justice for those who can afford it” (Stiglitz 2012). Today, we face a challenge. Millions of workers are making less money than they would twenty years ago. Even with the most advanced medical care, 44 million Americans are uninsured. More children are be growing up in poverty than any other industrial nation. (Moyers 2004). Economic inequality remains a serious problem in America that yearns improvement.
Efforts are constantly made in order to strengthen equality and lessen the effects of inequality. In America, most of these efforts consist of advances in educational reform and reducing income inequality. (Stiglitz 2012) It is clear that “schools with high concentrations of poor students tend to have older buildings that are more in need of maintenance, less qualified teachers, less challenging and advanced curricula, fewer books, fewer computers, and fewer Internet connections. Many classes with high enrollments of poor students are taught by out-of-field teachers who lack training in the subject.” (Page 2006)
----The reflection and presentation of the ideal world should be saved for the conclusion, after the reader has been presented with all the necessary information and ideas that will go into that world. Also, the ideal world must be presented in a way that actually coincides with the information that is given and does not draw from other sources and ideas. It is important that all the ideas are connected and flow together. One major flaw in my writing is that ideas do not always flow. Sources come from different ideas and backgrounds that do not always flow together, but indirectly support each other. Direct support is a much stronger and simpler way of backing up the main idea and delivering the overall message of the writing.